What’s your impact on earth?" This is the starting question of our project. Each of us consumes part of the Earth’s products and resources every day. How much we take depends on our lifestyles and the ways in which we satisfy our needs. We give an answer to this question by involving students in a project aimed at analyzing the “ecological footprint”, e.g. the measure of human impact on Earth's ecosystems in four fields (ground, air,water and food). Schools participating in the project come from Italy, Hungary, Estonia, Poland, Portugal, Lithuania. Partners have been chosen because they were interested in developing international project on environmental problems. Objectives of the project are: -prepare students to become future active citizens of Europe by developing their transversal skills: ability to think critically, take initiative, problem solve and work collaboratively -make students aware that choices in their everyday lives affect the world around them -improve learning skills, ICT skills in real situations, develop entrepreneurial spirit and teamwork. Project activities will involve teachers and school staff in three TRANSNATIONAL PROJECT MEETINGS; 80 students and 20 teachers in LEARNING/TEACHING/TRAINING ACTIVITIES; 15 teachers in SHORT STAFF TRAINING EVENTS. The project includes the activities: Production of digital posters, graphics , maps, calculation of footprints, slideshows, videos during each phase of the project's activities, but also they will be involved in such hands-on activities that allow them to design and produce various kinds of objects experiencing the technique of reuse and/or recycle. Analysis of the “ecological footprint” ( the measure of human impact on Earth's ecosystems in four fields - ground, air,water and food) through specific software and tools. Students will be involved in collaborative writing sessions, live sessions , creations of quizzes. We will work on: Nov 2017 - Mar 2018 all partners work on biodiversity threatened by: deforestation, pollution, hydrogeological collapse, fires, uncontrolled development, GROUND occupation. Mar 2018 - May 2018 The study of AIR quality will be done through the use of a scientific measurement index and brings students to detect the use of the resource AIR. Students analyze what causes the aggression: mobility, domestic and industrial emissions, climate Students focus their attention on pollution caused by the use of means of transport. Nov 2018 - Febr 2019 Students analyze the use of WATER resource through the application of the index I.B.E. and evaluate water quality. They analyze: pollution, waste, hydrogeological collapse, overbuilding. Mar 2019 - May 2019 we will explore the production of FOOD as a possible cause of environmental impact. Students discover the value of food produced locally(km 0). The impact on environment is calculated on CO2 emission for road transport. THE METHODOLOGY includes real world-experience through problem-based learning based on empirical evidence and measurable facts . Learning by doing, students actively explore their environment and are encouraged to take part in additional activities in and outside the classrooms. Technology will be largely used because it offers new opportunities to improve quality and equity in education and training. A VIRTUAL EUROPEAN CLASS on EDMODO to share digital resources as a unique class in Europe. It will make everyone enter in other realities and stimulate the curiosity of the entire school. Teachers will innovate their methodology through a teaching based on a learning-by-doing approach and using an eTwinning group to build and share good practices, new tools, creative methods to manage classes, inclusive strategies. Students will also collaborate on a side project on eTwinning platform. We expect that students, families, school staff, local authorities: - increase their civic skills and become responsible citizens aware that their choices can contribute to build healthier communities; -improve learning skills through other countries school approach to the focused problem; -develop innovative skills in real analysis; -grasp how choices in their everyday lives impact on Earth's ecosystems. Longer term benefits for students are: -having the opportunity to explore the perspective of a career developed in the green economy field; -be better equipped with skills which can orientate in the future choices. Through cooperative work and exchange of good practices, teachers improve professional skills and develop creativity and innovation that they will invest for the improvement of their school in the field of transnational projects. The integration of “Education for a sustainable development” in the school curriculum encourages the whole community to become more active in addressing environmental problems for a sustainable future. Cooperation with experts and European teachers arise interest in new projects on sustainability.
What’s your impact on earth - it was the starting question. We tried to show students what activities in everyday life affect the ecosystem, teach them to analyze the "ecological footprint" that they leave in the environment and they learned how to check chemicals in highly processed products and to get to know the idea of local products "0 km". The goal of the project was improving ICT skills and language competences, preparing students to become future active citizens, developing cross-cutting skills, the ability to think critically, take initiatives, solve problems and work together, development of skills for learning, entrepreneurship. The project involved students, teachers, school staff, parents from 6 counires. This gives a number of about 2,000 students, 200 teachers and 160 parents. 3 Transnational Project Meetings took place, attended by 41 teachers. 174 pupils and their guardians participated in short exchanges of students (including pupils from the host country). 24 teachers participated in short trainings for the staff. All project activities were done as following: - A competition for the logo took place. - 4 projects were established on the eTwinning platform for the protection of soil, air, water and food. - A questionnaire was prepared on the subject of pro-ecological behavior. - Teachers developed tasks for an international class on the Edmodo platform, which students performed, sharing their creative solutions. - The project website was created: www.whatsyourimpact.eu, and the results were posted on Facebook and on school websites. - Activities in the "Ground" section were conducted, i.e. laboratory classes - soil quality testing and measuring the ecological footprint, biodiversity, presentations on environmental catastrophes "Green Slideshow", "Sustainable Designers" - furniture was made from recyclable materials. - Activities in the "Air" series, i.e. specialist classes - air quality testing and measuring the ecological footprint by means of a lichen scale, "Air We Breathe" lessons took place, walking tours (Walking week), a day without a bus (Pedibus day), the students designed and made "Give-me-five T-shirt" presenting 5 principles to protect air, participants got to know ways to fight with air pollution on the example of Krakow, pupils learned how to spend free time in the open air - archery, games and fun Slavs. - Activities in the "Water" series, i.e. laboratory classes - water samples for analysis were taken, biotic index in water bodies was measured, e-books with about the life in the region's waters, guides, films, and books on reducing water pollution thank to removing stains without using pollutants, interviews with local experts in water management (Water inquiry), a questionnaire on water saving was carried out. - Activities in the "Food" series, i.e. culinary workshops (students baked bread, made preserves and regional products, they created a book with recipes from countries (Made at home: What a taste), information labels on food products were examined to identify substances harmful to health, an educational film was made (Investigating Nutrition Information). The students estimated the distance the products had travelled before the food was made from them. The results were compared in the presentation. - The teachers shared experiences through lesson plans, participation in lessons, workshops, comparison of work methods used to carry out project. - Events summarizing the project and disseminating results took place. The project included activities in which students learnt through the use of ICT, programs for creating presentations, movies, ebooks, posters, graphics. While carrying out lessons teachers used various application. The students got to know laboratory research techniques, learnt about indices for determining the quality of land, air, water, ecological footprint. They visited scientific laboratories, museums, and universities. They worked creatively in the design of products at the same time learning teamwork and taking initiatives. By implementing this project, participants became responsible citizens aware of their choices, improved the quality of learning, moving from traditional methods to problem teaching. The language competences of participants increased. Long-term benefits are primarily: - The possibility of using the materials developed in the project during lessons, the use of materials for trainings of the staff, parents and students. - Change of awareness and mentality in everyday life of the local community. - Possibility of further cooperation and exchange of experience with partners and between students. - Use of innovative solutions of partner schools in their work. Pupils can explore the career prospects in the field of green economy, academic work ect. Pupils and teachers have improved their professional skills useful at work.