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Τhe material of the project reflects only the author’s views. The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission or the Hellenic National Agency cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Teaching STEAM through Urban GardenBased Learning in the kindergarten

Project Code: 2021-1-EL01-KA220-SCH-000034476

About

The aim of the project is to teach STEAM by using hands on activities on urban gardens and integrating permaculture values. STEAM is an integrated approach to learning which requires two or more standards from Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and the Arts to be taught AND assessed in and through each other. Participants (educators and children) will become familiar with the space of a garden as a rich environment for teaching and learning across the curriculum, especially on STEAM field. Ecological and social justice considerations will frame all aspects of the project, with a particular focus on the place of the teacher (personal, cultural, and geographic positioning and identities) in garden-based education. Extensive engagement with gardening practices, food preparation activities (including eating!), and critical dialogue will be the pedagogical modes of exploration throughout the project. The idea is to support, scaling up the existence initiatives or catalysing new actions related to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in education and especially in preschool. While there are hundreds of pedagogical ideas for classroom activities, there is a gap in implementing age-appropriate activities outdoors. This project bridges the gap by detailing how best to integrate Urban Gardening into teaching and learning, specifically in preschool. We are trying to strengthen to the means of implementing STEAM, by using garden as co-teacher in preschool

Objectives

The objectives of the UrbSTEAM project are:

  1. To enable at least 150 educators (30 participants per partner country) understand and work with the garden-based methodology for teaching STEAM to kindregarten students and aware them in the principles of premaculture and sustainable development;
  2. To equip the educators with the appropriate material/resourses in order to deliver garden based learning for STEAM education in early age by using the resourses from an innovative digital platform – toolkit b. For children, to use come in contact with nature, STEAM education and become the future agents of change towrards a more sustainable future
  3. To develop children’s interest in and appreciation on nature and STEAM

Target Group

The project has three main target groups:

  1. Kindergarten & preschool teachers (direct target group)
  2. Children of preschool ages in which the direct group will pilot with the project deliverables (indirect).
  3. There will be also another indirect target group which is organisations which are interested in piloting the deliverables of the project within their organisations: kindergartens, creative labs for children, associations of teachers etc.

Results

The project will develop 3 results by 6 partner organizations actively participating in developing:

1.Manual of best practices on garden-based learning and development of Educational material

Read our manual

2. UrbSTEAM Online toolkit with resourses for educators

You can find our toolkit here

3. Development of the UrbSTEAM interactive platform

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Τhe material of the project reflects only the author’s views. The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission or the Hellenic National Agency cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Erasmus + changes lives

