Our Encycopedia LRG

With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union

This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein

Școala Generală ”Sf. Nicolae”, Târgu-Jiu, Romania

Szkoła Podstawowa nr 13 w Chorzowie im. Tadeusza Kościuszki, Chorzow, Poland

Karsiyaka Ilkögretim Okulu, Izmir, Turkey

Istituto Comprensivo “I.C. Pascoli”, Urbino, Italy

Schule am Schillerpark, Berlin, Germany

Grupul Școlar Dumești – Iași, Romania

Our encyclopedia

`LIVING, READING, GROWING`

Târgu-Jiu, 2012

ISBN- 978-973-0-12785-0

THE MULTILATERAL COMENIUS PARTNERSHIP

”LIVING, READING, GROWING”

This is an educational partnership, financed

in all partner countries by The European

Commission as a Long Life Learning Programme

(2007-2013). LLP is a programme of the European

Union for collaboration on the domain of the education and professional formation from EU.

There are four sectorial programmes as components of LLP, transversal programes and the

Jean Monet programme. One of the sectorial programme is Comenius, that includes among

others the action of multilateral partnerships. In every country, LLP is implemented by the

means of the National Agencies for Programmes on the Education Domain and of the

Professional Formation.

The Multilateral Comenius partnership ”Living, Reading, Growing” includes: Şcoala

Generală „Sf. Nicolae” Tg.-Jiu (the general secondary school initiating the project, applying

as coordinator), Szkoła Podstawowa nr 13 w Chorzowie im. Tadeusza Kościuszki, From

Chorzow – Poland, Karsıyaka Ilkogretım Okulu from Izmir – Turkey, Istituto

Comprensivo "I.C. Pascoli“ from Urbino - Italy, Schule am Schillerpark from Berlin –

Germany and an arts and vocational school – Grup Școlar Dumești, Iaşi county – Romania

(partners).

The idea of the project appeared by realizing that tstudents` interest for reading in the

European space had decreased, by different reasons. Therefore the development of the interest

for reading was meant to become one of the European priorities of the LLP appeal for

projects in 2010.

Being aware of this painful reality, the undersigned conceived the idea of project,

starting from the premise that reading should be offered to the students, not asked, following

that they would have its perception as a life experience. We began from the explanation that

students don’t read anymore, as their access to books has become more difficult, some of

them having no access of all due to the lack of means, or others being interested in other more

attractive opportunities. More than this, there have been formed mentalities that keep reading

at distance. Therefore, I considered that each of these three causes generates a disadvantaged

group from the perspective of the access to reading.

Reporting them to the students groups, the teams from the partner schools noticed there

is a common reality connecting them: there are marginalized children. In some of the classes

there is the mentality „ I can’t, we can’t and in others „they can’t”. An increasing number of

students cannot afford to buy literature or magazines, and others...avoid doing this..

Unifying in implementing the new project, the partner schools have aimed at following

objectives:

- increasing the frequency of reading;

- increasing the number of students interested in thematical reading activities;

- increasing of the self-respect, by analyzing real or imaginary cases;

-developing some pozitive feelings concerning some of the situations, starting from the

read lectures;

-finding out about the cultures of other countries;

-socializing with children from the partner countries, by the virtual community means,

but also by the project meetings;

The project activities were divided on cycles, based on the prevailing topic, as follows :

- The cycle „Acceptance – Rejection” – Nov. 2010-May 2011;

- The cycle „Collaboration-Competition”- May-Oct. 2011;

- The cycle „Submission-Rebellion” – Nov. 2011 - March 2012

- The general activities for promoting reading: April-May 2012.

The activities within each cycle let as much as possible a free enlargement of the

creativity of didactic personnel. Only the literary work giving the start of all activities may be

common for a school, so that everybody may decide which would be the manner of fulfilling

the requirements of the project goals or aims, in their interdependence. As activititie

examples: book presentations, reading workshops/moments, dramas with final o story line

changings, by adding or eliminating some moments, learning / composition of songs, role-

plays focused on desirable behaviour, civic education or form-teaching lessons, poster,

cartoons, drawings, etc. In case of some of these activities the English language could be

used.

English is used by accessing the resources of the project site www.livregro.eu, created

specifically for this purpose.

In achieving the project objectives, pupils` parents are also to be involved, at least by

communication during the parents meetings.

The partners

http://www.livregro.eu/

ȘCOALA GENERALĂ ”SF. NICOLAE” TÂRGU-JIU

Şcoala Generală "Sfântul Nicolae“ (`Saint Nicholas`) is situated in the north-west side of the

town Târgu-Jiu, in a silent street, near the Iosif Keber Memorial House. It is placed like in an

embrace, among houses, “scanned“ by the blocks of flats seen over the neighbour houses’

roofs, our school has been a spring of

culture and education for almost 700

students, who create a vivid atmosphere the

classrooms from morning till evening

(grades I-IV in the morning, grades V-

VIII, in the afternoon).

The oldest school building is situated on the

land donated by the townhall. The Building

Committee was led in 1941 by the priest Aurelian Barbici. Between 1968-1973, a new school

building was also built.

Name of school was originally ”The Mixed

Primary School No.3 "St. Nicholas", until

1954, when it became "The Elementary

School No. 2”. In 1967 the school was

named ”Secondary School No. 6” and in

1999, the school took the oldest name, "St.

Nicholas".

Along the decades, this school has got a good fame, which is a pride for all of us, as students,

teachers, or inhabitants of the neighborhood.

The school has a tradition in developing partnerships with different institutions or

organisations of interest for the students’ education, but also for the school image promoting.

During the last years, our school has initiated partnerships with schools from abroad, by the

Sectorial Programme Comenius, including the multilateral partnerships Comenius ”Bridge

Over Trobled Water” and ”Living, Reading, Growing”.

Școala Generală ”Sf. Nicolae” Târgu-Jiu – Cycle Àcceptance-Rejection`

The book:

`THE WONDERFUL GROVE`

by Mihail Sadoveanu

Summary

'The Wonderful Grove' is a description of the

wonderful adventures that a little girl, Lizuca, and her little

dog Patrocle, went through, on the way from the girl's house

to her grandparents' house.

After her mother's death, Lizuca's father, Mr. Vasilian

remarried a lady called Maria Papazoglu, who didn't like the

little girl at all. Lizuca was brought up by her maternal

grandparents, but after her father's remarriage, he took her to

his house and didn't allow her to see her grandparents

because her step mother said she didn't have a proper

education for their social status.

One day, while her father was away to Bucharest, her step mother received the visit of

two ladies and, after a while, the visit of a lieutenant. During those visits, Lizuca entered the

sitting-room and put her finger into the jam pot. She was chided by her step mother and after

that she was badly beaten by the maidservant of the house for her gesture. Because it wasn't

the first time (actually, she got beaten every day), Lizuca thought it was time to put a stop to

all this and decided to walk away to her grandparents, with her beloved dog.

They sneaked out of the house and left for the great adventure that was to be crossing

the grove of Buciumena.

The girl learnt, from the stories her grandma used to tell her, that you should leave a

mark on your way through the forest, so she filled her pockets with ashes which she flew out

until it was over. From this moment on, everything becomes unreal, because, just like in a

fairytale, the flowers are talking, the animals are talking and everything that happens in the

grove seems to be from a fairyland.

On the way to the grove, they met a big flower which Lizuca called Sun’s Sister (from

grandmother's tales), asked her what she was doing and told her where they were going. The


flower assured them that it was the good way to go to. They walked down the orchards, where

they met a lot of little red dark-spotted ladybirds, which Lizuca called the cows of the Lord.

When they reached the grove, they met an old lady. Lizuca told Patrocle she was Old

Wednesday and talked to her. After that, they continued their journey, talking to all the birds,

till it got dark and they couldn't see the way. Lizuca thought it was better to find a shelter until

dawn and asked Patrole to look for a place to sleep.

He found a hollow in the osier and Lizuca asked for permission from the osier. Stars

appeared during the night, and she believed that God lighted up candles in the sky. Talking to

the dog, she confessed that the only thing she was afraid of in the forest was the badger,

because she knew it was bad, from her grandma's tales. In that very moment, a black shadow

appeared in front of the hollow and she got very frightened. Fortunately, Patrocle took care of

the problem and scared it away (it was just a rabbit).

In the moonlight, Lizuca saw seven little men, coming out of a hollow. In front of them

there were a little man and a little lady, whom she recognized from her grandmother's books.

They told them they knew she was coming from the moment they entered the forest because

the child of the earth was watching at the border of it. She found out they often came out

during the night and spend time with the banished.

The princess of the little men invited all living creatures to party with them. They told

her that a long time ago, they used to live with the people, but when their number started to

grow, and an old little man wanted to live in peace with them, they teased them constantly and

that made him very angry with people. So, he ran away. She also told her about the dragons

and Wood-Warper and Stone-Stampman and many other ancient time giants. That their end

would come even if they could count their years as thousands, due to the fact that people

loved stories less and less and forgot their friends easily.

The old man told the little girl that the spring before the grove had been in danger

because her father wanted to sell it for a lot of money. Grandfather was against that, as the

grove was Lizuca's heritage. There were a lot of nice tales about the grove: a very long time

ago it was said that a long fair hair fairy used to live there and many princes had looked for

her but none could find her, nor her palace. But there was a confident Prince-Charming to

whom she appeared and invited him to come the second night. He came constantly for many

nights, but his people followed him to see the princess. However, all they could see was the

prince besides a water spring. They asked him to bring the fairy's ring but she said she didn't

wear vain things. Prince-Charming was asked to cut one of her golden locks, but when he

returned to the humans, the lock had disappeared. Then, everybody tried to convince him that


she wasn't real, it was just an imaginary creature. That made him very sad and lead to his

death.

Lizuca asked the little man why the other men didn't tell stories and found out they were

little ironsmiths and worked day and night. The old lady remembered a story about an old

house near the grove she used to visit, and of a pretty young lady talking to a little girl about

her death. She was asking the little

one not to cry and not to forget her

games and if she wanted to see her,

just thinking about her would be

enough and she would be there.

Lizuca fell asleep thinking the little

girl was herself talking to her mother.

After she was asleep, the little

man was wondering what to do with

her: they couldn't let her in the forest

but they couldn't take her to the cave

either. The old lady had a proposition: to take her to the house in the grove, and everybody

agreed.

When Lizuca awoke in her grandparents' house, she heard voices and she recognized

her stepmother's voice: they were arguing because her grandparents lied about her being there.

Her grandfather was explaining he had found her in the forest and he wouldn't let her go.

While talking, a swarm of bees attacked the stepmother and the maid and they ran away

screaming.

This was a great joy for Lizuca and her dog, Patrocle and she decided to tell her father

that she would rather die than leave her grandparents again.

Our students' work

These are the students’ letters to the characters from the story “The Wonderful Grove” by

Mihail Sadoveanu , which were translated for you:

Product of group work –grade 5


23rd

March. 2011

Tirgu Jiu, Romania

Dear Mrs Vasilian,

I’m writing these lines to you as I was deeply impressed by the sadness from the eyes of

your husband’s little girl. By all means I have to bring back the smile on the face of little

Lizuca. It is obvious that she is a child who needs a lot of understanding and love from you.

Have you ever thought what is there in the soul of a little girl who lost her mother? I advise

you to pay attention to this girl as much as possible. Become a good friend of her, as she has

a lot to tell you! Later, the little girl won’t remember you for the material joys you have ever

given to her, but for the fact that you indeed loved her.

I look forward to meeting you again,

Best regards,

Your friend, Emilia

(Joiţa Cristina, grade 3rd A)

Dear Lizuca,

My name is Codruţ and bitterly, I have to tell you that I am an orphan, just like you.

I imagine that sometimes you put your head on your hands and your thoughts start

flying far away, wandering on imaginary places, with fairies and charming princes. Not for a

long time, because you wake up from this beautiful dream, called evilly by someone, that

someone who knows that, no matter how badly would talk or behave to you, there is none to

defend you. It’s sad, but it’s true! The same thing I felt for many times. It seldom happens to

smile as other children of your age do. Loneliness follows you everywhere. I’m glad that you

have a true friend in exchange. In life it’s good to have a true friend. They are, sometimes, the

only ones who really understand us. When I grow up, I promised myself that I will help all

orphan children. They, the unhappy children, have the greatest need of help, caress, affection

and I’m sure that they can offer these to other children, fact that the parents sometimes forget,

to offer their gratitude.

I felt like writing to you, hoping that I will be able to blow off your loneliness and the

sadness that conquers you like some dark shadow, even if for a little while.

Did I succeed? See you soon!

