LEARNING IN NATURE: FAST MOVEMENT TOWARDS NATURAL SCIENCE COMPETENCE

At present we more and more frequently hear the expression “School Without Walls”. Attempts are made to emphasise children‘s learning not only during lessons and in the classroom. The conception “School Without Walls” moves the process of education to other spaces such as city, countryside, nature (forest, meadows, near bodies of water, school yard), museums, trips, home, family, parents' workplaces, internet, etc. Under conditions of changing attitude towards the lesson, the process of education, learning environments, more considerable focus should be laid on learning in the natural environment , i.e., in green learning spaces. The article presents experience obtained after the questionnaire survey of 4th formers, who participated in the green lesson. School children learnt surrounding nature while walking along the waymarked educational trail of Pavilniai Regional Park. During educational activities, school students expanded their natural science conmpetence, which consists of knowledge and understanding, practical skills, problem solutions, natural science communication, learning to learn and attitudes (values, views, disposition). The analysis of assignments conducted by school students and the obtained answers to the questions confirmed expectations of organisers of the green lesson: it is more interesting to learn in nature, it is much easier to memorise and understand many things, lessons in the nature strengthen all the components of the natural science competence. Key words: natural science competence, learning in nature, primary school.