Good practices

Lake Investigation
Working Group:Early InquiryCountry:LatviaLanguages:EnglishAge of students (target group/s):6-12Contact person information:Inese Liepina
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Aija Staskevica from Vecumnieki Primary School carried out a research with 1st grade students. The objective was to learn the procedure of a research and its steps. They started planning together to find out what was necessary to perform a research. Students suggested that the name of the researcher and date of the research were important. Afterwards, children thought of topics they would like to study on a lake. The lake purity was one of them. So students made a guess – how clean is the lake? As the lake is used for swimming, many students obviously found it clean, although some knew that there was paper waste or plastic bottles in it. They prepared a worksheet for noting things down and for drawing their findings. At the bottom of the sheet, space for writing conclusions was left. The results were shocking even for the teacher – students found a refrigerator doors there! Children had a lot of work - both to write and draw. After the return to the classroom, they presented their findings and discussed how the litter got into the lake and what people can do to prevent the lake pollution.Strong points and opportunities:Early involvement of students in a research process
Interest in the local surroundings
Practical research
Replicable for other schools and sitesLimitations:Time consuming, the activity requires more than one lesson
A lake not far from the school is neededAdded value with regards to the 3 topics of the MASS project:WG2 early inquiry
WG3 interesting, it involves practical activities connected to learners’ lifeAny prerequisites needed:A lake or a river near to the school




Teaching materials

MASS project intends to identify, analyze, evaluate and disseminate practical tools and methods in teaching science which will effectively lead to arise students' motivation and acquire higher level of basic skills in science. We will explore what happens in science lessons at schools and increase the knowledge of good practice in teaching science in three research areas: Science for Digital Learners, Early Inquiry and Low achievers in Science (See more: Main topics).

 

Main project activities include:

1. Identification of the national examples of good practices
The initial phase of the project is to analyze the strengths, weaknesses and potential in the particular area of science education method in each partner country. It will include identification of good practices on raising students motivation for science on the national level. Examples identified will be collected in the online database.

See more: Good practices repository

 

2. Development of pilot teaching materials and testing phase
Findings from the research phase of the project will form the ground for development of the pilot version of educational materials in each Working Group.

Piloting stage of the project, with the involvement of target group, will raise the quality and exploitability of the products.

 

3. Development of the final version of teaching materials
Final version of educational products will be developed after summing up the piloting phase. They will be available in each partner language. The final project results will bring a change at the classroom level. Teachers will be aware of the key factor for motivation of their students to learn science. They will use a wide range of methods effectively and appropriately to the learning needs and preferences of their students. More teachers will be confident and successful in use such of methods. They will make teaching science more relevant and accessible to students.

Final products will be widely presented and disseminated during the Open Conference III in the middle of 2016.

Pilot materials

To help teachers to become empowered, skillful and self-confident, we work on:

for Digital Learners, Early Inquiry and Low Achievers in Science.

 

If you want to help us to improve these materials by taking part in piloting, please contact leader of each Working Group:

   Leonie de Vries (Digital Learners), e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

   Lenka Pachmanova (Early Inquiry), e mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

   Daiga Kalnina (Low Achievers), e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

or the MASS project partner in your country:

   Czech Republic, TEREZA Educational Center 

   Lenka Pachmanova e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

   Cyprus, Cyprus Center for Environmental Research and Education (CY.C.E.R.E.)

   Chrisis Kleovoulou, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

   Estonia, Estonian Physical Society

   Kaido Reivelt, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

   Germany, University of Cologne Geographical Institute

   Astrid Hensel, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

   Greece, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

   Thalia Mavrakou, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

   Latvia, Children's Environmental School

   Inese Liepina, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

   Netherlands, SME Advies

   Bregje van den Brand, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

   Poland, UNEP/GRID-Warsaw Centre

   Elżbieta Wołoszyńska-Wiśniewska, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Subcategories

Pilot version

Final version