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Characteristics of Youth by Age
Once you have determined that the curriculum incorporates the six key
characteristics of high quality environmental education, further
assessment of materials is needed to ensure the curriculum is age
appropriate.
When looking at the stages of development of young people, we
typically categorize them into one of four age groups, based on their
physical, social, emotional and intellectual development (Groff).
Characteristics of 6-8 year olds:
Physical:
- Are mastering
physical skills. Have better control over large muscles than small
muscles.
Social:
- Are becoming more
aware of peers and their opinions and are beginning to better
observe other people.
- Are beginning to experience empathy for others,
but still learning about and wrapped up in self.
- Are still family oriented.
Emotional:
- Seek parental
approval but are becoming emotionally steadier and freer from
parents.
- Tend to behave
in ways to avoid punishment.
Intellectual:
- Generalize from
own experiences and are more interested in process than product.
- Base their
thinking in reality and accuracy.
- Are learning to
sort things into categories and arrange in a series.
- Handle only one
mental operation at a time.
Environmental education activities for this age group should focus on
building knowledge about the natural environment. Lessons that
incorporate utilizing the five senses, provide opportunities for
collecting and sorting of seeds and allow for the development of cause
and effect relations ships, such as the relationship of plants to water
and sunlight, will provide the learner with stimulating activities that
will allow them to achieve success.
Characteristics of 9-11 year olds:
Physical:
- Are quite active
with boundless energy.
- Are maturing at
different rates between the sexes. Girls will be maturing faster
than boys and some may be entering puberty.
- Are increasing in
manual dexterity, small muscle coordination.
Social:
- Generally see
adults and authority.
- Feel loyalty to
group, club, gang. Enjoy code language and
passwords.
- Identify with
same sex group. May prefer to be with members of the same sex.
- Prefer working
in groups in cooperative activities.
- Expand and use
reasoning skills to solve problems, negotiate and compromise with
peers.
Emotional:
- View right
behavior as "obeying" rules set by those in power.
- Accept
parent/family beliefs.
- Admire and
imitate older boys and girls
- Are developing
decision-making skills.
- Are beginning to
question parental authority.
- Need involvement
with a caring adult.
Intellectual:
- Have increased
attention span, but have many interests which change rapidly.
- Are beginning to
think logically and symbolically. Still prefer concrete ideas.
- Are learning to
use good judgment.
- Judge ideas in
absolutes; right or wrong, fabulous or disgusting, etc. Do not
tolerate much middle ground.
- Want to use
their skills to explore and investigate the world.
Activities dealing with the value of the natural world can easily be
understood by 9 to 11 year olds. Experiences that incorporate physical
activity along with opportunities to explore and investigate the world
are very appropriate for this age group. Pond studies and insect catch
and release programs are favorites, by allowing students to see the
importance of all members of the ecosystem. Students begin to understand
the role that member of the ecosystem plays, therefore insects, arachnids
and reptiles are no longer good or bad in their eyes, but valued for their
uniqueness and contributions.
Characteristics of 12-14 year olds:
Physical:
- Exhibit a wide
range of sexual maturity and growth patterns between genders within
gender groups.
- Experience rapid
changes in physical appearance.
Social:
- Are interested
in activities involving the opposite sex; learning to live with
opposite sex.
- Are looking more
to peers than parents. Seek peer recognition.
- Seek acceptance
and trust.
- Tend to reject
ready-made solutions from adults in favor of their own.
- Question
authority and family values.
Emotional:
- Compare
themselves to others.
- Are concerned
about physical development and emerging sexuality.
- Are concerned
about social graces, grooming and being liked by friends.
- Abandon view of
parents as all powerful.
- Strive for
independence, yet want and need parents help.
- Need information
for making decisions.
- Seek privacy from
parents/adults.
- Want to be part
of something important.
Intellectual:
- Find justice and
equality to be important issues.
- Think abstractly
and hypothetically.
- Are developing
skills in the use of logic. Can understand
cause and effect.
- Can solve
problems that have more than one variable.
- Can imagine
consequences.
- Are ready for
in-depth, long-term experiences.
- Challenge
assumptions.
- Want to explore
the world beyond their own community.
- Are curious
about the environment.
Youth ages 12 to 14 would thrive in curriculum activities that focus
on developing attitudes about the natural world. Looking at community
environmental issues and defining their feelings about those issues
through research and investigation provides youth to challenge
assumptions and redefine their beliefs based on real life experiences.
Characteristics of 15-18 year olds:
Physical:
- Are concerned
about body image.
- Exhibit smaller
range in size and maturity among peers.
Social:
- Make
commitments.
- Can commit to
follow through with service.
- See adults as
fallible.
- Desire respect.
- Are apt to
reject goals set by others.
- Want adult
leadership roles.
Emotional:
- Desire respect.
- Are beginning to
accept and enjoy their own uniqueness, but still seek status and
approval of peer group.
- Look for
confidence of others in their decisions.
- Develop their
own set of values and beliefs
- Take on multiple
roles.
- Gain autonomy.
- Are
introspective.
- Take fewer
risks.
- Can initiate and
carry out their own tasks without the supervision of others.
- Search for
career possibilities.
- Desire a role in
determining what happens in their world.
Intellectual:
- Are mastering
abstract thinking. Can imagine impact of present behavior on the
future.
- Can consider
many perspectives and a given issue.
- Develop theories
to explain how things happen.
- Create new
possibilities from information.
Fifteen to 18 year olds are ready for authentic experiences in the
environment that foster commitment and skill development to protect and
improve the environment. Service learning, teaching others and authentic
leadership roles around the environment provide 15 to 8 year olds with
opportunities to impact their world and challenge others to do the same.
The selection of age appropriate activities for young people will
provide them with a positive learning environment that will support their
interests and provide a solid foundation for further investigation and
research.
Groff, J. Training Trainers to Teach.
Raleigh, North Carolina:
North Carolina State
University.
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