Codruţ

and some cartoons:


Eduard Diaconescu, 3 A class


`MOROMEȚII` (THE MOROMETES)

by Marin Preda

Summary

In today's Romanian literature,

"MOROMEȚII" ("The Morometes")

represents the fundamental, reference

book, a "classic" by excellence, a real

artistic monography of the Romanian

village, before and after-war.

"Moromeții" (a book of nearly

1000 pages), is the story of a family of

peasants living in the Danube's Plain,

who come to acknowledge a deep and

symbolic falling apart through a period

of a quarter of a century.

In the first volume, the action is

taking place, at its initial point, a few

years before the Second World War.

Time setting is structured in three main

epic sections: the first one reveals the

normal way of life of the people from

Silistea-Gumesti during a common weekend. The second one shows the village in the fever of

the wheat reaping (harvest). Finally, the last scene captures the direct conflict between Ilie

Moromete and his sons.

All the epic scenes are strengthen from within by the idea of time irreversibility.

Firstly, time seems to be very patient with people. But, by the end of the first epic sequence,

time runs out. Moromete himself notices dark clouds surrounding him: wheat price drops fast,

taxes can no longer be delayed, Nicolae has to go to school; and the hen-merchant confesses

him his sons want to walk away from home. By the end of the first volume, time definitely

looses its patience: the hidden crises bursts out violently, breaking the family's apparent unity.

In Moromete's family, Achim, Nila and Paraschiv refuse the way of life offered by their

father. They all want to live differently. There have other ideals that animate their souls, other

plans call up their energy. And Moromete will remain alone.

Product of group work – grade 7


Alexandra Ușurelu, grade 7

Marin Preda touched, in a specific native way, the most important theme of the

universal literature, a drama of deep human resonance: independent of his will, father looses

his children's love and struggles in vain to get it back.

Here are some paragraphs from the first volume of the book:

1. "Well, you should go to the exam", the woman said, thinking of something else.

"How should I go if I didn't study at all?"

"Then, study" she said softly.

"Study? How should I study" Niculae yeld so furious, raising his hands... and his voice

sounded so loud in the silence of the dawn, covering the locus tree.

"You could take a book and read while you're taking care of the sheep. What do you

want me to do? The woman said wondering.

"Which book, mother, what book? My father didn't even want to buy me 'Citirea" (The

Alphabet). Nobody wants to lend it to me. If only he'd let me go to school.

2. He wanted to get up and leave, but something stopped him, and that was Niculae's

silence, the fact that he didn't react when he was told he wouldn't go to school anymore.

Again, this feeling of guilt overwhelmed him; not knowing what to do, he came closer and sat

down next to the boy.

"What are you reading?" he asked, after a few moments of silence.

"A book." Niculae responded.

"A book?" he wondered.

"Come on, father, leave me alone. Never in my

life I will talk to you or read for you during the

winter….

"So what!''

"Leave me alone."

"Niculae, you are getting angry for nothing."

Moromete said sadly. "If I had had money, don't you

think I would have sent you to school?"

„No, you wouldn't." Niculae answered

nervously. You didn't even allow me to go to the

village school. You sent me to look after the sheep.

And when I asked you to buy me the alphabet, you

shouted at me."


Niculae turned around on the porch and got his nose into the book. He stopped reading.

Moromete was thinking sadly: the boy was right, he didn't even hear him begging for books.

Our students' work

THE MOROMETES

(analysis by Tudorascu Teodora, 7th

grade)

Nicolas is the son from the second marriage of Moromete with Catrina, being the

youngest in the family. Their child longs to go to school and, despite his mother’s consent, he

does not receive support from the

father, who must pay taxes. He argues

that teaching does not bring any

benefits and he mocks him. When it

comes to manifestation of affection,

father is censoring every gesture. At

the end of the school year celebration,

when Niculae gets the first prize,

Moromete was prepared to hear that

his son would repeat the class. The

scene shows the father’s lack of interest

for his son and his life outside the household, and lack of confidence in the intellectual

abilities of the boy. The uneasiness of the child and the fever crisis while trying to recite a

poem impress him, but his gestures of

comfort are drawn with great

clumsiness. His desire to maintain his

position of authority in the family

through a tough behavior led to the

weakening of family ties and the older

brothers’ running away from home

with sheep and horses, to Bucharest,

was evidence. The relationship

between Moromete and his son,

Nicolas, is marked by tragedy, with unnatural split between the two.

Andrei Vîlceanu , grade 6

Școala Generală ”Sf. Nicolae” Târgu-Jiu – Cycle 'Collaboration-Competition'

The book:

`PRĂVALE BABA`

by Ionel Teodoreanu

Introduction

Ionel Teodoreanu is a Romanian writer well known and loved by children,

students and adults. The novel “Pravale Baba” presents the life story of a child who later

became a successful man, a child who lived in Romania during a time when story telling

could help a man have a better life even without access to the spoken images or pictures or to

a computer. From the pages of the book it comes out the knowledge thirst and the

competition between the superiority of a searching bright mind and the mediocrity that only

envies. We selected an excerpt showing the innocence of the childhood in its first steps on

the knowledge path that is The Primer.

“Pravale Baba” is the name of a little town situated in Moldavia, near the monastery of

Agapia, in Romania.

Excerpt

The selection what we are presenting you now has as characters students of the first

grade guided and supported by their teacher to discover their first clues, styles, mysteries of

the writing and reading.

One of the school boys, Stefan Damaschin was so fond of his life as a young learner,

that he used to listen very attentively when his teacher, started a story:

“ I’ll tell the story of an old woman who had a hen, and of an old man who had a

rooster. The hen could lay eggs twice a day, so that the old woman ate a lot of eggs, but she

didn’t give any to the old man. Have you listened to me?“

“Yes, we have! a pupil answered.

“Who has talked to me?..., the lady teacher asked the young learners who couldn’t write

or read yet, “ is he able to tell what I just told you, using his own words? What about you,

George ?

George began to speak very fast and swallowing his words while telling the story, when

the teacher said:

“ Now I want you to go to the blackboard and write on it what I have just said! “


All pupils started watching the floor scared and hoping not to be asked to do such an

impossible thing.

“ What about you Sherban Postelnicu?”, the teacher asked a boy sitting on the first

desk.

But Postelnicu called The Little Tomato on his nickname, became as white as a piece of

chalk, so that the teacher left him alone going further and asking another boy, Timotei, the

same thing. But Timotei, the son of a prosecutor could say only “Hmmm” keeping his finger

in his mouth as he used to do when his granny asked him to eat and he didn`t want to do.

Finally the teacher asked Stefan Damaschin to come to her. The young boy from the

town of Pravale Baba, came from the bottom of the classroom and first he had to show his

teacher his hands as she had told him to clean his hands of coal. Then she asked him:

“Can you do somehow on the blackboard, dear Stefan Damaschin, the story I have told

you?” the teacher asked.

The other pupils did not understand what they had to do, thinking that “to write” is the

same with “to do”.

Stefan Damaschin was neither happy nor frightened that he had to go to blackboard, he

took the piece of chalk and started drawing:

First he drew a house, then an old lady on the house’s veranda next to an old man. On

the old man`s shoulder he drew a rooster. Then he drew a line as a rope from the old

woman`s hand to a hen, having an egg at its backside and another egg in the old woman`s

other hand. Then he filled up the old woman’s stomach with eggs, so that the eggs drawn like

that seemed to be some potatoes in a bag. All the pupils were amazed and began to laugh

watching him. The teacher watched Stefan Damaschin with a brightness on her face as he

seemed to be the swallow that brings the spring time.

“Well done, Stefan Damaschin,” the teacher said. “Could you now wipe everything

except the hen and its egg ? ”

“What is the egg like? “, asked the teacher?”

“It is like a letter”, Stefan Damaschin answered.”

“ Do you know it” , the teacher asked?

“Yes, I do, he said! It is the letter “O” I saw it on our primer, on the spelling-book!

“So. Children, write on your writing plates the letter like the egg you see on the

blackboard, and don’t be afraid of writing. All letters come from the stories. Do you like

stories or tales?”

“ Yes, we do! the boys answered.”


Then the teacher told them that taking the egg and writing it on their writing plates they

were listening to stories until they felt like sleeping and starting yawning…and saying “Aaa”.

“A a, is the first letter of an ABC and as you can see we can write it by drawing a little

stick similar to our hand supporting our head from falling when we are sleepy! The head is

like an egg or o letter, too, isn’t it? Next, what does the rooster usually say to old man? Does

it say, “cock-a-doodle-doo”, doesn’t it? So you see, it starts with letter “C” …. and so… on,

so as you can see, the story of the old lady with her hen laying eggs and of the old man

having a rooster is that one that gives us the letters of the alphabet!” What is the name of your

learning book?”

“ The Primer, or The Spelling Book”, the pupils answered!

And who made the egg?

“Stefan Damaschin did”, said the students.

“ So, we have to give him the egg! It belongs to him, doesn’t it?

“Yes”, everybody said.

The teacher put a stick in front of that egg and told the students that it was the grade

“ten” (10) or the best students’ mark and she had to put it into the catalogue next to Stefan

Damaschin name for the way he drew on the blackboard”.

Going home, in the lanes and paths of the Pravale Baba town, Stefan Damaschin,

named also Fanutza, met his mother and kissing her hand, proudly told the other boys who

she was.

CIREȘARII ( The Knights of the Cherry Blossom)

By Constantin Chiriță

Through the bleak literary scenery of the communist period, every reader who left

behind his/her young childhood years, could find particularly two novels that were able to

inflame the imagination and stir up the desire to identify true heroes. Naturally, those works

became bestsellers, they were published in hundred thousands copies and their heroes became

myths. They were “Toate pânzele sus” by Radu Tudoran (1954) and “Cireșarii” by

Constantin Chiriță (1956-1972).

Excellent teller, of great fluency and clearness, spiritually following Mark Twain,

descending naturally into the world of children and youngsters and using like no one else the

psychological knowledge of childhood that precedes the bronze years when the wings of the

human spirit are not yet touched by disappointment and skepticism, C-tin Chirita appears as a


generous, optimistic, tonic spirit, a childhood poet, through his characters: `ciresarii`: Lucia,

Maria, Dan, Tic, Ursu and Victor and trough their adventures they go through, not very

spectacular but even more real and attractive.

Constantin Chirita has the great idea (and the skills to realize it) of avoiding any

political compromises or communist propaganda in his work. “The knights of the cherry-

blossom” are a group of classmate, four boys and two girls, living in The Cherry Tree Street,

in a small town. Tic, Maria’s younger brother joins them and even Tombi, Tic’s dog,

becomes a little “ciresar”.

“Ciresarii” are well chosen and carefully built characters by their father. The pillars of

the group are Victor (the most intelligent) and Ursu (the most powerful). Maria and Lucia are

as different as possible. One of them is blonde, short-haired and clear-minded while the other

one is long dark-haired, dreamy and poetic. Tic is a cute, smart boy, a little bit naughty,

daring but innocent. Dan is the opposite of Tic, he’s the one who gets all the jokes, less

athletic, exposed to accidents, ready for self-irony. Dan and Ionel due their integration to the

group force which generously embraces them.

Our work

During the cycle, based on the two literary works, many curricular and extracurricular

activities were realized: literature lessons, civic lessons, literary club, visits at libraries, poster

exhibitions.

As a final product we have made a movie, in order to accomplish several functions:

balance of experiences, evaluation and dissemination.

Școala Generală ”Sf. Nicolae” Târgu-Jiu – Cycle `Submission - Rebellion`

During the cycle "Submission / Rebellion", our team left to the teachers` and students`

choice the books they would use, so a variety has result: ”Isprăvile lui Păcală” (” Păcăla’s

Deeds”) by Petre Dulfu, ”Gogoașa furioasă” (”The furious donut”) by Mircea Sântimbreanu,

”Popa Tanda” (”Tanda,the priest”) and ”Moara cu noroc” (” The Mill of Good Luck”) by Ioan

Slavici, ”Moartea căprioarei” („The death of a deer”) by Nicolae Labiș, several historical

stories and historical documentary works.

We decided to collect articles extracted from activities, as folows:

THE MORNING REBELLION

- role play-

The scenery is a children’s room. The boys of the house are still sleeping in their twin

beds. Their angel faces are enlightened by the sweet morning dreams.

Mum, sitting next to her elder boy, whispers softly:

„Andrew...come on angel...wake up. It’s time to go to school.”

Andrew opens his eyes and smiles...”Yes, mum, right away. Good morning!”

Mother sits next to the little one...”Come on Alex, baby, wake up.”

„Leave me alone...I wanna sleep ...”

M: „Come on, baby, you have to get up or you’ll be late.”

Alex: ”I’m not a baby and I don’t want to go to school. Leave.”

