The project has an attractive title starting as a story “Once upon a time…” but emphasized on “THE SEA”, which appears as a common denominator for the participant countries Italy, Spain, Romania and Portugal, lying near Adriatic, Mediterranean, Black Sea or Atlantic Ocean which are facing pollution problems.
We will imagine the marine environment as giant labs and a learning space, involving students in research activities that contribute to the formation of an ecological and civic behaviour, approaching the problems of ecosystems through the interdisciplinary lessons. The project is even more attractive with the activities that will stimulate their motivation to explore the sea natural attributes from a cultural – artistic perspective. The essence of their perception on the role they can assume in the environment protection will be outlined in the script of the play written and performed by the students from the four participating countries in the final meeting in Italy. The new digital era implies communication via modern tools: e-mail, Skype, Google, eTwinning, Facebook, blogs, websites (of the project and of partners), will enable the use of innovative educational methods to help the students approach the project theme exchanging information in their mother tongue and in English, thus encouraging the learning of foreign languages.
Around 2890 students aged between 7 and 16 and 220 teachers of Biology, Chemistry, Geography, English, History, Drawings, Literature, etc. will be involved in documenting activities in order to form an ecological and civic behaviour and increase awareness of environment problems. There will be a special attention granted to the inclusion of 450 students with social and disability problems, involving them in activities compatible with their competences. We’ll promote differentiated learning styles in order to support the students with visual, auditory and kinetic problems, as well. Assistive technology will be made appropriate, plus the participation of a teacher support for children with health problems to help them to be confident when taking part in the activities that they can develop. In terms of teaching side, specialized teachers, part of the project’s team will help participants through the use of appropriate methodologies, applied in accordance with the actual needs of each.
The proposed activities will be particularly attractive due to their variety: video-conferences, transnational seminars, symposiums online on different themed topics (the main ports, maritime transport, water sports, marine eco-system), SEART exhibitions: drawings, paintings, graphics and mural painting, photography; different contests (music, film) and literary (story, legends, poems), creation of decorations from natural sea materials, outdoor and cleaning activities; sea cross-running, Marine Life Carnival.
There will be used innovative methods specific to the students’ education in order to stimulate their motivation, creativity and involvement in class: task-oriented exercises, discovery, case study, role play, projects, individual and group activities.
Many of the planned activities will be implemented in the daily work programs.
All the teachers participating in the project will be involved. In the assessment process, the assessor sets the methods to be used (interview, online questionnaire creation and fill-out, observation sheets). They prepare an assessment report for all project outcomes and together with the project management team sets the decision on project completion degree, as well as any remedial action for any dysfunction.
The project advertising campaign consists of periodical briefings in teachers’, parents’ and students’ meetings, articles in the written press and TV programmes, preparation and distribution of brochures, information or advertising materials.
The project activities and outcomes will be presented on the project website, such as the marine mini-dictionary, posters, mural paintings, songs, photos, culinary brochures and literary creations, educational games, multimedia presentations. They will all enrich and diversify the range of teaching materials of all partner schools.
The project participants will have the opportunity to get familiar with various educational systems, represent their school abroad and via learning activities, get to know the cultures from other countries. Schools will prepare students for an ever-changing society. It will be changes in the curriculum by creating optional courses, sustainable cooperation among partners after project completion, significant experience in implementing European projects. All our experiences, tutorials, movies, podcast, image previews, reports will be updated on our website and on our facebook wall. All partners hope that this project and all parties’ joint efforts shall contribute to make education for environment protection one of the most important educational factors for the young generation.
All those who will contribute to the successful execution of activities submitted in this project will be animated by the deep desire that future generations not need to say about THE SEA, only… Once upon a time…