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One of the most complicated things about explaining certain issues to children is that, if they cannot see with their own eyes what we are talking about, they may not understand correctly what we are telling them or, simply, get the wrong or fragmented idea of it. One of these cases may be when we try to explain to them what the Light pollution through a definition for kids, since it is something that is not as tangible as other types of pollution. Anyway, if you want to know a little more about light pollution and how to make the smallest of the house understand what it is, keep reading Green Ecology and we will tell you about it.
Light pollution: examples
The first thing to keep in mind when you want to explain anything to a child is that you will need to have certain references that allow you to identify what you are talking about. It must be understood that, for an adult, it may be enough to read information on a certain topic for them to understand it. However, in the case of children it is necessary that, in addition to reading that information, they can compare it with something that they do know or have seen previously, as it will help them understand what is being talked about.
Thus, when it comes to explain to a child what light pollution is, the best recommendation is that it be done with a practical example. That is, looking at the sky. In this way, depending on whether you are in a clean sky or one contaminated by artificial light, you can explain to the child in question that it is a sky of one type or another. Once you have seen it, you can explain what the process is so that it can be seen clean or contaminated. In this way, with concrete examples that they can see and know first-hand, it will be much easier for the child in question to be able to identify what light pollution is.
For example, when we are in the countryside, where there is no type of light pollution, we can see many stars in the sky. Instead, when we are in the city, the light from streetlights, cars, buildings and all the light pollution the number of stars that we can see is much smaller.
What is light pollution for children
However, although practical examples are essential to understand correctly What is light pollutionIt is also necessary for children to know certain information about the phenomenon and nature of light, since it will allow them to have the initial mental tools to understand what is being talked about.
The best theory in this sense would be to explain what is light. In a general sense, light can be compared to air, since it is also “something that cannot be seen but exists”. Likewise, it is also good to give them practical examples that allow them to identify specific cases where there is and there is no light (day and night is the simplest and most effective example of all).
Finally, once children understand that there is a thing that is light and the effects it has, they should go on to explain its nature. In this sense, the simplest thing will be to simplify the explanation to photons (subatomic particles that are responsible for light). Although being scrupulous we should also talk about the wave-particle duality and the different types of light that exist, a priori, it will suffice to explain that light is photonsas it will allow a more effective understanding in the beginning. Once they think of light as photons, or light particles that move very fast and that when they hit objects they bounce, it can be explained, for example, why a sky polluted by artificial light turns orange, that It will be the easiest example for the child to understand, since it is very easy for him to compare it with a clean sky full of stars.
Light pollution: problems
However, once the explanation of what light pollution is has been carried out and the child has understood it, the last part, and also the most important of all, is to make him understand that this light pollution has effects, and effects that are not good. We must not forget that understanding what light pollution is will help children understand the world, but understanding the effects of things in the world will allow them to have a critical mind, which is such an important step in development. of the child as the acquisition of initial knowledge.
At this point, the consequences of light pollution should be explained to the child. These consequences include various types:
- On the one hand, there are biological consequences, as are the alterations of the biorhythms of many animal species (including humans), as well as of the trophic chains of some nocturnal animals.
- On the other hand, there are consequences affecting energy efficiencySince all that artificial light that ends up in the night sky is produced through the consumption and subsequent waste of specific energy resources, many of them polluting.
If you want to read more articles similar to Light pollution: definition for children, we recommend that you enter our Pollution category.
