CONTEXT Water is a fundamental element of our existence on earth and despite this fact, we sometimes tend to take it too much for granted. Absence of water makes it impossible for living organism to survive. However, statistics show that over one billion people worldwide have limited or no access to fresh water supplies. Less than 3% of world water reserve is fresh, while 2.5 % is deposited in solid state in cold continents. As a result, humanity has direct access to just 0.5% of the fresh water in the world to satisfy its needs. Considering the figures above, lack of responsibility in the consumption of fresh water resources can generate a crisis that will is likely to affect billions of people hereafter. The project emerges from a genuine need; we have partnered up in order to educate the young generation on this issue and contribute to their development into responsible future adults. Throughout the project, they will have multiple opportunities to learn about water management and consumption, look into the water issue from their ancestors’ perception, adapt the consumption habits to the needs of the current situation and the effects on the future of mankind. Participants will develop into active defenders and advocates of rational water usage, initiate community campaign, investigate on their local members’ behaviour towards water consumption and share the results within the partnership. OBJECTIVES We have agreed on the following objectives: O1. to raise knowledge about water from various perspectives for minimum 60% of target group of students O2. to support students identify water shortage problems and tackle the issue locally O3. to encourage students’ active engagement in environmental community problems and strengthen the role of the schools O4. to enhance students’ soft skills, English language communication, creativity, awareness of European cultural diversity O5. to initiate a European network of environment-oriented schools to further expand with support from local authorities NUMBER AND PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS Students will be the main protagonists in local and international activities, who will assume an active role throughout the project life cycle. The age range of participants in the target group will be 7-12. We estimate that about 500 students will be part of the project teams at partnership level. In the exchanges we are going to select and involve 80 students aged 11-12 who will be actively involved in local activities and show an interest to contribute to the project success. They will be accompanied by 2 teachers from each country, mainly teachers who teach subjects linked to the topic of the exchange. Other pupils in school are to benefit from the project results through attending dissemination activities and events, develop their knowledge about water usage, benefits for health, problems linked with water shortage that humanity is facing. ACTIVITIES AND METHODOLOGY Project activities will tackle the topics illustrated in international exchanges: C1 Water reflected in literature and art C2 Water and science C3 Water and health C4 The future of water C5 Sustainable water consumption plan in partner schools and wider community Local activities will focus on the topics above; students will work in teams, apply surveys, attend workshops and lectures, prepare materials, organize exhibitions, conduct a community campaign to raise awareness on water deficiency, pollution. The results will be shared with the European peers during online conferences on project eTwinning page and planned LTTAs. RESULTS The concrete project results will be: themed presentations, surveys, reports, campaigns, workshops, water-friendly sustainability plan, 3D models, water pollution models, experiments, hydro-maps, quizzes, leaflets, posters, stories, poems, project website and twin space, newsletters, exhibition, project corners,. Intangible results produced will be: knowledge, skills, attitudes, increased environmental and cultural awareness, enhanced active engagement and citizenship, good practice exchange. IMPACT Schools will increase their reputation in local and international community as they will become more visible, their names will be pinned on the European map of educational institutions as they will be represented by an enthusiastic team of teachers, students, managers and parents who wish to engage in community problems and find solutions to them, influence other community members to take action and raise their awareness on consequences of human actions which might seriously impact the quality of life. Partner schools will offer an example of environmental attitude that will positively influence other schools. “Act like a pro, preserve H2O!” will equip teachers will new pedagogical practices, the school curriculum will be improved due to the developed teaching skills in human resources through application of cross-curricular approaches.
CONTEXT WATER is the basic element of our life on the Earth, even so we think it is an unduly natural element. The lack of water makes subsistence of living organisms impossible. There are more than a billion people who get water restrictedly or do not have any chance to get freshwater all over the world by statistics.We can find less than 3 % of freshwater resources in the world in liquid form and 2.5% % in compounds and solid forms on the continents. As a result of these facts mankind has a direct gateway to 0.5% of freshwater resources in the world for satisfying all people’s needs. Considering the numbers above and the lack of responsibility in consuming freshwater can cause a crisis which will concern some billions of people henceforward. It comes from the real demand of the project, the partners are working together to make the young generation aware of this theme and we are contributing to make children become responsible adults. We have several possibilities to know the management and consumption of water; consumers’ customs and we gear them to the needs of current status and the effects of mankind’s future. The participants become active vindicators and followers of reasonable use of water; start a public campaign, investigate local water using customs and share their results with the partners. OBJECTIVES Targets, we agreed these points: O1.Expansion of students’ different learnings about water with minimum 60%of target of audience O2.Support of students in identification water shortcoming problems and solving local problems O3.Incentive of students’ active involvement in environmental problems and intensify schools’ roles O4.Development of students’ skills, communication, creativity ,consciousness of european cultural variegation O5.Organization of reticulation for the european environment central schools which expenses with supporting of local authorities NUMBER AND PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS Participating students Students were the main characters of the local and international activities, they have played an active part in this project. The age of the target audience was 7-14 years. About 300 students took part in the activities of each mobility and about 400 students could reach the results of the project on lectures and exhibitions. Almost 70 students took part in exchange programmes who were active and motivated. At least 2 teachers from every country kept students company at the meetings. These teachers teach subjects which are connected with the topic of the project. The rest of the students of the schools or the viewers were active participants too. Their knowledge was improved about use of water and the problems of water shortage which mankind fronts. ACTIVITIES These project activities came true mostly at international meetings. C1 Water in Literature and Art C2 Water and Science C3 Water and Health C4 Future of Water C5 Sustainable Water Consumption at partner schools and in a wider community Local activities concentrated on these topics. Students worked in international groups several times, took part in workshops, lectures. They organised exhibitions, experimented with water, making people aware of the shortage of water. Partner schools shared the results on eTwinning page and homepage of the project, in summary and photo book. RESULTS There were following results: thematic presentations, surveys, workshops, sustainable water saving plan, 3D models, water pollution models, experiments, quizzes, throwaway papers, posters, poems, homepage and eTwinning page of the project, exhibitions, project corners. There were no material results: knowledge, skills, positive attitude, increased environmental and cultural consciousness, increased active role pledge, knowing and changing good practices. IMPACT School activities became better known by local society thanks to the news about the project (local media:television, newspaper) Students and their parents will become more active than formerly with the experiments of the project. They will join nature conservation actions, try to solve public problems and inspire other people to act if it is needed. Partner schools will set an example of presenting and solving environmental problems. Teachers of all schools have known and met new methods, practices by our project. Their collection of methods has become various.