Abstract:

Tsvetomira Ilieva Ivanova – a full-time PhD student at the department of “Preschool and Primary School Pedagogy” at the South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, Blagoevgrad. Research interests: primary school education, developing children’s interest in the phenomena and processes in inanimate and animate nature, ecological culture. The article examines the educational functions of the subject "Man and Nature", the role of the emotional at-mosphere, research skills and activities for a successful contact with nature and development of creative talents. Reaching beneficial results ensures deepening and strengthening the knowledge of inanimate and animate nature, expansion of child horizons, awakening children´s interests, developing research spirit, nurturing environmentally friendly behavior.

Keywords: school subject "Man and Nature", research skills, research activity, animate and inanimate nature, environment