Wonders Of Science & Arts In An Outdoor Blue-Green Learning Environment Erasmus Project

General information for the Wonders Of Science & Arts In An Outdoor Blue-Green Learning Environment Erasmus Project

Wonders Of Science & Arts In An Outdoor Blue-Green Learning Environment Erasmus Project
September 14, 2022 12:00 am
155

Project Title

Wonders Of Science & Arts In An Outdoor Blue-Green Learning Environment

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: Early childhood education and care; Environment and climate change; Natural sciences

Project Summary

As partners in this KA229 project, we share a growing concern. The amount of environmental issues seems to grow day by day. As educators, we feel a responsibility to help children to grow in a love for and responsibility of nature. Too many times schoolyards are not being used for educational goals. Therefore these places are often just regarded as open spaces to give children some fresh air. Most of the times, these school-yards are filled up with tiles, maybe a swing set and sandbox.

Profile of participants
There will be four participants in this project.
A. The Netherlands: Primary school ‘Het SchatRijk’ counts about 200 students in the age of 4 – 12 years. There are 18 teachers working. The school aims to provide high quality education, with a balanced program between learning with ‘head, hearth and hands’. Topics around history, geography, science and nature are brought together in themes, on which the units works for several weeks. Specials teachers/artists are being hired for working on crafts, music and a healthy food program. We have gained quite some knowledge and experience in creating and developing a natural playground and use this area also for regular lessons.
B. Ireland: Galway Educate Together National School (GETNS) was set up in 1994, as Galway School Project, by a small group of parents. It now has over 440 pupils, 16 classes, with 3 classes for children with Autism. We have a staff of 50. We have an active student council & green schools council and a Healthy Minds Programme. Two teachers are coordinators of our outdoor project.
C. Serbia: PU ŽIL VERN is a bilingual Serbian – French kindergarten with 20-25 children, ages 3 – 7, situated in Novi Sad. There are 5 kindergarten teachers working; among them a principal, two kindergarten teachers and two teacher-assistants/volunteers. Our kindergarten is luckily located next to a large neighborhood yard.
D. Germany: The School Grundschule Trier-Quint is located in Trier. Currently 100 children age 6-11 attend our school. The staff are 6 teachers and a head mistress, a special education aid and an ecological volunteer. The schools program stresses the topics Sustainable Education and Learning Outside of the Classroom as well as Forest Education. The school also tries to involve new media in their outdoor experience. Every class gets additional learning time with a hired health teacher who works on children’s health knowledge.

Objectives
There is a clear connection between the environmental climate goals, science and early childhood. Therefore, we will work on the realization of these objectives:
Children:
• will enjoy being outside in the school environment to learn in and from and about nature.
• have been learning basic principles of science, in relationship to nature.
• have had opportunity to bring arts into the playground.
• will use their hands, minds, senses, creativity and social/ict skills.

Teachers:
• will experience that teaching outside adds to the joy of both learning and teaching.
• will have more resources to teach science and arts outside at the playground.
• will be stimulated to take their children outside for regular lessons, as well as lessons for arts and science.

Parents:
• will be informed about the important value of playing outside.
• will take their children more outside.

Methodology
During the two year run of this project, we will:
• bring participants from four nations together for exchange of good practice, inspiration and creating knowledge and experience.
• use workshops, school visits, professionals sharing their wisdom and experience, inspirational meetings, books and documentaries.
• use internet, eTwinnings.
• meet key experts in the area of natural play grounds and schoolyards.

Results
At the end, this project is meant to create a rich learning environment for children. And we mean: all children. We, the participants of this project, will all benefit from this new knowledge and skills, and implement the results in our schools. During the run of the project, we will be working on improvement of our schoolyards, together with children, teachers and parents. Parents will be informed and learn the value of taking their kids outside.

Long term impact
It is our aim, that this project:
• will contribute to the upbringing of a generation that will feel responsible for their environment;
• will bring forth adults that will enjoy beauty, peace and joy in nature and that they experience a love and care for nature;
• contributes to the growth of the amount of natural playgrounds;
• brings forth adults that are able to create beautiful artistic work (painting, sculpture, wood craft, mosaics).
• contributes to reach the European climate goals, because it will inform the children and parents about our shared responsibility towards nature.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 68560 Eur

Project Coordinator

Het Schatrijk & Country: NL

Project Partners

  • Predškolska ustanova Žil Vern
  • Grundschule Trier-Quint
  • Galway Educate Together NS