Growing Green Minds: Ecological Awareness Across Disciplines in Turkey’s Middle School Curriculum (Grades 6 to 8)

This study investigates the extent to which ecological awareness is integrated into the middle school curricula (Grades 6–8) in Turkey. Utilizing a qualitative research approach, content analysis was conducted on 13 compulsory courses from the 2022–2023 academic year. The analysis involved thematic coding and frequency distribution of 171 ecological keywords categorized into nine themes, such as energy, climate, and agriculture. The findings reveal that while concepts related to ecological awareness are present in courses like Environmental Education and Climate Change and Natural Sciences, their integration across the curriculum is inconsistent with several courses lacking any reference to ecological themes. The study highlights a critical need to expand ecological knowledge and foster interdisciplinary connections to strengthen the curriculum’s ability to cultivate ecological awareness. These findings have broader implications for curriculum design, emphasizing the importance of aligning educational frameworks with global sustainability goals to prepare future generations for environmental challenges.