Hosted by SALL , contributed by Myrto Nerantzi on 27 April 2023
Our project "The carbon footprint of our school transportation" consolidates the results of the Erasmus-funded project 2021-1-EL01-KA122-SCH-000030697 “Skills building for environmental sustainability through Astronomy”, applying an interdisciplinary and interscientific perspective in teaching EFL and integrating STEM and non-STEM subjects. In the project, the students of E Class use English to understand the function of the greenhouse effect and the notion of sustainability. Focusing on the impact of increased CO2 emissions and the need for sustainable transportation, they investigate the carbon footprint of our school transportation, designing and conducting a survey, and create an information leaflet to inform the school community about the impact of our school transportation.
Background
The 1st Experimental Primary School of Thessaloniki (AUTh) is an open school that seeks continuous improvement through the updating of the teaching methods applied across the curriculum, the promotion of authenticity and individualised learning, and the connection and collaboration with the local and wider society. In line with these concerns, our project “The carbon footprint of our school transportation” fosters scientific literacy as well as skills building, responsible action and the reflective engagement with the problem of air pollution, following the SALL Methodology and integrating the results of the Erasmus-funded project “Skills building for environmental sustainability through Astronomy” - KA122-SCH-C1D75D65.
Aim
- To understand the concepts of sustainability and sustainable transportation and to become aware of their importance,
- To realise the impact of human activity and of students’ own transportation choices on the planet,
- To learn about the effect of increased GHG emissions on climate,
- To extend English vocabulary on environmental topics and to familiarise themselves with terms and structures used in science and experiments,
- To improve their ability to communicate ideas and arguments in English,
- To practise the scientific and the experimental method,
- To create, analyse and interpret graphs and charts,
- To organise and conduct a large-scale survey and to analyse and interpret its results,
- To interact with experts and social actors.
Co-creation with societal actors
Our participation in the environmental network “Sustainable City” helped students realise the universality of the need for adequate living conditions in our cities, as well as the importance of good air quality for all citizens, and enabled a holistic approach of sustainability. The cooperative activities with the other schools were well received in the network and pursued the achievement of sustainability in urban settings.
In order to establish connections with the scientific community, we sought cooperation with educational organisations such as the Environmental Education Centre of Kordelio & Vertiskos, Anatolia College and the “Planetarium on the go”. Working together with experts, the students realised the interrelated nature of science and the involvement of different scientific fields in dealing with the problem of air pollution.
Currently, following the completion of the survey, the students are working on the possible solutions to the problem. To this end, they have decided to address the Forestry Department of Thessaloniki for the implementation of the program "Forest environmental education and information". They are also participating in the nationwide planting action "I plant and adopt a tree - I give breath to the earth!".
