LOOK OUT OF YOUR WINDOW- Rethink-React-Rejoice Erasmus Project

Project Title

LOOK OUT OF YOUR WINDOW- Rethink-React-Rejoice

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 : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Natural sciences; Energy and resources

Project Summary

“We don´t have time to wait for a hero who might come and save the Earth. We need to create our own heroes, we all can be a planet hero. Wake up and do something”

Through this project we wanted to make the pupils aware, how their activities are influencing the environment. Pupils were meant to learn to recognize the status of the natural environment which surrounds them. We wanted to show the pupils through this project how much of valuable, natural resources they are consuming and how large a part of this will end up in waste. Through this project, we showed them ways to reduce the consummation of resources to prevent the creation of waste and a smart approach to sustainability.
The objective of this project was to lead the pupils to rejoicing over their newly developed ability and to protect the environment by intelligent use of resources. The resources we were covering were: WATER-PAPER -CRUDE OIL
The project was subdivided into three different steps:

RETHINK: pupils were given information about the resource were focusing on.
REACT: pupils were given tasks to find ways, how to use that special resource in a more moderate and sensible way. Experiments, activities and challenges were carried out.
REJOICE: In this step, the pupils were encouraged to think and use the resource in a new and creative way
.
There were seven participants. Their profiles are as follows.

1. Pre pimary school and kindergarden- Bulgaria/Varna:
2. Primary boy school- Ireland/ Carrigaline
3. Pro Olympia Primary school-Sweden/Virserum
4. Othanbey Ilkokulu-Turkey/Bursa
5. Ynysowen Community Primary school-Wales/Aberfan
6. Vilniaus Vyturio pradine mokykla Primary school – Lithuania/Vilnius
7. Volksschule am Tabor – Austria/Neusiedl am See

The project was implemented through different activities within the classroom and out of the classroom.
a) In the classroom, the pupils were taught about the different topics of the project, e.g. fresh water, waste water, general waste, resources usages. The work of the class teacher was enhanced and supplemented by invited experts on the different topics.
b) Pupils workshops were guided by the classroom teacher with support of invited artists.
c) In addition to the classroom work excursions to different show places of the relevant topics, e.g. freshwater distribution installations, water purification, waste water treatment plants, waste collection institutions, rubbish places, forest, saw mills, print office and recycling companies …..were organized.
d) Experiments and collaborative challenges were carried out.

• Pupils have now an increased knowledge about the origin of resources.
• Pupils are aware of waste production, of the finite availability of resources, they are able to use the resources sparingly and reduce their waste production. –
• Pupils have changed their lifestyles minimizing their production of waste.
• They have a smart approach to sustainability.
• Pupils refrain from discarding items of negative environmental impact.
• Pupils are more open minded for the use of new technologies for contacts, researches and presentations. They have a willingness to share knowledge and skills.
• Pupils can use ICT effectively in videoconferences, mails and use of internet research for information on the project topic.
• They can use ICT to assist with language difficulties and raise language awareness.
• They have improved their oral performance in a foreign language, are more fluent in the use of the language and and they are more open minded towards other languages and cultures.
• Pupils now have knowledge about a better time management, problem solving, decision taking and responsibility.
• The pupils have gained a better knowledge about the topics involved and have gained a better insight into the European context of the subject.

The pedagogical methods and teaching materials, which have been created and documented during the project work are ready for use. This collection has been transformed into a teacher ´s support folder -booklets- which is disseminated to other colleagues in different schools to be used to replicate the project ideas in their schools.

Non teaching staff has less waste to remove.

By creating an awareness about litter production, and by increasing the pupils ability to segregate rubbish and by making them more sensitive towards environment they are surrounded by, this project changed the behaviour of the local community as soon as the pupils are grown up as valuable members of this community.

The group decided to continue the work about sustainability in a new project. We will apply fo next round.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 121228,45 Eur

Project Coordinator

Volksschule am Tabor & Country: AT

Project Partners

• Tzvetni pesachinki
• Ynysowen Community Primary School
• Orhanbey2014
• NCIVAB
• Szkola Podstawowa nr 22 im. Juliusza Slowackiego w Rybniku
• Vilniaus Vyturio pradine mokykla
• Scoil Mhuire Lourdes