Payame Noor University Journals of Environmental Education and Sustainable Development 2322-3057 13 3 2025 09 23 Identifying the Characteristics of Green Curriculum Elements in the Educational System: A Qualitative Case Study Identifying the Characteristics of Green Curriculum Elements in the Educational System: A Qualitative Case Study 23 45 11796 10.30473/ee.2024.70789.2718 FA Atefeh Farahmand M.Sc. Student in Curriculum Studies, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran Meimanat Abedini Baltork Associate Prof. Department of Education, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran Samad Izadi Associate Prof. Department of Education, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran Journal Article 2024 03 18 The environment is a shared space belonging to humans and the plant and animal species that live in it. Over time, this borderless place has faced numerous challenges and crises as a result of irrational interactions. Therefore, protecting this valuable habitat is essential. Based on this, the current research aims to identify the characteristics of green curriculum elements within the educational system. This study follows a qualitative case study approach. The research participants included curriculum experts, environmental specialists, and science teachers, with theoretical saturation reached through semi-structured interviews with 20 individuals. The reliability and validity of the research were confirmed based on the criteria of credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis (basic, organizing, and overarching themes). The results were categorized into 126 basic themes, 4 first-stage organizing themes, 24 second-stage organizing themes, and one overarching theme. The first-stage organizing themes included goals, content, teaching-learning strategies, and evaluation. In the second stage, themes under goals and content included water, air, climate, biodiversity, natural ecosystems, waste, soil, and energy. The themes under teaching-learning strategies included teacher characteristics, student characteristics, materials and resources, educational environment, and teaching methods. The evaluation theme included assessment of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The environment is a shared space belonging to humans and the plant and animal species that live in it. Over time, this borderless place has faced numerous challenges and crises as a result of irrational interactions. Therefore, protecting this valuable habitat is essential. Based on this, the current research aims to identify the characteristics of green curriculum elements within the educational system. This study follows a qualitative case study approach. The research participants included curriculum experts, environmental specialists, and science teachers, with theoretical saturation reached through semi-structured interviews with 20 individuals. The reliability and validity of the research were confirmed based on the criteria of credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis (basic, organizing, and overarching themes). The results were categorized into 126 basic themes, 4 first-stage organizing themes, 24 second-stage organizing themes, and one overarching theme. The first-stage organizing themes included goals, content, teaching-learning strategies, and evaluation. In the second stage, themes under goals and content included water, air, climate, biodiversity, natural ecosystems, waste, soil, and energy. The themes under teaching-learning strategies included teacher characteristics, student characteristics, materials and resources, educational environment, and teaching methods. The evaluation theme included assessment of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. https://ee.journals.pnu.ac.ir/article_11796_54a203e7612ea1a357f96ceba48c4d56.pdf