18 giu 2012

The exhibition


Due anni di attività di progetto da condividere con la comunità locale in una mostra 

Two years of project activities to share with the local community
Erano presenti molti degli studenti che hanno partecipato attivamente al gruppo Comenius, il Dirigente Scolastico, alcuni docenti e il Presidente della Municipalità
There were a lot of students  who belong to Comenius group, the Principal, some teachers.
The head  and other members of the municipality……







Cosa condividere?
Il blog di progetto dove vengono aggiornate tutte le nostre attività e dove inseriamo fotografie, commenti...
L'esperienza teatrale
I meeting internazionali che costituiscono i momenti più indimenticabili
Il progetto di riciclaggio (il bidone simpatico) w altre cose create con materiale riciclabile
Il green plan


What can we share?

  1. The blog where we update news, activities, comments, photos
  2. The theatre experience
  3. International meetings that we enjoy so much
    1. the most memorable moments, indeed
  4. Our recycling project (cans) and other things  created with recycling materials
  5. The green plan

Abbiamo voluto spiegare alle autorità locali la nostra idea di creare un parcheggio coperto con pannelli solari capaci di generare energia elettrica per illuminare il parcheggio durante le lunghe e buie giornate invernali.
Inoltre, l'idea di allestire uno stagno artificiale per anfibi a rischio di estinzione nel giardino della scuola

We’d like to explain to the local authorities and people our idea of creating solar energy parking canopies in a parking lot generating on-site solar electric power or lightening the parking lot during the winter longer dark days
This goes together with the idea of making an amphibian pond to preserve some animals at risk of estinction



Proud and happy to be here!





La mostra ha avuto un tale successo che è stata prorogata fino al 1 giugno!!
The exhibition was so successful and it has been continued for another week !

23 mar 2012

Venice Meeting March 5-9, 2012

Questa volta tocca noi!
It's our turn now!

Tutti i nostri compagni di viaggio sono venuti  a trovarci per il meeting internazionale di Venezia; è stata una bellissima esperienza in cui abbiamo condiviso le attività di progetto ma anche girovagato per le strade di Venezia e le sue isole. Piazza San Marco ha sempre il suo fascino, ma non potevamo non accompagnare i nostri amici anche a vedere le isole

All our fellow travellers have come to the international meeting in Venice; it's been a wonderful experience! We shared the project activities but we also wandered around Venice and the islands of the lagoon. Saint Mark's Square is definitely appealing but we couldn't help taking our friends to see the islands of the lagoon.


Abbiamo visitato una vetreria di Murano e ammirato i maestri vetrai mentre creavano un cavallino di vetro; abbiamo visitato l'isola di Burano dalle case colorate e assaggiato i dolcetti tipici in una giornata ventosa ma che ci ha regalato suggestive immagini della laguna. 
Ma chi avrà scelto i colori di queste case? Eppure insieme stanno bene.....
We visited a glass factory in Murano and admired the glass makers shaping a glass horse; we visited Burano where the houses are painted in different colours and we tasted its typical cookies. It was windy but the lagoon was impressive.
Who can have chosen the colours of the houses? They match beautifully!

Qualcuno si è anche perso, ma è sempre un piacere perdersi nella città lagunare; anche noi che abitiamo a 4 passi abbiamo avuto la possibilità di riscoprire calli e campielli, ponti e campi dimenticati.
Cammina e cammina, chissà come immaginavano Venezia i nostri amici.
Anche i professori si sono divertiti: ne siamo sicuri!


Somebody got lost, but it's a pleasure to lose one's way in Venice. We live very close to the town but this meeting has given us the opportunity to rediscover calli (the little streets) and campielli (the small squares) as well as forgotten bridges and squares. We walked and walked... who knows how our friends thought Venice was like!
Our teachers had fun as well: we're sure of that!

E poi anche questa volta abbiamo voluto concludere in allegria, insieme al gruppo musicale che ci ha regalato il concerto a Natale. Solo che questa volta hanno fatto cantare i ragazzi rumeni e spagnoli e hanno proposto musiche impossibili da non ballare.


And the end was genuine happiness. A band was invited, the same that had played for us at Christmas. This time, though, they made the Romanian and Spanish friends sing and played songs that it was impossible not to dance.