M: ”Come, sweetheart...”

Alex: ”No sweetheart...go.”

M: ”What do you mean.. just a week at school and you don’t want to go anymore. With

no school you won’t be able to...”

Alex: ”I don’t think so and I’m not interested.”

M: ”OK, I’m going to make you some breakfast. I’m back in five minutes and you’d

better be up by then.”

Andrew: ”Yes, sir! „he says, getting up just like a soldier.

Mum claps her hands delighted.

Andrew: ”Can I help?”

M: ”Of course, my darling.”

Mum and Andrew go to the kitchen; Alex doesn’t move;... a knock at the door is heard...

Alex (furiously): „Who is it?”


Pinocchio: ”I’m Pinocchio! I’ve come to tell you something very important.”

Alex: ”Say it fast and get lost.”

P: ”Go to school, Alex. School is a nice place where you learn a lot of things...

Alex: ”How many?.....You’re lying, lier!!!

P: ”But my nose hasn’t grown bigger, you see?”

There was another knock at the door. Spiderman comes in. Alex is very happy.

Spiderman: ” I’ve come with a very difficult mission.”

Alex: ” That’s cool...what mission?”

S: ”I have to sent a child to school...he’s fooling around with his mother in the

morning.”

Alex: ”You too, Spiderman...go away, you haven’t accomplished your mission....you are

not such a cool guy after all.”

Another knock at the door. A very cheerful Hannah Montana appears.

H. M.”Where is Alina? I have to make a girl go to school. School is so nice, just like a

flower.”

Alex: ’What flower, what little girl...let me sleep.”

H. M.”Oh, gosh. I’ve got the wrong play again!”

Someone is at the door again. Alex is really angry. He pops his head out of the blanket

and yells ”Come in!”

The next who came was Nica: he was the one who made Alex get out of bed and go to

school. What do you think he said to him? What character would you call in the morning to

help the lazy kids wake up?

Phsychology teacher, Crăete Cristina

TRY TO BE YOURSELF!

In our Multilateral Comenius Project „Living, Reading, Growing” students from the 8th

grade, class A, led by Neli Morie, Romanian teacher, have realized different materials on our

theme „Submission-rebelion”, inspired on the novel „Moara cu noroc” by Ioan Slavici.

The lesson was conceived on the principles of multiple intelligences, a theory which

was for the first time published by Howard Gardner in his work „Frames of Mind: The

Theory of Multiple Intelligences” in 1983.


This theory helps us know our students better through the perspective of their skills and

abilities, interests, you can conceive your learning activities around the multiple ways of

solving a problem by using different types of intelligences.

Students have expressed their willingness to be involved in the activities of the project

and embraced the proposed theme, eager to show their creativity. At first, hearing about the

theory of multiple intelligences, they were a bit dazzled, but after the explanations, they knew

what they had to do.

They were split in six groups, and every group had a different task according to the

above theory: linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic,

interpersonal.

The sudents were very excited, as they enjoy team work. Although there always can be

frictions in every team, the students get to know each other better and fit in easily.

After solving the given tasks, it was seen that the author is focussed on the characters

and their inner tranformations. So, the writer closely observes the characters’ changes,

through psychological analyses. The students underlined, with their works, the moralising

ending of the novel „Moara cu noroc”. The conclusion is the following:

„Inevitably, Ana dies tragically, stabbed by Ghita, to whom she tells desperately she

doesn’t want to die. Just before her last seconds of life, feeling that Lica is around, she

screams, spoiled, bites his hand, pushes her nails into his cheeks, then falls dead besides her

husband” . Those last throbs of our heroine tell everything: hate and contempt for her

shameful husband, hunger for revenge and the passion for Lica, guilt and innocence in the

same time. For Slavici, the relationship between the individual and the collectivity is the most

important factor for maintaining the inner coherence of the individual. Distance or breaking

from this environment appears most likely as a premise of soul breaking.” (Pompiliu Marcea)

I add impressions of my students: ”There are leaders and others who obey, so that the

weak ones have always been persecuted. However, at a moment some of them rebelled

creating small revolts or revolutions sometimes, some of them being victorious or not. In the

masterpiece “The Mill of Good Luck” (Romanian „Moara cu noroc”) by Ioan Slavici we find

scenes of rebellion and submission. At the beginning, Ana obeys Ghiță, and the latter to Lică.

On the storyline the oppressed ones feel like being at the end of their endurance so that Ana

confronts Ghiţă, and Ghiţă tries to set up Lică.

Therefore, the characters who, submit themselves at the beginning, end up in revolt. The

novel has a tragic final when Ghiţă kills Ana, Lică murders Ghiţă and Lică suicides.”


The students of grade 8th A, managed by the form teacher

Liliana Ciochină, realized an analysis on the topic

”Submission/ Rebellion” and they synthesized certain

ideas on the above poster.

(by Patraşcu Angela, Doicaru Roberta, Popescu Tudor, Bibirigea Sebastian, Nanu

Darius, Tutila Sorina)

Here are some examples of the students’ work during this activity.

(Romanian Language and Literature Teacher, Morie Neli)

I open a book,

As a flower bloom,

Characters jump in front of me

And a dark big cloud keeps whispering

Slowly and patiently:

SUBMISSION! tells it to me,

REBELLION ...and this spoils my mood,

As they want me – a dog to be

And they would like to die

tomorrow.

To obey always ,

Always saying „Yes”

It means being a slave

In your consciousness!

Always to rebel yourself,

Always saying „No”

It means being rebel

And loyal only to yourself!

Two marked words

That have created too many deeds

Shall you submit, shall you accept,

You would revolt and then regret?

Why to submit like a blind

When you can rebel like a king ?!

Shall I submit...?


The Students of grade 8th A posted their messages pro-

submission or pro-rebellion on their own T-shirts

No! ...I’ll better say to others .

Shall I knee or pray,

Shall I cry and ask for mercy?

Or shall I better rebel myself today

In my pagan world.

And so I know that after that

I will cry like a blind...

But I will at least cry freely,

Knowing I am a leader!

Why shall you cry

When you should laugh

Why dearest child,

Can’t you obey yourself?

Come on! I want to see your

smile

I want to see you smiling at me,

I want you to hide your sorrow,

Tomorrow all pains will be just …tales.

By Cinteză Mădălin, Dragu Amalia, Cotan Miruna., Enulescu Mihaela, Brănişteanu

Andreea, Sarcină Denisa

Obeyed I was and so I’ll be!

As long as I have to live

I wish I could…

Rebel myself,

To live my life

And to be free...

Like the birds in the sky!

Gugu Marius, Udroiu Ionuț Udriştioiu Mihai, Berbecel Eduard, Schinteie Gabriel,

Unchiaşu Andrei


The poetry in prison

We used a DVD, ”The Memorial of the Victims of Communism and of the Resistance from

Sighet”, initiated by the Civic Academy Foundation, as a support in our activities. It presents

a museum. That place was nominated by the Council of Europe as among the three most

important places for the cultivation of European remembrance (alongside with Auschwitz

Memorial in Poland and the Peace Memorial in France).

It is housed in the former political prison in Sighet, Romania. 87 of its cells were transformed

in exhibition rooms, which display overwhelming proofs of human suffering.

Rooms 51, "Poetry in prison" was thought "as a profound homage to the poets who suffered,

to those who became poets through their suffering and to the people who could cultivate this

amazing plant capable of growing in darkness: poetry in prison." Transmitted from cell to cell

through the Morse alphabet, inscribed on the walls, sewed on clothes or bandages, this poetry

was first of all a spiritual support, a form of human solidarity, of resistance and revolt. Thus,

the prisoners proved that in spite of their bodies having been chained and submitted, their

minds and spirit were still free. The poems are displayed in Room 51, without any titles or

authors (although some of them are known), "as in the moment of their birth, when those who

memorised them were as important and necessary as those who composed them."

"We feed ourselves from everything we gave.

Our wealth? It`s everything we waste.

Don`t hesitate to suffer and to bleed,

For our victory grows from defeat." (anonymous author)

„Oh, Lord, do drizzle the forgetting peace

Over the everlasting suffering,

Do sow the seeds of faith on endless fields

And increase the dewdrops of compassion.

Do plant only eternal love and lilies

Into the field invaded by the hatred

Cover the slaggy mountains, much too high

With peace, forgiveness and unclouded sky." (author: Corneliu Coposu)


„Oh, let my phantomatic hand

Pick up an apple from the branch;

I`d have its flavour for my lunch,

I`d feel the Truth is still alive.

Born in the land of bread and cattle

I`m dreaming of mushroom dish;

Oh, let me sit by the dogs` kennel

Tasting their porridge, I`d be pleased.

Oh, Good Lord, You, who could transform

Two breads, together with five fish

Into a huge amount of food

To feed the poor as they wish.

Repeat the miracle, Good Lord,

Let all these mouths just have a feast,

As for myself, I dare to pray

But for the basket crumbs to eat. " (anonymous author)

(Translation by teacher Codruța Călugăru)

Our students’ impressions

The theme “Poetry in prison” was very interesting. The prisoners’ behaviour, the fact that

they didn’t accept submission was heroic, showing that nobody can submit the Romanians .

Their literary works, quite fascinating, written in prison were their only support that kept

them alive.

( Găman Ana-Maria, the 6th

B form)

My opinion is that all those people didn’t deserve such torture, they sacrificed

themselves. They impressed me. I am proud that these people bore their cross with dignity,

that they were strong enough to get over such suffering. I am proud and happy that there were

such strong and brave people in our country.

(Vasilescu Simona, the 6th B form)

Școala Generală ”Sf. Nicolae”, Târgu-Jiu

OPINIONS ABOUT THE PROJECT

”The Comenius project ,,Living, reading, growing”, which we are part of, aims at motivating

students to read, developing their personality by means of reading.

This project has a dual target. On the one hand, it aims at encouraging students in reading, in

valuing the printing versions of books. On the other hand it develops students’ emotional

intelligence. The topic of the three cycles speak volumes: Acceptance vs rejection,

Collaboration vs competition, Submission vs revolt.

Reading helps students develop completely, as responsible citizens, capable of socializing and

involving actively in the society development. Reading is like ‘high tide that lifts up the

boats’.”

Gina Vîlceanu, Romanian language and literature teacher

”I really enjoyed beeing a part of the team project, I felt like reading a good book. On the

road I found beautiful places and special characters, sharing the same adventure like Tom

Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. I had the oportunity to visit Italy, where I met some wonderful

and interesting people from the other countries in the project, Poland, Turkey, Germany, Italy.

This project helped me discover new cultures and education standards, also it opened up for

me new perspectives.”

Cristina Crăete, psychologist

”In the project we carried on activities that were meant to help us understand the literary

works better. We compared real social models with the literary characters. During the

Romanian classes we studied and discussed literary works with social implications. We

tackled with topics such as Acceptance vs rejection; Collaboration vs competition;

Submission vs revolt.”

Ioana Corșoreanu, student

SZKOŁA PODSTAWOWA NR 13 W CHORZOWIE IM. TADEUSZA

KOŚCIUSZKI, CHORZÓW, POLAND

No. 13 'Tadeusz Kosciuszko'

Primary School in Chorzow lies in

a district called 'Chorzow the

Second'. The building was built in

1899, with the gymnasium and the

day room part added in 1970s.

In the past, there were two schools

in one building, separately for boys

and girls. During the World War II there was a German army hospital. Although quite old, the

building is still functional, with some new solutions incorporated over the past 40 years to

make learning and teaching more comfortable.

At present, there are almost 500

students in our school. They are

divided into 23 classes. The number of

teachers is around 40 at the moment.

Our students achieve many successes at

interscholar competitions. They are

also highly valued as candidates for

secondary schools. For most of them,

the 'Thirteen' is a school of choice and

their parents are ready to drive their children to school even from some remote parts of the

city.

In the following years we will be introducing the new common framework in grades 4-6 and

preparing to have exclusively six-year-old children in grade one, according to the

government's decision. And of course we would like to take all the possible advantage of

taking part in the 'Living, Reading, Growing' Comenius project, with possibility to get

involved into a new one in the following years.

Szkoła Podstawowa nr 13 w Chorzowie im. Tadeusza Kościuszki

Cycle 'Acceptance - Rejection'

The story:

'PINOCCHIO' by Carlo Collodi

Summary

'Pinocchio' by Carlo Collodi was written in 1883. The story is about a wooden marionette

named Pinocchio. He spends his whole childhood wanting to become a real boy, but is

misguided by troublesome schoolboys and two con artists. Through Pinocchio’s adventures,

he understands how he was defiant and naïve. At the end of the story his compassion and

gratefulness overcame his misguided decisions.

