Goals

Problem statement:

The goal of the project is to arrange outdoor classroom in Akhaltsikhe School # 1.Functioning of this class will raise environmental awareness and interest to natural sciences of school children, their parents and community. The low awareness level of school-age students is proved by the latest research of PISA (http://unicef.ge/uploads/PISA_geo_WEB.pdf) stating that about 34% of the school children meet the minimum basic requirements of knowledge in natural sciences. One of the key reasons is low interest of children to such disciplines. It can be partially caused by the lack of practical activities during the schooling process. The practical classes, presentations on field will help to raising interest and awareness of school children. Children will feel themselves as the part of the nature and will understand the environmental processes better, and become more interested and attached to natural disciplines.

Proposed Solution:

The outdoor class for the lessons of the natural sciences will be arranged in the back-yard of the school. The size of the space is about 20 meter X 20 meters. It will include schooling/study space, with tables and chairs, demonstration (trial) plot and decorative stairs connecting school building with back-yard. The space will involve artificial mini ecosystems (including soil with warms). Under the project framework school children, their parents and school administration will arrange the space themselves, the tables and chairs and artificial stone vase for flowers will be installed.

The outdoor class will be arranged for conducting practical class-rooms in natural sciences for primary and mid-level grade school children. They will be able to develop practical skills (observation, description, conducting experiments, etc.), labor skills and love towards nature, as they will be involved in arrangement of the class and practical activities themselves.

For fulfillment of the idea, it is required to decorate (paint) surrounding wall of the space, acquire set of plastic tables (5) and chairs (20) for classes, install decorative flower vases and fence the space with iron net.

Sustainability:

The class will be owned by the school and school administration will take care about maintenance. The students and their parents will contribute to arrangement of the class and they will have the feeling of the ownership and it will support to make project results sustainable.

Equal gender opportunity:

Both male and female students will benefit from the project. The environmental class will be equally accessible for both gender representatives.