Partners

Akata Makata nursery and pre-school, Greece: Akata Makata is situated in the heart of Larissa,Greece.Having as main principle the children and their needs, in Akata Makata all children are unique. The education Akata Makata provides respects children's personality, linguistic background, social & cultural identity. The educational program, school offers, meets the individual needs of each student within the school community. This school holds rich experience in the use of cross-curricula activities including hands- on games, stories, drama, dance, sports, ecological and artistic activities in the teaching process provided by our qualified preschool teachers. Akata Makata aims at the comprehensive development of children and their subsequent attitude towards learning in personal empowerment and the formation of balanced and happy personalities. The school has been teaching children in their first steps STEAM. Following the curriculum of the kindergarten and specifically its learning areas such as ‘natural sciences’ and ‘environment and education for sustainable development’ we help children to perceive growth as a gradual process that takes time (eg we measured how many days it takes for the seed to germinate) but also to develop positive attitudes and values in matters concerning the planet's natural capital (e.g. natural resources, biodiversity, interdependence), with behaviors and actions that preserve natural capital and natural balance.
Akata Makata nursery and pre-school, Greece: Akata Makata is situated in the heart of Larissa,Greece.Having as main principle the children and their needs, in Akata Makata all children are unique. The education Akata Makata provides respects children's personality, linguistic background, social & cultural identity. The educational program, school offers, meets the individual needs of each student within the school community. This school holds rich experience in the use of cross-curricula activities including hands- on games, stories, drama, dance, sports, ecological and artistic activities in the teaching process provided by our qualified preschool teachers. Akata Makata aims at the comprehensive development of children and their subsequent attitude towards learning in personal empowerment and the formation of balanced and happy personalities. The school has been teaching children in their first steps STEAM. Following the curriculum of the kindergarten and specifically its learning areas such as ‘natural sciences’ and ‘environment and education for sustainable development’ we help children to perceive growth as a gradual process that takes time (eg we measured how many days it takes for the seed to germinate) but also to develop positive attitudes and values in matters concerning the planet's natural capital (e.g. natural resources, biodiversity, interdependence), with behaviors and actions that preserve natural capital and natural balance.
Kindergarten “More” is located in Rijeka, Croatia. The founder of the kindergarten “More” is the city of Rijeka. There are five dislocated objects: Đurđice (central object), Kvarner, Vidrice, Bulevard, and Delfin. Kindergarten “More” counts more than 530 children and its professional team consists of a director, pedagogue, psychologist, defectologist, 2 rehabilitators, a caregiver, a health manager, and a kinesiologist. Kindergarten “More” has various programs such as regular all-day 10-hour program for children from 1 to 3 years - nursery, regular all-day 10-hour program for children from 3 years to school - kindergarten, regular program enriched with sports content “Playing to sports”, education program for sustainable development, early English language learning program, alternative Waldorf program, integrated music program, program for children with autism spectrum disorder, program “Playing to school” and program to encourage the development of gifted children. the vision of the kindergarten is focused on openness to new knowledge and educational development of all participants educational process. The mission is to provide conditions for continuous growth and development of children and adults starting from the current position, interests, and needs of each individual. An individualized approach ensures conditions that everyone progresses at their own pace, guided by their own interests, choosing different forms of learning. Openness, as an important characteristic of the kindergarten “More”, refers to the aspiration to learn new scientific knowledge and skilfully implement it in the immediate work and development of the institution. In this sense, all opportunities for learning and connecting with external institutions that can contribute to the quality of educational work are exploited.
Kindergarten “More” is located in Rijeka, Croatia. The founder of the kindergarten “More” is the city of Rijeka. There are five dislocated objects: Đurđice (central object), Kvarner, Vidrice, Bulevard, and Delfin. Kindergarten “More” counts more than 530 children and its professional team consists of a director, pedagogue, psychologist, defectologist, 2 rehabilitators, a caregiver, a health manager, and a kinesiologist. Kindergarten “More” has various programs such as regular all-day 10-hour program for children from 1 to 3 years - nursery, regular all-day 10-hour program for children from 3 years to school - kindergarten, regular program enriched with sports content “Playing to sports”, education program for sustainable development, early English language learning program, alternative Waldorf program, integrated music program, program for children with autism spectrum disorder, program “Playing to school” and program to encourage the development of gifted children. the vision of the kindergarten is focused on openness to new knowledge and educational development of all participants educational process. The mission is to provide conditions for continuous growth and development of children and adults starting from the current position, interests, and needs of each individual. An individualized approach ensures conditions that everyone progresses at their own pace, guided by their own interests, choosing different forms of learning. Openness, as an important characteristic of the kindergarten “More”, refers to the aspiration to learn new scientific knowledge and skilfully implement it in the immediate work and development of the institution. In this sense, all opportunities for learning and connecting with external institutions that can contribute to the quality of educational work are exploited.
