Science and Sport speak the same Language Erasmus Project

Project Title

Science and Sport speak the same Language

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation; Health and wellbeing; Natural sciences

Project Summary

“Science and Sport speak the same Language” aimed to relate Science and Physical Education by means of a European partnership of four high schools: La Sénia (coordinator school from Spain), Beja (Portugal), Genova (Italy) and La Rochelle (France). The implementation of the project was based in two eTwinning projects during the three years of total duration (the last year extended due to the pandemic).
The project integrated the students’ curriculum from 9th to11th year of the participant schools and improved their performances in the subjects involved. Along the project we used PBL and Group Work as teaching methodologies. Apart from the study and the application of Science laws (Kinematics, Forces, Energy), sport practise preparation (rogaine, rowing and paddling, trekking, trail running, cycling), the project enabled the students and teachers to work on a CLIL approach. Even more, they used English as the common language to communicate which improved their fluency in English. Moreover, their soft skills have been enhanced since they have been instructed in key citizenship competences during class discussions and group activities and also during cultural visits to natural and historical sites. They have been made to reflect on cultural differences and integration, encouraging them to appreciate diversity and respect the environment and the European Cultural Heritage monuments. Problem based activities and learning had a positive impact too on both teaching methods and learning methods. Students became more familiar with subjects which are normally considered “difficult” such as Physics and Chemistry, and they saw their practical applications to everyday life. The teachers shared to each other methodologies and pedagogical experiences that were used to improve their teaching job.
Before the meetings, the students introduced themselves exchanging videos and agreeing the pairs host-guest writing on the Twinspace forums. They shared warm up activities (Puzzle, Learningapps, Padlet, Thinglink, Genially, Tourist Guide, Strava Clubs, Strava Art) that worked both as ice-breaking and presentations to the city they were going to visit. During the meetings they worked in international workgroups and the tasks required cooperation inside them.
All the meetings had a similar planning. They started with activities where they had to collect data, e.g. running and Strava. They continued with cross curricular practises to work out the data and ended with presentations to summarise the work done. They used several tools for these purposes (Google Drive, Power Point, Prezi, Canva, Padlet, Genially, BookCreator, Weebly). After the meetings the pupils had to: 1) transfer the knowledge received during the meeting to the classmates who did not participate and 2) carry on several cooperative activities that completed the contents of the project (science-sport multilingual dictionary, Twinboard and Tracker analysis, Erasmus Days). As a result, they became members of this project and did their homework on time, cultivating a sense of responsibility, learning new things and taking a step towards their future. The teachers agreed on the project plan at the beginning, exchanged methodologies during the meetings, drew out conclusions and posted all the outcomes after the meetings. After the meetings, the teachers also transferred the knowledge received to the school colleagues and integrated the tested methodologies in the school’s curriculum.
During the pandemic, the project became 100% online. The tasks tried to engage the pupils in the topics of Energy and Sport. They pupils analysed their own body energy balance and compared it with pupils from other countries. They finally prepared two Board Games where cooperation, creativity and gaming were put together (Google Meet, Loom, Google Drive, Inkscape, Tinkercad).
At the end of the meetings, the outcomes were summarised in an ebook (Book Creator) and the highlights of the project published in a Weebly website. These are the two main outcomes of the project since the two Twinspace pages are private to avoid spreading students’ pictures.
The performance of the project and its impact on the pupils and the teachers was evaluated after each meeting by means of rubrics and satisfaction surveys (Google Forms). Finally, the dissemination was carried out inside the school by means of posters and students’ and teachers’ transference, and outside the school by means of school websites, social networks, local and regional media and presentations to teaching networks.

Project Website

https://science-sport-language.weebly.com/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 107766,4 Eur

Project Coordinator

Institut la Sénia & Country: ES

Project Partners

• Liceo Statale Classico e Linguistico Cristoforo Colombo
• Lycée général et techno Saint-Exupéry
• Agrupamento de Escolas nº 2 de Beja