In today´s world environmental issues are very important in all aspects. Things connected with the ideas of environmental problems are common link among all countries in Europe. The problems can be different and they can vary from region to region even in one country. So we must find some solutions and ways how to improve it and at the same time to know each other well. Our effort will be to improve our environment and to learn how to protect it. We, human beings, are part of the environment, so we must start to think and to behave ecologically. We must act according to some principles which are better for our society, educate ourselves, and to lead a healthy life. All these is connected with our unique features so we can enrich ourselves by knowing each other problems as well as to come up with solutions. In this process of learning and sharing these issues we must know our individual traditions and habits. In order to be able to cooperate in proper way we must use and improve our language skills and when sharing our common findings we must use computers so we can interact with each other via internet thus we all improve our ICT skills. To be fit and healthy we must not forget to eat healthy food and to do some sport activities too. If we start to improve ourselves and to behave more ecologically to our environment we can build a better world together. The students are the most significant participants in this process. Our task will be to educate them, give them basic knowledge, give them the power and show them how to be active citizens so they will be able to change and improve our environment and society in the future. We want to cooperate with other people (parents of our students, citizens, local authorities and with other people from environmental institutions), so the impact will grow out the border of the schools. One of the main objectives of our project will be to teach students about the environmental issues and make them aware to protect our environment and ecology. Another very important point in this process will be activization of young people and their involvement into the activities carried out in the project. While the students will be doing the tasks they will improve their skills and get better competences, this would be the most significant role of the project – improving competences (like ICT competence, language competence, social competence, and competence for solving the problems and being active). Throughout the project there will be many interesting activities carried out like: “Rainbow”, “Fish in the water” – activities aimed for protecting the environment, recycling, waste separation, “Land Art” – having a look into the environment from artistic point of view, “Happy eater” – avoiding junk food, eating more healthy food. “Olympic games” – making students more enthusiastic in exercise and sport. “Battery collecting” and “Paper Pyramid” – activities for collecting these things. “Superhero in action” – activity where students will be active, interacting with local authorities, gaining social aspects when solving the problems. “Spring Celebration” – an event for wide range of public, presenting environmental issues and making exhibitions. There will be even more activities by which we want to achieve greater concern in the environment, cooperation, culture, English language and social aspect. One of our objective will be to carry out methodology document which can be used as pedagogical material. By our mutual cooperation we will carry out a document which will show how to teach environmental issues through activities carried out in other subjects like art, math, chemistry, English, ICT, physical education, physics, biology, history and so on. We will use content and language integrated learning methods in this process. We hope that this pedagogical material will be used by many other schools and institutions in learning process. After the project will be finished we want to continue in cooperation and spread the ideas and outcomes to other potential partners, schools and institutions. We all realize that education as well as dissemination activities are very important, but the most significant thing for us will be to see our students happy while doing these activities. Our students are ready to begin international cooperation at each school, they deserve to be happy in the future. Our role will be to help them to create healthy environment and safe world.
The "Spring Celebration" project was primarily focused on ecology and environmental issues. In addition to these topics, our project also focused on healthy nutrition and the importance of sport in our lives. As the project was of an international character, an important role was played by the internationalization of all those who were involved and the improvement of communication in the English language. In implementing partnership activities, pupils often came into contact with information and communication technologies to increase their skills. In order to achieve the objectives of many project tasks, we used non-formal learning methods, in which pupils gained new experience and increased their knowledge more effectively through their direct involvement in these activities. In the context of environmental education, we also used CLIL's methodical approach to achieve project goals. Many activities have been planned to involve pupils from economically weaker backgrounds and disadvantaged pupils in particular. An important objective within the methodology was the development of an intellectual output that was environmental in nature and describes in detail the possibilities of implementing environmental education into the teaching process through various environmental activities. Our project was also aimed at working with parents, and other people somehow related to our schools. In many activities, we have also worked with nonprofit organizations or environmental centers to achieve the desired results. The project involved five primary schools. The coordinating school was primary school, Hlavná 5, Družstevná pri Hornáde, Slovakia. Partner schools of the project were schools from Spain, Portugal, Italy and Estonia. Project activities were continuously carried out in accordance with a timetable. Initial activities were rather informative, through which we knew each other, our regions, as well as the environment in which we live, it is important to know it, in order to be able to take a positive attitude towards protecting our nature and pointing out to its specifics. Other activities were of an environmental nature. Through the "Rainbow" activity, we have introduced a waste separation at all schools, this activity has become more time-bound. With related activities, we successfully implemented collections of used paper and old batteries in schools, and then we have approached the recycling process. We prepared thematic excursions for pupils that directly demonstrated to the students how to recycle or protect the environment. In the context of healthy nutrition, we have prepared a publication that contains several tasty and unpretentious dishes. Recipes have an international character. To raise awareness in the field of sport, we have prepared Olympic Games where pupils could have an active approach. We have also had many discussions about the environment with pupils, often in the presence of members of local councils. The artistic tendencies of pupils could be used in the aesthetic design of various objects in which they used natural materials. We have developed a methodical material within the intellectual output. The impact of the project was of a school-like nature and, in many cases, also outside schools, the project addressed many pupils' parents as well as the wider public. Through cooperation with environmental centers and non-profit organizations, the project addressed a larger group of people. The benefits of the project were the participation of pupils in activities that were of an environmental nature and the interest in enhancing the interest in environmental protection, and after the end of the project, schools (Spain, Italy, Estonia) were involved in the process of approving the Green Schools Statute. environmental activities in the future. At the final transnational meeting, we all agreed that the project was very successful.