Hosted by OSOS , contributed by Athanasios on 15 March 2018
This project promotes the use of schoolyards from Elementary Schools as core spots for teaching science. Students develop a research project with the schoolyard as the focal point and that goes through the various stages of the scientific process: questioning, raising hypotheses, experimenting, collecting evidences, consulting books and websites, talking to scientists, reviewing evidences, getting results, discussing with colleagues and communicating their findings to others. The research project that students develop follows the IBSE (Inquiry‐Based Science Education) methodology. During the project, students and their teacher are supported by a scientist from the scientific field they choose to explore: Geology, Botany, Zoology or Mathematics.
This project promotes a strong connection between children and science, scientists and the scientific process.
Learning objectives:
Schoolyards have an important role in the democratization of the access to scientific knowledge, as teachers and students are not limited by geographic, financial or socioeconomic constraints that prevent them to frequently visit other places outside school. Schoolyards are great places for learning outside the classroom: students can explore geobiodiversity, biotic and abiotic relationships, physical and chemical phenomena, as well as to study patterns, collect and analyze all sorts of data, in a real‐life, practical context. Moreover, learning science outside of the classroom stimulate students’ motivation, critical thinking, team work ability and creativity.
Available partnership opportunities:
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Families |
Families can help students to search information related with their research in computers or books, and be sources of knowledge about past events occurred in the community/region (e.g. when studying environmental changes). |
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Research Centres |
It is very important to involve research centres from the region, not only to get in touch with researchers that will help students but also to welcome students in their premises, allowing them to better understand how research is developed in their region/country. |
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Universities |
As it happens with research centres, Universities will also be a very good contact point to get students in contact with researchers. |
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Local Stores |
The contact with neighbors is very important to make students and teachers understand that the school is part of a larger community that faces common problems and challenges. Local stores can be helpful for suppling any materials students could need to develop their research, having the schoolyard as a focal point (e.g. if students are exploring plant growth, a local greenhouse can supply seeds and seedlings). |
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City Hall |
The contact with the local government can facilitate students’ access to community’s facilities, for example cheaper transportation to the Universities and Research Centres. Moreover, students can understand how the process of decision‐making is carried out, and become more aware of their role as active citizens, already from a young age. |
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Resources needed:
Science in the Schoolyards is a project that can be developed with a very short budget. The majority of the work is performed by students and teacher within the school walls, exploring the scientific richness of the schoolyards. The visit to the scientist’s workplace (University, greenhouse, etc.) can be financed by the local government through a bus loan, for example. The major financial needs are related with some resources and equipment that not every school can access: microscopes, computers, magnifying glasses, scientific books, etc.
The connection between teachers and students and the research centres is of great importance to the project, therefore the project manager should be very careful when contacting scientists to work side‐by‐side with small children, as researchers should be able to deal with a large group of students and to explain scientific issues through a very simple language (adapted to students’ age). Moreover, the financial limitations related with materials and equipment could be overcome through the partnership with a research centre or University. Other partnerships should be developed, if relevant, namely with local stores, greenhouses, local associations and companies, etc.
Watch the video to learn more about the project.
Junior High School of Magoula, Karditsa
website:
e-mail: mail@gym-magoul.kar.sch.gr