Get Ready for Embracing Environment and Nature Erasmus Project

Project Title

Get Ready for Embracing Environment and Nature

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 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Environment and climate change; Rural development and urbanisation; Energy and resources

Project Summary

GREEN – Get Ready for Embracing Environment and Nature

Man’s view of nature has changed dramatically in recent years. We build cities, farm to produce food and use nature’s resources to generate energy. The question therefore arises as to how we can succeed in using nature and at the same time preserve wildlife habitats and to protect biodiversity for future generations. In short, how can we leave a world worth living in for generations to come?

In the course of the project all facets of the topic are to be considered and presented with regard to regional differences in order to raise the student’s awareness for nature related topics as well as for the European dimension of the topic. During the working periods we will take a closer look on how man’s relationship to nature has changed during the decades. To do so the project thematically comprises several stages each focusing on a different topic/subject. Beginning with the tamed nature of the parks and gardens in our cities we will later look at various more future-related aspects such as nature as an energy supplier of the future or the ever-growing use of land for food production, population growth, forms of mobility, etc..

The aim is to create ecological awareness amongst the pupils that makes them treat nature with due care and respect. The students learn that natural resources we take for granted are only available in limited quantities and therefore should be used wisely.
In addition to recognizing that natural habitats are worth protecting, the pupils will also become aware that the current debate on climate change and the conservation of natural habitats are two sides of the same coin and that it is everyone’s responsibility to contribute to the protection and conservation of both.
In addition to the personal insights, it is our goal to support the development of the project through local actions initiated by the partner schools. To do so during the course of the project the students can actively participate in the sustainable development of urban habitats by building and installing nesting boxes or insect hotels or by planting trees in parks or during recultivation measures.

The pupils are expected to independently plan and carry out experiments to investigate the influence of i.e. climate change or fertilizers on plant growth or to investigate how plant growth develops if they are given different amounts of water, etc. In doing so, the students not only improve their scientific and foreign language skills, but also their social skills and learn to appreciate the respectful and tolerant interaction with their European classmates and the cultural diversity of Europe.

At the end of the project, the participating pupils will be able act as multipliers in the respective school community and independently initiate projects. As the number of pupils involved can vary depending on the type of project carried out locally, the project also offers an opportunity to those pupils who are only interested in partial aspects of the project topic. The tasks that the students are confronted with during their participation vary the level of demands, both in terms of the work on the topic itself as well as in the way the results are presented. The main results will be shared on the etwinning platform and the project blog.

In addition to a sound basic knowledge of foreign languages, which is a prerequisite for participation, the composition of the working groups will therefore also ensure that students with different professional inclinations from art to science are represented. It is intended to use modern technology to communicate and to improve ICT skills in working with video editing software, survey tools, Excel and various types of presentation tools like twinspace or blogs making students aware of legal questions around online publication as well. Products will also include teaching materials like a permanent herbary to be used for biology lessons.
The selection of the participating students who form the core working groups will be made by the local teachers. In addition to the aforementioned, another prerequisite for participation in the project is that the pupils have proven themselves to be potential multipliers within their school community, in that they have actively contributed and contribute in shaping everyday school life through their commitment.

The current time and its Corona pandemic shows how much we ourselves are part of nature and interwoven with it, perhaps much more clearly than the climate crisis has done so far. All of a sudden, borders between countries are back. We hope that this project, in addition to its methodological and substantive priorities, can also contribute to rebuild closer ties between the participating countries and to move from the national mode of individual combat against the crisis to a common European level of friendship.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 147160 Eur

Project Coordinator

Joachim-Schumann-Schule & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Agrupamento de Escolas D. Dinis, Lisboa
• Col.legi Jesús, Maria i Josep
• 3 Gymnasio Evosmou
• Donegal Education and Training Board