1. Summary
2. Objectives
3. Theme of the project
4. Plans
• school year 2010/2011
• school year 2011/2012

SUMMARY 

'Towards a greener future' is a project in the implementation of which the following countries are involved: France, Greece, Spain, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, and Italy. One of the major tasks set for the project is to learn about the natural diversity and ecological richness of Europe.
Assuming the mutual exchange of initial and final products set to occur during the international cooperation takes place, we aspire to change the student attitudes and their ecological behavior. The project involves the knowledge of the nearest surrounding areas and the school of students own countries involved in the project in order to find any connections or changes within the environment.
The project takes into account interests of children (10-12 years) with special educational needs, of the weak and the gifted students as well as those belonging to different ethnic groups and it gives them the opportunity to see their own ideas at work. We want the students to be active, so that their actions are accompanied by emotions, and so that they feel satisfaction from their creative activity and direct involvement in the project.
Therefore, we will use different methods, techniques and forms of work. We propose tasks that will show in a tangible way, what is the state of our immediate environment. We will teach how to make choices in a spirit of responsibility as well as we will attempt to bring an awareness of the connection between simple daily activities and the environment and the ecological situation on the Earth. A special emphasis will be placed on those aspects of nature that will give the students the chance to respond directly. We wish that the acquired knowledge and the unique skills will help the students transfer them to everyday life.
The execution of the tasks (Our new friends, our neighborhoods, the World Car Free Day) included in the project will contribute towards the student enrichment in correct environmental attitudes and the schools will acquire new teaching aids at the same time. The end product materials developed in the process, such as albums, herbals, atlases, folders, and yearbooks will be a source of information about the activities of our schools on the local and international scene.

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THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES 

• expansion and exchange of knowledge on the natural conditions of regions in the partner countries through the implementation of small projects: "Our new friends" and "Our neighborhoods";
• explore changes in the environment of countries participating in the project through participation in outdoor activities, thematic trips and meetings with interesting people;
• promote effective measures to protect the environment through radio broadcasts, thematic lessons, excursions and art works;
• implementation and nurturing of the green ideas in the school community through artistic activities (eco-fun, literary and artistic works), sports (rallies, group games) and research (surveys);
• furnishing the students with knowledge to facilitate understanding of the role of nature in human life through meetings with interesting people, the implementation of the interdisciplinary path, implementation of a small project titled "Eco-pal has its own world" and a tournament of ecological knowledge;
• raising awareness among students about the relationship between their behavior having real consequences to the environment by implementing a small project titled "My home and its impact on the immediate environment" and a survey titled "Is your house eco-friendly?"
• awareness raising of the need for rational management of natural resources through radio broadcasts about recycling, the implementation of cross subject paths, themed tours and a contest "What do I do with this mountain of garbage?"
• making young people aware about the impact of the environment state on their health through the development of the Eco-pal Decalogue, the guide on how to care about beauty and health titled "Eco-taste";
• encouraging students to actively cooperate in order to maintain clean environment by taking part in the global action Clean Up the World;
• shaping the attitude of respect for nature and responsibility for her condition through a series of activities such as working in the school garden and feeding the animals;
• engendering curiosity and fascination with the world, its diversity and richness through theatrical performances, tours, meetings with interesting people, conducting scientific experiments;
• evolving student pro-social behavior: group work, self-presentation, problem solving, responsibility for oneself and others;
• developing in students the skills of careful observation, discussion, evaluation of their activities, interpretation of results and analysis making;
• highlighting the skills of children with special needs and from different ethnic groups by engaging them in carrying out tasks under the project;
• improving English proficiency of students and teachers through participation in projects meetings, correspondence, performance of partial and final products;
• improving the ability to use communication and information technology by students and teachers through the preparation of multimedia presentations, maintaining e-mail correspondence;
• enhancement of the teacher workshop (acquisition of skills to use computer technology: Skype, Power Point, cameras, thematic lesson plans, teaching resources: multimedia teaching aids, globes, albums, guides, atlases, herbaria, enriching a library in these didactic aids);
• improving the quality of school work through the acquisition of new skills by teachers (language, computer, knowledge of the countries participating in the project), the improvement of workshops, enriching the teaching methods and forms of work with the students;
• integrating the group through teamwork;
• involvement of parents in organizing eco-themed events (Eco-pal has its own world, the World Car Free Day, fun carnivals, cruises, eco-rallies);
• exchange of experiences, methods of work with its partners in the project through project meetings, virtual conferences, correspondence;
• seeking and developing the best possible ways of cooperation within the local community: attracting new sponsors, encouraging parents to independently and creatively organize school events;
• development of positive student and parent attitudes towards the local environment surrounding the school.

