ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

ContextThe most appropriate place to introduce EE to children is primary school, because at this level they have a holistic view of the environment and their stage of learning is not compartmentalised. Involving critical thinking and problem-solving approaches in primary school, especially in EE, is fundamental for students , this way they will become skilful in the identification and solution of problems of environment as students and later on as adult citizens and possibly decision-makers.This project is planned to have an impact inside and outside our schools, by involving cross-curricular activities in the classroom and local communities’ campaigns . As soon as children accomplished responsibility of fending for the environment, we tightly believe that they will have the compelling voice to accomplish their communities as well.We, primary school teachers, want to learn from each other, to present our success stories and challenges and t work together to impact in our schools and communities. Our project has the aim to link each other five regions, to get them involved in each local reality through enhanced school curriculum with environmental education.ObjectivesO1. interchange experiences and practices linked to EE among primary teachers from different European countriesO2. allow the development of digital materials appropriate to the cross-curricular teaching of EEO3. develop students’ environmental awareness.O4. provide students individual and social responsibilityO5. strengthen the role of the school in our local communitiesO6. popularize active citizenship and social responsibilityParticipantsOur decision is to organize 5 LTTAs with a team of 5 teachers attending from each partner school. Therefore a total number of planned mobilities is 80. Participants are mainly primary teachers, but also teachers of Science, ICT, other subjects, depending on the LTTA.ActivitiesTogether work of/among teachers will create a platform where they will share cross-curricular EE lesson ideas to teach students from/in host school and to assess its strengths and areas of improvement. Participating teachers contributing to the analysis will attend all lessons. Each LTTA, beside the classes presupposes meetings with local NGOs , as well as cultural and thematic visits, workshops for cross-curricular teaching and local environmental campaigns with students. C1 – Exchange of practices and experiences related to EE; workshops about cross-curricular approaches to EE teaching C2 – Water – scientific approach (data, experiments), source of life, uses, water shortage, water pollution, rulesC3 – Earth – scientific approach, problems, earth-related issues, deforestation, endangered species, rulesC4 – Air – scientific approach, air pollution, the greenhouse effect, global warming, what the future may look like, acid rainC5 – Building a proactive attitude within pupils – Teacher training workshop, meeting with environmental groupsResultsThe project is intended to produce both perceptible and imperceptible results. This will lead us to measure the attainments’ level of the suggested objectives . Imperceptible results: Environmental awareness and social responsibility of students will be increased , as it will be visible trough questionnaires and observation similarities and differences between systems of education and EE approaches would be better aware from teachers , it would be visible in the meeting reports, developing critical thinking and language skills, also developing team-work skills (visible through direct observation), strengthened cooperation between EU teachers (visible through the produced results and their quality ).Perceptible results: Three main environmental education topics are collected in digital collection of materials and lessons , involving students in environmental campaigns by specific methodology , presentations of school system of education , workshop materials , work of students , worksheets , lesson evaluation forms , observation sheets , campaign materials , students’ artwork , flyers , brochures , posters , management documents , reports , photos , videos.ImpactThe lessons produced and uploaded on the platform during EE classes of the project and after its completion will be used by all partners, which will improve the material basis of the schools. New courses for students using the materials produced in the project will arise. Teachers' cooperation and intra-institutional relations will develop a positive climate and better cooperation, which will profit all school actors. EE lessons will become more attractive to students when digital materials are included. Environmental awareness campaigns will be organized by students and their teachers in future years. They can organize also after-school clubs for volunteers and to turn the active citizenship into usual practice at the level of the school.