The Journal of The Korean Association of Geographic and Environmental Education ISSN:1226-511X(Print) 2586-5641(Online) 한국지리환경교육학회지

The purpose of this study is to identify the basic trends of perception among elementary school students in terms of environmental ethical consideration. Research methods for this purpose are as follows. First, this study examined natural species familiar to elementary school students. And, as a result, the largest number of species were grouped into animals, plants, and nonliving things. Second, this study conducted an online question to identify the existence of consciousness and the scope of environmental ethical considerations for species of nature that elementary school students think. Third, this study conducted a untact interview by applying a dilemma situation borrowed from Caldwell's 'spacecraft ethics' to examine the contents of the Internet question results of elementary school students in detail. The results of the study are as follows. First, elementary school students are either conscious or life-oriented about animals and plants, but they show strong aspects of human-centeredness about inanimate objects. Second, most elementary school students who show a life-centered stance give moral status to the target based on aspects of interest, and some sentience appeared. And elementary school students did not show inherent value and diversity. It is necessary to present various values and perspectives in elementary environmental education because elementary school students' perception of the scope of environmental ethical consideration is biased toward interests. Furthermore, if there is a reason to be considered in terms of sentience, inherent value, and diversity, it can be expected to be elementary social studies classes and geography classes, and environmental classes that guarantee diversity of values