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THEME OF THE PROJECT: 

Our new friends

Getting to know the partner countries: the nature of the partner countries, the symbols, the natural conditions, the places of interest through:

• radio broadcasts devoted to the partner countries - the broadcast exchange programme between the partners;
• preparation of multimedia presentations about countries participating in the project - partner exchange;
• poster design;
• development of mini - dictionaries containing basic words and phrases in partner languages;
• preparation of student work exhibitions - posting poster photos and mini-dictionaries to the shared website;
• the creation of the Comenius Wall, presenting information about the schools participating in the project;
• trip organization in the vicinity, an album release, a herbarium creation, a guide to interesting animate and inanimate objects of nature in the partner countries - final product creation;
• organization of a meeting with a traveller - image exchange between the partner schools.

We live here

Assessment of the natural environment in the vicinity of my home and my school and the partner schools conducted through:

• a series of lessons dedicated to the natural conditions of the region - an exchange of lesson plans between partners;
• scientific research in the area - an exchange of partial project results and brochure design presenting a common assessment of the environment in the partner countries;
• household surveys assessing the attitudes to the environment - posting a report on the state of the environment in the partner countries on a shared website.

We have a choice

Raising the awareness in students about the relationship between their daily activities and the ecological situation of the Earth through:

• pconducting a series of lessons on energy saving, water and other natural resources -exchange of lesson plans between the partner countries;
• radio broadcast titled "Living in Harmony and Comfortably"- posting of the radio program script on a shared website;
• an ecological film series;
• participation in the ecological knowledge tournament titled the Eco-Guard - a joint development of questions by the project partners during the teleconference, exchanging event photos among the partners;
• web engine search for information detailing the impact of our everyday activities on climate change - exchange of information with the partner countries.

We become better

Promotion of environmental attitudes among students through:

• work in the school garden and maintenance of pot plants - the development of the metamorphosis chronicles on video, and the exchange between the partners;
• animal feeding and collecting pet food- preparation of multimedia presentations and exchange between the partners;
• cleaning up the world - the photo report exchange between partners;
• development of the Eco-pal Decalogue - the main decalogue production, issued from partial proposals being prepared by the partner schools.

Recycling

Promoting the idea of selective waste collection and the utilization of recyclable materials through:

• an interdisciplinary path -a joint development of lesson elements dedicated to recycling on the subjects implementing the path;
• radio programme broadcast - the exchange of scripts between the project partners;
• organization of thematic trips (sewage treatment plant, waste sorting station, waste landfill) - the exchange of leaflets that advertise the visited sites;
• miniature waste basket design contest - presentation of the winners' work on a shared website;
• the collection of second-hand materials, and conscious sorting - the exchange of the report presenting the results with the partners;
• eco-gadget design made from sustainable materials -posting photographs of the work on a shared website.

Organic forms of recreation

We learn to relax, have fun and take care of ourselves without harming the environment through:

• participation in bicycle races of students and teachers - photo exchange with the partners;
• participation in eco-rallies - exchange of tasks and development of a common "Map of mischief";
• participation in thematic tours - exchange of animal illustrations and their descriptions, an atlas creation of animals occurring in the immediate vicinity of the partner countries schools;
• participation in the eco-oriented games and accompanying environmental competitions. Development of a portfolio (label photographs, costume sketches). Exchanging the "small portfolios" between partners;
• participation in theatrical performances - video exchange with the partner countries.