Even though Pinocchio could distinguish right from wrong, he decided to disobey. Pinocchio

chooses not to listen to Gepetto, and is faced with consequences that affected him later in the

story including the times that he skips school. Pinocchio visits the marionette play, risking his

life of becoming firewood and missed months of school during his trip to Playland with

Lamp-wick. Pinocchio was to go back home to his fairy, the night that he ran away to

Playland, but did not return. A couple months of slothful behavior ended with Pinocchio and

Lampwick turned into donkeys and sold.

Pinocchio does not have a very open mind and because of that he becomes trapped by con-

artists. His weakness is his naïve attitude toward others. When Pinocchio is lost in the woods,

he is approached by a supposedly lame fox and blind cat. They are told of Pinocchio having

coins in his pocket. The fox and cat, knowing of Pinocchio’s coins pretend to be blind and

lame. They ask Pinocchio to come with them to an inn, and buy them dinner. When Pinocchio

wakes up, he is told by the manager that the fox and cat have gone. Pinocchio goes back into

the woods and is attacked by assassins, whom are actually the fox and cat. His naivety nearly

costs him his life, as he hangs on the branch of a tree. Later in the story, Pinocchio finds

himself with Lamp-wick waiting for the coach to take Lamp-wick to Playland. Pinocchio is



convinced by Lampwick that going to Playland would be fun. Pinocchio believes that since he

is late, one hour or more makes very little difference. At the end of the story, Pinocchio gives

his savings of coins to his fairy, who is sick in the hospital. Pinocchio is given the gist of

becoming a real boy because of his act of generosity toward his fairy.

___________________________________________________________________________

About the writer

Carlo Collodi (1826-1890; real name Carlo Lorenzini) - Italian children's writer known for

the world-renowned fairy tale novel, 'The Adventures of Pinocchio'. During the Wars of

Independence in 1848 and 1860 Collodi served as a volunteer with the Tuscan army. In the

meantime, he worked as a journalist. His first novel was 'In vapore', written in 1856. Collodi

started writing stories for children in 1875 and in 1880 he began writing 'Storia di un

burattino', also called 'Le avventure di Pinocchio'. It was first published in episodes in

a newspaper for children 'Il Giornale dei Bambini'. The story was a great success and it earned

Collodi everlasting fame.

___________________________________________________________________________

Our students' work

Reading 'Pinocchio', we tried to find answers to a question that we face quite often - how to

be popular and well-liked without doing something against the rules or against our own

conscience. Also Pinocchio tried to answer it, but the results were - in the long run - mainly

unsatisfactory for him.

We asked our students to draw a comic story with Pinocchio trying to do something good to

someone, with a good results, of course. Here are the best examples of their work.



Krzysiek S., grade 6

Radek, grade 5



Ola, grade 5

Marysia, grade 5



Michalina, grade 6

Krzysiek P., grade 6



The English Corner

We decided to run the English Corner in order to improve our skills at English and thus

prepare for particular meetings as well as for reading literary works in English in future.

Our first story was 'The Selfish Giant' - a little book we normally read with third-graders in

class. Now in grade 5 and 6, we recalled the story and were again amazed at the change that

took place within the Giant's mind. We learned how nice it is to turn from a selfish, rejecting

person into an open and accepting one - that's exactly what happened to the Giant.

___________________________________________________________________________

Other activities

We read 'Pinocchio' right before going to Italy to visit our partner school in Urbino. Around

that time, we came across a nice little screenplay. In it, Pinocchio was a guide round Italy for

a group of Polish children. We decided to perform the play with a group of our five-graders.

The performance was recorded and then showed at the Urbino meeting. As the book doesn't

allow us to show the play in motion, we present a few screenshots from the recorded version.

Enjoy anyway :-).




Cycle 'Collaboration -Competition'

The story:

'CZARNE STOPY'

by Seweryna Szmaglewska

Summary

'Czarne Stopy' ('The Black Feet') is a book about a Polish boy scouts' team, under the

leadership of Andrzej Wróbel. The team consist of boys living in a boarding house. The boys

go for holidays to the St. Cross' Mountains (Góry Świętokrzyskie), a little north from Kielce,

in Poland. They look forward impatiently to the coming adventures. Andrzej, in spite of the

other leaders' objection, wants to take the entire team. All boys declare the will for going. The

only problem is with Marek, a boy whose father - an alcoholic - doesn't want to let his son go.

The long-awaited day of the departure finally comes. A lorry driven by the father of one of

the boys arrives at the meeting place. They start their journey towards the mountains. During

the journey they talk about numerous games and plays which they will perform at the camp.

Only Marek stays aside and doesn't participate in the interesting conversation. He is ashamed

of his father, who is his greatest worry. The boy feels worse than the others and doesn't want

to open. Nobody really knows him.

As soon as they reach their destination, the boy scouts put tents up and make a camp quickly.

They also prepare a meal, as they are very, very hungry. After lunch they start fooling around,

passing time carefree in the warmth of the sun. All the boys carry out orders of their leader for

which they feel huge respect and sympathy. Suddenly, some unpleasant events break the time

of joy. Some food disappears from the camp - sausages, then milk. The boys regret the milk

most, as they wanted to prepare some delicious cocoa from it. The scouts start looking at each

other suspiciously. In the end, everyone starts blaming Marek, who comes from a poor family.



Suddenly, someone communicates a certain message to them with the Morse code, and soon

their flag disappears, too. Boys are sure that they are observed. The patrol becomes vigilant

and attentive.

One day, a patrol of girl guides puts up their tents. It leads to some confusion among the boys.

However, they continue their normal daily activities. They help local farmers and listen to

stories told by them. The boys keep on thinking about the strange events, though. Soon it

turns out that a mummy dog steals the food for herself and her puppies. The dog is wounded

and hasn't got any owner. She comes to the camp with the puppies. Stealing the flag is a work

of a partisan from the World War II, called the Forest Eye. He is friendly, and by doing that,

he wants to entertain the boys and to check their skills.

The camp is almost over. The boys are happy and start recalling the most memorable events.

Marek is now much more open and everyone likes him.

___________________________________________________________________________

About the author

Seweryna Szmaglewska (1916 - 1992) was a Polish writer. During the World War II she spent

three years at the Auschwitz concentration camp. It had a great influence on her life and work.

She was the only Polish woman to be testified at the Nuremberg War Crime Trial. She wrote

many books about her camp experience. The best known is 'Smoke over Birkenau', written in

1945. She also wrote books for children, including 'The Black Feet' (1960).

___________________________________________________________________________

Our students' work

Fascinated by the 'toothpaste-on-black-paper' painting technique learnt at the 'Freedom of

Reading' (see below), we decided to design covers for the 'Czarne Stopy' book. You can see

some examples below.



Milena and Monika, grade 6 Milena and Monika, grade 6

Kasia Z., grade 6 Kasia Sz. and Roksana, grade 6

Krzysiek K., grade 5 Mateusz, grade 5

Radek, grade 5 Dawid, grade 5



Paulina M., grade 5 Piotrek B., grade 5

Karolina and Julia, grade 6 Kasia Sz. and Roksana, grade 6

Natalia and Patrycja, grade 6 Krzysiek S. and Piotrek P., grade 6

Julia and Karolina, grade 6 Ala, grade 5



The English Corner

For the English Corner this time we took 'Mowgli' - a simplified version of 'The Jungle Book',

a famous story by Rudyard Kipling. We soon got involved into collaboration between Mowgli

and other animals, like Bagheera or Baloo and witnessed the competitive Shere Khan's efforts

to rule over the jungle.

We liked the story very much and were very proud of ourselves - another book read in

English! And we were lucky to see 'The Jungle Book' play in our theatre!

___________________________________________________________________________

Other activities

Scout Stalking

On a cold and windy Thursday afternoon in November, two Comenius teams from grades 5

and 6 of our school took part in a scout stalking. The five-graders prepared tasks, wrote them

on pieces of paper and hid in different places in a nearby park, leaving signs of their location.

The six-graders followed them within the distance of about 30 minutes, trying to find and

perform the tasks. Just like scouts we had to collaborate within the teams and compete with

the others. For over an hour the groups were having fun - the tasks were all found and

completed!



Here is the list of tasks:

1. Decipher the Morse code sentence: -.. --- -... .-. . .--- / --.. .- -... .- .-- -.-- .-.-.- /

-.-. --.. . -.- .- -- -.-- / -. .- / .-- .- ... / -. .- / -- . -.-. .. . .-.-.-

2. A man went out of his house. He looked at the rising sun and smiled. 'What

a nice sunrise, he said, 'right after breakfast I'll go for a walk - what a nice present

for my birthday that would be!' He had some toast and set off. First he went

southwards. After an hour he turned west, and after two he turned north. Finally,

after another hour, he arrived at the gate of his house - the same that he had left

that morning. After a a short rest, he started preparing his birthday party.

Question: when was the man's birthday?

3. Take a photo of two random passerbys - a man and a woman.

4. Compose a short song about the lack of snow this winter.

5. Collect 10 stones.

6. In a dark drying room there are 13 pairs of white socks and 9 pairs of black socks.

It is so dark that you can't see the colours. Mark wants to take one pair. How many

single socks should he take to make sure that two of them will be the same colour?

___________________________________________________________________________

Freedom of Reading

On Thursday afternoon of 22nd September 2011 we took part in the 'Freedom of Reading' -

a cultural event promoting books organised in Chorzów by the town authorities. We watched

the 'Hansel und Gretel' play, completed well-known rhymes for children, learnt to paint with

toothpaste, met Mr. Mariusz Czubaj, a crime story writer, did a workshop on liberature and let

some books 'go home' with us ('Free the book' action).

We liked all the events very much. We hope we will be able to participate next year again.

Let's hope the weather will be fine :-).




Cycle 'Submission - Rebellion'

The story:

'ANTEK' by Bolesław Prus

Summary

In this short story Prus portrays a period of a few years from the life of a poor, country boy

named Antek (short form of the name 'Antoni'; Eng. 'Anthony' - 'Tony').

Antek was born to a family of Polish peasants in the second half of 19th century. The family

was poor. For the first two years he slept in the cradle of his brother who had died early.

When Antek was two years old, Rozalka, his younger sister took the place after him. As a big

brother, Antek had to take care of his sister, but nobody could take care of him, because their

parents had a lot of work. As a five-year-old child, the boy performed some responsible tasks

in order to help his parents - he grazed pigs and cows. Also Rozalka started to look after the

house as soon as she reached the age of five.

Unfortunately, there were some troubles with Antek. He was a dreamer, so he wasn't able to

concentrate on grazing cows. He spent days dreaming of the windmill which he once saw.

One day he even crossed the Vistula river in order to examine this work of architecture more

precisely. Since then, he started whittling windmills, fences, ladders, wells or even cottages

out of wood. The work preoccupied him - he often didn't notice that cows were going all

alone unatttended, doing some damage to the surrounding crops.

Around the same time, the family witnessed the birth of another son and the death of the

father. Also Rozalka died in dramatic circumstances. Following the healer's advice, the ill girl

was put into the hot stove for 'a few Hail Maries'. Instead of the miraculously healed child,

a charred Rozalka's body was taken out. This shows the ignorance of the villagers and

suggests that Antek's talent was something impossible to be discovered.



Another proof of that was the episode about sending Antek to school, where the only thing the

boy had to do was repeating letters of the alphabet - only two for the entire stay. Antek

wanted to go to school very much in order to gain some knowledge and skills of how to build

windmills.The teacher and his way of teaching, however, took Antek's motivation and

enthusiasm away. After finishing the 'career' at school (for the lack of money) the mother sent

Antek to the blacksmith to learn the profession. Antek liked his new 'job' very much and

showed enormous abilities, often creating small masterpieces of ornamental art. The

blacksmith was afraid of his most tallented apprentice though and fired the boy from training.

From then on, Antek made sculptures, which then were bought by a Jew and sold with a good

profit (not for Antek, unfortunately...). Around that time the boy grew into a handsome young

man and fell in love with the beautiful wife of the commune administrator. Mother, however,

not having any benefit from her son in the household, advised him to set off into the world to

look for happiness. So Antek did it, saying goodbye to family and friends at a religious

figurine on the road.

The story ends with the author's request for help if the readers ever meet Antek on their way.

He thinks the boy well deserved it, but was never given a chance in his home village.

Throughout the story, Prus treats the characters with a great but sarcastic sense of humour. He

is realistic about the material, intellectual and spiritual situation of 19th century villagers.

Being a little ironic, he is at the same time gentle and understanding - it seems he would like

to help improve the conditions of their life if only he was able to do it.

