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Teaching Knowledge of the Natural and Social Environment in Early Childhood Education II

Code: 101988 ECTS Credits: 4
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
Early Childhood Education OB 3

Contact

Name:
Neus Banqué Martínez
Email:
neus.banque@uab.cat

Teachers

Nuria Arís Redó
Neus Banqué Martínez
Greta Boix Garcia-Cairo
Jordi Castellvi Mata

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

It is advisable for students to have previously completed the course Didactics of Natural and Social Sciences in Early Childhood Education I.


Objectives and Contextualisation

The course Didactics of Natural and Social Sciences in Early Childhood Education II builds upon and completes the learning process initiated in the course Didactics of Natural and Social Sciences I. This course aims to develop professional competences related to the classroom application of the knowledge acquired in the previous course, as well as the ability to justify one's teaching practice appropriately. It focuses on the understanding, analysis, and design of learning situations related to the exploration of the natural and social environment in early childhood education.

Learning objectives:

  1. To analyse learning situations based on theoretical and curricular parameters in order to assess their relevance and suitability for classroom practice.
  2. To understand, analyse, and innovate on previously designed and/or implemented learning situations, justifying the proposed practices from a theoretical perspective.
  3. To understand and analyse interdisciplinary classroom practices in early childhood education, identifying contents related to environmental exploration and other areas addressed.
  4. To design innovative learning situations and/or contexts, based on theoretical foundations, curricular guidelines, and the educational context, demonstrating the autonomy and creativity required to teach competently.
  5. To communicate effectively with professionals in the field of early childhood education in order to collaboratively and effectively address didactic challenges.

 


Competences

  • Consider classroom practical work to innovate and improve teaching.
  • Develop educational proposals in relation to the interaction between science, technology, society and sustainable development.
  • Make changes to methods and processes in the area of knowledge in order to provide innovative responses to society's needs and demands.
  • Promote and facilitate early infant learning, from a global and integrative perspective of different cognitive, emotional, psychomotor and developmental dimensions.
  • Promote interest and respect for the natural, social and cultural environment through appropriate educational projects.
  • Promoting experiences of initiation into information and communication technologies.
  • Properly express oneself orally and in writing and master the use of different expression techniques.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse a situation and identify its points for improvement.
  2. Analyse an educational situation and make a diagnosis of its relevance and make innovative alternative proposals.
  3. Apply basic ICT skills to the presentation of work.
  4. Apply the global and integrative perspective to educational proposals that are developed.
  5. Be able to draw on best practices to create new and personal ones.
  6. Demonstrate oral and written proficiency when presenting work on the subject, based on the use of correct forms, rigorous content and an appropriate level of argumentation.
  7. Demonstrate proficiency in the application of digital technologies to the infant classroom in proposed teaching situations.
  8. Design didactic proposals involving the interrelation between science, technology, society and sustainable development.
  9. Propose new methods or well-founded alternative solutions.
  10. Recognising and assessing the overall and integrating perspective in the teaching-learning situations analysed from children's education.
  11. Representing explicitly in the design of educational proposals how the interest and respect for the natural, social and cultural environment is promoted.

Content

1. Models of educational interventions related to environmental exploration

1.1 Didactic models of teaching and learning related to environmental exploration. Constructivist approach.

1.2 Sociocultural approach to the teaching and learning of social and natural sciences; teacher conceptions and teaching styles.

1.3 Analysis of real case studies presented by education professionals.

2. Ways of organizing work related to environmental exploration in Early Childhood Education: learning corners, projects, materials, and spaces

2.1 Organization of work related to environmental exploration in the early childhood classroom.

2.2 Daily life in the classroom: everyday activities, routines, rituals, and celebrations. Environmental exploration in interdisciplinary and holistic learning situations.

