Context The primary school is the natural place to introduce children to EE, since at this level they have a holistic view of the environment and they are not at the stage where learning is compartmentalised. Introducing critical thinking and problem-solving approaches in EE, especially at primary school level, is fundamental if students are to become skilful in the identification and solution of environmental problems as students and later on as adult citizens and possibly decision-makers. This project was intended to have an impact both inside and outside our schools, by running cross-curricular activities in the classroom and campaigns in the local community. Once children were committed to the responsibility of caring for the environment, they then had the necessary voice to impact their communities as well. We, primary school teachers, learnt from each other, presented our success stories and worked together to make an impact in our schools and communities. We saw how EE was tackled in each of the five regions involved and in what way the local realities influenced the extent to which EE was given priority in the school curriculum. Objectives: O1. Practices and experiences of EE were exchanged by primary teachers from different European countries O2. Digital materials were suitably developed for the cross-curricular teaching of EE O3. The level of environmental awareness of students was improved O4. Pupils were equipped with the duty of individual and social responsibility O5. The role of the school in our local communities was strengthened O6. Citizenship and social responsibility was promoted Participants Representatives from each of the 5 schools attended each of the 5 LTTAs. Participants were mainly primary teachers, but also IT teachers, science teachers and teachers of other subjects, were actively involved. ActivitiesTeachers worked together and created a platform on which they shared cross-curricular EE lesson ideas. These were firstly trialled with students from the host school in order to assess its strengths and areas of improvement before implementing at the LTTA's and being added to the EE e-Leaflet. In addition to the teaching of EE lessons, all LTTAs consisted of meeting with local NGOs, presenting relevant environmental issues, relevant cultural and thematic visits, workshops on cross-curricular teaching and on the methodology for the organisation of a local environmental campaign with students. LTTA topics were: C1 – Exchange of practices and experiences related to EE; workshops about cross-curricular approaches to EE teaching C2 – Water – scientific approach (data, experiments), source of life, uses, water shortage, water pollution, rules C3 – Earth – scientific approach, problems, earth-related issues, deforestation, endangered species, rules C4 – Air – scientific approach, air pollution, the greenhouse effect, global warming, what the future may look like, acid rain C5 – Building a proactive attitude within pupils – Teacher training workshop, meeting with environmental groups Results The project produced both tangible and intangible results, which measured the level of attainment of the objectives. Intangible results: students’ increased environmental awareness and social responsibility, better awareness of similarities and differences among systems of education and approaches to EE (teachers), improved language skills and critical thinking, improved team-work skills, strengthened collaboration among teachers at EU level. Tangible: digital collection of lessons and materials on the 3 main EE-related topics, methodology for involving students in environmental campaigns, presentations of schools / systems of education, workshop materials, students’ work, worksheets, lesson evaluation forms, observation sheets, campaign materials, students’ artwork, brochures, posters, reports, photos, videos, impact report. Impact All partners had a role in developing and analysing the EE lessons during the course of the project thereby improving the material basis of the schools. Teachers now have the opportunity to develop new courses for students using the high quality materials produced in the project. Since they include digital materials, each school's new EE lessons are now more attractive to students and are more motivated to learn. Also, students have developed a sense of initiative and have started playing a more active role in their community. Teachers within the same school now cooperate more, strengthening intra-institutional relations. Due to the success of the project students and their teachers will continue to organise environmental awareness campaigns in the future years thus turning active citizenship into a common practice at the level of the school.

"""ENHANCING BOOK READING"" project aims has been an education project predominatelycentred on “ENHANCING BOOK READING, CHANGING INTO PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES” and hasbeen taken students to read much more, to be more active through their participation indifferent activities such as ICT, Arts, Literary, Media, Social and Volunteering. Its main move hasbeen “ACTIVE AND EDUCATED CITIZENSHIP”. This partnership has been developed by schoolsfrom Spain, Slovenia, Italy, Poland and Turkey.According to research made by the American Academy of Arts & Science, that made aninternational comparison of the percentage of adults and teens “including people ages 14–64.Books read were for pleasure, not for work or school”, the population having read at least onebook in the previous 12 months; The IT:64%; SI: 56%; ES: 54%; PL: 54%; TR: 21%.OBJECTIVESOur students have become active readers and they have improved their skills on how to createtheir own quality products from the books they have read. We have endeavoured to makebooks more important again since they are a vital source for real information.With this project, we have managed to increase the amount of reading books in our schools’curricula. With the project we have decreased the lack of book reading and increased theaverage level of book reading in our schools’ curricula.ACTIVITIESTwo types of action have been included in this project.-Students have read different kinds of books such as Novels, Poetry, Biographies, Philosophy.-They have improved their literacy levels and have developed activities such as SCENARIO,writing essays, creating a poetry magazine, filming and editing short FILMs. Each partner hasread their own national authors and, when they came together in the LTTA meetings, theyshared them and produced their activities together.METHODOLOGYWe have created project clubs in each partner school and have invited the students to join theclub. A minimum of fifty students have been involved. Five different teams have been formed:Literature Team, ICT Team, Culture Team, Magazine Team, Arts Team. Each team has had tasksfor a certain period of time regarding the different planned stages and activities of the project.There were four LTTAs in two years and 1TM at the beginning of the project. Teachers haveinvolved the students in order to do all kinds of activities (book reading, creation of scenario,magazine, making short FILMs, etc)PARTICIPANTSIn the project, students have been our main target and its stages were planned for them.Teachers have been coaches and beneficiaries in this whole process. Other participantsincluded have been