___________________________________________________________________________

About the author

Bolesław Prus (real name Aleksander Głowacki; 1847-1910) - one of the most famous Polish

writers of all times. Głowacki took his pen name 'Prus' from the appellation of his family's

coat-of-arms. For most of his carreer he worked as a journalist in Warsaw. His best works are

novels: 'The Doll', 'The New Woman', 'The Outpost' and 'Pharaoh'. Along with them, he also

wrote many short stories, including 'Antek'. The main theme of his books was the poverty of

19th century Polish people and other social topics of that times.



Our students' work

During the reading of 'Antek', we tried to focus on the moments of submission and/or

rebellion in Antek's life. We agreed that although the boy had to live in a constant submission,

he showed his rebellious nature in a few moments. As the author 'left' him on the threshold of

his independent adult life, we set a question: 'Submission or rebellion? Further life of Antek'.

Here are a few excerpts from what the students wrote.

___________________________________________________________________________

After a long journey the boy came to a village, where he saw a little house. Curious, Antek

entered the house. He saw an old carpenter at work.

'Have you got a job for me?', he asked the man.

'Can you carve in wood?', asked the man in return.

Antek started to work immediately. A few hours later he finished a little windmill. The

carpenter was amazed.

'You are very skilled', said the man. 'I may find a place here for you'.

(Ala, grade 5)

___________________________________________________________________________

After Antek had left the village, it was very sad in his house. His mother and his brother,

Wojtek, missed him very much. When Antek reached his destination, he started to look for

a place to sleep. (...) He knocked at the door of the last house. A beautiful daughter of a rich

man opened the door. (...) A few months later, Antek began to earn much more money.He

went back to his village and told his mother to move to the town. He bought a flat and the

family began to live there. The boy became famous and well-liked. He married Marta and

they all lived happily ever after, bringing up their two children.

(Ewelina, grade 5)

___________________________________________________________________________

For the following two days the poor boy couldn't find a place to sleep or any food. Everyone

looked at Antek with contempt and didn't want to help him. In the end Antek, humiliated and

angry of hunger, decided to throw a stone in a shop window. It turned out to be a toy shop.

An old man went out of the shop and asked if the boy wanted to buy a toy. With tears in his



eyes Antek told him that he didn't even have money to buy some food, but he could make

similar toys. The old man let Antek in and told him to make a wooden toy.

(Janek, grade 5)

___________________________________________________________________________

In Chorzów there is a big windmill called 'Antek', in honour of the noble carpenter. Antek

died peacefully at the age of 80. His story is fascinating. I admire Antek for the fact that he

earned everything with his hands and very hard work.

(Kacper, grade 5)

___________________________________________________________________________

Antek didn't like the low wages, so he went a step too far and wanted to rob his host. When

the host got to know it, he immediately fired Antek from work..

(Patrycja , grade 6)

___________________________________________________________________________

Antek worked all day long and had some rest only at night. He was rebellious about many

difficult and boring jobs. He only wanted to carve sculptures. There were moments he wanted

to go back home to his mother. He thought he would never be a carpenter, but as months were

passing, things went better and better. Antek learnt how to show a certain amount of

submission - he was sure only this way he could help his mother and brother.

(Wiktoria, grade 5)

___________________________________________________________________________

'Stop it!', Antek shouted at Don Quixote, 'It was my love to windmills that made me leave all

I love, and you...'. As Don Quixote started saying again what an awful thing the windmills

are, Antek hit the roof and threw the knight off his horse. Don Quixote died at once. It was too

late for help...

One day you may find a boy who runs away from the bad memories, unsuccessfully trying to

live everyday life.

(Radek, grade 5)

___________________________________________________________________________

Mainly submission, rarely rebellion - that's how the students see Antek and his further life.



The English Corner

In our English Corner we watched a few stories of 'Star Wars - The Clone Wars' series. We

accompanied young Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka, Obi-wan, master Yoda and many others in

their journey, which took place 'a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away'. The story is full of

characters who have to choose between submission or rebellion, sometimes a few times

during one episode. We tried to focus on their decisions and discuss what we would do in

their place.

Following the stories was a bit more demanding than the previous ones - the language,

although simplified, made us use the dictionaries much more often. We watched the films

with English voice AND English subtitles. We were amazed how much we could understand

from the context.

'I'm sorry, Ahsoka.' 'Amazing the universe is.'

At the end of the project, we won't surely be afraid of reading simple literary works in

English. With years, we will probably be able to look for answers to some more complicated

questions about life and attitudes towards them. For the past two years, as users of English

and readers of stories in English, we have certainly GROWN UP :-).



Other activities

On 23rd April 2012 we celebrated the World Book and Copyright Day. Our 5- and 6-graders

prepared posters promoting the idea of reading. Here are two examples of their work.

Ewelina, grade 5

Janek, grade 5



For the rest of the 'Living, Reading, Growing' project we would like to gain some knowledge

and experience about the way, which a single book has to go before it reaches the reader. We

are going to visit a local library, as well as the Silesian Library in the capital of our province,

Katowice. During our trip to the Kłodzka Valley in June, we will visit an old papermill, which

is now a museum of paper - still the main resource for making books. We also hope to meet

a writer, who will tell us about their everyday life and the process of creating a story and

turning it into a book. But most of all, we hope to become more mature readers of literary

works.

We are now sure that LIVING

is not full without READING,

and combining the two results in GROWING!


REFLECTIONS OVER THE PROJECT

When we decided to enter the 2010-2012 Comenius selection round, we had an almost-ready-

to-use project, which was accepted by Polish National Agency three years ago, but due to the

fact that the partner schools had not got approved, it was never put into life. Looking for

partners, with the deadline in the background, is always one of the most stressful moments

within the process. Thanks to Mrs. Adriana Şurca, not only did we find the right partners

quickly, but we also got a brilliant new project, developed in Romania and coordinated by

Adriana herself. We had nothing to do but to join in.

After joining in and getting approved, for some eighteen months we have been trying to make

our students read literary works. They were forced to do so without even realising it. We have

been inventing ways of re-working the stories into artworks, thatre plays or films, trying to

make the 5- and 6-graders interested in looking for parallels between their lives and that of the

characters. They enjoyed most of the ideas very much and that was the half of the success.

The other half will occur in the following months or even years; if they reach for books when

they have questions as to what to do in their lives, the project will be fully successful. The

time will prove it.

Our multi-national work for the past two years has proved that joining 'Living, Reading,

Growing' project was the right choice and a really good decision. The cooperation was

smooth and even if there were times of delays or little misunderstanding among the partners,

nobody has given up. If this is the right place, I would like to thank Adriana, Neçla, Anna,

Mihaela, Corina and Udo (to mention only the coordinators - in reality a fraction of all the

people involved in the project) for the time spent together, their dedication to the project and

their will to help whenever I got lost. Without you, the project would never be the same.

Thank you very, very much!

Paweł Sigulski, Polish Comenius Team coordinator


THE ACTIVITIES OF TURKEY

Our activities in GERMANY

Five teachers and eight students participated in the activities of Germany. The activities

proposed by the hosting school were constructive and useful helping the guest students to

express their attitudes and feelings: a common logo was choosen by all partners,we presented

our school and country. We were amazed when we saw alot of Turkish students in the

school. They helped our students so all students socialized and enjoyed together.

We determined the literature subjects and the cycles of projects there.

.



Our activities in ITALY

Six teachers and two students participated in the activities of Italy. During 9th-14th of May

2011 the evulation meeting of cycle Accaptance –Rejection took place in Urbino.The

activities proposed by the hosting school were constructive and useful helping the guest

students to express their attitudes and feelings: they made kites,there was a kite festival in that

time, they also drew posters on the topic. The project meeting organized in Urbino sports

competitions in which the students proved their skills formed by education,including reading.

all students socialized and enjoyed together. We presented a literature work (pinocchio).

Accaptance –Rejection based on the literary works specific to this cycle.


Reading activities for Italy (Pinocchio)


Our activities ın ITALY


Our activities in TURKEY

In the period 23 rd -28 th of October 2011 ,the project meeting of the cycle of activities‘

Collaboration-Competition’ took place in İzmir. For the teachers ,the activities in which

students participated ,offered lessons to be followed. .The presented represented pure models.

Our literary presentation was ‘A PIECE OF HONEY’which was written by Aziz Nesin

Our students presented a drama which was about Nasrudin Hodja.. As our project meeting

cycle of activities was Collaboration-Competition We arranged tournaments. All students

spend interesting and funny time during the all activities. It was a good way to use the foreign

language for the students. All these works encouraged our students’ self confidences. We

would like to introduce our culture and customs. So we arranged some trips for this. We

enjoyed so much in these activities.

A PIECE OF HONEY

Once upon a time an old pawnbroker who lived in a city of a country.This man was very

stingy and pitiless. He lent money to people and wanted them to pay interest on the money. If

they didn’t pay the money he took their houses or valuable things. He was very rich.

One day the wife of the pawnbroker wanted to eat honey. He called his servant. He wanted

him to buy some honey that was very cheap and good for his wife. He told him “don’t forget

to haggle’’.

The servant went to the Honeybazaar. There were a lot of sellers in this bazaar.They tried

to pursuade the people to buy their honey.

He haggled with the sellers to buy the cheapest honey. At the end he bought very cheap

honey. While he was coming back home he saw an old woman.

She requested a piece of honey for her sick grandchild from the servant.She begged for a

piece of honey but the servant told her to go to the honey bazaar and buy honey.The old

women said “I am so poor, I can’t buy it. My grand child has to eat honey to get better

soon”.The servant laughed at her and hiccuped .The old women got angry and cursed the

servant and whoever eats honey. She said “whoever eats honey will hiccup”.

He didn’t care what she said and he ate some honey. After eating a piece of honey he started

hiccuping. When he arrived home the pawn broker opened the door and asked where the

honey was.The servant said “here”, but while saying it, he hiccuped.The master was angry


with him. He said ‘’What a shame!!’’, But the servant couldn’t help it. Then his wife ate a

piece of honey, she couldn’t help it either.The pawnbroker didn’t believe them so he ate the

honey also. After eating the honey he started hiccuping too.

They decided to ask the mayor how they could get rid of the condition. They went and

asked him but he didn’t believe them either. He ate the honey and he started hiccuping too.

The mayor said “let’s go to Kadı”. Kadı ordered people to find the old woman as soon as

possible. The woman was found and Kadı told her to take back the curse.The old woman said

“I can take back my words, but I have a requirement”. Kadı Zade (a chaplian-like monk)

asked her “What is it?” The old woman wanted them to deliver a case of honey to poor

people.They accepted her wish and Kadı Zade thanked her and asked her what she wanted

from the mean pawnbroker. She said nothing because her grand child had already died. She

said .

“I just want the honey to help other children…

READING ACTIVITIES



Theatre on A Piece Of Honey


Our Presentations; A Piece of Honey and Nasrudin Hodja

1996–1997 was declared International Nasrudin Year by UNESCO.


THE MIDDLE OF THE WORLD

A friend of Nasrettin Hodja asked him

“Dear Hodja where is middle of the world

Hodja thought and answered:

“-Here is this point where my donkey Karakaçan stands on.”

His friend laughed at him and said:

“-My dear Hodja you are talking nonsense how do you know this point is middle of the

world?”

Hodja answered:

“-İf you don’t believe me; you measure it.”


Marbling

Tournaments (Competition)


Completing a book (Collaboration)

A visit to natural living park (zoo)


A visit to Ephesus

Farewell party


In this project we enjoyed a lot… We were glad to be with our partners…We learned a lot

of valauble things. We compared similarities and differences. We shared good times. We

love reading and books.

Our reading festival


Our activies inPOLAND

In the period 26th -30th March 2012 the evulation meeting of the cycle ' Submission-Rebellion'

took place in Chorzow. The presented products were represented there. Our students represented

our presentation. The activities proposed by the hosting school were constructive and valauble

helping the guest students to express the attitudes and feelings: We learnt how to made easter

eggs ,we also learnt writing of Japaneese letters. Our students took place in a volleyball

championship, they socialized and enjoyed together.

Jiya lives in a small fishing village on the ocean shore in Japan. Her father is a fisherman. Jiya has a friend named Kino. One day Jiya went to Kino’s house to visit her. Kino lives on a mountain next to the village. Kino’s father is a farmer. Kino’s father has a farm at the summit of the mountain. This day Jiya and Kino played games, ate something, and slept.

At night, Kino woke up to the sound ofthe wind. Jiya was sleeping next toKino. Kino got out of bed and she leftthe room silently. Kino’s father wassitting in front of the windows andwas looking at the sky and ocean.Suddenly they saw the waves begin torise.

While the big waves wereapproaching the shore, theywere frothing and growing white. They ascended and arrived to thecoast of village. The village wascovered by water and then thewater withdrew.