2.3 Examples of interdisciplinary or holistic projects.

3. Design of learning situations related to environmental exploration

3.1 Framework, learning situation, and scheduling.

3.2 Curriculum: selection and sequencing of knowledge, axes, methodologies, and competences.

3.3 Activities, materials, child grouping, and teacher guidance.

3.4 Assessment system.


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Analysis of different models of didactic sequences, learning situations and projects implemented in classrooms of children. 12 0.48 2
Exhibition by the inductive teaching interrelated strategies to facilitate dialogue and the construction of shared knowledge. 8 0.32 8
Preparation of work done collaboratively 8 0.32 3, 8
Recognition and Measurement from a globalizing and integrating situations and / analyzed in. 8 0.32 2
Type: Supervised      
Analysis of curriculum materials and experiences of implementation in the classroom 6 0.24 4, 8
Debates, presentations, and reasoned conversations 4 0.16 2
Type: Autonomous      
Finding information and education resources 12 0.48 2
Producing individual work of reflection 15 0.6 2, 3
Reading, comprehension and analysis about proposed texts 15 0.6 8

This course builds upon Didactics of Natural and Social Sciences in Early Childhood Education I, placing a particular emphasis on the design and implementation of didactic proposals and learning situations in early childhood classrooms. These are critically and argumentatively analysed based on didactic principles developed from the two reference disciplines: social sciences and natural sciences.

The teaching methodology is structured around three key pillars:

a) allowing students to experience, in their own learning process, that learning is both a social and personal act, simultaneously engaging rational and emotional aspects;

b) maintaining an interactive dynamic and a relaxed environment that encourages participation and personal commitment to one’s own learning and that of the group;

c) the teaching team acts as facilitators of the teaching-learning process, requiring students to take an active and autonomous role in meeting the proposed challenges.

 

The course is delivered through a variety of learning activities combining lectures, supervised tasks, individual student work, and follow-up and assessment sessions.

  • Large-group sessions are based on teacher-led presentations combined with inductive strategies that promote active participation, dialogue, and collaborative knowledge construction. These sessions allow for the observation and analysis of educational experiences, materials, and didactic resources, as well as the sharing of personal narratives and teaching experiences to reflect on their application in early childhood classrooms. The sessions also include analysis of various models of didactic proposals, learning situations, and projects, incorporating a global and integrative perspective.
  • Didactic seminars and field trips are conductedin small groups and provide space for the analysis, discussion, and design of real proposals and experiences for early childhood classrooms. Collaborative work is emphasized in the creation of proposals, and students are introduced to resources, institutions, and initiatives related to the natural and social environment. Field trips may take the following forms (details will be provided at the beginning of the course): o Visit to a museum, science centre, or other institutions related to the course content, during the institution's scheduled hours (morning or afternoon); o and/or Interdisciplinary activity involving direct and experiential exploration of the natural and social environment, during regular class hours. These field trips are mandatory and may require travel (in Barcelona and/or surrounding areas), as well as a student-covered cost of up to €10. If a student cannot attend on the scheduled day/time due to justified reasons, an alternative arrangement will be offered on another day/time, individually, and evidence of completion must be provided.
  • Independent student work is a key component of the learning process. It includes reading and analysing articles and didactic resources, designing teaching proposals for early childhood, and writing reflective pieces to deepen understanding of course content and personal teaching practice.
  • Finally, a specific space is provided for monitoring the learning process, including assessment activities, peer assessment, individual and group tutorials, all aimed at reinforcing student engagement and ensuring the achievement of learning outcomes. In this type of activity, students will participate in the real implementation of their designed proposals in an early childhood school, applying them with children aged 3 to 6.

This course includes activities aimed at developing Digital Teaching Competence.

 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Group task: design of teaching proposals for Early Childhood Education that incorporate the didactic principles covered. 45% 4.5 0.18 2, 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11
Individual task: follow-up and participation, and development of digital teaching competence. 15% 2 0.08 2, 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11
Individual task: reflection and (oral/written) presentation of the design of teaching proposals. 40% 5.5 0.22 2, 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11

Continuous Assessment of the course is developed throughout the teaching period and consists of a weighting of 55% for individual assessment and 45% for group assessment. It is structured through the submission of three evaluation tasks, of diverse typologies and distributed throughout the course, as follows:

1. Individual Reflection Task (40% of the final grade). This is a written and/or oral assessment task based on reflection and in-depth analysis of didactic resources designed around the natural and social environment. It will be submitted/carried out on the following dates:

a) Group 61 (Tuesday morning): 05/May/2026 (Natural Environment task) and 26/May/2026 (Social Environment task)

b) Group 62 (Wednesday afternoon): 06/May/2026 (Natural Environment task) and 27/May/2026 (Social Environment task)

