ERASMUS +: GIFT-the Magic of Knowledge

HOST SCHOOL: Gimnazija Gospic, Budacka 24, Gospic, Croatia

WHEN: 19th-23rd November 2018

Our kick-off meeting was held in Croatia.

Who attended: All participants from partner countries were present, including Cyprus, Italy, Bulgaria, Portugal, Romania as coordinator of the project and Croatia as host of the present stage of the project.

ACTIVITIES AND PRESENTATIONS:

Day 1: All participants were welcomed by the host institution representatives, followed by a short visit to the local county head, where a presentation of the project was given by the coordinators of the project. In the afternoon, there were presentation of each participating country on educational system, cultural, social and economic aspects, as well as school presentations. The schedule was striclty followed, as the project was presented in detail and a methodology of students and teachers selection was discussed.

Day 2: Debates on the practices regarding the highly intellectual students and selection of the methods and strategies that are to be used along the project by all participating countries.

Day 3: Discussions on a list of challenging cross-curricular mini-research project topics to be presented to students, in accordance with the National Curricula of each participating country, as follows:

Ø MATHEMATICS SYLLABUS

1. Trigonometry

· Functions: sin, cos, tan

· Trigonometric formulae

2. Series: arithmetic, geometric (definition, general term, sum of the first n elements)

3. Functions:

· Domain, range

· Equality

· Operations: sum, difference, product, division, composition

· One-to-one functions, inverse functions

· Even/Odd functions

4. Equations:

· Modular

· With radicals

· Exponential

· Logarithmic

· Trigonometric

· Mixed

5. Inequalities- basics

Evaluating pupils’ knowledge:

1. By test papers

· Time: 3 hours/ first half hour for reading and understanding the problems.

· The structure of the test: 5 problems among which

i. Function

ii. Equation- radicals, modules

iii. Trigonometry

iv. Exp, log, mixed

v. Inequalities/inequations.

· Marks: O-7 points/problem

Deadline for exchanging tests, with solutions and points: the end of January 2019.

Ø CHEMISTRY SYLLABUS

1) Structure of particles and atoms (neutrons, protons, electrons, nature of bonding)

2) Elements, isotopes and compounds

3) Chemical equations - balancing and stoichiometry

4) Types of chemical reactions (acid/base neutralisations, redox reactions, thermal decompositions)

5) Basic and most common reactions for determination of unknown substances

6) Electronic configuration of main group up to ₂₃Sc.

7) Bond types (covalent, ionic)

8) Balancing equations, mole concept and Avogadro constant, stoichiometric calculations

9) Chemical equilibrium, Le Châtelier’s principle, equilibrium constants in terms of concentrations.

10) Arrhenius and Brønsted and Lowry acid-base theory, pH, self ionization of water, equilibrium constants of acid-base reactions, pH of weak acid solutions, pH of very dilute solutions and simple buffer solutions, hydrolysis of salts, common ion effect

11) Principles of direct and indirect titration (back titration)

12) Acidimetry-and alkalimetry, acidimetric titration curves, choice and colour of indicators for acidimetry.

Laboratory skills

Students should be able to:

· work in the laboratory following safety regulations,

· identify error sources and estimate their effects

Mass and volume measurement (with electronic balance, measuring cylinder, pipette and burette, volumetric flask)

Preparation and dilution of solutions and standard solutions

Carrying out of test tube reactions

Volumetric determination, titrations, use of a pipette bulb

Measurement of pH (by pH paper or calibrated pH meter)

Awarding medals:

Gold medals: approximately 10% of contestants

Silver medals: approximately 30% of contestants

Bronze medals: all remaining contestants

Ø BIOLOGY SYLLABUS

1. Cell structure

2. Protheine synthesis (transcription/translation)

3. Mythosis et meiosis. DNA replication

4. Anaerobic/aerobic breathing

5. Classification / criteria

6. Organic / anorganic substances

7. Food chains. Biotic / abiotic ecosystem factors. The ecosystem. Definitions and its components

8. Levels of organization of multicell organisms

Evaluation consists of test and project on Healthy Food.

Ø PHYSICS SYLLABUS

Common Mini-Olympiad Non-Exhaustive Syllabus

*can include practical activities – lab type activity and approach

1. Mechanics (Kinematics, Dynamics – energy, work, power, gravity, Statics )

2. Electricity (Electrostatic, DC, Ohm and Kirchhoff laws, power, energy...)

Same topics (but we are not limited to the above listed) can be presented to pupils as bibliographical suggestions from which they can choose and use for developing the final trans-disciplinary project that will be presented during the final meeting in Romania

The physics team agreed on exchanging tests (sample exercises) according to the chosen topics in order to establish the items and level of the project tests.

The tests asessment is similar to the other disciplines as well as granting awards (like IPhO regulations).

Ø ENGLISH SYLLABUS

Main topic: EXPLORING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

Subtopics:

1. Food – Croatia

2. Folklore and mythology – Romania

3. Daily routines – Portugal

4. Music – Italy

5. Traditional ceremonies – Cyprus

6. Free time and entertainment - Bulgaria

Other activities proposed:

Activity 1: Powerpoint presentations on the subtopics circumscribed to the main topic (2 slides/student/country = 10 slide presentation)

Activity 2: presentations on Multicultural Interactions Through the Arts

Activity 3: role-play, storytelling – Characters in Stories

Activity 4: interviews,narrative,play, etc. – Meeting Famous Writers from Same Literary Experiences

Activity 5: debates – English as a Lingua Franca

Day 4. A. Presentation of the stages of evaluation for the intermediary and final stages of evaluation of the project:

1. Intermediary stages of the project:

- Tests, quizzes, contests

- Project presentation (powerpoint, Prezi)

2. Final stage of the project

- Mini-olympiad on each specific discipline (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths, English, 1 student/discipline/country) – theoretical or practical test (lab)

- Interdiscilinary project presentation (team/country), e.g. on Volcanoes Eruptions

B. Agreement on the resource link batabase format for various schools subjects (pindex.com), followed by the creation of the evaluation questionnaires to be used in the future contest of interdisciplinary miniresearch projects.

C. Decision on the format of the methodological guide entitled Instructing high intellectual students. The participating countries agreed on the following topic for the interdisciplinary project: Forensics

Day 5: Debates on responsibilities, arrangements and delivery of the tasks; presentation of activities to take to the upcoming stage of the project in Portugal, followed by feedback questions and answers sessions. At the end of the day, the participants were offered a Certificate of Attendance in a certificate award ceremony.