Eco-Poetry: K-12 Environmental Education’s Bridge

Soumi Duttagupta

The Seed of Eco-Consciousness

“Seed is hope!”

A fourth-grader with special needs proudly exclaimed during one of my nature writing workshops. This sparked an immediate flurry of responses, as others excitedly chimed in:

“Ma’am, seed is forest!”
“Ma’am, seed is life!”
“Without seed, we will not exist.”

I had just narrated the journey of a seed transforming from a tiny sprout into a thriving forest. I then invited the students to capture this journey—from seed to sapling, tree, and finally, a forest—in a phrase or sentence. My goal was to dissolve the boundaries between science—specifically, natural science—and poetry. This exercise engages what neuroscience calls neural plasticity—the brain’s remarkable ability to form new connections when students blend disciplines creatively. I was amazed at how effortlessly their minds wove concepts and contexts together.

But what truly moved me was when a child confidently shared a couplet:

“Seed is food,
for the squirrels in the wood.”

Another child chimed in, “Ma’am, I have one more:

 “From seed to tree,

A bird gets a home for free.”

I had goosebumps, seeing the magic of words and wonder take shape.

Bridging Science and Poetry: The Power of Interdisciplinary Learning

Actually, in my mind, I was pushing my boundaries as a facilitator and was aiming to go beyond the boundaries of science and poetry and build eco-consciousness in these young minds—a mission I am deeply committed to. That’s why I chose ‘The Lorax’ by Dr. Seuss as our grounding story. What I witnessed was that, almost naturally, the students began to bring an ecological perspective into their thoughts.

In The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, Mr. Onceler hands the last seed to young Ted with a warning:

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

Inspired by Mr. Onceler, these elementary school children, living in urban cities like Gurgaon, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune joined hands with Ted in their poetic expression of why seeds and the forest are essential even for us. Through the facts of science and feelings of poetry they explored the journey of seed, from the depth of the earth to the heights of sky.

(Here is a Diamante created by Havish Reddy Vuyyur,  a third grade student of Abhaya Waldrof School, Hyderabad, expressing the idea that seed is life.)

Beyond seeds, children’s understanding of the forest also emerged through their poetic voices. Here is a poem from the same workshop that beautifully illustrates the vibrant life of a rainforest.

( A poem written by Sreeja Ganguly, grade 2 of Vibgyor School, Pune)

Ecological Worldview: Understanding Our Place in the Web of Life

On their eco poetic trail, they captured the whispers of the forest to the hums of the insect and the delight of the buzzing bee on the blooms. To my wonder, as they naturally connected the dots, the web of life became clear to their naive eyes, with their natural intuition.

In biology, ecology is defined as the study of the interactions between living organisms and their environment. It examines the relationships among all living beings and their ecosystems. An ecological worldview recognizes that humans are part of a larger ecological system, and that our choices and actions significantly impact planetary health and well-being. Most importantly, it instils the belief that we humans are a part of this web of life and not apart from it.

Similarly, our identity, like our understanding of self, requires the broader context of our families, society, culture, and history to be fully realized. Each one of us is shaped by a network of connections – our ties to people and places. These bonds form our values, our beliefs and subsequently our ‘sense of self’. This sense of self emerges from our interconnectedness, interactions, and interdependencies, weaving through our lives and grounding us in a larger network, far greater than our individual existence.

However, this matrix is not limited to humans only, but includes the interconnectedness of non-human living beings, to landscapes, to rivers, to seas, to the air we breathe.

Within this matrix, eco-poetry naturally finds its place. 

Especially for young minds, eco-poetry, as a form of eco-pedagogy, not only raises awareness but also stirs concern. It challenges assumptions and reveals the urgency of environmental crises. Through eco-poetry, we can foster responsibility, proactivity, and a deeper engagement with the natural world, moving beyond surface-level beauty to address critical issues.

Cultivating Eco-Consciousness: Language, Math, and Science in Harmony

In today’s world, where environmental issues are critical, eco-poetry can be a powerful tool to cultivate eco-consciousness among K-12 students as well as university students. Eco-poetry is a genre that not only explores the relationship between humans, non-humans, and the natural world but, with its inherent interdisciplinarity, nurtures empathy, scientific understanding, and even mathematical thinking.

