etwinning project

1. Let’s discover how discoveries were discovered: Scientific
discoveries that changed our world.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This project is intended to make students aware of the importance of some scientific
discoveries and their impact in their current lives. They will research on some
European scientists’ lives, how and why they reached some important conclusions and
also they will situate the discoveries in a specific historical and cultural context (music,
literature, art, etc) It would be interesting to research on scientists from the partners’
countries if possible.
The final task will be a magazine which might include comics, videos, demonstrations
and historical timelines.
Due to the variety of topics and constructive strategies, it is suitable for CLIL courses.
Pedagogical Objectives
• Connecting scientific content in the curriculum with other subjects such as history,
geography, art, music, literature or philosophy and promoting the idea that science can
be inspiring and exciting.
 Developing pupils' ability to understand the processes the scientists went through
and to transfer scientific knowledge to everyday life and vice-versa.
• Developing competencies among pupils: scientific, artistic, social, digital
competencies as well as learning to learn competence.
• Knowing and understanding our partners’ cultural and historical background by
studying their history and scientists and getting aware of the similarities and differences
between us, developing tolerance and cooperation.
• Facilitating communication in a foreign language. Using English as a platform to
access and construct knowledge related to different subjects and situations as well as
a collaboration tool to communicate information, ideas, and feelings.
• Improving results in the class and increasing motivation, interest and effort among the
participant pupils.
• Promoting team work and developing multiple intelligences.
• Using ICT as a strategy for searching information, solving tasks, sharing and
disseminating results and as a communication tool for both teachers and pupils.
• Providing both pupils and teachers with diversified techniques in order to promote
critical spirit.

2. Getting started
Teachers first compare the syllabuses and holidays calendar to decide on the
discoveries and scientists to research on. Teams will agree on the discoveries they will
be in charge of. The teachers can communicate in any way they wish, using Skype, or
email or the TwinSpace.
They then plan some Ice-breaking activities that will include pupils’, teams’, schools’
and towns’ presentations, including historical aspects of partners’ towns. It can be a
video, it can be a slide presentation, or a podcast on a padlet wall, etc. The aim is that
students from partner countries know one another. The teachers next launch a logo
contest. Pupils can create the logo proposals, either hand drawn, or using specialised
sites or software. Brainstorming activities can help to give all the participants
opportunities. These activities are intended to help the pupils get acquainted to the
Twinspace tools.
The teachers create a blog or wiki or any other site where the main activities of the
project are posted.
Main project activities
The main project activity consists of each school proposing the research on some
discoveries, either from their own country or from any other European country which
might be included in the curriculum. One or two will be selected and teams will be
organised. Each team will be in charge of different questions:
 research on the scientist’s life and article writing in a storytelling style.
 explanation and recording of the experiments
 research on the history and article writing in the storytelling style.
 research on cultural aspects of the period to include in the timeline.
 Comic elaboration about the scientist’s life or history
 Timeline including all information and magazine layout.
Teachers will help students on their research.
Some examples of tasks:
 Video recording explaining the experiments
 Dramatization of some parts of the scientist’s life (or podcast)
 Comics describing the life or historical moments using pixton

3.  Use of Storytelling techniques like in the site Storytelling@teaching model:
http://science-story-telling.eu/en/node/250 (storytelling HOWTO)
 Timelines using tools such as Prezzy, Timetoast, Vizzlo or Sutori
• Communication sessions online to introduce participants and schools and their
countries.
• Science is around us: presentations, games, posters to show how science can be
found in everyday life or a science week celebration in the different schools.
 Magazine edition with Madmagz (etwinning tool)
Evaluation & Assessment
The evaluation can take place during the entire project, both in each of the partner
schools and both at pupils’ and teachers’ level. The methods used can be any of the
following:
 Online surveys using, for example, SurveyMonkey or google tools to get
everybody's opinions and analyse results.
The pupils may be assessed regarding to the following criteria:
• active participation and communication
• using ICT with partners in other schools,
• level of commitment and motivation
• level of cooperation, creativity, specific objectives of the subjects involved.
Teachers’ participation may be evaluated with regard to:
• personal commitment
• level of motivation
• communication.
Final evaluation phase could include questionnaires, discussions and a
videoconference.
The evaluation tools for pupils can be chosen according to their age and with tools
such as Wallwisher, Padlet (which can include podcasts) or Glogster etc where
students can share their ideas.
Follow-up
The magazine can be used in future lessons.
•An Exhibition could be run in schools with project materials
•The Posters online could be published in the school web site, leaflets etc

4. Expected Results
Results in terms of quantity:
• Improved class results (reflected in grades) for the participant pupils
Results expressed in qualitative terms:
• Improved use of ICT skills and English communication for both pupils and teachers.
• Improved social skills and teamwork for all the participants.
• A better ability to perceive learning as a complex of activities in various fields,
improvement of cross-curricular teaching strategies.
• A new way to access knowledge through personal constructions.
• A perception based on tolerance, diversity and intercultural dialogue
• Expanding cultural horizon of pupils and school teachers