Kino and her father hugged each other and they watched the

retreat of the waves. The ocean waves returned to the sea

after they destroyed the village. There were no sturdy houses

in the village, and now there was nothing in the village at all.

Kino started to cry. Her father did not tell her to be quiet.

Kino asked “What will we say to Jiya when she wakes up?”.

Her father replied “ We won't say anything. We will give her a

hot meal and we will revitalize her. We’ll make her feel as

though she has a home.” Kino told her father that she does

not think Jiya will be happy ever again. Her father told her

that “One day, she will be happy

again, because life is stronger than

death.” 16


After a few days, she will forget

her memories and she won't cry anymore. We'll leave her alone and we will live our daily lives. And soon she will cry at night. And in this time her body will renovate itself. Her brain will start to think again so she can return back to life.” said Kino's father. (SUBMISSION)

When Jiya wakes up, shemay think she is unable to be happy. She will cry for a longtime. (REBELLION) We willleave her alone, but she can'talways cry.

“She can't forget her family, ” Kino said. Her father replied ”She can't forget, of course! She shouldn't forget. How could she live like that? One day she will learn that death is a part of life. She will cry no more. The big wave came, but then it left. The sun is shining and birds are singing again. Look at the sea! The sky is blue and ocean is smooth again. ”

Kino told her father that she thinks this shows that they are very cruel. Her father replied "No. It's wonderful. The ocean nor sky are guilty of the storm."

Kino asked "Who was it then?" There were many things that she didn't know or understand, so in

frustration she began to cry. Only her father saw her tears and only he understood Kino.

Her father answered Kino by saying that "Nobody can

know the causes of storms. We only know when they are

coming. We should keep ourselves calm and after it has

passed, we should realize that life is very incredible.

Now, everyday in the future becomes more important

than the days before the disaster. We love life

because we're living with the disasters

that teach us about life itself. We

aren't afraid of death, because now we

know that life and death will always

have to be with each other."


OUR ACTIVITIES

• We wrote some letters

to Jiya

• We shared her feelings

• We read our letters in

the class

• We draw some pictures

about the subject

• We discussed the

submission and rebellion

We thought it was a big

“SUBMISSION’’We aren't afraid of

death, because we now know

that life and death will always

have to be with each other."

It is too hard to live without

your family.

“Jiya, we are so sorry for you”

“We are aware of this sorrow.”

Atsushi Miyazaki was a doctor who came ourcountry from Japan. There was a bigearthquake in Van. Doctor Atsushi Miyazakishared our sorrows andfeelings but while he was rescuing to injuredpeople in Van, he died. Thank you foreverything.




OUR IMPRESSIONS ON PROJECT

Why did we do a Comenius project? Why did we choose this project?

Our school is a crowded one with about 1200 students, located in a beautiful part of İzmir,

the biggest city of Turkey. Our school has good equipments so we wanted to use these for our

students. Reading is always very important in our school. Some activities are made every

year. For instance: Our book worm club prepares a feast for the students every year. A lot of

writers are called by our schools in order to give knowledges about their books. There is a

reading lesson a week in the school programe. So the idea of this project has appeared by

realizing that the interest of reading of the students. As we would like to increase the amount

of readers. We took part in this project. We choosed this multilateral comenius partnership

project which was prepared by Romanian. We need to knowledge which opens the doors.

Knowlodge is power. The more we read the more we get the power. Books are the bees which

carry the quickening pollen from one to another one. Good friends, good books and asleepy

considence: this is the ideal. (Mark Twain). We aimed to increase of the self respect,

analayzing real or imaginary cases. The project meetings scheduled to be developed at the end

of each cycle of activities our cycle was Collaboration-Competetitions. The teachers and the

students participated, offered lessons to be followed. The presented products represented pure

models. Our students acted in a drama of Nasrettin Hodja. We spend interesting and funny

time during the all activities. It was a good way to use the foreign language for the students.

All these works encouraged our students’ self confidences. We would like to introduce our

culture and customs. So we arranged some trips for this. We enjoyed so much in these

activities. Our great leader Atatürk’s saying is “Our great ideal is to raise our nation to highest

standars of civilization and porsperity.” So we wanted to build a cultural bridge among our

partners. We realized the similarities and differences in this project.

The Istituto Comprensivo “Pascoli” of Urbino consists of many schools scattered in a very

large area under two different municipalities: Urbino and Petriano. The Headmaster’s office

is in the same building of the Primary and Secondary Schools, situated in the town centre of

Urbino. There are also 3 Infant Schools and 2 Primary Schools located in the environs of

Urbino and 2 Infant Schools, a Primary School and a Secondary School in the area of

Petriano. The peculiarity of Petriano and Gallo areas is the presence of many manufacturing

facilities. The students' families came from different social levels: in Urbino they came from

the middle and upper classes, while in Gallo and Petriano the most of the families are from

the working class and many of them are foreigners. In the last 15 years, the presence of

foreign students in the schools of this area is so increased that they are now the 37-40% of the

school population. The school population consists of 272 children from the Infant School, 478

from the Primary School and 272 from the Secondary School.

Istituto Statale Comprensivo “G. Pascoli”

Urbino - Italia

Istituto Comprensivo “Pascoli” – Cycle Àcceptance – Rejection`

DICKENS – “ A CHRISTMAS CAROL” ( III A students’drawings )





“DIFFERENT LIKE ME” (class II A)

The texts (poems, drawings, dialogues, chants, tales) show the uniqueness of each human

being and, therefore, its diversity with respect to all others.

But often, we forget that this diversity is mutual and therefore does not make sense to bring

out the selfish self.

Indeed, whoever accepts the other can grow, because you can take advantage of all that they

can offer you to enrich your identity and, consequently, strengthen your own identity.

AmicoAmico,

ti ho accolto tra le mie braccia.

Abbiamo giocato al sole dell’estate.

Amico,

la tua gioia è diventata mia.

E la tua storia mi fa sognare …

FriendFriend,

I welcomed you into my arms.

We played together in a sunny day.

Friend,

your joy has become mine.

And your story makes me dream…

Danae Rizzi


Siamo come un aquilone…

Ognuno di noi è spesso chiuso nella propria individualità.

Non vuol conoscere,capire,

imparare e sentire,

amare ed assaporare

quello che dagli altri sarebbe interessante ascoltare.

Siamo come un aquilone che impigliatosi ad un ramo,

preferisce abbandonare il volo

per paura di trovare un mondo troppo lontano,

troppo grande, troppo strano.

Dovremmo essere come una rondine

che vola in tutti i cieli

e vede scenari di ogni varietà,

senza preoccuparsi della diversità.

Clelia Cerboni-Baiardi

We are like a kite…

Each one of us is often closed in his own individuality. He doesn’t want to

know, understand, learn and feel, love and taste what interesting he can listen

from the others.

We are like a kite which, trapped in a branch, prefers to give up flying , being

afraid of finding a too far world, too big, too strange.

We should be like a swallow flying across the skies and able to see different

kinds of sceneries, without worrying about diversity.

Clelia Cerboni- Baiardi


WELCOME, GO AWAY

You say yes, I say no

You say stay and I say go, go, go

Oh, no

You say go away and I say welcome

Welcome, welcome

I don't know why you say go away

I say welcome

welcome, welcome


I say welcome

I say peace, you say war

You say why, and I say I want so

Oh, no


Welcome, welcome


I say welcome

Welcome, welcome


I say welcome

Why, why, why, why, why, why

Do you say go away

Go away, way, way, way, way

Oh, no


Welcome, welcome


I say welcome

welcome, welcome


I say welcome

Welcome, welcome

I don't know why you say go away I say

welcome

Welcome

Well, well welcome

Well, well welcome

A song adapted and written by the 5th

class

of Gadana Primary School


“FROM HOTLAND AND COLDLAND TO FRIENDSHIP”

A MUSICAL PLAY

5th

CLASS GADANA

SCENE 1

(In a library)

Martina: - Hello Francesca, what are you doing here?

Francesca: - Hi Martina, I’d like to get a book out of the library. I love reading! I’ve read lots

of books. (Helding the book “ Anne Frank’s diary”). Look, this book is “Anne Frank’s

diary”. It tells a true story: the story of Anne, a girl who was pursued because she was jew.

Martina (taking another book): - I love reading, too. I’ve read “The Story of Iqbal” by

Antonio D’Addamo. It’s the true story of a boy who fought to free the worker children from

their slavory and that’s why he was killed.

Diletta: - Hello girls, you here too? I have to give back “Heart”. It’s touching! Now I want to

get out “The Paal Street boys”. They told me it’s a book about two gangs of children faithing

each other.

Francesca. – I also like writing, I want to be a writer when I grow up.

Martina: Why don’t we invent a story, let’s write it and then ..... who knows....

Francesca & Diletta: - Yeeeeees! Let’s go home and start working!


(The three girls go home, sit down and start writing the story)

SONG (You are not alone)

SCENE 2

IN THE COUNTRY OF DARKNESS AND COLD

Once upon a time far far away there was a truly cold country. The sunlight had never reached

it. People lived in small houses made of ice. They were ungainly because they wore many

clothes one on the others. Everything was covered by darkness. In the town centre was built a

big school. One day teacher Icicles told her students a strange story.

T. Icicles – Children, do you know that there is a country with no ice or darkness, but only

heat, colours, lights...? You can’t imagine this: it’s lit by the sun!

Dark – What’s this thing called “sun” teacher?

Black – What are the “colours” teacher?

Cold – What’s the heat, teacher?

Frozen – What are the “lights” teacher?

T Icicles – The sun is yellow, it lights and warms that country.

A girl named White – That’s nice! How I’d like to go there!

White went back home.

White – Mummy, mummy I’ve seen an incredible country ! It was all lit! It was on a book!

Mother (sighing). – Those are all stories. Stop your imagination, my dear. There’s only one

country: ours. Now go to bed it’s getting late.

White(thinking): - I want to get there, I want to see the sun, the light and the colours.

Narrator: - The day after she talls everything to her friend Snow. The two girls decide to leave

in search of that new world.

They walk and walk and walk for hours untill they reach the end of a wood and there they can

see for the first time a ray of light.

White: - My eyes burn, Snow!

Snow: - What a strange sensation! I want to take my jumper off!

White: - What’s that?

Snow: - What a strange country!

SONG (Welcome, go away.)


SCENE 3

IN THE COUNTRY OF LIGHT AND HEAT

Narrator: - On a far far-away land there was a country of heat and light called Hotland. The

country was surrounded by mountains whose rich green contrasted with the deep blue of the

sea.

People always wore light colours clothes. One day some children while playing found a bottle

with a map inside. The map led to a strange country called Coldland.

Marco: - What’s this?

Carlo: - It’s a bottle. Look, there’s a message inside.

Stella: - Let’s read it!

Marco: - It’s a map. It leads to a far-away country called Coldland. It’s the country of

darkness and cold.

Stella:- What’s darkness? What’s cold?

Carlo: Come on. Let’s go and see.

Narrator: - The children start walking towards this new world.

(They walk and walk. At last the children of the two different countries meet. They start

looking at one another amazed.)

Marco: - Who are you? Where are you from?

White: - We come from a far-away country. We’re here to see the sun.

Stella: - Here is the sun! Look!

Snow:- It’s wonderful! But it burns!

White: - And what about the colours?

Carlo: - The meadow is green, the sky is blue, the flowers are white, red, yellow....

White: - Strange but beautiful!

Stella: - Why don’t we play tag?

Snow and White: - Why not?

(While the children are running on the meadow The Mayor comes and asks in a rough voice:

Mayor: - Who are those girls? Where do they come from?

White: - I’m White and she is Snow.

Snow: - We come from Coldland:

Mayor(shouting, upset): - What??? They come from Coldland? Tell them to go away, they

can’t stay here. Those who come from that country are strange people, they could hurt us.


(the two sad and disappointed girls turn to go back home. Suddenly Carlo, Marco and Stella

reach them.

Stella: - Wait, we’re coming with you. We want to see your country!

Carlo: - Will they accept us?

White: - I hope so!!!

(The most children walk the most it gets dark )

Marco: - I can’t see anything!

White: - It’s because of the darkness!

Stella: - There’s a strange colour! It’s frightening me!

Carlo: - What a strange sensation!

Snow: - You are cold. Put on this jumper, you’ll feel better. Darkness is black and here

everything is dark, but don’t worry, we’re here to help you.

(The children arrive in the town centre. The new runs from one mouth to the other and many

people come to see the children. The Mayor is among them.)

Mayor: - What’s your name? Where are you from?

Stella: - I’m Stella and these are my friends Marco and Carlo.

Carlo: - We come from Hotland.

