Erasmus

Alternative learning

By Samantha Abela and Dean Galea Pellicano

Learning takes place all the time and everywhere. While I was growing up, my teachers always encouraged me and involved me in many projects that took place outside of the classroom. When I became a teacher, I fostered with my own students this idea of learning in an alternative way . That is also why, in my capacity as Head of Middle School and as Head of Extra-Curricular activities I try to provide the students with as many opportunities to meet new people, talk to various experts and take part in different projects through out the year.

We kick-started this scholastic year by working on an Erasmus + project with a school from Germany, the Erich-Fried Gesamtschule. The program centered on the theme of Marine Pollution. These students visited our school on Monday 10th October for a tour thanks to my co-author Mr Galea Pellicano who assisted me in this venture. They checked out the College Museum and some other locations of interest even though it was pouring buckets shortly after their arrival. Richard Wang (Yr 11- Student Council Secretary) also did a short presentation about the history of our school.

On Tuesday, they had a busy day meeting with Ms Laus, Mr Ebejer and Mr Galea Pellicano to work on Marine Pollution themed lessons in English, Science and Geography. The students worked in groups with our Year 7s and Year

14

8s to learn about the issues of pollution especially in the Mediterranean sea.

When addressing the English language, the boys worked in a reading analysis exercise prepared by Ms Laus. Using a picture prompt of a turtle in a plastic bag, the students worked together to come up with relevant verbs, vocubulary etc... that come to mind when seeing the picture. Ms Laus also prepared a short quiz game for the boys and an activty booklet. The ‘See –Think – Wonder’ technique of TUL was also applied. Mr Ebejer took up the science mantle and explored a presentation about pollution and the effects of Global Warming on the sea and especially around Malta. He also referred to the increase of jellyfish in our seas as a result of climate change. The issue of micro-plastics was discussed and a picture prompt of a whale with ingested plastic was shown in class that triggered an avalanche of questions. On Tuesday 11th of October 2022 student from class 8X and guest student from the Erasmus Program from the secondary school of Herne, Germany conducted a small practical experiment during the geography lesson led by Mr Galea Pellicano. The topic in question was marine oil spills, with an emphasis on how to mitigate the damage that such an environmental disaster presents to the affected area, and how to avoid such accidents from happening. Using a foil tray, a student filled one half with sand and the other half with water, and then a mixture of cooking oil and black powered paint was added to the water. The tray was then gently rocked by two students on each side to simulate wave and tidal action, to re-create the movement of the oil from open water onto the tiny

15

paint was added to the water. The tray was then gently rocked by two students on each side to simulate wave and tidal action, to re-create the movement of the oil from open water onto the tiny sandy coastline. Many observations were noted including that the oil sticks in clumps to the sand and that the dispersal of oil leakages does not stop only to the original source in the water, but it goes in all directions. To mitigate the spill the students were given paper towels to try to dry up the oil from both sand and water, but they quickly realized that it would take more than one or two pieces to fully absorb the oil. An entire roll was needed for one tray. Similarly, the students learned that a clean up of an oil spill would require huge amounts of resources, time, and money, by which time the damage to the environment would be irreversible, wiping out both marine life and human industries dependent on the sea. The students cncluded that it is best to never let an oil spill happen in the first place. Friday 14th October was the concluding day for this Erasmus + project. The German students visited in the afternoon and they met our Year 7s and Year 8s in the chapel for a couple of presentations. They were addressed by Luca Lanfranco (Yr 11) and Miguel Aquilina (Yr 11 – School Captain, Eko-Skola member and Student Council member). Both these students did a brief presentation about Marine Litter in Malta and even reminisced about a beach clean-up that Eko-Skola was involved in a few years ago.

Ms Cynthia Caruana from Eko-Skola and Nature Trust also came to speak to the boys about the dangerous of plastics and fishing gear in our seas. Her talk specifically targeted Turtles and their rehabilitation in Malta.

The SEC Student Council and Eko-Skola Committee will be adopting a Turtle on behalf of all the student body. The German school also adopted two turtles as part of their project. We look forward to work on more Erasmus + projects in the future as well as partnering up with Ms Beritt and the Erich-Fried Gesamtschule ! It was an enriching experience for all the students involved as well as being highly educational. Thanks to all the teachers who contributed with their lessons and welcomed the German students in our school!

16