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PLANS 

School year 2010/2011

September 2010	Our new friends in the environmental struggle 1. Getting acquainted with the project throughout the school community: teachers at the Council of Teachers conference, parents at the first meeting, students during educational lessons. 2. Announcing the logo design contest. 3. Development and implementation of a small project, "Our new friends": - preparation of multimedia presentations on the natural environment of the partner countries, national symbols, natural conditions, interesting places -partner exchange; preparation of posters presenting partner countries; - development of mini-dictionaries, containing basic words and phrases in the partner countries languages; - preparing an exhibition of students' works for parents - poster and mini-dictionary posting on a shared website; - radio broadcast devoted to partner countries - exchanging of radio programme scripts with partner countries. 4. Preparation of the Comenius Wall- the information boards on the collaboration project and the partner schools and the Yearbook of Project Events 2010-2011.
October/November 2010	We live here 1. Preparation and seeing through of a small project titled "Our surroundings" a) conducting of lessons on natural science (geography) in order to familiarize the students with the natural conditions of their own region. Development and exchange of lesson plans; b) an assessment of the environment state in the surrounding region (air, water, soil, noise, land forms). Research work- experience and performance analysis and presentation of results in the form of charts, diagrams. Developing a brochure presenting the results obtained by the partner countries; c) "Our monuments of nature" - a search in the vicinity of interesting animate and inanimate objects of nature. Preparation of an album presenting the selected animate or inanimate objects of nature, by the partner countries; d) "Trees and Shrubs"- a review of common species of trees and shrubs in the vicinity. Development of a common directory containing drawings and descriptions of selected species and a shared herbarium; e) "Where and how do we relax in our region?"-preparation of a study folder on interesting places in the region by the partner countries. 2. Project meeting in Poland: - division of tasks between participating countries on the development of final products; - development of virtual meeting schedules; - designing of a collaborative website; - preparation of a survey "Is your house eco-friendly?" in order to entice students to assess their attitudes towards the environment; - knowledge of the educational system in Poland, the methods and forms of labour applied to particular subjects.
December 2010	Wishful thinking 1. Survey delivery titled "Is your house eco-friendly?" in order to urge students to assess their attitudes towards the environment. 2. Exchange of organic Christmas cards with eco-wishes.
January 2011	A handful of statistics 1. Analysis and dissemination of the "Is your house eco-friendly? survey results in the school newspaper, on a shared website. Development of a report presenting the results obtained by the partner countries. 2. Panel discussions titled "And what's next?" containing the survey results. 3. Project meeting in Romania: - exchange of experiences; - exchange of collected materials; - presentation of achievements; - an evaluation of the project to ensure the implementation of specific tasks and changes in the schedule needed to achieve its objectives; - knowledge of the educational system in Romania.
February/March 2011	Improving yourself - repairing the world 1. Development of a small project titled "My house and its impact on immediate surroundings." a) conducting a series of lessons on energy, water and other natural resources saving - exchange of lesson plans with partners; b) radio broadcast titled "Sustainably and comfortably" - posting of the broadcast script on a shared website; c) video series showing the interdependence of humans and the environment; 2. An ecological knowledge tournament for the title of Ecology Guard - joint development of questions by the project partners during teleconference, exchanging of the event photos between partners.
April 2011	For the sake of the earth and for oneself 1. Greening of gardens and school grounds- photo documenting. 2. School pot-plant tending - the most beautiful "green corner" competition- photo documenting. 3. Preparing film chronicles about the metamorphosis of the activities conducted by the partner countries. 4. Drafting of short stories, comics, rhymes, poems titled "What are school flowers whispering about?"and their publishing in the form of a booklet by the partners. 5. Project meeting in Italy: - exchange of collected materials; - presentation of achievements; - finding about the educational system in Italy.
May 2011	For the sake of the earth and for oneself 1. Organization and seeing through a selective collection of recyclable materials (paper, batteries, toners). The scoreboard of all actions conducted in all partner countries in the school newspaper - exchange of the report presenting the results with partners. 2. Respecting the paper and other materials through rational use in art classes and workshops - the making of the globes from waste stationary materials.
June 2011	Ecological semifinal 1. Project meeting in Greece. - exchange of experiences; - presentation of achievements; - exchange of finished products; - preparation of a report summarizing the first year of the project implementation; - setting guidelines for the next year of the project; - learning about the principles of the educational system functioning in Greece, the forms and working methods used by teachers.