2. Individual Follow-up and Participation Task (15% of the final grade). This is an assessment activity focused on monitoring and participation in group work, based on brief and argumentative evidence throughout the continuous assessment process. It will be carried out on the following dates:

a) Group 61 (Tuesday morning): at two points during the course (one week after the intermediate and final submission of the didactic resource design)

b) Group 62 (Wednesday afternoon): at two points during the course (one week after the intermediate and final submission of the didactic resource design)

3. Group Task: Design of Didactic Proposals (45% of the final grade). This is an assessment activity requiring the design, presentation, and/or implementation of didactic resources and learning situations for Early Childhood Education that incorporate the principles of Environmental Didactics. The materials prepared in groups will be submitted on the following dates:

a) Group 61 (Tuesday morning): 28/April/2026 (Natural Environment task)* and 26/May/2026 (Social Environment task)

b) Group 62 (Wednesday afternoon): 28/April/2026 (Natural Environment task)* and 27/May/2026 (Social Environment task)

*Note: The group assessment activity on the Natural Environment, for both Group 61 and Group 62, involves participation in the Exhibition of Didactic Spaces for teaching science in Early Childhood Education. This activity will be carried out during morning hours at the Bellaterra School, with the participation of all its Early Childhood students. Participation in this activity means that students from Group 62 will need to change their usual class day/time to take part. Students with professional obligations may request a participation certificate and/or an alternative option.

 

Single Assessment is offered in the course and consists of 100% individual assessment. It is structured through the submission of three evaluation tasks as follows:

1. Reflection Task (40% of the final grade). A written assessment task based on reflection and in-depth analysis of didactic resources designed around the natural and social environment.

2. Design of Didactic Proposals Task (45% of the final grade). This assessment requires the design (and possible implementation) of didactic resources and learning situations for Early Childhood Education that incorporate Environmental Didactics principles.

3. Oral Argumentation Task (15% of the final grade). This assessment consists of a personal oral interview to argue and defend the two previously submitted tasksand demonstrate command of the course content.

Submission dates for the Single Assessment tasks:

a) Group 61 (Tuesday morning): 26/May/2026

b) Group 62 (Wednesday afternoon): 27/May/2026

The characteristics and specifics of how all tasks will be carried out and submitted will be explained at the beginning of the course. The teaching staff will provide feedback/grades within a maximum of 20 working days according to the academic calendar. Students wishing to review their grade may do so in a specific evaluation and review tutorial session scheduled in advance by the teaching team.

 

Requirements and criteria to pass both continuous and single assessment:

  • Students must pass each of the three assessment tasks (after the recovery process, if applicable) with a minimum grade of 5 out of 10, in order for an average to be calculated and the final grade awarded.
  • Students must attend at least 80% of the course sessions, with all practical sessions (seminars and field trips) being mandatory. If this requirement is not met, the student will be marked as "Not assessable." Absence justifications only explain the absence and do not exempt students from attendance.
  • Students must demonstrate solid communicative competence, both oral and written, and a good command of the Catalan language. In all activities (individual and group), linguistic, orthographic, and grammatical correctness will be considered, as well as proper writing and formal presentation. A task may be returned as "not evaluated" or failed if it does not meet these criteria.
  • Students must exhibit a professional attitude compatible with teaching. The following will be assessed: active listening, respect, participation, cooperation, empathy, kindness, punctuality, non-judgment, argumentation, proper mobile phone use, etc. In group activities, inappropriate attitudes may lower the individual grade. Therefore, members of the same group may receive different grades for the same task.
  • Assessment tasks must meet the formal standards of academic work. It is recommended to verify the correct citation of sources, notes, quotations, and bibliographic references according to APA 7 style.

