Environmental Education
The Benesse Corporation provides opportunities to learn about nature and the environment tailored to children's developmental stages through products, services, events, and more.
Examples of Environmental Education Through Teaching Materials
Preschool: June Edition of Kodomo Challenge Jump: Touch-me-not Growing Set
This is a kit to cultivate a touch-me-not plant from the seeds.
Through cultivating a touch-me-not plant, children learn about appropriate watering and other conditions required to grow plants. A sense of affection and a desire to care for what they have grown themselves is also encouraged. In addition to Edutoys, we also developed a movie to get children interested in cultivating the plants, as well as picture books to inspire interest in plants other than touch-me-nots.
Preschool: April Edition of Kodomo Challenge Step: Looking at Roly Polies!
Part of the Organism Observation Program, which goes from April to September. A sense of curiosity and an inquisitive mind are developed through observing nearby living creatures from three viewpoints: shape, food, and special abilities.
The theme for April was roly polies. The story developed in the video materials is exciting to children.
Preschool: Shimajiro's environmental animation
This is a four-song Shimajiro animation that young children can enjoy watching and singing, and that helps them to develop a feeling to care for the Earth. The children learn that many living creatures live together happily on the Earth, and that the feelings of 'cuteness' and 'love' towards the animals in the film will lead to a desire to 'take good care' of them in the future and inspire action. In addition, as an environmental education song, by including a few scenes of environmental problems in the video, it is not only fun, but also contains the message that there are many environmental problems happening in the world.
From 'The Big, Blue Home
【“Shimajiro: A World of WOW!” wins “Best Preschool Programme” at the 29th Asian Television Awards for its episode, “An Amazing World of Technology”】
In the show “Shimajiro: A World of WOW!”, the episode themed “An Amazing World of Technology” won “Best Preschool Programme” at the Asian Television Awards, the largest international television awards in Asia. Out of more than 1,000 entries from across Asia, the episode was recognized as outstanding by a panel of 60 experts. This marked our second consecutive year and third time to receive this award. The episode focuses on new technologies that shape the future, such as usage of robots in hydroponic cultivation and clean energy, emphasizing the importance of creating a sustainable society. The aim of the show is to stimulate conversations between parents and children about challenging themes such as technology and environmental issues, and to think and act on their own.
Preschool: Shimajiro:A World of WOW! "Ma-Mi-Mu-Me Mottainai (wasteful)! "
The aim is to convey the meaning of "Mottainai (=wasteful)" to young children in an easy-to-understand way, and to raise their awareness. The song and dance to the Japanese lyrics of "Ma-Mi-Mu-Me-Mo" introduces common "Mottainai (=wasteful)" situations in preschool life in an easy-to-understand way. The song and dance are designed to raise awareness of the need to eliminate "Mottainai (=wasteful)" behaviours while singing and dancing.
【"Ma-Mi-Mu-Me Mottainai!" is selected as one of the “100 Best Videos for Environmental Education and ESD Practice” by the Ministry of the Environment】
In the social education category of the “100 Best Videos for Environmental Education and ESD Practice,” launched by the Ministry of the Environment in 2023, the environmental awareness video for young children, “Ma-Mi-Mu-Me Mottainai!”, was selected as one of the top 100 videos. The jury commented, “The commitment to fun is evident, allowing young children to naturally engage with the content during playtime. We hope there will be more B to C (Business-to-Consumer) videos like this in the future.”
Preschool: Eco Challenge for parents and children!
Information is provided in a special environmental issue of the Shimajiro Newspaper and on the website, in the hope that parents and children will learn about 'ecology' together and have conversations about it. Although this is a difficult topic for young children, we suggest that they start by taking care of the things they love and are familiar with through quizzes, searching pictures and other play activities.
Elementary school: Kota no Naruhodo News File ("Kota's Lightbulb Discovery News File") - a Special Feature for 5th and 6th Graders in the Reasoning Plus Course from Shinkenzemi
A page to deepen intellectual interest in the environment, economics, science, and a variety of fields in order to cultivate the ability to consider things based on diverse viewpoints and experiences. Children can deepen their interest in the environment with features in the environment field, learning about the balance of organisms and nature, as well as the causes of and measures against extinction, with organism extinction-themed features. They can also consider what can be done before recycling, which requires time and energy, with waste-themed features.
How else can we reduce trash?
©MD Co., Ltd.
Elementary school: Shinkenzemi: “Challenge Touch” Social Studies for 4th and 5th Graders
The Shinkenzemi “Challenge Touch” Social Studies program creates content to help elementary school students understand their lessons.
