|
| |
|
Project
form
|
PROJECT
TITLE |
The Living Water (Virtual Map of Nitra
watershed) |
|
Short
Summary |
Students created a virtual map including the basic information
about water quality in 39 various sampling sites in UpperNitra
region. The information about general character of environment,
soil quality, plant and animal kingdom at the sampling sites are
available too. |
| School:
|
The Secondary Chemical School Novaky ( State secondary School) |
| Country: |
Slovakia |
| Partner
schools:
|
Christian Gymnasium Hernammsburg (Germany),
Gymnasium Bad-Essen ( Germany), Hyrylaen
Lukio Tuusula (Finland), Scuola Media-Statale B. Croce,
Pescara ( Italy), Cals College Nieuwegein
(The Netherlands) |
| Classes:
|
2,3,4 |
| Project
team: |
Chemistry teacher + Biology teacher + English teacher + Computer
teacher |
| Project
coordinator:
|
Chemistry teacher |
| Contact
person (name,
surname, e-mail address): |
Elena Kulichova: elena.kulichova@stonline.sk |
| Link
to the
Project:
|
www.bionet.schule.de/schulen/novaky |
| Collaborative
work at school:
|
Students have worked individually, in pairs and in groups. The
area of their activities was selected respecting individual
interests, activities and abilities. During the work on the
project students obtained basic experiences in team work
(responsibility, specialisation, accuracy) |
| Technological
tools:
|
test–set, computer, camera, scanner, printer, Internet, beamer |
| Socrates
Programme:
|
YES
o
NO o
Title: Environment and Health |
| Distance
Collaboration (among
Partners): |
YES
o
NO o
The collaboration was realised via exchange of experiences,
communication via e-mail, presentation of project results.
Representative of partner schools took a part on the
presentation of project results during the student’s conference. |
| RESOURCES |
Internal
(from your school) |
External
(outside your school) |
Costs |
| Human |
A team of teachers with competencies in Chemistry, Biology,
Computer science, English |
|
|
| Facilities
(rooms, labs, etc) |
Classroom, Chemical Lab, Computer Lab |
|
|
Equipment
(PC,
videorecorder, cameras...) |
Camera, Analytical test, Scanner, Printer, Microscope, Equipment
for volumetric analysis, Computer, CD writing device |
|
|
| Funds |
From Comenius 1.1 grants |
|
|
| Other |
|
|
|
|
Objectives |
|
Overall objectives |
Initiating a deeper interest of students for the environment
quality in their own region |
|
Specific
objectives |
Provoking the observation of dependence between chemical quality
of water and quality of environment. Showing the importance of
accurate chemical analysis in ecology. |
|
Study
skills |
Learning to measure basic qualitative parameters of water
samples, interpret and compare of results, describing of plant’s
and animal’s kingdom on the sampling sites, using the Terra-data
programm for describing of soil-quality, learning of basic
skills in microscopic observing of protozoa |
|
Social
skills |
Cooperation in the groups, responsibility for selected thematic
area, accuracy |
|
Subjects involved
|
Chemistry, Biology, Ecology, Geology, Geography, English, ICT |
|
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION |
| Duration: |
School
year:
6 months (24 weeks)
From: October
To: May
(except December and January ) |
|
Children worked on the Project |
for __1-2___ hours a
day
/
a
week
/ a
month |
|
Teachers worked on the Project
|
for ___2___ hours a
day
/
a
week
/ a
month |
|
Work
has been done
|
in
the class / at home
Work has been done in class and at home |
|
Short description of how the Project has been
carried out
|
1) How work has been organized either in class and at
home (i.e. individually/in pair/ in small groups/all class)
Theoretical preparation, The work in the project has started
with theoretical introduction in the chemistry and biology
lessons according to teaching plan for secondary chemical
school. The basic information about the water quality, about the
character and main sources of the water pollution in the region
and about methods of pollution measurement were presented
somewhat more in detail.
Then, the students examined experimentally samples of drink
water and river water using AQUANAL OKOTEST set in the school
labs. The tests were executed according instructions in AQUANAL
– booklet
At the same time, in the biology lessons, methods of cultivation
of microorganism in water and methods of their identification by
microscopic examination were presented.
Experimental Work
Each project participant performed the basic examinations,
analyses and observations at least in two sampling sites. They
included:
 |
description of the general character nature
around the sampling site |
|
description of basic sensory and physical
properties |
|
analysis of basic chemical properties of sample
by AQUANAL test: pH-number, total hardness, nitrite, nitrate,
ammonium and phosphate content |
|
description and determination of plants
observed around examined site |
|
description and determination of animals
observed around examined site |
|
photo-documentation |
|
taking of the water samples, which enables
experimental work in laboratory |
The main measurement and observation results were noticed in
registration cards, which were filled for each examined site.