In my Nature Writing sessions with school children, I have witnessed firsthand how this interdisciplinary approach does more than building language skills. It weaves scientific curiosity and integrates mathematical awareness.

To integrate science and arts and make learning fun, I use little literary games like creating poetic pairs. For example, a middle school child described a river as a ‘winding lifeline,’ an elementary school child a tree as a ‘rain maker,’ and a bee as a ‘pollen porter.’ This poetic pairing not only crafted vivid images but also deepened their understanding of scientific processes, such as the river and tree’s role in the water cycle and the bee’s role in maintaining biodiversity. These experiences have shown me how using language art creatively can transform abstract ecological concepts into context which the students can connect on a personal level.

(by a Grade 1 student of Heritage Xperiential School, Gurgaon, created during a nature-writing workshop)

In my poetry and mathematics sessions, I have seen how patterns in nature, for example Fibonacci sequence, have inspired poetic expressions making one feel maths accessible and tangible.  In forming their shape poems – where they have formed outlines of a tree, bird or a leaf – they have sparked discussions on natural symmetry and geometry. Through these creative explorations children can appreciate nature’s beauty, variety and complexity from multiple perspectives engaging their cognitive skills.

Evoking Empathy: The Emotional Connection to Nature

Eco-poetry has a power to evoke empathy and an emotional connection to nature. This emotional engagement is essential for fostering ecological consciousness. As a byproduct, it also contributes to social and emotional learning (SEL) by giving students an outlet to express their thoughts on environmental issues. Collective discussions on eco-poetry can open a dialogue about their feelings regarding environmental crises and challenges, and most importantly, help them process complex emotions in a supportive environment.

Addressing Environmental Challenges: Eco-Poetry and Ecological Justice

Rampant deforestation, unmindful industrial expansion, intensive farming, mining, and unimpeded infrastructural development have led to the exploitation of wild species. This has created calls for ecological justice. And this is a moral, scientific as well as philosophical thought which has to be instilled among the older next generation – the young adults (middle school, high school as well as university students) through our educational processes.

Sowing the Seed of Change: Eco-Poetry as a Tool for Action

Through self-authored eco-poetry and illustrations, students have the opportunity to connect disciplines, express concerns, and discover their own writing voices. As they craft poetry and accompanying visuals, they naturally explore complex ecological themes, reflect on their role in the environment, and develop a stronger environmental ethic.

Through this poem, below, a high school student reflects on the impact of anthropogenic activities on Earth’s ecosystems, capturing the urgency of ecological restoration through poetry.

( by Parthiv Yasanth, a grade 9 student of Sunflower Vedic School, Hyderabad)

Here is another Haiku by a middle school student reflecting on how dazzling lights along beaches mislead sea turtles, mistaking them for moonlight, ultimately leading to their death due to our anthropogenic indulgences.

(by Anusha Duttagupta, a grade 9 student of Shiv Nadar School, Gurgaon)

  At this stage of development critical thinking skills become prominent along with conceptual understanding. Various educational ideologies encourage exploring subjects analytically while using creative methods. Eco-poetry provides that reflective and creative space for students to connect their evolving intellect with their feelings, building a deeper ethical consciousness about environmental and social issues. For example, the illustrated poems below by a middle school child on impact of light pollution on the urban flora.

Here are two illustrated poems below by two middle school children.

(by Tanisha Sur, a student of eighth grade  of Chrysalis School, Bangalore showing the impact of light pollution on the urban flora)

( by Arpan Dasgupta, grade eight of Delhi Public School , Kolkata showing the impact of ocean pollution on whales)

The Art of Noticing: Deepening Ecological Connections

 Eco-poetry can thus provide a powerful entry point for young minds to gain a holistic understanding of the natural world, bridging disciplines like language, math, and science in a thought-provoking and engaging way.

Tim Cresswell, in his blog The Eco-Poetry That Shaped Me, writes, “One of poetry’s strengths is its insistence on the power of noticing – of paying attention.” The art of noticing is not passive observation; it’s an active engagement with both our immediate and broader surroundings. By encouraging students to notice, empathize, and articulate the beauty of nature, eco-poetry reveals the urgency of ecological connections. Its interdisciplinary nature empowers educators to build language skills and scientific awareness, while also fostering students’ social and emotional development.

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