E poi come poteva mancare la pizza finale? Tra 43 diversi tipi di pizza, il giorno in cui si festeggia la donna, eravamo tutti insieme in pizzeria per darci un saluto e dirci "Arrivederci"


And how could we not eat a pizza together? Among 43 different kinds of pizzas, on the day when we celebrate Women's Day in Italy, we were all in a pizzeria to say goodbye
Ci piace l'idea di condividere questa immagine che rappresenta lo spirito del nostro incontro e la gioia di stare insieme, ragazzi e professori


We like the idea of sharing this picture as it represents the spirit of our meeting and the joy of being together, pupils and teachers.


28 dic 2011

Lezione concerto: canzoni per l'intercultura





Prof. Caon e Prof.ssa Barbini

 La lezione-concerto Natale ha coinvolto tutti i ragazzi delle classi prime del nostro istituto, tutti i docenti e alcune personalità che si occupano, a vari livelli, di integrazione e di intercultura.

All the first-year pupils, the teachers and some local authorities dealing with integration and interculture took part in a "Christmas lesson-concert" organized in our school.


L’obiettivo è diffondere l’interesse su alcuni temi di rilevanza culturale con un linguaggio estremamente motivante e coinvolgente quale la canzone, nell’intento di superare le barriere culturali ed emotive di ognuno di noi.

The aim of the initiative is to raise awareness of some major cultural issues using such a motivating and involving language as songs, trying to overcome the cultural and emotional barriers within us.

Gli studenti hanno partecipato con entusiasmo e l'iniziativa è stata un momento di condivisione tra culture diverse molto coinvolgente e alla fine.....nessuno se ne voleva andare.

All the students were enthusiastically involved and the event meant sharing time among different cultures and when the concert was over... nobody wanted to leave.

 

Siamo tanti, diversi ma uguali e ci divertiamo insieme: se vi pare poco!!

There's lots of us, we are different but alike at the same time and we have fun together... No small affair, is it?

Buon Natale ai cittadini del mondo e Felice Anno Nuovo!
Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to the citizens of the world!


11 dic 2011

meeting in Almada

Siamo in ritardo ma ci siamo! Anzi il "club ambientalista" sta lavorando per il programma annuale e attende con ansia l'arrivo dei compagni di avventura in Italia il prossimo marzo.

We're late but we'll be definitely there. In fact, our "environmental club" is working on its annual planning and is looking forward to meeting our  fellow students in Italy next March.

Ma vogliamo ringraziare tutti i ragazzi che sono stati con noi a Lisbona per averci regalato una bellissima settimana; certo il clima caldo è stato un regalo d'autunno ...siamo andati anche al mare!!!

We would like to thank all the boys and girls who were in Lisbon  for giving us such a gorgeous week; the warm and sunny weather was a gift that allowed us to even go to the beach!!!!
 Guarda quanta bella gente: nella foto tutti non ci stiamo, ma questo è il gruppo di spagnoli, italiani e portoghesi tutti insieme.

Look how nice we are! We all couldn't fit in the picture: this is the Spanish, Italian and Portuguese group, all together.
Poi siamo capitati in una villa particolare, dove ci siamo dovuti travestire e recitare: Dan sembra essere molto a suo agio
Then we ended up in a weird mansion, where we had to put on vintage clothes and play roles. Dan looks really comfortable!


Siamo stati a Belem, abbiamo visto il monumento ai grandi navigatori e abbiamo mangiato dei dolci speciali.

We went to Belem, saw the monument built to honour the great sailors of all times and we ate some special sweets.


24 nov 2011

eccoci qua! Here we are!

Il secondo anno di questo progetto è iniziato benissimo! In Portogallo, dove abbiamo conosciuto tanti ragazzi, abbiamo trovato un tempo meraviglioso e abbiamo scoperto una città bella e affascinante.

The project's second year has started off well! We met a lot of fellow students in Portugal, the weather was sunny and warm and we discovered a charming city.




Abbiamo camminato tanto da avere male ai piedi, abbiamo visto molte cose, ed eravamo sempre insieme: qui siamo con gli amici spagnoli e portoghesi

We walked so long that our feet hurt, we saw a lot of beautiful sights and we stayed together all the time: this picture shows us together with our Spanish and Portuguese friends.








