For the Love of Nature: Explore and Discover Europe through Nature Erasmus Project

Project Title

For the Love of Nature: Explore and Discover Europe through 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: Creativity and culture; Natural sciences; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation

Project Summary

The project “For the Love of Nature: Explore and Discover Europe through Nature” was initiated by Visaginas “Gerosios Vilties” progymnasium in Lithuania.The idea to launch a project devoted to nature and young people in nature came after studies of the report on the Environment Policy of the EU members. As the report states that EU environmental acts should be carried out as soon as possible because the ecosystem might fail by creating dramatic problems for us and the nature, we found the topic relevant enough to introduce to our students and put them into context. The partners from Italy “Carlo Alberto Dalla Chiesa” Nizza Monferrato school and Gaia School from Estonia joined the Visaginas partners and developed the idea of the project. A main goal was set up – Raising Awareness About the Environmental Context and Empowering Pupils to Search for the Solutions to Improve the Quality of Nature by Learning Together Through Active and Effective Methods. The objectives leading to this goal were created as well – 1. Developing and sharing methods/techniques of the research on pollution. 2. Searching for the endangered plants and trees in project partners’ areas and the reasons why they are in danger. 3. Teaching the students about medicinal plants, their importance/benefits. 4. Improving students’ and teachers’ competencies of international cooperation, communication, creativity, as well as personal traits: self-confidence, enthusiasm, self-organization, and responsibility etc. through learning about nature and culture of partner countries. 5. Raising awareness and understanding of natural processes and promoting natural sciences. 6. Supporting project participants to acquire and develop basic and new skills and competencies. The partners will take charge of different topics: Lithuania – for water and soil pollution; Italy – for medicinal/spice plants and personal pollution, Estonia – for endangered trees/large plants and air pollution. It is expected to fully engage into activities about 100 primary and secondary levels (9-15 years old) pupils from each country. They will participate in a large number of nature oriented STEAM and art activities that are scheduled for the exchanges and put between them. There is a list of main activities: STEAM related ones – carrying out the research on soil, water, air, personal pollution, and endangered plants growing in polluted areas; doing a research on plants that grow around the area where students live – meadows, forests, mountains; learning about medicinal plants, spice and their benefits; planting trees in damaged areas; choosing the most beautiful tree from the pictures taken by students; visiting protected areas and meeting with environmental specialists in order to discuss the measures taken and particularities of their profession. Other group of activities that will be performed is Nature Through Art – the participants will present traditional festivals of partner countries; organize plenaries in nature with painting landscapes; create postcards and model herbariums from nature materials; make posters, mandalas on a school wall, design and edit a calendar with pictures and descriptions of plants, a pocket booklet about protected plants. As the project performance is a great opportunity for teachers to improve their professional skills, besides their direct support for students, they will also have a special occupations – giving a nature focused lesson during exchanges at a host school for joined group of students; taking care of the results of researches and editing the guidebook for teachers “Methodology on Different Kind Pollution Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices Assessment and Control”, the interactive catalogue “The Power of Medicinal Plants”, and organizing a final conference at every partner school at the end of the project.Thus the main activities including the results were recited. The disseminating aspect is also very important – the press-conferences during every exchange will be organized, all the materials will be uploaded on the e-Twinning, Erasmus+ platforms, and schools websites. Concerning project methodology to be used in carrying out the project – the various required tasks will be accomplished in sequence and assessed, a process to oversee and monitor the completion of those tasks will be provided, the constant communication with partners will be kept, the feedback after every exchange will be presented to the partners, the coordinator will get the project activities and financial report quarterly. We envisage a considerable impact of the project in terms of education in the broader sense that will influence students, teachers, their families, schools/ local communities. Our project will definitely have the potential longer term benefits due to a large number of participants engaged into its performance and the friendly relations that that will be created. The schools already have plans for further collaboration.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 46408 Eur

Project Coordinator

Visagino “Gerosios vilties” progimnazija & Country: LT

Project Partners

• Gaia Hariduse Selts (Gaia Kool)
• I.C. “Carlo Alberto Dalla Chiesa” Nizza Monferrato