Mayor (angry/scared): - Tell them to go away! They will infect our country! (towards the

foreigners) Get out!!!

Marco: - Why? It’s not fair!

Stella: - Let’s go away, all together!

White: - No. We have to manage so that our countries become friends.

Snow: - I’ve got an idea! Let’s do the two Mayors meet!

Marco: - And then we will persuade them to become friends. For we want to live together.

Carlo: - Nice idea! Let’s write a letter to both the Mayors but let’s not sign it with our names.

Let them meet and then...

(The children write the letters)

1st Mayor: - I have to meet some important people. I wander what they want.

2nd

Mayor: - I have an important meeting. I must go!

(The two Mayors go to the appointment but they ignore the true motivation for it)

There they find the children ready to ask their requests

White: - Hello! We are the children of Coldland and Hotland. We want you to be here

because we wish no more hostility between the two countries of ours.


1st Mayor: It’s impossible! The two countries are too different and my country Hotland is

happy this way.

2nd

Mayor: - In my country, too. We have lived together well till now without strangers, so

that I don’t want to change my habits and my rules.

1st Mayor: - So children, go back your own home and your own habits.

2nd

Mayor: - Forget this experience if you want to be more quiet.

Stella; - I don’t want to forget my friends!

Marco: - I want to play freely with them.

Snow: - I want to be free of going to the country of light, look at the sun and be hot.

White: - I want to see the blue of the sky and of the sea.

Meanwhile other children arrive in town

Andrea: I am Andrea, I was born in Coldland and I want to see the colours, too.

Light: - My name is light. I was born in Hotland and I’d like to see the darkness.

Sara: - I’m Sara and I was born in Coldland, I want to try the cold.

Maria: - I’m Maria. I was born in Hotland and I’d like to try the hot.

Other child: - As you can see we are different but we have the same needs. We want to try

different things and meet different people. We just need a game, a laugh to become friends.

Other child: - Look deep in your heart, you can find the child inside you, even if it has been

covered by sand and snow.

The two Mayor are surprised and shake their hands.

1st Mayor: - These children have been persuading.

2nd

Mayor: - Yes, they have let us understand many important things. Since now our countries

will be open to everybody.

The two countries will finally join and all the people for the first time can admire the sunlight,

the mistery darkness of the night and the wonderful colours of the sunrise and the sunset.

Other child: - How wonderful is the sun!

Other child: - How mysterious is the night!

Other child: - The sunset is magic!

SONG (Here comes the sun)

THE END

Istituto Comprensivo “Pascoli” – Cycle `Collaboration - Competition`

I’m Alessandro Monfalconi, I’m the Drama teacher in Second A.

My children! I’m Elvezia Farinelli, but everyone calls me Elvi.

IN THE STAFF ROOM


IN THE STAFF ROOM



IN THE STAFF ROOM



IN THE STAFF ROOM


Those adorable children! I’m their Literature teacher.

What a phoney!

I’d like to introduce Alessandro. He’s a very good teacher. He will help you to stage a play.

The first step is to identify with the characters when you are at home and when youare at school.

This process will allow you to get to know yourselves better and improve.This is the main purpose of our project.The performance will take place at the end of the year.

You will play the tale of the “Three little pigs”, while you…

This teacher seems nice, but he makes us do things as if we were children: fairy tales!

I’m getting bored!

”ALL ON STAGE” (CLASS II A)

The text puts into evidence the collaboration inside a group of students who are going to put

on stage a theatre play


I will be Tommy, the most rational pig.

Then, I will be Jimmy, the most precise pig.

I will be Timmy, the laziest pig.

I will be the wolf!

I’m just getting into the part… Antonio, are you

crazy? Are you really tidying up the desk?!

Hey bully! Then today you are going to pay for drinks! Alcoholic drinks, of course!

Can’t we do that tomorrow?

Putting things off is something that skunks do!

I didn’t think it was so costly to be part of the

“Black Hole” group…

What are you doing?

I’m looking for a pen.

DANIELE NEEDS MONEY…

DANIELE STEALS BEATRICE’S WATCH

It’s you who have

stolen Beatrice’s

watch and Caterina’s

money!


You cannot fight in my school!

Now I’m going to

call your parents.

UNEXPECTEDLY…THE NEXT DAY THE KIDS WHO HAD FORGIVEN DANIELEGO TO HIS PLACE TO FIND A WAY TO DEFEAT THE “BLACK HOLE”, THE BULLYBOY GANG.

That geek! He’s fighting with skunks!

Yeeeessss…

Attack!

THE NEXT DAY…

United we stand, divided we fall!

Friendship overcomes

all obstacles!

Istituto Comprensivo “Pascoli” – Cycle `Submission - Rebellion`

The story:

`Marcovaldo` by I. Calvino

Marcovaldo lives in a big city and works in a factory. He is poor, he has to support a big

family on his low salary. He finds himself in a reality which is completely different from the

rural background. He comes from where he got his habits and values, he has trouble dealing

with everyday situations, he is naïve, he always comes out defeated, because he must come to

terms with the rules and lifestyles of a mass society that he can’t understand.

Nevertheless Marcovaldo doesn’t give up, he keeps trying to be himself but social conditions

make it impossible.

MARCOVALDO: MUSHROOMS IN TOWN

Istituto Comprensivo “Pascoli”

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING A READER

Advertisement slogans

Reading championship (class II a)

From the project

“At school with art”

Why reading?

The techniques used for the production of pictures and advertisment slogans have been

acquired by the students in the project “At school with art” which concerns the class A every

year in collaboration with the “Liceo Artistico- Scuola del Libro” in Urbino.

I READ SO I AM: reading contributes to the formation of the person

Letizia

READING OPENS YOUR MIND: an open window to make your thoughts, your emotions,

the colours of the others enter. An open window to colour your own identity

Clelia

READING IN ORDER TO LEARN TO GROW

READING TO WATCH THE WORLD

READING TO FLY WITH THE WINGS OF FANTASY

Picture drawn by Stella Fucili

Picture drawn by Clelia Cerboni Baiardi

These pictures refer to some books students have read for a School Reading Championship

SCHULE AM SCHILLERPARK, BERLIN

The Schule am Schillerpark is a very young school which was founded in 2010 as a result of a

reformation of the Berlin educational system. Three schools were put together: Oberschule am

Brunnenplatz, Hans-Bredow-Oberschule and Winkelried-Oberschule. Our school is situated

in the central part of Berlin. In our school there work about 90 teachers and 6 social workers

and approximately 900 students learn here. 80% of our students have non-German origins,

they come from about 20 different countries, many of them from south of Europe, from

Turkey or from the Arab world. One of the most important aims of our school is to create an

atmosphere of tolerance and peace. We want to encourage our students to reach a high level of

education and find their place in the society.

Schule am Schillerpark – Cycle 'Acceptance - Rejection'

The book:

`HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE`

by Joanne K. Rowling

As our first book to read we have chosen the first part of the Harry-Potter-series to work with

a best-seller and to find the easiest way to encourage our students to read. We thought that

book might be the best start and it worked out extremely well.

Harry’s role as an outsider on the one hand and as hero on the other hand gave a good

possibility for identification for the students. While discussing about the book the students

choose a scene which showed extremely clear the rejection of the main hero. In the following

the students transferred the scene in their own lives and experiences and wrote two

contrasting scenes about their school which they played as actor themselves (see DVD).

First scene

In the classroom

The first lesson has just started, mathematics. The students are on their places and look to the

teacher who writes something on the blackboard. It knocks on the door. All students and the

teacher turn to the door.

TEACHER: Come in.

Marcel comes in, some students are laughing.


FIRST STUDENT: (groaning) Oh no. It’s him again.

MARCEL: Sorry that I am late. I have missed my bus.

TEACHER: That is the second time this week. I think I should phone your parents

again.

MARCEL: (stammers) I have really missed my bus.

SECOND STUDENT: (giggling) Of course, (the same procedure) as every morning.

TEACHER: (strict) We don’t have time for excuses. Sit down!

Teacher turns to the blackboard and continues writing. Marcel goes to the first empty place,

the first student puts his bag on the chair. Marcel goes to the next empty place, the second

student pulls back the empty chair and puts his foot on it. Teacher turns around.


TEACHER: I told you to sit down. Do I really have to write something in the class

register?

The other students are laughing. Marcel sits down in the first row next to the third student

who tries to occupy as much space on the table as possible. Marcel takes out his books. The

teacher turns round again and continues writing. The other students throw pieces of paper at

Marcel.

MARCEL: Stop it! The teacher turns round to Marcel again and starts shouting.

TEACHER: I am going to be fed up with your behaviour. First you are late and then

you disturb the lesson. ... Why do you have all the rubbish around your

place? You are going to clean the complete room after the lessons. Did

you get that?

MARCEL: … but that wasn’t me. The others did it.

TEACHER: It’s getting even better. Now you want to discuss with me. If you are not

quiet right now I will give you a punishment. (to the whole class) Now

go together in pairs and do an exercise with the worksheets I will hand

out right now.

Students go together in pairs. The third student stands up and goes to another student. Marcel

looks around and is sad and helpless.


TEACHER: (to one student) Please hand out the worksheets.

Student hands out the worksheets, Marcel goes to the teacher, stands behind her and waits.

Teacher turns round.

TEACHER: What’s the matter again? Why don’t you work?

MARCEL: Miss Steinbock, I don’t have a partner.

TEACHER: Okay, sit down and copy what I have written on the blackboard.

Marcel goes to his place, the other students are smiling and laughing.

The other students work together while Marcel copies what the teacher wrote on the

blackboard. The teacher walks through the class. The bell rings and the lesson is over …

The students jump up and run out of the room. One student sweeps Marcel’s books from


the table. Marcel picks it up again. A second student beats Marcel on the back of his head.

The teacher realizes it but turns round and says nothing. The third and fourth student take

something out of Marcel’s bag and hide it somewhere in the classroom.

Second scene

In the classroom

The first lesson has just started, mathematics. The students are on their places and look to the

teacher who writes something on the blackboard. It knocks on the door. All students go on

working, nobody turns round.

TEACHER: (turns to the door) Come in!

MARCEL: (comes inside the room) I am sorry that I am late but I have missed the

bus.

TEACHER: (concerned) It is the second time this week. That’s not your behaviour.

Is everything all right?

MARCEL: (shy) Yes, it is. I have really only missed the bus.

TEACHER: (friendly) Please sit down quickly. We have already started.

Teacher turns round to the blackboard and goes on writing. Marcel goes to the table of the


first student. Second student waves to Marcel and gives him a sign to sit next to him. First

student takes quickly his bag from the chair so that Marcel can sit down. The second student

looks disappointed.

FIRST STUDENT: (whispers to Marcel) We have to copy that from the blackboard.

TEACHER: (turns round) Fine, you are ready to work now. Then we can start.

Please sit together in pairs. We will do an exercise first.

Students go together in pairs. Second student looks around and raises

his hand.

TEACHER: (to Marcel) Please hand out the worksheets.

Marcel hands out the worksheets.

TEACHER: (to the second student) Do you have a question?

SECOND STUDENT: I have no partner. Should I work alone or can I work together with

Marcel and Maria?

TEACHER: (thinks a minute) Yes, you can. You can work in a group of three.

Second students goes to Marcel and the first student and they work together. All other students

work in pairs, the teacher walks around and checks the work of the students. The bell rings.

All students put slowly their books in their bags. Marcel’s pencil case falls down. Third

student picks it up and gives it back to Marcel.


THIRD STUDENT: Here, you dropped it.

MARCEL: Thank you.

THIRD STUDENT: Would you like to come to the cafeteria?

MARCEL: (looks for something in his bag) Yes, actually I wanted to buy a

sandwich, but I left my money at home.

THIRD STUDENT: Sorry, but I have only 2 Euros myself.

FIRST STUDENT: Don’t worry, I can lend you some money. Let’s hurry up to get to the

cafeteria – otherwise we will have to queue that long.

All students leave the classroom.

Schule am Schillerpark – Cycle `Collaboration - Competition`

The book:

`HOLES` by Louis Sacher

Our second book was about a boy who learns that competition is important in life but that you

can only be successful when you cooperate.

Stanley Yelnats is kept in Camp Green Lake

where boys are sent when they came in

conflict with the law. They have to dig holes

every day. On his family there is a curse

because of his great-great-grandfather who

broke a promise to Mrs Zeroni and since that

time his family has always had bad luck.

Stanley breaks this curse when he escapes

from the camp and survives because of his

cooperation with Zero the great-great-grandson of Mrs Zeroni. Both boys learn that surviving

is only possible when they help each other. Our students soon developed the idea that they

wanted to create a game which includes both – cooperation and competition. So they decided

to play in teams against other teams. The basic idea is: you can only be the winner within a

team and the weakest part of the team must be strengthened to win in the end. The result is an

interesting game with a mixture of luck and knowledge where holes play an important role.