For 4th graders, the program introduces waste management issues and emphasizes the importance of the 4Rs (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle), encouraging proactive behavior.
For 5th graders, it covers environmental issues, including diagrams of global environmental issues and global warming.
Elementary school: “SDGs Mystery Solving: Voices Across the Sea and Secrets of the World”
The “SDGs Mystery Solving” project is a fun way for children to learn about the SDGs, providing them with an opportunity to focus on the world of the future. Through content that sparks children’s desire to learn more and do something about these issues, the project aims to nurture creativity, raise awareness of global issues such as environmental challenges, and develop the ability to take action to work toward finding solutions.
* This content is only available for the Shinkenzemi elementary school course.
Junior high school : Shinkenzemi: “Mirai-Ka” (future studies)
The Shinkenzemi junior high school course “Mirai-Ka” (future studies) provides useful topics ranging from common junior high school concerns to dreams for the future. It also covers SDGs as a hint for discovering the future from familiar things.
High School: Tankyu Nabi ("Inquiry Navigator")
We offer content to learn about the Inquiry-based learning process and necessary approaches in Mirai wo Hiraku Tankyu Shirizu Tankyu Nabi ("Inquiries that Create the Future Series: Inquiry Navigator"), educational materials for Inquiry-based learning that support the discovery and resolution of issues in Sogotekina Gakushu no Jikan ("Comprehensive Learning Time") aimed at high school teachers and students. Participants also practice inquisitive ways of thinking and deepen an understanding of global warming based on actual social problems.
Collaboration with Government Agencies: STEAM Library
The Benesse Corporation developed disaster prevention teaching materials for STEAM aimed at high school students as part of the STEAM Library, a part of the Mirai no Kyoshitu ("Future Classroom") project of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry released in March 2021. These educational support materials allow high school students to investigate regional disaster prevention and risk reduction based on hazard maps and statistical information from the areas in which they live while also allowing students to understand the state of the occurrence of disasters in Japan and around the world. Students also consider robots as solutions together with universities, private companies, and local government agencies as examples of the utilization of technology in disasters and risk reduction as considered by the students themselves.
Environmental Education Through Events, Contests, and More
The Environmental Division in a Contest where Elementary School Students from Around Japan Create the Future: Supporting Environmental Activities
We offer opportunities every year during the summer holidays to combine studies of nearby initiatives, environmental issues, and more so that students can apply to this contest.
Benesse STEAM Festa
Benesse STEAM Festa is an exploratory learning exchange event for junior and high school students across the country, with SDGs being one of the most popular learning themes. Some students not only conduct research and empirical studies, but also expand their efforts into society.
In fiscal year 2024, the event was held on March 22 at Showa Women's University Junior-Senior Highschool. Approximately 300 middle and high school students from 25 schools across the country gathered to share and learn from each other's inquiry activities and research, spanning the fields of academics, social innovation, and manufacturing.
National Exploration Contest
The National Exploration Contest is an opportunity for junior and senior high school students from schools that have adopted the Explore Navi and Explore Navi Basic materials to pursue their own interests and awareness of issues. It is an important step to encourage action towards a sustainable future through the exploration of environmental and social issues.
Environmental Education Through Local Events
We develop various events in cooperation with local government agencies, private companies, environmental groups, and more.
Contributions to Environmental Education Together with Local Government Agencies
● Participation in the Creation of Biological Diversity Guidelines in Tama City
Benesse Holdings and the Benesse Corporation participated in the creation of biological diversity guidelines in Tama City and collaborate in offering education on the biodiversity of Tama City to protect the rich natural environment, to gain the bounty of nature while coexisting with organisms, and to create a sustainable society.
Environmental Education for Employees
To deepen the understanding of our environmental goals and initiatives, and to provide each employee with hints for their own activities, in FY2024, we invited Professor Masatada Emori from the Graduate School of the University of Tokyo to give a lecture on “Climate Crisis and Major Social Transformation”【Japanese】
and also shared examples of environmental initiatives within the group. In conjunction with “Environment Day,” we offered online environmental training for 25 companies in the Benesse Group employees and promote a foundational understanding of
environmental management.
In addition, Benesse Corporation also provides training for new employees, training for environmental staff in each department, as well as department-specific training and specialized training, for new employees in charge of environmental tasks. The company also appoints supervisors for each floor to ensure thorough separation of waste products and power saving. We promote the awareness of employees by sharing the condition of waste product separation for each floor.