the administrative staff. Side beneficiaries of the project have beenparents and the local community as they have been our main target groups for dissemination.IMPACTThe project ""ENHANCING BOOK READING"" has had a positive impact within all the partnerschools not only due to the direct contact and collaborative work among students and teachersfrom different countries, but also because of the shared good practices concerning readingbooks. These good practices have allowed students to read much more, to be more activethrough their participation in different activities in the classroom as well as in cultural activitiesin the local community.StudentsGetting students involved in a wide range of activities – book reading, designing and creatingbook, magazine, taking scenario and writing essays – have helped them develop new skills andmake them more active in their daily life at school, at home and in their local communities,allowing them to raise awareness on the importance of having a dynamic attitude when gettingengaged in their own learning processes as well promoting socio-cultural heritage throughbooks.Students have developed and boosted their self-esteem as they have appreciated ininternational contexts by participating in LTTAs workshops that have stimulated creativity and,at the same time, have helped them reduce stereotypes and prejudice. Team work and ICTskills have been developed, making students prepared for the future labour market and theirlives. Having the possibility to organise an international brainstorming has increased students’dynamism, citizenship, respect, responsibility and courage to act as future leaders and as activecitizens in their communities, in their own countries and all over Europe. By preparingpresentations about the books they read, their school, local community and country andmaking videos to disseminate the mobilities, they have been able to develop their publicspeaking skills and communication in English.TeachersTeachers have had the opportunity to share professional and cultural experiences byorganising school activities, local activities and international meetings (LTTAs) within theproject. They have been able to explore and learn about other educational systems,pedagogical and methodological approaches and tools concerning teaching reading, accordingto the European standards in line with the Organisation for European Cooperation andDevelopment (OECD)."

CONTEXTThe demand for STEAM skills is a continuously growing reality which the school officials have to consider in the short and medium term, as it makes provisions for the future and adopt updated approaches to teaching and learning. The learning process does not have to be limited to classroom setting; the natural potential needs to be exploited beyond the aesthetic value as it provides multiple opportunities where students can learn about STEAM and equip them with 21st century skills that are mandatory for the highly interdisciplinary present jobs requiring several skills. We strongly believe that the school exchange project we devised will set the pillars for achieving excellence in education, equip students with knowledge to handle global competition, teachers with effective strategies for creating customized lesson scenarios and forms of delivery to relate nature to STEAM. Hence, the project will be carried out transnationally and we will develop a common meaningful pallet of activities through which our students learn science, mathematics, technology, art and engineering. Additionally, the nature-inspired STEAM approach will add variety to school syllabus in partner schools.OBJECTIVESO1 to create opportunities for integration of cross-curricular cooperation approaches amongst teachers and students at European levelO2 to stimulate students’ curiosity and creativity by linking STEAM subjects to nature-based learningO3 to increase the acquisition of skills and students’ progress in STEAM subjects through inquiry-based learningO4 to foster students’ employability through upgrading of soft skillsO5 to intensify the cross-border mobility rate in partner schools through Erasmus+ school exchange projectsO6 to enhance intercultural awareness, tolerance and respect for cultural diversityNUMBER AND PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTSThe target group of students in the project aims at those who belong to the age group 12-14 and we expect that approximately 400 students in all partner organisations will take part in activities and consequently benefit from results. Of this group, 94 participants age 12-14 at partnership level (18/24/partner country) will be selected to attend LTTAs, accompanied by 2 teachers. They will be the active group of members during the project, attend preparatory sessions before planned LTTAs, prepare the materials for exchanges, familiarize with the topics. Each partner organization will select at least 7 teachers in the project team, from teachers who are specialised in subjects related to the project topics, who will take on specific duties and responsibilities, coordinate and support students, conduct dissemination activities and events.MAIN ACTIVITIESWe have planned to organise 5 LTTAs, one short-term joint staff training event and 4 exchanges for groups of pupils, hosted in each partner organisation. The group of participants in exchanges/organisation will be made up of 5 students accompanied by 2 teachers and 3 teachers/organisation will attend the training event. Each LTTA will address a different topic: C1 Nature-based STEAM teaching C2 Nature-based ArtC3 Nature-based MathsC4 Nature-based science and engineeringC5 Nature-based TechnologyMETHODOLOGYThe project develops an innovative approach which attempts at raising students’ interest and motivation in STEAM subjects. The activities are conceived so as to encourage learning by doing, discovery, applying critical and logical thinking skills, creativity, English language and digital skills, while making correlations between nature and STEAM subjects, the impact in our daily life.RESULTSCommon concrete results are: Teaching Guide to STEAM, STEAM Fair, project website, eTwinning page, online seminar entitled “ Effective ways to develop students’ STEAM skills”, logo, posters and project visibility materials, project reports, project diary, exhibitions, mini-garden, survey, worksheets, observation sheets, impact and feedback forms, themed presentations, project conferences.Intangible results are: increased knowledge in STEAM field, innovative methods, tools and approaches to apply with students, increased rate of school mobility, skill achievement in STEAM, good practice academic exchange amongst similar European organisations.IMPACT AND LONG-TERM BENEFITSS.T.E.A.M. will create an effective model of joint educational interventions to produce improvement and development in the process of teaching and learning STEAM to be applied in the syllabus of all partners. By virtue of the sustainability plan, the project results will be further multiplied and future generations of students will benefit from this potential. The project management capacity in partner organisations will be enhanced and create favourable premises to access future school exchange opportunities, extend the international network. Organisations will become more visible in local communities, as well as in the wider international community.