Suggested activities for environmental education

Aims and objectives

The overarching objective of the activities is the observation and understanding of the components especially the characteristics of the natural and cultural environment. Moreover the aim is to connect the children with the nature that surround them in experiential way.

Duration

Each activity is estimated over about one hour and can be combined with kinetic games so that the teams can “connect” better with the space.

Feedback

Back in school children could organize a special place that reminiscent the scenery and there they could present the photos and all the work created.

Useful instruments and tools:

  •  A ribbon for measuring length
  •  Glue paper for imprinting
  •  Adhesives for transparent mapping of leaf and trunk
  •  Adhesive tape to stick the paper to the students findings
  •  Bags to hold the material collected at each visit
  •  Camera to capture the action
  •  Magnifying glass

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1st Activity

The human and architecture in space and time

Area of application: Geraki, Byzantine settlement.

Aim: Getting to know the past and the history of the area

Description of activity:

  •  Observation of the settlement, recognition of uses
  •  Browse the settlement.
  •  Depiction of premises by a large group or individually
  •  Drawing the area of Geraki with the valley of Sparta, the grove and the Taygetos.
  •  Photographing buildings that stand out ( e.g. Byzantine churches).

 Observation of the materials used for their manufacture and their correlation with the area and the surrounding natural environment

Implementation steps in the classroom:

  • Placement of plans of the houses and the region in general to a specific position in the maps.
  • Looking for information about the history of the settlement( an archaeologist could speak about the settlement , the restoration and maintenance)
  • Create a short story for the residents of the settlement.

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2nd Activity

The forest as a community

Area of application: Mountain forest Parnonas

Aim: Acquaintance with forest ecosystem

Description of activity:

  • Getting to the forest inventory of different species of trees and shrubs in the area.
  • Observation and recording of different bodies of plants and animals in a forest location.
  • Classification and categorization of organisms into large group e.g. herbaceous plants, ferns, fungi, birds, insects, etc.
  • Observation and recording of the similarities and differences in trees of the same species but different ages ( young – mature – old )
  • Collecting material from the ground such as leaves and fixing their shape on paper.
  • Observing the ground for 5 minutes and defining different leaves in the soil
  • Recognize different types of trees
  • Observing and taking notes on different organisms
  •  llustrating the logs a of different tree species.

Implementation steps in the classroom:

  •  Search for information about the different kinds of trees
  •  Distinguish evergreen and deciduous trees
  •  What are the different types of fruits on the trees and how they spread?
  •  What are the products that we can get from trees that could be useful for the residents in the surrounding area?

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3rd Activity

Remarkable trees

Area of application: Mature oaks in the area of Amigdalia

Aim: Acquaintance of specific tree species and their functions

Description of activity:

  •  Observation of trees per group.
  •  Each group “adopts” one of the trees.
  •  Measures the circumference and diameter of the trunk.
  •  Measuring the size of the crown and observing what is beneath it and what is outside.
  •  Collect leaves and acorns from the ground.
  •  Which tree is bigger in circumference and diameter?
  •  To determine the age of the trees

Implementation steps in the classroom:

  •  Search for info of related tree species
  •  What are the different types of fruits on the trees and how they spread?
  •  What are the products that we can get from trees that could be useful for the residents in the surrounding area?
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