According to the European Water Framework, the main focus is the sustainable conservation of resources and the ecological functionality of waters in Europe. Through our project, we want to build an awareness of nature, especially for the ecosystem river. We want to observe the ecosystem river from many sides, especially from a scientific perspective. Observations of animals and plants in and around the river and excursions with experts such as botanists and ornithologists shall lead to an intense experience. We want the students to become motivated to do research, to plan simple experiments by themselves, to carry out and document them and to recognize scientific interrelations. They should also recognize that changes such as interferences on the river bank, impoundment of the river, impact of tourism or the contamination of water affect the whole ecosystem, but measures such as sewage treatment and renaturation have a positive effect on the system and that biodiversity is the basis for a balanced ecosystem. Students shall develop a positive attitude towards nature and environment by getting in touch with it. In the project, students will learn practically, action-oriented and experience-oriented by observing the ecosystem river as a habitat and the organisms living in it. Focus is on the ecosystem of the river, not only in single, subject-based lessons, but under various aspects. Excursions with experts and exploratory tasks, which students are able to do independently, working with reference literature and getting information from the internet, the use of tools such as test tubes, test kits for determining important parameters, bug eye viewers, microscopes and measuring cylinders allow a wide range of working methods. In the context of the learning activities, the students will get to know other river landscapes and recognize that the river landscape and biodiversity, e.g. due to different morphology, external conditions such as flooding or drought, and human interference, is different in every region, but that the preservation of the ecosystem is important everywhere, to guarantee a high standard of water quality. Through activities like excursions, explorations on site, presentations, discussions with experts, observations, working in the laboratory, experiments, etc. students will gain key competences not only in their mother language but especially in the foreign language and project language English (e.g. working together with students from the partner schools), in media (e.g. using modern media for presentations and research), in natural sciences (e.g. experiments on water quality), social and citizens’ competences (e.g. accept other opinions in a discussion) and in self-initiative (e.g. making proposals for practical implementation). All four partner schools from Lithuania, Croatia, Romania and Germany involved are located next to a river or a river system and therefore have a special personal interest in participating in the project, to bring in existing experience and to gain more knowledge about the ecosystem river. As as result of our project, students will experience innovation in their learning activity. They will increase their knowledge of the ecosystem river, recognize that the protection of it is an important task not only in their own surrounding, develop their communication skills in the mother tongue and in foreign languages and develop skills in the use of ICT and new technology etc. The project will also have an impact on the teachers, such as the improvement of English and project management skills. The schools will benefit from free teaching resources and teaching materials and will be part of a European network of schools involved in European cooperation. For longer term benefits, we will publish a handbook with a description of the activities carried out with handouts, practical examples, worksheets and products. It can be used for similar projects or single lessons. It will be handed on to teachers in the region, presented in teachers' trainings and available at the different partner schools. Final products (project summary and handbook for teachers) which will be the results of the project and were funded by the EU will be accessible for teachers and students in the schools' libraries so that they can be used during lessons, school performances, displays, lectures and exhibitions.
The main purpose of the project was to bring the ecosystem river and environment and nature in general closer to the pupils. The students should gain insights into the different topics of the river ecosystem, especially in order to experience this as worth protecting and worth preserving for the future. Originally, our focus was on a scientific approach. However, many other activities and priorities were discussed throughout the project that we were all open to. Above all, we wanted to get out of the classroom, experience the river and its ecosystem on site and make it easier for the students to experience it. We had a lot of support from external experts from the Water Management Office, the Nature Conservation Agency and biologists. The learning-teaching-training activities included 5 students and 3-4 teachers per visiting school. In addition, other school classes and teachers from the college of the host country, professionals, people from local politics and the school authorities. We have achieved our goals through the following activities: 1. Get to know the river as a habitat - expert tours. Contents: beaver dam, fish protection zones and bird hatcheries as a safe place from tourism and agriculture (of course, and man-made by humans), microorganisms and insects on the water (related to larger organisms), marshes and wetlands and their inhabitants, amphibians on the river, grazing River floodplain as a landscape conservation measure 2. Work scientifically - Checking the PH value, determining microorganisms through microscopes and specialist literature, investigating geological features (acid test for the detection of lime in the rock, etc.), observing orders (species of birds and fish species), establishing relationships in the case of food relations along the river (designing the network), 3. Promote language and social literacy - The students designed a logo to match our project. The groups were mixed internationally. Village rallies in mixed groups to get to know the visitor. 4. Promote media literacy - Integrate results of excursions and lesson contents in presentations and research on the internet and books 5. Use of the river by humans (energy production, tourism) - Visit of various hydropower plants in all countries, with experts, visit to the Sylvensteinspeichers (dam), tour of the sewage treatment plant in Vukovar, with introduction to the study of water quality, visit the drinking water treatment plant on the Danube near Vukovar, tourist use of the river (boat tours)