Implement Plastic Action Erasmus Project

Project Title

Implement Plastic Action

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 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Civic engagement / responsible citizenship; Teaching and learning of foreign languages; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

The multilateral Erasmus Partnership ‚ImPAct‘ consists of 4 schools: Collège Paul Drouot, Vouziers (F), Bodmin College (UK), IES José Frugoni Pérez, Telde (ES) and Oberschule Bederkesa, Geestland (D). The title ‘ImPAct’ stands for Implement Plastic Action.

From 2021 single use plastics will be banned in the EU. This is the European Parliament’s reaction to a study by an Expert Commission, which has identified the global environmental damage caused by plastic waste, and developed a strategy for plastics.

Even if the huge plastic agglomerations carpeting the oceans are not in the immediate locality of our schools, it is nevertheless necessary to develop a strategy to put our own house in order. After all, disposable plastic tableware is still thoughtlessly used at many school events.

The partnership believes that strategies can only be implemented if they are supported by the development of objective and relevant citizenship attitudes. Therefore, this project wants to highlight the problematic theme of “plastic” with a range of direct actions.

Therefore pupils and teachers will develop a critical understanding of the background facts in 4 steps: 1 types of plastic and causes of plastic waste; 2 effects of plastic waste on the environment and on people; 3 alternatives to plastic, behaviour rules; 4 individual and political courses of action.

As we live in the digital age, pupils will develop their understanding of the themes by using the internet for research, and the conclusions drawn from scientifically reputable websites will be prepared for presentation with digital user-programs
Thereafter, this work will be displayed and stored in the ImPAct mobile, a multilingual digital art form with floating topic tiles arranged in thematic branches. This ImPAct mobile will be published on the project website www.impact.eu , which will be set up by students in the website group. The website will be visually pleasing, designed to appeal to an adolescent audience. As the project progresses, the website will also be the documentation platform for meetings and the results of all project actions. In addition to internet research, collaboration with scientific institutions will be sought in order ensure students have access to the most up to date information and analyses, and thus be in a position to identify fake news in the media, and publish findings in the mobile. In this way, students will develop a more responsible and critical appreciation of how to interpret information presented in the media.

With the preparation of the ImPAct e-book students will have meaningful access to a further digital publication platform that will enhance their use of user-programs. The e-book is a school newspaper that will compile news from the partnership, about meetings, or the progress of the project, and will publish the documentation of the ImPAct actions – also in the form of video clips – in a timely manner.

In addition to technical Internet research and digital usage options, this project also offers various “analogue” challenges:

Students will set up companies (ImPAct Manufacturing and Art). Here they have to develop a company from the product idea to the sales strategy. The product range extends from the reuse of plastic items to plastic art objects. The sale then takes place in the ImPAct Visitor Centre.

The Visitor Centre will be set up for the meetings and will then remain as a permanent exhibition in partner schools. In the Visitor Centre, the results from the ImPAct mobile will be presented on display boards, in video clips or – during meetings – by oral presentations by students.

The second year of the project will be characterised by the preparation and rehearsals for the ImPAct theatre. This will entail the dramatic portrayal of student research outcomes, views expressed by the general public, trending stories from the media (eg turtles tangled in plastic), statements made by politicians, high profile companies and environmental groups. on the subject of plastic waste. Included in this will be a live performance of the ImPAct song, composed, rehearsed and presented by the music group.

There are several public relations actions planned for the meetings:
The erection of an ImPAct Monument, a plastic sculpture created from waste collected by all students in a given location during a day of action, complete with commemorative plaque.
The ImPAct Flashmob will be an extra surprise activity for citizens.
The ImPAct behaviour rules will be strictly adhered to during the meeting week, and thus the obligatory farewell party will of course take place WITHOUT plastic disposable tableware.

Overall, the project promotes students’ personal development in terms of media literacy, the proper use of digital technologies, the development of their language skills, and their ability to engage critically in society and to participate effectively in civil and social life.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 131339 Eur

Project Coordinator

Oberschule Bederkesa Schule an der Mühle & Country: DE

Project Partners

• IES José Frugoni Pérez
• College Vouziers
• Bodmin College