NOT ASSESSABLE. Students will be considered “Not Evaluable” if they fail to meet the attendance requirement and have not provided sufficient evidence of assessment (i.e., have not submitted at least two-thirds of the required assessment tasks). In such cases, students will not be eligible for the resit process

RECOVERY. According to UAB academic regulations, to access the recovery process for this course, the following criteria apply:

  • All assessment tasks are recoverable, as long as the student has been previously evaluated in the task to be recovered.
  • However, in order to access the resit process, students must have obtained a minimum average grade of 3.5 in the course. If this requirement is not met, the student will not be eligible for recovery, and the course will automatically be considered failed.
  • The student must have met all the course’s assessment requirements.
  • The student must comply with transparency criteria regarding the use of AI.*
  • The student must not have committed any form of cheating or plagiarism.**
  • The maximum grade obtainable in recovery is 5 out of 10 for the task being recovered. This grade will be averaged with the remaining tasks.

Recovery dates:

a) Group 61 (Tuesday morning): 16/June/2026
b) Group 62 (Wednesday afternoon): 17/June/2026

SYNTHESIS TEST. Starting from the second enrolment in the course, the evaluation can be carried out through a synthesis test that allows for the assessment of the learning outcomes defined in this Teaching Guide. In this case, the final grade will be the result of the synthesis test. Synthesis test dates:

a) Group 61 (Tuesday morning):26/May/2026
b) Group 62 (Wednesday afternoon): 27/May/2026

 

* In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is only permitted in the assessment activities linked to the field trip and the didactic seminars. Its use is limited to support tasks such as bibliographic or information searches, text correction, or the translation of articles in a language different from that of the course. If used, the student must clearly identify the parts generated with this technology, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how they influenced the process and outcome of the activity. Lack of transparency in AI use will be considered academic dishonesty and may result in partial or total penalty in the grade or more serious sanctions.

 

** According to UAB academic regulations, copying or plagiarism in any type of assessment activity constitutes an offence and will be penalised with a grade of 0 in the course, losing the right to recovery, whether it is an individual or group task (in which case, all group members will receive a 0). If during an individual in-class task the teacher suspects copying or finds unauthorised documents or devices, the task will be graded with a 0, with no possibility of recovery, and the course will be failed. A task, activity, or exam is considered "copied" when it reproduces all or a significant part of another student's work. A task or activity is considered "plagiarised" when part of a text from another author is presented as one's own without citing sources, regardless of whether the source is paper or digital.


Bibliography

Bibliography elaborated with perspective of gender: 

Altimir, D. (2011). Conversa amb Maria Teresa Feu: La intel·ligència dels nens i nenes es troba a la punta dels dits. Infància, 179, 40-42.

Calaf, R., Gutiérrez, S., & Suárez, M. A. (2016). Desvelar competencias vinculadas con el conocimiento escolar de las CCSS mediante la evaluación educativa del museo. Enseñanza de las Ciencias, 15, 89-98.

Cañal de León, P. (2007). L’alfabetització científica a la infància. Guix d’infantil, 33, 5-9.

Castellví, J. (2024). Medi social a educació infantil. Com aprenem sobre medi social a l'escola? Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

Cols, C. (2011). L’entorn, font de coneixements. Infància, 180, 14-20.

Cuenca, J. M., & Estepa, J. (2005). La caja genealógica: fuentes y tiempo en Educación Infantil. Una propuesta para trabajar con maestros en formación inicial. Quaderns Digitals, 37.

Cuenca, J. M. (2014). El papel del patrimonio en los centros educativos: hacia la socialización patrimonial. Tejuelo, 19, 76-96.

Feliu, M., & Jiménez, L. (Coords.). (2015). Ciencias sociales y educación infantil. Cuando despertó el mundo estaba allí. Graó.

Fontal, O., & Ibáñez, A. (2015). Estrategias e instrumentos para la educación patrimonial en España. Educatio Siglo XXI, 33(1), 15-32.

Fontal, O., & Marín, S. (2018). Nudos Patrimoniales. Análisis de los vínculos de las personas con el patrimonio personal. Arte, Individuo y Sociedad, 30(3), 483-500.

Fontal, O., Sánchez-Macías, I., & Cepeda, J. (2018). Personas y patrimonios: análisis delcontenidode textos que abordan los enlaces identitarios. Midas. Museos e Estudios Interdisciplinares, 9.

Fontal, O., & Castro, J. de. (2023). El patrimonio cultural en la educación artística: del análisis del currículum a la mejora de la formación inicial del profesorado en Educación Primaria. Arte Avance en línea, 1-23.

