The Rivers tell Erasmus Project

Project Title

The Rivers tell

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: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Research and innovation

Project Summary

The Rivers tell project was runned by 5 primary and low secondary level schools from Italy, Lithuania, Greece, Romania and Portugal. Our schools are all along a river so in our project the river was the guiding thread of this multidisciplinary project that aimed at mending the fabric of a collective memory that influences the culture of the environment in which one lives, starting from the geography of one’s territory. Special attention was paid to the direct observation of the river environment and of its natural and artificial aspects. The method promoted was the direct observation and of the historical and scientific research in order to understand how much the river environment may have conditioned and continues to condition the development of a territory. In fact it flows, teaching the young how much the river may have united different peoples and cultures through the many bridges connecting opposite banks, thus favoring integration and welcome. Moreover recognizing in water the value of a common good to preserve and share. Starting from the basic concept of water as an element essential for life, we also promoted in the young an environmental awareness that sees man and river in a close relation marked by respect and sustainable use of the available resources all life long.
In the project we composed a totally new vision of the present in a future perspective, looking at the guidelines and the Sustainable Development Goals established by UNO for 2030. It underlines in particular the importance of guaranteeing accessible and clean water to the world and, at the same time, of protecting and healing water ecosystems, such as rivers and water tables.
These objectives were pursued through the following activities : meetings with experts, exploration of the territory and of the river environment, inspections of river sites, excursions, didactic visit to the River Museum, adoption of a bridge. We payed particular attention to the local flora and fauna: through the plant and animal environments the participants were able to deepen that characterize the differences and similarities of river environments and natural and artificial ecosystems. Research, individuation, ordering and revision of paper, photographic and iconographic material of the adopted bridges made available from libraries, local historical archives and museums, institutions and associations present on the territory.
In these ways the project aimed at the acquisition of all European competences:
communicating in one’s mother tongue, communicating in a foreign language, digital skills, basic skills in maths, science and technology, learning to learn, social and civic competences, sense of initiative and cultural awareness and expression in particular.
Therefore with this view the landscape acquired a double value, as a heritage to protect and to improve because it represents the dynamic result of a series of elements of the area-territory of reference, such as the human stamp stratified over the time that has to be looked for and singled out.
Thanks to the interaction between participants through the project’s websites and social pages, but above all to the LTTAs, even virtual ones, students acquired important life skills:
Managing emotions, managing stress, critical thinking, decision making, problem solving, creativity, effective communication, empathy, ability of interpersonal relation.
The pluridiscipinary approach (many school subjects were involved History, Geography, Art, Science, Foreign Languages, ICT, Music, Physical Education and Religious Education) allowed the pupil to look at the world pointing out and protecting complementarities and to recognize the interaction between nature and culture, economy and landscape, between art and history of the territory.
As final products we built E-books full of legends about the local rivers, interactive maps, posters, brochures with all the information, knowledge, experiences and activities carried out during the years of partnership.
The project was addressed directly to about 3000 students aged 9-14, about 60 teachers. Different groups of students participated each year and each school involved all staff and the entire school population during LTTAs meetings. Virtual meetings, both organizational and exchange between students, have seen a greater participation of people thanks to information technology. Most of the school has already had an Erasmus+ experience, but not all the coordinating teachers and members of the Erasmus team.
The total number of persons who do not receive a specific grant but will join the impact and dissemination was about 6000 (families, schools staff, relevant stakeholders, policy makers, local agencies-associations).

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 129589,95 Eur

Project Coordinator

I.C R. GIOVAGNOLI & Country: IT

Project Partners

• GYMNASIO VALTINOU
• Scoala Gimnaziala Nr.7
• Birzu Kastonu pagrindine mokykla
• Agrupamento de Escolas Sá da Bandeira, Santarém