Maths around us project was created by five schools from Poland, Spain, Italy, Turkey and Bulgaria and dedicated to Math as the Queen of science. Project is going to match maths, using English language and ICT. By solving tasks students are going to find out and learn about history, monuments, unique nature or games which are associated with the project countries because maths is around us in every aspect of our life. Project is for students between 13-15 years old who are eager to take part in a science adventure in international company. It consists of five stages and for each stage one school will be responsible but all will be involved in similar activities at their own schools and the same activities during the mutual school visits. So students will work on the project for three years working on the project step by step. Some of them will be guests and will take part in activities prepared by the host schools and then after coming back home will share their experiences with their peers and some of the students will work on activities at their own school. The first stage “Maths in cooking” will be conducted by Italian school because Italian are regarded as very good cooks and Italian products are delicious. Students will cope with cooking tasks from Math point of view: how to count measure or how to change them or what is tare. Students not only will be familiar with maths but also will learn about Italian cuisine, their products will consider the similarities and differences with their traditional cooking, become more tolerant and eager to get know new tests. For the second stage “Maths in vehicles” Bulgarian school will be responsible. Students will solve tasks connected with cars as Bulgarian city Lovech is famous from the factory of the vehicles and bicycles. The third stage “Maths in building” will prepare Turkish school. After it students will be familiar with maths in architecture which if a bit different from the European one. Polish school will be responsible for the fourth stage “Maths in nature” where pupils will get know about Polish town Ziębice, variety of nature in Kłodzka Valley from Maths point of view and will organize the photo exhibition of symmetry in nature. The last stage “Maths in games” will be prepared by Spanish school while students will familiarize with traditional games of the countries or game made up in the countries like Farmer in Poland which was designed by Polish mathematics and use the probability of calculus. During the project students will develop: -their science knowledge, language, social skills, ICT skills and become more open-minded, tolerant for culture of another countries. All materials will be uploaded on the Internet so people who are interested it our work will have the possibility to read or use when they need. After each stage we are going to prepare feedback which will help to work better on the next stage. We are sure working on this project will be the great science adventure for our students and for us teachers.
The project title – „Maths around us” (MAU). Maths – “the Queen of science” was the most important subject of activities and cooperation between five schools. The project lasted three years. In each school there was a group of 50 students between 13-15 who worked at the project. They were supported by the majority of school and local society. The main aim of„Maths around us” project was to develop a wide range of maths, social, language and ICT skills through involving students in creative activities, noticing maths and its aspects in the surrounding world. All activities and communication was conducted in English. Our students understood that using foreign language fluently opens them the door to the world. Cooperation of teachers gave them the unique possibility of exchanging opinions, experience and work method observation. Our aim was also encouraging local society to help and to apply for Erasmus+ grands by other school from the region. Five schools from: Poland,Turkey, Italy, Spain and Bulgary were involved in the project. Gimnazjum Publiczne im. Mikołaja Kopernika in Ziębice in the last project year was transformed into Szkoła Podstawowa nr 2 in Ziębice im. Henryka Sienkiewicza – school coordinator (300 students, 40 teachers). School has cooperated with schools from Ebreisdorf in Austria and Brighton in Colorado State, USA and with AIESEC organisation from Wrocław for many years. School uses Formative Assessment during lessons. First time in Erasmus+ programme. School from Turkey: Ataturk Ortaokulu from Izmit – Kocaeli near Istambul (1100 students, 68 teachers). School got the state support from Educational Ministry of Turkish Republic and its priority is to increase educational quality by taking part in international Comenius earlier and now Erasmus projects. School from Italy: Instituto Comprensivo „San Giovanni Bosco- F. De Carolis” from San Marco in Lamis (900 students, 80 tachers). Since 2007 school has taken part in PON (National Operational Programmes) financed by European funds. The aim of this programme is supporting and developing the basic skills in students and teachers. School has experience in Erasmus+ projects. School from Spain: Centro Educativo z Vva De La Canada (1000 students, 90 teachers) for the first time in Erasmus+ project. School is working at many science miniprojects, concentrated on teaching by means of games. School from Bulgria: OU „Vasil Levski” from Lovech (650 students and 45 teachers). Students have achieved successes in sports and maths. School cooperated with Ecomission 21 – Bulgarian NGO and with EDC volunteers for two years. Students and teachers were involved into etwinning projects. Erasmus+ was their first project. Project was divided into five stages: : "Maths in kitchen", "Maths in vehicles", "Maths in buildings", "Maths in nature" and "Maths in games". Each school was responsible for one project stage creating the activities plan, organising work, taking care of the schedule and working at the final evaluation. During each stage students were involved in different maths matters and working results were presented online by means of different ICT tools. All activities were prepared in English. Each participant had the access to all materials on the Internet. Students worked in groups or pairs very rarely individual. One of the repeated activity was online communication when students found out information from each other and solved maths tasks. Students were also involved in local events promoting their project like celebrations, kermises, competitions when they presented their work to local society. Working at the project „refreshed” schools. Students achieved knowledge which is not included in school curriculums. Solving maths tasks from different life fields they saw that maths is everywhere. Maths tasks were designed in order to enrich students' knowledge about history, geography, tradition or even cusine charecteristic for the project countries. They broke the language barriers and developed social skills. During the project we created five etwinning projects, project blog, collages, photo exhibitions, competitions, songs, many movies, presentations, interviews, project logo, documents: “Bank of good lessons”, “Online lessons”, film handbook “How to use Formative assessments during maths lessons”, calendar, comics, leaflets, bookmarks, photobooks. Students, teachers and local society are convinced that due to taking part in the project they gained unique life value all the more for three out of five countries Erasmus+ project was conducted for the first time.