What it is
The project aims to build preschool children’s awareness about the importance of water for the planet and the way water is linked to certain features of the human culture.
What it offers
“Water Ecoculture” offers preschool groups the opportunity to get involved in fieldwork for the development of a thematic unit on “water” applying the principles of inquiry-based learning. Children will organize one or more outings to visit places where water exists in order to make observations and collect data. Next, they will compare and complement their data with information from written, oral or digital sources. The results and conclusions of children’s work will then be put up on the project’s web page where they will be able to see what children from other places in Europe have found in their own “water” investigations. This common space will enable children to learn about water ecoculture in different parts of their own country or other European countries.
Support
This program is supported by the Cooperative Team for Water Ecoculture (CTWE) participated by educators and specialized scientists from the Natural History Museum of the University of Crete, Greece and academics from the Dept of Preschool Education of the University of Crete, Greece and the Dept of Educational Science and Early Childhood Education of the University of Patras, Greece. In case you participate, the CTWE will forward additional information and supportive material to you. You will also be supplied with the contact details of the CTWE members who will be at your disposal to offer help and advice throughout the duration of the project.
What you can gain implementing the program “Water Ecoculture”
(a) Get to know other institutions of early childhood education and care elsewhere in your country or in Europe and exchange examples of good practices on the connection of outdoor with indoor activities scheduled exclusively for preschool children.
(b) Develop your children’s awareness about the importance of water for the planet and the way water relates and contributes to the development of certain features in human activities and culture to a similar and/or different extent.
(c) Collaborate with the CTWE and gain experience and insight into “Water Ecoculture” issues and into methodological details of inquiry-based learning.
(d) Exploit opportunities of professional development such as:
(d1) Present the outcomes of your “Water Ecoculture” project in the next European Conference of OMEP (under the guidance of the CTWE).
(d2) Get a certificate for your participation and a reference for your professional portfolio issued by the Natural History Museum of the University of Crete and the University academics of the CTWE.
For more information, please refer to the project leaflet.
To take part in “Water Ecoculture” please contact:
Michael Kalogiannakis at mkalogian@edc.uoc.gr or
Maria Ampartzaki at mabarjaki@edc.uoc.gr
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