This project is developed to meet the strategy of the EU Commission for 2020 the aim of which is to improve basic skills of new generation for a better future of the European Union. Necessary basic skills in Science, Mathematics, Language and Technology need to be developed by transforming activities into plays. As the project team, the coordinators of the partner schools, we discussed the issue (how to improve lack of basic skills in pre-school curricula) and stated the needs in our schools taking teachers 'observation into account. Lack of practical knowledge/training became the main problems according to our study that needs to be promptly solved. As both practical knowledge and theoretical knowledge are important phases of learning, they need to be combined to provide children with effective learning at an early age. It is not enough to remember given data and gain technical knowledge as learning is a difficult process which produces relatively permanent changes. Our working methodology aims at creating/developing practical experiments/ activities/real situations for theoretical knowledge given in kindergarten curricula. We aim to connect both types of knowledge and provide holistic learning. Since this is a kindergarten level project, there will be basic level of activities. Kids are our major target groups and that is why clubs activities will be transformed into plays to make their learning more enjoyable and memorable. Teachers will be the main actors in the project. They will develop practical experiments and activities for kids and prepare a systematic education programme depending on our approach in the project. We will teach our kids about science, maths, technology and language in a very pleasant, simple and accessible way. CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES (Kids will be selected into the clubs according to their talents) SCIENCE CLUB -Providing/planning and practicing experiments (games) for basic knowledge -Leading kids to play games as if they were scientists -Preparing and publishing SCIENCE MAGAZINE FOR KIDS -Introducing famous scientists and their products to children - presentation at school. MATHS CLUB -Providing Maths games for kids -Organizing chess tournament (in kids level) -Preparing numerical games for kids -Observing geometric shapes outside -Organizing orienteering activities for pupils LANGUAGE CLUB -Preparing theatre play in English -Song contest in the target language -Role play activities -Memorizing lyrics of songs in English -Organizing cinema days in English -Inviting foreign famous people to school TECHNOLOGY CLUB -Organising educative computer games for kids -Organizing webgame competitions -Creating the project website -Creating e-twinning accounts and running partnership (by teachers) The project includes 4 short term exchanges of teachers and there are 20 mobilities for each school. The project team will observe activities, products and performances so they will decide who will participate in these meetings. OBJECTIVES -Creating an active pre-school environment inside/outside the classes -Providing holistic learning -Developing ICT, Language and Digital skills of kids -Developing interest of the kids through mathematics, language, science, technology -Improving self-esteem NUMBER AND PROFILE OF THE PARTICIPANTS Students: indirect 80X5:400 total: 400 Teachers: Direct 16X5:80 indirect 5X5:25 total: 105 Administrative Staff: 2X5: 10 Families: 150 Local Community: 100 RESULTS AND IMPACTS Through the project the five partners intend to create both short-term and long-term tangible and intangible results and to achieve the biggest possible impact as leading teachers to increase the quality of education and improve our kids’ basic skills and provide holistic learning as an innovative practice. The project website will provide a continuous access to the general information of the project activities, progress and results and will amplify our collective impact on participants.
I LOVE SCIENCE project was a transnational project made by four educational institutions in Europe. This project was developed to meet the strategy of the EU Commission for 2020. The aim of which was to improve basic skills of new generation for a better future of the European Union. This ERASMUS+ transnational project was created to support the development of the necessary basic skills of children in the age group 3-7 years. The project focused on the basic skills in SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, LANGUAGE and TECHNOLOGY and teaching the children by transforming learning activities into playful games. The working methodology was based on creating and developing practical experiments and activities for those of theoretical knowledge that where given in kindergarten curricula. The participating kindergartens tried to connect both types of knowledge in a holistic way. The teachers guided children in a fun and gripping way thru games and plays that made learning about Science, Mathematics, Technology and Languages enthralling also for very young children. The activities organized where of basic level, because the age group in focus. Children where the major target groups and that is why club activities where transformed into play to make their learning more enjoyable and memorable. Teachers had the main responsibility in the project. Teachers developed practical experiments and activities for children and prepared a systematic education program depending on the approach of the specific club. The children where divided into four different clubs according to the interest, talents and needs of the classes. CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES SCIENCE CLUB In this club children experimented and learned about science with their teachers. The purpose of this club was to: - provide, plan and practice with different playful science experiments; - lead kids to play games as if they were scientists; - prepare and publish a SCIENCE MAGAZINE FOR KIDS; - introduce famous scientists and their products to children through presentations. MATHEMATICS CLUB In this club children experimented and learned about mathematics with their teachers. The purpose of this club was to: - provide and play mathematical games with/for children; - organize a chess or checkers tournament on a children's level; - prepare numerical games with/for children; - observe geometric shapes outside; - organize orienteering activities for pupils of the kindergarten. LANGUAGE CLUB In this club children practiced and learned about English language with their teachers. The purpose of this club was to: - prepare theater play in English; - sing songs and memorizing lyrics of songs in English language; - play role play activities with children; - organize a cinema days in English . TECHNOLOGY CLUB In this club children experimented and learned with and through technology with their teachers. The purpose of this club was to: - organize educative computer games with children; - organize competitions with the help of technology; - build a project website with the teachers; - create a e-twinning account and run it with the teachers in partnering kindergartens and schools. The project included of four short term exchanges of teachers during which good practices where shared. There where two project coordinators meetings during which the objectives and outcomes of the project where evaluated. The project teams observed the activities, products and performances of the activities and meeting. OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT - creating an active preschool environment inside and outside the classes - providing a holistic learning experience for the children; - developing ICT, Language and Digital skills of children; - developing the interest of the children through mathematics, language, science, technology; NUMBER AND PROFILE OF THE PARTICIPANTS Students: 416 Teachers: 49 Administrative Staff: 8 Families: 416 Local Community: 100 RESULTS AND IMPACTS Through the project the four partners created both short-term and long-term tangible and intangible results to achieve the biggest possible impact as leading teachers to increase the quality of education and provide children the basic skills and provide holistic learning as an innovative practice. The project website provides a continuous access to the general information of the project activities, progress and results and amplifies our collective impact on participants.