Before the project meeting in Poland, pupils in the project schools had been finding out about the variety of uses of water in their local community and had been researching where their water supply came from. They also prepare presentation material to introduce themselves and their school to their project partners.

Through carefully chosen activities and visits, the host school highlighted both the tangible and intangible influences of water on its heritage. Because it was the first meeting there were some ice breaking games and activities. The presentations and films made by each school about themselves and their local areas were shown to all participating pupils and pupils from the host school. There was a small exhibition at which each school prepared a small stall to show some leaflets, photos, traditional treats, little souvenirs made by pupils, teachers and parents where guests explained about the country and area they come from. Some schools dressed in their national costumes for the exhibition. From previous experiences we knew that this sort of activity is motivating for pupils and the local community and interest in the project grows.

The Vistula is a symbol of Polish identity and patriotism – our natural as well as historical and cultural heritage. For this reason, the host school presented a stage performance at the local theatre, based on Polish cultural heritage sites located on the Vistula, like Cracow, Warsaw and Torun which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It took the audience on a journey from the source of the Vistula to its ultimate destination of the sea and included dances, legends and songs connected with the river e.g. “Płynie Wisła płynie”.

During the meeting coordinators discussed the project timetable and activities as well as planning dates for further meetings. In the water related workshops pupils presented, discussed and compared the findings and materials they had worked on before the meeting and brought to share with others. They met an expert on water and visited a water reservoir in the Bieszczady Mountains as well as the Solina Dam which provides electricity to the area. They learned about the culture, nature and history of the area all along the San River. They wrote short reports on the blog and published photos. They took part in film making workshops run by Filmoteka Szkolna (film education program), which will facilitate the future production of a documentary on first meeting activities and further film making tasks. Each meeting has a film making aspect which will culminate in what we hope will be a professional film, produced by the children, about the water issues faced by our planet.

The children created project logos and designed project mascots. These were voted on by children in all schools and the favourite Project mascot will be made into a cuddly toy, by a talented parent, and every school will get one to take home. It will not only be a nice toy but also a character for films or animated stories depending on the pupils ideas. Through all five days of the mobility pupils produced materials using ICT tools which were published on project blog and TwinSpace and shared with pupils who stayed in their school. Workshops were followed by fun and leisure activities, so pupils could have a rest after hard work and enjoy their stay in the host school. All the activities were in accord with the curriculum of each school where there are lessons about water. They expanded them and made them more interesting and gave them a broader international aspect. Most of the partner schools have introduced or are interested in CLIL and project activities are perfect tool to conduct this method.

Pupils learnt some new life and work skills in ICT, including film making and took an active part in the blog creation and updating. They worked in groups of pupils from different countries where they needed to use English as language of communication. They practised their communication skills and developed their English vocabulary. They gained some social skills of cooperation and resilience. They learnt not only about the host country, its culture, tradition, cuisine and language, but also about other countries taking part in the project. They made friends and have already stayed in touch after the mobility by using social media, TwinSpace and blog.

They went back home and presented their experiences, skills and knowledge to other children. But most importantly, the activity created a new, more conscious relationship between pupils and water. The pupils began to develop and record their response to local and global issues of ensuring that they and future generations can source clean water. Through their film-making and investigative reporting they have begun, and will continue, to identify the issues facing them and they will explore the potential solutions to the ecological problems posed by our current use of water. They will bring the issues to wider audiences in their communities and build a greater awareness of the debt we owe to the influence of water and how we need to protect it in the future. It is hoped that their completed documentary film can be shown at film festivals and on the internet to further raise awareness.

WATER RELATED ACTIVITIES:

“Sightseeing” school : water class 

England - Yellow submarine,

Lithuania -  Polish/Lithuanian literature – Adam Mickiewicz “Świtezianka”( Fair Maiden from Switez Lake),

Spain - Mermaid by Pablo Picasso,

Greece - Poseidon

• Poetic evening with water theme
• Films about different aspects of water
• Performance  „Flowing Vistula flows” in Przemysl castle
• A trip to the water treatment plant and wastewater treatment plant

• Stalls and films presenting partners schools and project work “Water and You’
• Trip to Solina Lake and Dam, visiting the dam and the power plant

• Workshops: designing project logo and mascot
• Swimming pool