Avrupa Yenilikçi Toplum Derneği (European Innovative Society Association),EISA, is a NGO established and run mainly by teachers working actively in different school levels. As a Teacher Based organisation, EISA aims to support the community development and imrove education level in schools by providing services and enabling educators to participate in local and International cooperation projects. Although it is a young organisation, EISA is being involved in 7 different Ka2 Cooperation Projects under Erasmus+ programme in different fields including youth, adult and school sectors. EISA supports various projects, educational activities, courses, seminars, studies and research on social, political and cultural issues, and public activities. EISA actively supports social and educational cooperation activities with educational institutions and international organizations to support (in addition to teachers, school leaders and administrators) migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and families, especially those who have great difficulties in social integration. EIS A has completed one Ka226 project on Early Childhood Education and cooperating with different local and regional schools on the theme in addition to its existance in this project. One of the major aims of EISA to make the educators and pupils meet with Innovative Approaches to make them meet the requirements of today's world for a better future. Green Practices have key importance for the organisation and It emphasizes the importance of saving our planet in all its documents and providing services to make the community and next generations be more environmentally friendly citizens and have councious of the value and importance of a GREEN World. EISA has cooperated with Kindergardens titled as FOREST SCHOOLS functioning as a pilot sample for all other schools and has members havimng certificates about Outdoor Learning and STEAM applications in Early Childhood Education.
Avrupa Yenilikçi Toplum Derneği (European Innovative Society Association),EISA, is a NGO established and run mainly by teachers working actively in different school levels. As a Teacher Based organisation, EISA aims to support the community development and imrove education level in schools by providing services and enabling educators to participate in local and International cooperation projects. Although it is a young organisation, EISA is being involved in 7 different Ka2 Cooperation Projects under Erasmus+ programme in different fields including youth, adult and school sectors. EISA supports various projects, educational activities, courses, seminars, studies and research on social, political and cultural issues, and public activities. EISA actively supports social and educational cooperation activities with educational institutions and international organizations to support (in addition to teachers, school leaders and administrators) migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and families, especially those who have great difficulties in social integration. EIS A has completed one Ka226 project on Early Childhood Education and cooperating with different local and regional schools on the theme in addition to its existance in this project. One of the major aims of EISA to make the educators and pupils meet with Innovative Approaches to make them meet the requirements of today's world for a better future. Green Practices have key importance for the organisation and It emphasizes the importance of saving our planet in all its documents and providing services to make the community and next generations be more environmentally friendly citizens and have councious of the value and importance of a GREEN World. EISA has cooperated with Kindergardens titled as FOREST SCHOOLS functioning as a pilot sample for all other schools and has members havimng certificates about Outdoor Learning and STEAM applications in Early Childhood Education.
Kairos is a consortium of social cooperatives working to empower and promote Italian local communities and territories. Since its foundation in 2001, the consortium offers services and create relations with full respect for the dignity of people, their history, their work. the consortium aims to enhance social inclusion and valorize local communities across the country supporting the sharing of a non-profit culture and values and generating virtuous solidarity networks. KAIROS acts as a creative lab in which solidarity and local empowerment actions combine with new ideas, innovations and refurbished relations with distant realities from profit and non-profit sectors. The consortium deals with different vulnerable targets such as minors, young people aged 18 – 30, psychomotor disability, elderly, migrants, socio-economic disadvantaged adults as evidence of an experience now rooted in the territorial context of reference.Some of the social inclusion activities promoted in the local communities are: active labor policies; community empowerment actions; international exchanges across Europe for young people; construction of social innovation projects;educational and training activities. The main area of expertise of the consortium are: STE(A)M education; social responsibility and ethical values in agricultural sector; green and urban farming activities; digital inclusion among children at school; active citizenship and promotion of solidarity. Kairos represent the ideal intermediary between cooperative, institutions, companies and associations for the realization and the promotion of complex projects in social inclusion and solidarity fields. The consortium is based on a flexible and agile structures to support the affiliated entities in their local actions. Kairos has +5 employees and +50 external collaborators and experts.
Kairos is a consortium of social cooperatives working to empower and promote Italian local communities and territories. Since its foundation in 2001, the consortium offers services and create relations with full respect for the dignity of people, their history, their work. the consortium aims to enhance social inclusion and valorize local communities across the country supporting the sharing of a non-profit culture and values and generating virtuous solidarity networks. KAIROS acts as a creative lab in which solidarity and local empowerment actions combine with new ideas, innovations and refurbished relations with distant realities from profit and non-profit sectors. The consortium deals with different vulnerable targets such as minors, young people aged 18 – 30, psychomotor disability, elderly, migrants, socio-economic disadvantaged adults as evidence of an experience now rooted in the territorial context of reference.Some of the social inclusion activities promoted in the local communities are: active labor policies; community empowerment actions; international exchanges across Europe for young people; construction of social innovation projects;educational and training activities. The main area of expertise of the consortium are: STE(A)M education; social responsibility and ethical values in agricultural sector; green and urban farming activities; digital inclusion among children at school; active citizenship and promotion of solidarity. Kairos represent the ideal intermediary between cooperative, institutions, companies and associations for the realization and the promotion of complex projects in social inclusion and solidarity fields. The consortium is based on a flexible and agile structures to support the affiliated entities in their local actions. Kairos has +5 employees and +50 external collaborators and experts.