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School year 2011/2012 

September/October 2011	Bicycles are Healthy 1. Letting the school community plan for the second year of the project implementation. 2. Preparation of design Event Yearbook 2011-2012. 3. Organize a celebration of the World Car Free Day: a) an art competition - the presentation of the awarded works on a shared website; b) "Bicycle as ecological means of transportation" - organizing a cycle race for students and teachers - exchange photos with partners; c) drawing of a route for an eco race titled "Eco Rider". Task solving on the ecological subject. d) Final World Car Free Day: - exhibition of prize-winning works of art; - wall magazine with pictures of the bicycle race; - publishing of "maps of mischief" by the partner countries- the route and a set of tasks performed by the Eco Rider.
November 2011	Those who jump and fly, make our earth beautiful 1. Organizing trips to the Forest District, meeting with forestry, conducting lessons on animal feeding. Development of an animal atlas in the region with information of possible forms of assistance to the animals. 2. Making of bird tables in workshops. 3. Project meeting in France. - exchange of collected materials; - division of tasks between the participating countries for final product development; - exchange of ideas among the partners; - development of a calendar of virtual meetings; - learning the educational system in France, the methods and forms of work used by teachers.
December 2011	S.O.S. for animals. 1. Creating of bird tables and food collection for the winged inhabitants of our settlements. 2. Organizing and seeing through the collection for animal shelters. 3. Preparation and exchange of multimedia presentations of the conducted actions between the partners.
January 2012	Ecological meeting 1. Project meeting in Slovenia. - exchange of experiences; - exchange of collected materials; - presentation of achievements; - an evaluation of the project to ensure the implementation of specific tasks and changes in the schedule needed to achieve its objectives; - learning about the educational system in Slovenia.
February 2012	Eco-fun 1. Design and execution of entry tickets and name labels to the eco-fun. 2. Preparation of organic fashion show. 3. Organization of a fun eco-carnival. 4. Contest for the most interesting costume and name label. 5. Preparation of the event portfolio - the exchange of portfolios resulting from the project between partners.
March 2012	Eco-pal has its own world 1. Preparation and seeing through a small project titled "Eco-pal has its own world ": a) execution of a character Eco-Pal- exchange of photos between partner schools; b) preparation of the Decalogue of Eco-pal in the illustrated form by the partner countries, and the text on the basis of partial proposals prepared by the countries participating in the project; c) development of a guide titled "Eco taste" on how to care for health and beauty- posting chosen guidelines on a shared website; d) Eco-pal cleans the world - exchange of photo reportage with partners; e) the making of recycled eco-gadgets such as jewellery, handbags, key rings, wallets, hairpins, combs, etc. - exchanging pictures. 2. The grand finale of the project "Eco-pal has its own world". Preparation of a multimedia exhibition generated from the event- exchange with partners.
April 2012	The old is new 1. Designing of an interdisciplinary path on eco recycling - exchanging of the scripts with partners: - native language- drafting a letter to local authorities asking to supply containers for selective waste collection; - music - write the Eco-pal anthem; - English - learning of vocabulary associated with recycling; - mathematics - solving text tasks on themes related to recycling; - computer science - learning ecological brand marks. 2. Radio broadcasts on recycling - script exchange between partners. 3. Finding of places associated with caring for the environment. Organizing trips to wastewater treatment plants, the waste separation stations and the landfill - the exchange of leaflets advertising the visited places with partners. 4. "What do I do with this mountain of garbage?" - design and seeing through the competition to design an original miniature dustbin. An exhibition of awarded works. Posting of the awarded works pictures on a shared website.
May 2012	Colours of the planet ... 1. Organizing of an encounter with a traveller titled "In search of the elements." Tale of unusual natural phenomena. Preparation and conducting of an interview. Exchange of photos with partners. 2. Ecological film about the elements. 3. Preparation of a study on the four elements titled "Colours of the World" - exchange of video clips between partners. 4. "The future of our planet" - the preparation of artwork used to create a panorama showing a vision of the Earth by the partner countries.
June 2012	Time to say goodbye 1. Project meeting in Spain - Installation of a common panorama - exchange of experiences after the second year of the project; - presentation of achievements; - preparation of a summary report for the second year of the project implementation; - establishing of a strategy for locating the best use of acquired experiences and the final products and maintaining contact after the project completion.

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