Eleonora and Miriam





Siamo stati anche al mare e poi....siamo capitati in una villa in cui ci siamo travestiti e abbiamo recitato.
Dan sembra molto a suo agio con tuba e fifì, ma anche Luca con il suo cavallino e Fra Lorenzo non scherzano!

We went to the beach and then we ended up in a mansion where we put on vintage clothes and played roles. Dan looks comfortable wearing a bowler hat and a bow tie as well as Luca with a toy horse and Friar Lorenzo!

Ma bando alla ciance, sulla via ndel ritorno il nostro rappresentante di Istituto sta già pensando a quello che dovremo fare al rientro in Italia. Si vede bene che è molto concentrato   
Stop the cackle now! On our way back our Students' Representative is already planning what we should do when back at school. You can see that he's concentrating!


10 mag 2011

Biodiversity in the lagoon of Venice.....2B

Why a visit to the Natural Science Museum in Venice ?
On November 29th 2010, our class went to Venice to visit the Natural Science Museum. We went there to attend a laboratory on “The Atlas of the lagoon of Venice”.  This activity is one of the many we are carrying out on the environment for the Comenius Project “Immediate Surroundings”.
We decided to study the Venetian lagoon because it is not only near us in distance, but also for sentimental and health reasons. In fact, we think that if we do not know the environment we live in and its rules, we cannot love it and take care of it properly.
The laboratory was organized and financed  by the Venice City Council in the field of its educational activities. Its aims are to know the Atlas and to analyse biodiversity in our lagoon.

What is the Atlas of the lagoon ?
The Venetian lagoon is one of the most interesting environments in the world and its existence itself is threatened. This is the reason why a lot of research institutes study it systematically. The Atlas has been created in order to bring together all the studies in a single book. Quite a difficult job ! The problem was solved using a visual approach. Graphic representations have a huge capacity to summarise data and facilitate their comprehension.

The creation of the Atlas was a project supported by the Venice City Council. The work began in 2002 and, after four years, a wonderful volume was published and now you can consult it surfing the net at http://atlante.silvenezia.it

And what about biodiversity ?
As you surely know 2010 was dedicated to the International Year of Biodiversity. The biologist who conduct the laboratory explained to us that because of habitat transformation a lot of species are being threatened and that the human impact all over the world is reducing significantly the number of species. Specialists call this phenomena “Holocene extinction”.
Biodiversity is the existence of a large number of different kinds of animals and plants which make a balanced ecosystem. It is the result of evolution, a slow process of adaptation to the environment. A lot of species of animals and plants have evolved and adapted themselves to the environment in the Venetian lagoon. Scientists call them native species, but in other part of the world other similar species live. Man is moving species from one part of the globe to another at an unprecedented rate. In the last thirty years other species were introduced in the lagoon and a slow silent competition began. This new non-native species  arrived in very different and even strange ways, both directly by means of man for economic reasons and accidentally such as the crab  Dyspanopeus sayi  which was introduced by means of the water put into ship coming from Japan as ballast. Yes, like a clandestine!

We were taught to distinguish Venetian native species from the other ones by means of a microscope and we have to separate one from the others. This activity was very interesting. But it was more interesting to learn how these species arrived in the Venetian lagoon and the state of the competition. We have analysed four examples of native species versus non-native. Following you’ll find further information.

Origin of Cassostrea gigas: Japan

Introduction way: In 1966 this species was introduced into the Venetian lagoon for commercial purposes. In fact, it is edible and its introduction allowed the survival of oyster breedings, in particular after the reduction of native Ostrea edulis.

Result of competition: extinction of the native species
Cassostrea gigas has probably caused the extinction of Ostrea edulis in the Venetian lagoon.

Origin of Dyspanopeus sayi: the North American Atlantic coasts

Biology: A species which is tolerant both to temperature and salinity variations and is able to invade ports and estuaries. It demonstrates a good capacity to tolerate water pollution.
Introduction way: The first reports of its presence in the Venetian lagoon were in 1992 when  it was already widespread in the lagoon and even in the urban canals. Probably its presence in the lagoon goes back to 1978/79. It is thought that this species was introduced by mistake by means of the water contained in the ships that arrived in the ports or through the imported shellfish.

