Blue Countries Erasmus Project

Project Title

Blue Countries

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: Environment and climate change; Cultural heritage/European Year of Cultural Heritage; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

Being involved in many non-formal activities such as trips, ecological projects, recycling, case studies, we noticed the lack of our students’ information regarding the importance of water in people’s life and the effects of irresponsible human behaviour towards water quality.
Taking into account this is a global problem, we realized the necessity of creating this project with other European partners that will focus not only on the theoretical aspects, but also on developing positive attitudes towards protecting water and its ecosystems. Through the exchange of good practices we intend to change our students into responsible European citizens who will appreciate the value of water in their region.Thus, the problem of water pollution and water consumption will diminish, assuring sustainable development.
Our objectives were:
-Make students aware of the importance of water and find ways to protect it;
-Develop students’ 21st century skills (such as communication, teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and cultural awareness) necessary to help them become responsible European citizens;
-Improve students’ digital and language skills, an imperative requirement for their development;
-Provide opportunities for cross-curricular learning using methods that made students acquire knowledge and develop abilities through discovery, sharing and learning from each other;
-Study the significance of water in our existence, in our culture, by means of the students’ artistic skills.
The students(8-14 years old) were involved throughout the project in planning the activities, creating products, evaluating and disseminating.
Relevant activities included PowerPoint/video presentations(on the hypothesis regarding the way water appeared on Earth, water ecosystems, embellishing the area around our water, food based on water ingredients), creating the project logo and the motto, designing a poster about the water cycle in nature and a digital map with our rivers/seas.We had a case study based on experiments and a survey about water pollution and its effects on life. Further we tested our creativity building a prototype of the water ecosystems, a water mill, a micro dam and an aquarium.The project began with the lipdub presenting the partners and the flashmob was supposed to end it showing our work and collaboration. All activities were displayed in the brochure, the digital magazine and the website and in the Erasmus corners in our schools.
The brochure presented the ways water can be protected, displaying examples of good practice collected from all partners.The digital magazine consists of literary and artistic creations having water as theme.The website is the most encompassing result, containing all our activities and results, proving we have reached the project goals.The digital map of the rivers/seas can be used during Geography classes to identify European hydrography while the water mill and the micro dam will help to explain how water power is exploited to produce green energy.The ecosystem prototype and the aquarium will be part of the Biology classes presenting the way flora/fauna adapted to aquatic environment.
Students perform better being more motivated to learn foreign languages and use web tools in their learning.They have improved their critical thinking and communication skills, learning how to work in a team, being respectful to others’ opinions, sharing responsibilities.They developed their creativity and broadened the cultural awareness.They are more open minded, confident in their forces, in expressing their ideas, organizing campaigns to promote the project, making short videos on YouTube/Facebook to make people aware of the necessity of preserving water and its ecosystems.Moreover, they show a greater awareness of what Europe is and what being a part of this community means.
Teachers directly involved in the project have widened their horizons by exchanging ideas.They are more motivated to work with pupils beyond the classroom, becoming more creative in planning their teaching.The exchange of good practices with their European partners has made them use new methods and get better results. They shall continue to collaborate with the Environmental Agency, making environmental projects. Further they can explore this topic more, having crosscurricular lessons with the Chemistry/Physics teachers on the way water changes in nature or the chemical elements in polluted waters.
Teachers will use the research and the products to create an optional class on environmental issue and gain confidence in taking part in other European Programmes.
The participating schools have improved their image in community, promoting new strategies of learning, encouraging students to become independent lifelong learners.The number of students choosing to study in these schools will increase.Parents will have better prepared children which will motivate them to get actively involved in the school life.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 150227 Eur

Project Coordinator

SZKOLA PODSTAWOWA ZWIAZKU NAUCZYCIELSTWA POLSKIEGO & Country: PL

Project Partners

• Istituto Comprensivo”J.Stella”
• 15o Dimotiko Sholio Rethymnou
• Tartu Raatuse Kool
• Scoala Gimnaziala Nr 5
• Strabraggan National School