When developing a Blue Project, many students and teachers opt to step beyond the classroom and experience the natural environment they're studying, engaging in hands-on experiences. A commonly chosen and straightforward activities are cleanups of local beaches, riverbanks, or lakeshores. However, it's important to note that not every cleanup can automatically earn you the title of European Blue School.
At the Network of European Blue Schools, we view such activities as tools for understanding the problem of ocean pollution, developing new skills, and fostering the need for safeguarding marine ecosystems. The examples below, present how seemingly simple activities like a cleanup can evolve into a Blue Project.
SUPer Detectives
Osnovna šola in vrtec Ankaran, Ankaran, Slovenia
1. Develop a project with interlinked activities - The SUPer Detectives project involves several interlinked activities:
- Pupils gain knowledge about marine litter and disposable plastics through theory and practice.
- Investigation of a "crime scene" during the cleaning campaign called Čista obala.
- Collection of marine litter as evidence to determine the most common types of litter on the seashore.
- In-depth investigation of specific types of litter, identifying the "culprit" responsible for each type.
- Researching potential solutions to reduce the occurrence of litter, including contacting national producers.
- Creating reports based on the obtained evidence and solutions.
- Presentation of findings to peers and the local community.
- Publication of research on the school's website and in the local newspaper.
2. Produce a clear output - The clear outputs of the project include:
- Reports detailing the investigation, findings, and proposed solutions.
- Presentations of solutions and ideas to other pupils and the local community.
3. Involve all students: Students work together on various stages of the investigation, research, and presentation.
4. Collaborate with a local partner - The native institute TRI-NITI that collaborates with international organization Ocean Conservancy, was involved in the project.
5. Communicate project results - The project results are communicated through various channels:
- Reports created by each group that detail their findings and proposed solutions.
- Presentations made to peers and the local community, sharing the research outcomes and ideas.
- Publication of research on the school's website and in the local newspaper, Amfora.
Save The Sea, Plastic Free
CEIP NA Caragol, Artà, Spain
1. Develop a project with interlinked activities - The project involves a variety of interconnected activities:
- Investigating Boyan Slat's inventions and OceanClean-Up's solutions for sea pollution, with a focus on microplastics.
- Conducting microplastic experiments in class and creating beach reports.
- Covering general information on sea-life using diverse activities such as story-telling, art and crafts, music, and dance.
- Exchanging reports and activities with a link school in Newcastle U.K.
- Organizing an exhibition of eco-inventions or sea creatures made from recycled materials.
- Holding a school exhibition and participating in the City Council’s Environmental Fair on Environment Day.
- Engaging in beach clean-ups, local litter pick-ups, and celebrating Earth Day with a whole school march and picnic.
- All these activities are interconnected by the central theme of raising awareness about sea pollution, microplastics, and environmental conservation.
2. Produce a clear output - The clear outputs of the project include:
- Reports on Boyan Slat's inventions and OceanClean-Up's solutions.
- Beach reports conducted by students.
- Creative works such as art and crafts, music, dance, and storytelling related to sea-life.
- Exchanging reports and activities with the link school in Newcastle U.K.
- An exhibition showcasing eco-inventions and sea creatures made from recycled materials.
- Participation in the City Council's Environmental Fair on Environment Day.
- Earth Day celebration with a school march and picnic.
3. Involve all students - The project involves students in various activities, such as investigations, experiments, reports, creative activities, and community initiatives like clean-ups and celebrations, giving each student a way to contribute to the common goal.
4. Collaborate with a local partner - The project collaborates with the Shark Med Foundation and City Council of Artà.
5. Communicate project results - The project results are communicated through various means:
- Organizing an exhibition of eco-inventions or sea creatures made from recycled materials.
- Holding a school exhibition
- Participating in the City Council's Environmental Fair on Environment Day.
- Celebrating Earth Day with a whole school march and picnic.
Children From Gdynia Do Not Want Garbage By The Baltic Sea
Complex Secondary Schools No. 6, Gdynia, Poland
1. Develop a project with interlinked activities - The project "Children from Gdynia do not want garbage by the Baltic Sea" involves a series of interlinked activities:
- Familiarizing students and parents with counteracting pollution threats to the Baltic beaches and waters.
- Involving students from two different schools (Primary School No. 53 and Hard of Hearing Primary School No. 49 in Gdynia).
- Undertaking various activities including research workshops with Gdynia Aquarium, beach cleaning, nature walks, lectures, and an ecological art competition.
- Connecting artistic endeavors with environmental consciousness, such as the "Eco-art from the Baltic Sea" competition using waste and natural elements.
- Organizing an online exhibition of photographs to showcase the Baltic landscape's beauty and diversity, provoking reflection on environmental preservation.
2. Produce a clear output - The clear outputs of the project include:
- Research workshops, lectures, and online exhibitions contribute to increased awareness about the Baltic ecosystem and its beauty.
- Ecological competition "Eco-art from the Baltic Sea" showcasing creative responses to environmental challenges.
- Artistic photographs capturing the Baltic landscape and raising awareness about the need for its protection.
3. Involve all students: Students were actively involved at each stage of the project, including making posters, participating in competitions, encouraging beach cleaning, and expanding their knowledge about the Baltic Sea.
4. Collaborate with a local partner - The project collaborates with the Gdynia Aquarium, which provides research workshops and knowledge related to the Baltic Sea.
5. Communicate project results - The project results are communicated through various means:
- Ecological competition and artistic activities.
- Online exhibition of photographs.
- Active involvement of parents, and the local community.
Upcycling Microplastics
IES Alcudia, Alcudia, Spain
1. Develop a project with interlinked activities - The project involves a series of interlinked activities:
- Beach cleanup of microplastics
- Lecture by Clean Boating and Sostenible XXI on the impacts of plastics and microplastics.
- Classification and report of microplastics on the MARNOBA app from the Spanish government, where the information from beach cleans carried out all over the country is collected.
- Presentation by Garden Hotels on preventive measures on plastic consumption (methods to minimize usage of plastic) and other measures related to a circular economy
- Workshop on creativity led by Clean Boating, involving decorating merchandise with collected microplastics.
2. Produce a clear output - The clear outputs of the project include:
- Beach cleanup conducted to address microplastic pollution.
- A creative workshop involving decorating merchandise with collected microplastics.
3. Involve all students - Students were actively involved at each stage of the project by participating in the cleanup, attending the lectures and decorating merchandise with collected microplastics.
4. Collaborate with local partners - The project collaborates with various local partners, including Garden Hotels (hotel chain), the Hostel Association of the North Coast of Mallorca, Sostenible XXI (sustainability consulting company), and Clean Boating.
5. Communicate project results - The project results are communicated through various means:
- Information about the project was published on the Barden Hotels’ website.
- Information about the project was published in local internet media - Economía de Mallorca.
- Information about the project was featured in local TV news.