KEEP YOUR FOOTPRINT LOW AND MAKE THE EARTH GROW

Topic(s) addressed

• climate impact on plants
• definition of terms: carbon footprint, CO2 cycle
• “products” in regional backyard
• old and forgotten varieties
• ways of reducing waste and carbon footprint
• developing IT skills and critical thinking

Target groups

• 220 girls and boys aged 3 to 13
• teachers, parents, wider community 
• local producers and farmers

Methodologies

Four different teaching and learning approaches were implemented in the project: 

• Four different teaching and learning approaches were implemented in the project: 
• Teacher-Centred: experts and direct instructions provided information relevant to their experiences (for the younger students, in a form of visual aids, demonstration material and booklets).
• Student-Centred: students carried out experiments, conducted research, discovered the answers to the questions raised, set up their own patches, allotments and polytunnels, and created a co-operative with local farmers. 
• Indoor-outdoor activities: field trips, activity days
• Digital technologies: different IT tools for content creation and communication (e.g. eTwinning)
• An “Eco city“ was built. 
• The project was implemented in all subjects.

Environments

• Different materials were brought into the classrooms and presented in different ways. 
• A wide variety of settings were offered, e.g. outside the school or in buildings - either real or virtual. 
• Students were encouraged to engage in problem-solving and find their own answers to the cross-cutting questions. 
• In active learning, students were motivated to investigate and present their findings. 
• Teachers, parents and the wider community supported the project by preparing and building beds, allotments and polytunnels for growing their own fruits and vegetables. 
• Older students ran a small fruit and vegetable co-operative and the youngest students produced video clips presenting some results on reducing the carbon footprint.

Teachers

• Students developed stronger communication skills and built an engagement capacity within their groups. 
• The curriculum was tailored to students´ needs and innovative technologies were used. 
• Teachers developed new ways of teaching more effectively and encouraged students to investigate and present their results. 
• We were forced to think out of the box and go beyond our textbooks. This enabled us to create an engaging and fun learning environment and made it easier for the students to understand facts better. 
• Creative open learning space for all learners was provided.
• Parents aim to change their lifestyle 
• Schools support local producers
• The co-operative established in the project continues its operations 
• Plastic has been banned. 
• Equal opportunities were given to all students.

Impact

• Students and parents have been encouraged to think more about sustainability. 
• Parents, influenced by the students, strive to change their lifestyles. 
• Both parents and students try to avoid unessential food packaging, and paper book covers are used. 
• The use of plastic in classes has been banned and students bring reusable water bottles and drinking cups.
• School lunches are prepared with local and seasonal produce and fairtrade products are used. 
• The students keep using the polytunnels, patches and allotments all year round for growing their own fruits and vegetables. 
• A group set up their own small business and run a small fruit and vegetable co-operative during the school year.
• The project was awarded 1st prize in Austria and Lithuania, and the Welsh school has become an Eco school.