Evaluation of Data
Filled registration cards were used in final assessment of
each thematic area. In this stage of project, the orientation of
team members was considered. Each pair of students selected one
of specialization according their affection and orientation:
|
geography of Nitra watershed |
|
methods of chemical analysis
|
|
chemical properties of water samples |
|
microbiology |
|
plants |
|
animals |
|
geology and soil quality |
The pairs studied intensively the selected thematic areas and
were responsible for correct evaluation and interpretation of
results of observations and measurements in selected area.
Each pair of “specialists” evaluated the results of their
colleagues collecting authentic assessment of monitored problem.
The conclusions were consulted with teacher.
2) How the work has been shared among children
|
first of them
(local membership) was applied in experimental work,
|
|
the second one
(professionalism) in the evaluation of the results. |
3) How resources have been used/managed
Initially, the large amount of results of chemical analyses and
biological observations in field has been collected in form of
paper written notices. Then, each pair of specialists collected
data of their thematic area from all sampling sites and wrote
the final evaluation and comments.
The photographic
documentation, maps, drawings of protozoa and other pictures
have been scanned to computer files. The final arrangement in
HTML format has been realised with professional help of teachers
and older students. |
|
USE
OF TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS
Short
description of how technological tools have been
used |
Technological
tools
(videocamera/camera/digital
camera/computer/Internet/scanner/printer) |
Camera, Analytical test, Scanner, Printer, Microscope, Equipment
for volumetric analysis, Computer, CD writing device |
|
Users
(teachers/children/experts): |
|
|
Where
(at home/at school):
|
Students used individually test for analysis and camera, during
the basic observations and taking of water samples. Other
technical tools were used in the school chemistry labs ( pH
meter, equipment for volumetric analysis) and in the school
computer labs (Computer, Internet-connection, Printer, Scanner,
CD writing device) |
How |
The students – specialists worked under supervision of
responsible teachers |
| WORKPLAN |
| Activity |
Responsable |
Expected
outcome |
When
|
|
Introduction, dividing of roles |
Project coordinator |
The basic idea of project |
Week 1 |
|
The sampling and measuring of water |
Team members |
Data describing the water quality |
Week
2-8 |
|
Taking picture (environment, plants, animals) |
Team members |
Pictures |
Week
2-8 |
|
Application of Terra-Data program to describing of soil quality |
Computer science teacher,
Chemistry teacher |
Soil quality - diagrams |
Week
8-10 |
|
Microbiological observations |
Biology teacher |
Protozoa data and pictures |
Week
8-12 |
|
Collecting of data |
Specialists – experts |
Thematic collections of data |
Week
12-16 |
|
Building the structure of the web page |
Project coordinator,
Computer expert |
Basic structure for data input |
Week
12-16 |
|
Data input |
Team members |
Data files |
Week
12-16 |
|
Evaluating of collected data |
Specialists – experts |
Review to selected problems |
Week
16-20 |
|
Translation |
Team members with help of English teacher |
English texts |
Week
20-22 |
|
Preparation of presentation |
Project coordinator |
|
Week
23 |
|
Presentation of project |
Project coordinator |
Web page |
Week
24 |
| PROBLEMS/BARRIERS |
Students had some problems in area of organisation of their own
time, Problem of correct interpretation of measured data,
Problem of some computer abilities of younger students,
Difficulties in the translation of technical text in English |
| WAYS
TO OVERCOME
PROBLEMS/BARRIERS |
Stimulating students for better organisation of their free time,
Consultation with responsible teacher, Training students with
help of computer teacher,
Simplification of text, cooperation with the English teachers |
| EVALUATION |
| Evaluation
worksheets of operative
objectives |
Yes |
| Feedback
from students |
Consultations with students |
| Feedback
from parents |
Discussion during the Student’s Conference |
| Feedback
from teachers |
Discussion during the Student’s Conference |
| Other |
|
|
OUTCOME
DISSEMINATION |
| Wall-charts
|
Posters |
| Article
on school/local/district
magazine |
Yes |
| Brochure |
|
| Multimedia
products |
CD The Living Water |
| Exhibition |
|
| Website |
Yes |
| Seminar/Panel
session |
The Student’s Conference |
| Other |
|
I allow to
publish the above information on the ECOLE website
(www.ecolenet.nl) : YES
o NO
o
| |