Utopia Project is a permaculture-inspired, grassroots project based in Eastern Europe–Greece. We utilize collective action from the local level to effect change at the local, regional, national, or international level. Grassroots projects are associated with bottom-up, rather than top-down decision making, and are sometimes considered more natural or spontaneous than more traditional power structures. We aim to increase self-sufficiency to reduce the potential effects of peak oil, climate destruction, and economic instability. Using collective action and selforganization, we are encouraging members to contribute by taking responsibility and action.We attempt to live a more sustainable way using permaculture, taking inspiration from natural ecosystems to “live off the land.” The activities carried out by the cooperative concern the following: 1. Environmental education. 2. Research, study and design of systems (and in the urban fabric) that aim at food production and the creation of sustainable human settlements compatible with the plans of nature. 3. Consulting in urban vegetable gardens. 4. Creation and management of experimental - pilot themed social spaces. 5. Organization, management and conduct of experimental-pilot teachers-training thematic theoretical and practical seminars, workshops of agriculture, natural culture, permaculture. 6. Exchange and trade in indoor and outdoor areas of goods. 7. Production and promotion of independent cultural creation. 8. Reduction of the production of waste and waste at the local level, with the participation of the citizens, through the reuse, utilization, recycling of the waste or through the redesign of the way of production and distribution of the products. 9. Production, processing, promotion or preservation of the productive or cultural heritage of any place through acquisition, lease, use through concession with or without consideration, transfer and general exploitation, utilization, management of real estate, premises and agricultural parcels within the social purposes of social cooperative. and for the creation of experimental-pilot eco-communities around the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors
Utopia Project is a permaculture-inspired, grassroots project based in Eastern Europe–Greece. We utilize collective action from the local level to effect change at the local, regional, national, or international level. Grassroots projects are associated with bottom-up, rather than top-down decision making, and are sometimes considered more natural or spontaneous than more traditional power structures. We aim to increase self-sufficiency to reduce the potential effects of peak oil, climate destruction, and economic instability. Using collective action and selforganization, we are encouraging members to contribute by taking responsibility and action.We attempt to live a more sustainable way using permaculture, taking inspiration from natural ecosystems to “live off the land.” The activities carried out by the cooperative concern the following: 1. Environmental education. 2. Research, study and design of systems (and in the urban fabric) that aim at food production and the creation of sustainable human settlements compatible with the plans of nature. 3. Consulting in urban vegetable gardens. 4. Creation and management of experimental - pilot themed social spaces. 5. Organization, management and conduct of experimental-pilot teachers-training thematic theoretical and practical seminars, workshops of agriculture, natural culture, permaculture. 6. Exchange and trade in indoor and outdoor areas of goods. 7. Production and promotion of independent cultural creation. 8. Reduction of the production of waste and waste at the local level, with the participation of the citizens, through the reuse, utilization, recycling of the waste or through the redesign of the way of production and distribution of the products. 9. Production, processing, promotion or preservation of the productive or cultural heritage of any place through acquisition, lease, use through concession with or without consideration, transfer and general exploitation, utilization, management of real estate, premises and agricultural parcels within the social purposes of social cooperative. and for the creation of experimental-pilot eco-communities around the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors
STANDO is a research and educational organisation, dedicated to the advancement of research and innovation and is, at the same time, an approved VET Centre (VET provider).It actively participates in the planning and implementation of national and international projects, aiming at providing innovative solutions that facilitate the development of people and the cohesion of societies. Its strength primarily lies in a highly qualified team and its extended network of international partners. For this project, the organisation will involve staff that are experts in dissemination, quality assurance, entrepreneurship fostering and innovation.
STANDO is a research and educational organisation, dedicated to the advancement of research and innovation and is, at the same time, an approved VET Centre (VET provider).It actively participates in the planning and implementation of national and international projects, aiming at providing innovative solutions that facilitate the development of people and the cohesion of societies. Its strength primarily lies in a highly qualified team and its extended network of international partners. For this project, the organisation will involve staff that are experts in dissemination, quality assurance, entrepreneurship fostering and innovation.

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