Result of competition: coexistence of the two species
This species has successfully colonized all the lagoon habitat. After a period of great expansion, now Dyspanopeus sayi  is less frequent than in the past. The non-native crabs live in microhabitat such as thick mussel or oyster reefs.

Origin of Ruditapes philippinarum: widely spread in the Pacific Ocean

Biology: It is a bivalve shellfish that filters water through its two siphons (one in and the other out) catching organic matter and phytoplankton as food. It lives in eutrophic habitat and demonstrates a more rapid growth than native species. it is even more tolerant to chemical pollution in the water and so it is more competitive.
Introduction way: It was introduced into the Mediterranean sea along the French coasts in 1980 for commercial reasons. Later, in 1983, it was introduced into the Southern part of the Venetian lagoon. From 1986-1987 this species had adapted itself to its new habitat.

Result of competition: coexistence of the two species
This species is to be found in highly polluted urban and industrial zone and for this reason it presents serious problems both for sanity and environment. Because of its great productivity and high commercial value it is collected in large quantities with extensive damage to the environment.  In the Venetian lagoon high powered fishing boats are used and cause severe damage to the seabed and to organisms which live in the benthic zone. In fact, many species do not show the ability to reform and recolonize like Ruditapes philippinarum so the whole ecosystem is threatened.

Origin of Sargassum muticum: Japan

Biology: An alga of large dimension of over one metre in length.
It is like  Cystoseira barbata but has numerous round cysts inserted in short peduncles which permit the species to float.
Introduction way: It was first introduced along the European Atlantic  coasts and later into the Mediterranean Sea. It arrived in the lagoon in 1992. Its introduction was by chance probably through the importation of fish.


Result of competition: coexistence of the two species
Characterized by rapid growth and high density of installation  Sargassum muticum forms dense stretches on the seabed. Extremely competitive with other species, in the Lagoon it is particularly widespread. Extremely competitive with other species, in the Lagoon it is particularly widespread during the winter  and spring period then it retreats to leave space to Cystoseira.

If you are interested in this topic, visit the website of the Natural Science Museum of Venice http://www.msn.ve.it/index.php?pagina=inambiente_view&id=4

 

19 apr 2011

Buona Pasqua ..........Happy Easter !!

Per festeggiare la Pasqua il gruppo Comenius ha deciso di proporre a tutta la scuola l'iniziativa "Uniti con dolcezza".
Per una Pasqua di tutte le nazionalità e religioni, un momento di socializzazione in cui alcune classi hanno proposto una vendita interna di dolci per autofinanziare le attività di progetto ed in particolare lo spettacolo teatrale.
Samuele ci ha aiutato a preparare un cartello augurale che vuole invitare tutti a vivere in modo più sano  mangiando dolci fatti in casa, di qualsiasi paese sia la casa; l'obiettivoè lacondivisione di tradizioni culturali diverse.....
UNITI CON DOLCEZZA

To celebrate Easter, the Comenius team decided to set up an event “Together in Sweetness” involving the whole school. Easter is seen as an occasion for being together regardless of nationalities and religions. Some classes baked and sold cakes and cookies to raise funds for the activities envisaged  within the project, above all the play.
Samuele helped to make a poster asking people to live more healthily, eating home-made cakes, no matter in which country the home is. Sharing different cultural traditions was the aim…
TOGETHER IN SWEETNESS





 Gli studenti hanno proposto torte e biscotti preparati per l'occasione durante l'intervallo delle lezioni in un clima festoso cui hanno partecipato anche i professori

Chiara  ha scelto i biscotti ....     mentre Marina  ha preferito la torta di fichi
 
Students offered cakes and cookies during the break. The atmosphere was joyful and even teachers took part. Chiara chose cookies … Marina fell for a fig tart





Le torte intere sono state acquistate in gran fretta per non parlare delle fette che i ragazzi hanno apprezzato con entusiasmo....soprattutto la crostata al cioccolato.
Whole cakes were soon sold out; kids appreciated slices enthusiastically, especially the  chocolate tart....




AUGURI DI BUONA PASQUA A TUTTI!!
HAPPY EASTER TO EVERYBODY!!