THE SIXTH COMENIUS PARTNERSHIP MEETINGIN SKIBNIEW, POLAND02-07.03.2014

In Zespó O wiatowy im. M. Fr ckowiak in Skibniew the secrets of ł ś ąNewton's apple were discovered.

Between 2nd-7th March 2014 in Zespó O wiatowy im. M. Fr ckowiak in ł ś ąSkibniew the sixth meeting within the framework of the international project: “Secrets of Newton’s apple” under the “Lifelong Learning Programme”-Comenius was held.

This time our school was visited by students and teachers from six European Union member countries and Turkey. We hosted the group of thirty students and teachers from seven countries: Italy, Spain, Germany, Sweden, Estonia, Slovenia and Turkey.

The aim of the project, which started in September 2012, is to increase students' motivation to learn Science, the promotion of language learning and developing the skills of communication and cooperation.   Students from Italy, Spain, Slovenia and Estonia lived in the houses of our students, where they were warmly welcomed. On Monday and Tuesday students attended lessons conducted by Polish teachers.

The official inauguration of the partner visit took place on Tuesday 4th March 2014.

The foreign visitors, students, teachers and parents were welcomed by the headmaster of Zespó O wiatowy im. M. Frackowiak in Skibniew. The ł śheadmaster thanked the guests for their openness, warmth and hospitality our students and teachers experienced during visits to foreign countries. She expressed the hope that the experience and the knowledge gained during the visit would make the guests like the Poles and Poland. On behalf of the Municipality of Soko ów Podlaski the guests were welcomed by the Secretary – Mr Wiktor Osik.ł

Our students presented their artistic programme. The guests liked the Polish national dances performed by the children of "0" class and the students from 2nd class of gymnasium.

The interview with Maria Sk odowska-Curie aroused the guests’ interest. łThe interview was accompanied by a slide show of a notable Polish scientist. The multimedia presentation expanded the guests’ knowledge about our country, region and school. The smiles on the visitors’ faces were brought by the souvenirs prepared by our students, which were given at the end of the ceremony.

After the official part, the project coordinator, Mrs Marzena Nowak guided the foreign teachers around school, showing them education facilities and classrooms.

In the afternoon, on 4th March 2014, the project group went to Siedlce to the Institute of Biology at the University of Natural Sciences and Humanities. On behalf of a director of the Institute of Biology, professor dr hab. Barbara Kot, we were greeted by dr Ryszard Kowalski. The official part of the meeting was attended by the secretary of Siedlce – Mr S awomir Marchel, łwho gave small gifts to pupils. As a part of the training prof. dr hab. Wies aw łWalankiewicz gave a lecture for teachers on Bia owie a Forest - a windowł ż to the ecological past. At the same time, the pupils participated in activities concerning the field of arachnology and ichthyology carried out for them by teachers.

Visit to the Institute of Biology at the University of Natural Sciences and Humanities in Siedlce.

On Tuesday evening in our school the guests, students and teachers from the project group took part in dinner. The families who hosted the students in their houses participated in this nice event as well. We were also visited by the mayor of Soko ów łPodlaski, whom we are grateful for approving the implementation of our project, the interest in the rate of its realization and supporting our initiatives. There was a nice, friendly atmosphere. Foreign visitors had an opportunity to taste the specialties of the local cuisine, which turned out to be very tasty for them. After dinner there was a disco as it was the last day of the carnival. There were plenty of music hits from Spain, Italy and other countries participating in the project. Dancing and singing together helped everyone to gain new friends and overcome language barriers.

It was a really great evening!

Shrove Tuesday-the last day of Carnival!

In Warsaw – 5th March 2014.Science cannot be boring –at the Copernicus Science Centre.

