The School Garden as a Pedagogical Resource to Strengthen Environmental Education in Sixth-grade Students of Basic General Education

Abstract

This study analyzes the school garden as a pedagogical resource to strengthen environmental education in sixth-grade students at the “Pedro Vicente Maldonado” School. A quantitative, field-based, and applied approach with a descriptive scope was adopted. Eighteen students and six science teachers participated. Surveys, observation, and expert judgment were used; the data were represented using graphs and basic statistical analysis. The results show a favorable foundation of environmental awareness among the students and a high willingness to participate in projects, but with specific conceptual and practical gaps, such as in composting. Among the teachers, the use of the garden is occasional and poorly integrated into the curriculum, with practical evaluation still in its early stages and weak systematic link to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A school garden proposal based on Project-Based Learning (PBL), collaborative work, and formative assessment was designed and implemented. Structured in three phases (awareness-raising, implementation, and curriculum integration), it was aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4, 13, and 15. Validation by five experts demonstrated high relevance and expected impact, identifying sustainable resource management and the diversification of monitoring mechanisms as areas for improvement. The study concludes that the school garden is a viable and innovative strategy that integrates theory and practice, fosters ecological awareness and the development of scientific, communicative, and civic competencies, and contributes to the education of students committed to sustainability.