Integrating Environmental Education Values in Thematic Learning at Primary Schools: A Literature Review

Abstract

Environmental education plays a crucial role in developing students’ awareness, attitudes, and behaviors toward environmental sustainability from an early age. Primary schools serve as a strategic foundation for integrating environmental values into learning processes, particularly through thematic learning approaches. This study aims to analyze how environmental education values are integrated into thematic learning in primary schools based on a literature review. This research employs a systematic literature review method by examining 30 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2018 and 2024. The findings indicate that environmental values such as environmental awareness, responsibility, conservation, and sustainable behavior are effectively embedded through interdisciplinary themes, project-based activities, and contextual learning strategies. Furthermore, thematic learning supports holistic understanding by connecting environmental concepts with real-life experiences. This study concludes that integrating environmental education within thematic learning enhances students’ environmental literacy and promotes positive environmental attitudes at the primary education level.