The project group spent Wednesday in Warsaw. The stay at the Copernicus Science Centre turned out to be very interesting. Adults as well as pupils had the opportunity to extend their knowledge about science. We do not need to sit at the desk continuously, we should not only listen. The visit at the Copernicus Science Centre was the perfect supplementat- ion of the traditional school learning. Due to the specific design of the space, displaying the exhibits, using sounds, colours, textures we could associate the observation or natural phenomenon with a strong combination of the senses, so that the educational content enrolled in the mind more firmly than as if it had been told.

In the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development we got to know good quality food.

By courtesy of the Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Tadeusz Nalewajk, we could benefit from training on: Poznaj Dobr ą

ywnoŻ ść (Get to know good food). Guests and our students listened to a presentation in English promoting the programme with a great interest. They were acquainted with the procedure of giving good quality food mark. They also learned that through these activities the objective of common policy in the field of food, consisting of extension of area of high quality and variety of food in the Common Market is being realized. Guests have expressed their interest in buying Polish products distinguished with the brand Poznaj dobr ywnoą Ż ść (Get to know good food). They left our country with small gifts - food products with a sign Poznaj dobr ywnoą Ż ść (Get to know good food).

A little walk through the Old Town.

At the end of the day we visited the Old Town with a guide. The guests leaving Warsaw were attracted by its beauty. The guide answered a lot of questions that were asked by foreign visitors.

On Thursday, 6th March 2014 - studying , studying , studying ! To high school to gain knowledge!

The last day of the visit was organized in accordance with the main objective of the project, which is motivating students to learn Science. In the morning the participants visited Maria Skłodowska -Curie Secondary School in Sokołów Podlaski. Students and teachers took part in the classes of chemistry and physics, during which secondary school students with other participants of the meeting –pupils from eight different countries performed experiments. These experiments helped a Comenius group to understand difficult laws of physics. And experimenting in a chemical laboratory was not only an opportunity to gain knowledge but also a great fun.

At the end of the visit in the secondary school the headmaster –Mr Marcin Celiński invited us for a short programme performed by students. The theatre group Preteksty presented in English funny scenes inspired by the classics of world literature, and the music band Prowokacja performed a few hits of contemporary music in Polish and English. Guests were enchanted with school students: the vocalist and the percussionist. Congratulations are also due to all the actors for talent and the perfect knowledge of English.

Can the gym turn into a lab?

It turned out that, yes. Students and teachers from the project group spent the afternoonin Zespó O wiatowy ł śim. M. Fr ckowiak in Skibniew. Students, ąworking in groups, under the guidance of their teachers and teachers from Germany performed the experiments in the field of physics. The instructions were in English so the students had the opportunity to improve their knowledge of the language. Students performed, among others, experience which consisted in fire suppression using carbon dioxide, a bottle swallowing a balloon, the trick with the balloon. It was a great fun, all adults joined in as well. Students also had the opportunity to overcome their shyness and appear in front of a television camera, because our actions were recorded by the regional television TVP Warsaw.

Afterwards there was a meeting of teachers from the project group, the tasks for the following visit in Sweden were discussed.   At the end of the working visit in Poland, the guests received certificates of participation and CDs with the presentation of our country.  During the farewell dinner guests shared their impressions about their stay in Poland. They were attracted with warm welcome and hospitality. They liked our region and Warsaw. We had the last opportunity to exchange experience, learn from each other. Exceptionally friendly and nice atmosphere of the meeting made that it was difficult to say goodbye after a few days spent together.    Polish as well as foreign students had similar feelings. At the time of saying good-bye everyone was touched and all agreed that the time spent together passed too fast.

The students participated in interesting activities, they performed experiments on their own, which no doubt encouraged them to study science at school and extend their knowledge. They had the opportunity to improve English language, not only during the academic classes, but also in conversations with their peers from abroad. They made new friends, which today in the Internet age have a chance to survive. Time spent together fostered the exchange of experience, information and raised the awareness about the culture and this can be used to build the relationships between the countries participating in the project.

We can say that the objective of the visit was fully achieved.