González-Monfort, N. (2007). El valor educativo y el uso didáctico del patrimonio cultural. Educación primaria. Orientaciones y recursos (6-12 años). En Educación Primaria (pp. 468/207-468/262). Wolters Kluwer España-Educación.

González-Monfort, N. (2008). Una investigación cualitativa y etnográfica sobre el valor educativo y el uso didáctico del patrimonio cultural. Enseñanza de las Ciencias Sociales: Revista de Investigación, 7, 23-26.

González-Monfort, N. (2011). La presencia del patrimonio cultural en los currícula de educación infantil, primaria y secundaria obligatoria en España. Patrimonio Cultural de España, 5, 58-75.

González-Monfort, N. (2019). La educación patrimonial, una cuestión de futuro. Reflexiones sobre el valor del patrimonio para seguir avanzando hacia una ciudadanía crítica. El Futuro del Pasado, 10, 123-144.

Jiménez-Fontana, R. & Gallego-Noche, B. (coord.) (2025) Cultivar la mirada científica para conocer el mundo. Una propuesta educativa para 0 a 3 años. Graó.

Martí, J. (2010). La construcció del coneixement científic dels tres als dotze anys. Què en sabem?. Guix, 369, 21-26.

Mèlich, J. C., Palou, J., Poch, C., & Fons, M. (2000). La veu de l’altre: reflexions i experiències per educar en valors ètics. ICE-UAB.

Palou, S. (2004). Sentir y crecer. El crecimiento emocional en la infancia. Propuestas educativas. Graó.

Parcerisa, A. (2015). Recursos y estrategias para estudiar ciencias sociales. Graó.

Pedreira Álvarez, M; Cantó Doménech, J; Mateo González, E. (2023). Monográfico: Aprendizaje de las ciencias en Educación Infantil. Revista Didáctica de las ciencias experimentales y sociales, núm.45.

Pedreira Álvarez, M. (coord). (2019). Ciencia en la primera infancia. 49+1 propuestas en libre elección. Graó.

Pedreira, M., y Márquez, C. (2016). Espacios generadores de conocimiento. Cuadernos de Pedagogía, 466, 46-49.

Pedreira, M. (2006). Dialogar con la realidad. En M. Antón & B. Moll (Coords.), Educación Infantil. Orientacionesy Recursos (pp. 23-69). Ciss-Praxis.

Pérez, E., Baeza, M. C., & Miralles, P. (2008). El rincón de los tiempos. Un palacio en el aula de educación infantil. Revista Iberoamericana de Educación, 48(1), 1-10. Organización de Estados Iberoamericanos para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura (OEI).

Torruella, M. F. (2015). Ciencias sociales y educación infantil (3-6): cuando despertó, el mundo estaba allí. Graó.

 

Webs d'interès

ARC. Espai al servei dels mestres i del professorat per compartir propostes docents de qualitat. https://apliense.xtec.cat/arc/

Association Internationale Pikler (LÓCZY) http://www.aipl.org/

Centre de Documentació i Experimentació en Ciències i Tecnologia (Dept. d’Eensenyament): www.xtec.es/cdec

Diraya. Talleres de Expresión y Educación Creadora http://www.dirayaexpresion.es/

El safareig: educació infantil i natura (AAMM Rosa Sensat): www.elsafareig.org/

Senderi-Educació en Valors: http://www.senderi.org

Tresor de recursos. Recursos per a una avaluació formadora i un aprenentatge gratificant. https://tresorderecursos.com/

Xtec-Xarxa Telemàtica Educativa de Catalunya: http://www.xtec.es

Zona Clic: http://clic.xtec.net/ca/

 

Revistes d’educació infantil: 

Graó 0-6. Revista de l’editorial Graó.

Infància. Revista de l’Associació de Mestres Rosa Sensat

Infància-Europa. Revista de l’Associació de Mestres Rosa Sensat

Viure en família. Revista (per a pares i mares) de l’editorial Graó 


Software

No specific software is required. 


Groups and Languages

Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(SEM) Seminars 611 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 612 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 613 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 621 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 622 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 623 Catalan second semester afternoon
(TE) Theory 61 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 62 Catalan second semester afternoon