Holes – the game

Rules of the game

The game is played in teams of two players but every player gets his/her own piece. The

pieces of every team have the same colour. Both players of a team can count together their

gold nuggets and answer the questions together.

Start

To start the match you have to throw the dice AND have a six. To get into the game you have

three attempts per round. When you are in the match you move forward according to the

number of points your dice shows.

Aim of the game


The winner is who reaches the treasure chest TOGETHER with the partner.

Action of the game

On the board there are different fields, which you should pass or sometimes better avoid:

Holes (round fields): When you fall into one of the holes you must take one of the

action cards.

Fields with a black number: on these fields you can collect gold nuggets. You can see

on the field how many nuggets you get (e.g. +2 means that you get two gold nuggets).

Fields with a red number: on these fields you have to give back gold nuggets. (e.g. -2

means you have to give back two gold nuggets). If you don’t have the required

number of gold nuggets you have to go back to the start and start the game again.

Gold hole (“Goldgrube”): When you get to the gold hole you have to wait for your

game partner and give back 10 gold nuggets. If the team has not enough nuggets, ONE

of the two players of the team goes back to the start.

Question fields: After the team has paid the gold nuggets, it has to answer three

questions. The team partners can help each other. If one of the answers is wrong the

team has to wait fort the next round to answer three more questions.


Questions (two examples)

Which two countries do NOT belong to the

European Union?

Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Norway,

Finland, Switzerland, Austria

How many metres are 5 feet?

a) 2,575 m

b) 5,275 m

c) 1,524 m

correct answer: Norway and Switzerland correct answer: c) 1,524 m

Action cards

When you fall into a hole you have to take an action card and follow the instructions on the

card. Some cards contain the request to play another game. The instructions for these action

games can be found on separate sheets.

Joker stones

If you take the action card „joker stone“, you can take one of the joker stones out of the

treasure bag (with closed eyes). If you get a gold nugget you are lucky – otherwise you just

have a stone.

Instructions for action cards

Peter and Paul

All players are sitting in a circle. We number off: The first player’s name is Peter, the name

of the second Paul, the other players get numbers : one, two, three … up to the number of

players taking part in the game. Then the group exercises the rhythm of the game: first all clap

with both hands on the thigh, then once in the hands, then all snap with the left hand and then


with the right hand. Then the rhythm is started again.

When all have the right rhythm the text is added: during the snapping two numbers are said:

during the first snap the number of the player who plays, during the second snap the number

of the player who will be next. E.g.: Clap on the tights, snap and say ‘one’, snap and say

‘four’: number one makes the announcement, number four will be the next. And it goes on

this way … The aim of the game is that all manage the task. Peter and Paul can try to disturb

the group but they may only start when all players are more or less coordinated.

The Kangaroo-game

All players are standing in a circle. For the game three players have to cooperate. One person

is in the centre and points at one of the players and gives a command. The player and his/her

two neighbours has to fulfil the task given without mistake. If there’s a mistake the player

who did it has to go into the centre of the circle.

The commands:

Toaster

The person pointed at is the toast and jumps up

and the neighbours keep their arms up and

form the toaster.

Washing machine

The person pointed at moves the head like a moving washing machine, the neighbours form a

rectangle to imitate the body of the machine.

Kangaroo

The person pointed at forms the bag of the kangaroo with his/her two arms, the neighbours are

baby-kangaroos and have to puke (spit) into the bag.

Elephant

The person pointed at forms a trunk and shouts „Törööö“, the neighbours form the big ears of

the elephant with their arms.


Mixer

The person pointed at holds the arms on both sides above his/her neighbours head who turn

around as if they were the mixers.

The apes

Nothing see, nothing hear and nothing say. The left person holds the hands in front of the

eyes, the person pointed at hold the hands in front of the ears and the person on the right holds

the hands in front of the mouth.

Palm-tree

The person pointed at plays the stem of the palm–tree, the neighbours play the palm leafs and

wave their arms.

Duck

The person pointed at forms a beak of a duck, the neighbours waggle with their bottom.

Microwave

All three players take their hands up in front of them (the flat of the hands upwards) and say

“Pling”.

Michael Ballack (football star)


The person pointed at kicks the ball into the net. The two others cheer the goal.

Band

The person pointed at shakes the head to the left, to the right, forwards and backwards so that

the hair is waving. The two neighbours play the guitars.

Kebap restaurant

The person pointed at is the kebap and turns around all the time. The left neighbour fixes the

kebap and puts the finger on his/her head. The right neighbour is the knife and cuts parts from

the kebap.

Bicycle

The neighbours form the pedals and imitate with their hands the movement of the pedals, the

person pointed at looks left and right with the head up and says “ring, ring, ring”.

Roundabout

The chairs are placed in a circle as close to each other as possible without a gap. The players

are standing on the chairs and have to fulfil several tasks. First they have to find the right

position according to their birthday, starting with the earliest day in the year, then they have to

place according to the alphabetical order of their surnames or first names. Nobody should step

down from the chairs and all should help each other.


House, tree, dog

Teams of two players draw on a piece of

paper a house, a tree and a dog without

talking to each other. The paintings are

presented to the group with the applause

of all players.

Airport

We are on an airport. The players are

sitting in two rows, one row opposite to

the other. The small way between the two rows is the runway. It is foggy and stormy. Because

of the storm several items can

be found on the runway. For

every game two volunteers are

needed. One is the pilot of the

plane and stands at the

beginning of the runway and

the other is the flight controller

and stands at the end of the

runway. The aim of the game is

to land the plane without

damage – that means to avoid to

touch something on the runway

while landing. But two facts

make it even more difficult:

because of the fog the pilot

can’t see anything, so the eyes

of the pilot are covered and

because of the storm the radio

connection is only possible

from one side: the pilot can hear the flight controller but he can’t speak himself. The items on

the runway are changed after every round so that the problems are always different for the

landing plane. Items on the runway could be books, keys, bottles etc.


Tilt the chair

All chairs are placed in a circle, as many chairs as players. The players are standing behind a

chair and tilt the chair backwards. On the command of the supervisor all go ‘left’ and grab the

neighbour’s chair. All chairs must be kept tilted and are not allowed to stand completely on

the ground. Then all move to the right, to the left, to the right again and so on. The speed of

the movement can be varied or every second chair can be taken. All help each other and try to

solve the task as a group.

Blind picture

Every team gets 10 matches. One person from team 1 forms a picture with the matches. One

player of the other team(s) sees the picture and describes his/her partners who can’t see the

picture how they have to put the matches so that the same picture is formed. They are not

allowed to ask any questions, only the person who describes is allowed to speak. Do all

manage to fulfil the task?

Schule am Schillerpark – Cycle ` Submission - Rebellion`

The books:

ÀLICIA GOES TO TOWN` by Klaus Kordon

In the third period of our project our students could choose between two books. The book

‘Alicia goes to town’ written by Klaus Kordon contains seven short stories from different

countries. In the focus of all stories are children or youngsters who live under difficult, partly

inhuman circumstances and try to survive and make brave decisions. Blind Suriaki from

Indonesia has to decide between a healing eye operation in Europe and her family. Alicia

leaves the slums of Rio and at the same time her brother. She goes to town because she hopes

for a better life and believes in a strange photographer who promises her a lot of money for a

photo novel. Ahmet is still a child but he already experiences the second war in his life. On

his escape he tries everything that he and his comrades survive.

In the process of the discussion about the book the students choose some of the stories. They

were looking for background information about the life of the Aborigine boy Mura and to

Nguyen, a Vietnamese boy living in Berlin, wrote reports and put them together in a news

broadcast: the daily news from Berlin. (see DVD)

ÀISHA OR THE SUN OF LIFE` by Federica de Cesco

The main character of Federica de Cesco’s book is Aisha. Aisha is an Algerian girl whose

family immigrated to France. The book plays in 1985 in a suburb of Paris. Aisha's family lives

very traditionally and is very religious.

Aisha goes to a college but she is an outsider because she wears a headscarf and very

traditional Muslim clothes and her parents do not accept any contacts to other students of her

class. Aisha does not like the way of her life, she would like to wear modern clothes and go

out with her class-mates. But she accepts silently how she is treated and how she has to live.

One day she meets Kim, a Vietnamese boy and she falls in love with him. Now she gets into a

deep conflict. She has to decide between the love to her family, the tradition of her religion, a

life in dependence without any freedom and her love to Kim. Love and freedom succeeds:

She knocks down her violent brother Said and escapes to a free life with Kim in love. She

does not want to live any longer without ‘the sun of life.’


SCRIPT OF THE DAILY NEWS FROM BERLIN (EXTRACT)

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, here are the daily news from Berlin presented by Fabian

Dinica and the reporters from the Berlin Comenius group.

Forced power against women (Part I)

There are two forms of forced power against women: First psychic forced power, which

means women are forced to do things they don’t like. Simply said women are handled like the

property of a man. This can lead to heavy mental problems. The basis for this kind of forced

power are the circumstances in the societies. Often the economic power is in the hands of men

which makes the women completely dependent.

Forced power against women (Part II)

The second form is physical punishment. Here the women are injured when they are beaten,

the nails are pulled out or they are sexually misused. In many countries women are not

protected by the law at all. The worst form of physical forced power is the female genital

mutilation. Parts of the female sexual organs are cut out. People all over the world fight

against this terrible form of violence.


Native Australians

The history of the Aborigines after the white people came to Australia is a history full of

suppression, racism and crimes against humanity. People were killed, other had to work as

slaves and lots died because of illnesses brought to Australia by the white people. The

Australian Bureau of statistics reports that the number of Aborigines went down from 300.000

in 1780 to 60.000 in 1920. In the 20th

century the biggest crime took place. Aborigine children

were taken from their families and given to white families, a forced adoption. 20% of all

Aborigine children were effected. To remember that crime The National Sorry Day is an

official Australian bank holiday today.

Today Aborigines are still in an oppressed position: they live on the bottom of the social scale,

get less wage, are often unemployed and the crime rate among them is very high also because

of their often hopeless situation. By many white Australians they are still considered as

second class members of the Australian society.

''Mura's Revenge'' by Klaus Kordon

Mura is an Aborigine boy and he is a good example that Aborigines are treated like shit. He

lives together with his mother and his uncle in a hat. She works as a cleaning woman in a

hotel. When a customer complains about her the manager of the hotel uses his chance and

throws her out. He doesn’t like Aborigines.

As Aborigines have no real rights at court Mura decides to take revenge on the manager for

his mother. He plans to steel something from the manager. But the boys are detected and the

manager kills Mura’s best friend. Mura runs home and his mother first wants to go to the

police. But they realize that nobody will believe them and that her only chance is to escape to

an Aborigine reservation to start a new life.

Violence against women

What is a forced marriage? Forced marriage means that two people get married without the

consent of one or both partners or against the explicit will of one or both partners. Forced

marriages can be found in many traditional societies and in a lot of religions on nearly all

continents. In most countries the legal age for getting married is at least 15, in Germany 16.

Often the girls or boys concerned agree under the pressure of their families as a negative

answer would not be accepted by their families anyway. Even in a modern and democratic

country like Germany forced marriages take place in a large number every year.


Xenophobia

Xenophobia is a different word for hostility against foreigners. Often strange sides of other

people are rejected. Often this is combined with fear of everything unknown or simply a fear

of loosing the job. Often ‘strange’ people are also made responsible for the personal negative

situation although they can’t be blamed for it. The rejection can often be found against

complete real or supposed social groups such as religious groups (Muslim or Jewish people),

economic groups (people who are on social welfare), cultural or ethnic groups. Xenophobia is

still a real problem in Germany and it should be fought against every day.

''In prison'' by Klaus Kordon

Nguyen is a Vietnamese boy who lives in a special house for foreign refugees in the eastern

part of Berlin. This house is the only place where his parents feel safe as they fear xenophobic

attacks. But Nguyen is fed up with staying at home and seeing the same faces all the time. He

feels imprisoned. He loves to walk in the morning, that is the time when he feels free.

One Saturday afternoon he uses the city train. There he meets a group of drunk football

hooligans who abuse him. As he doesn’t react they get more aggressive and beat him. They

get more and more aggressive ….


News from the world of the stars

Stars often die too early. Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, died at the age of 50 because his

doctor gave him an overdose medicine. Another example is Amy Winehouse. She died at the

age of 27 because of too much drugs and alcohol. So you see – the life of a star is very

interesting, but very dangerous, too.

Sport news

Soccer: Mesut Özil has been elected to the footballer of the year. He will be awarded the price

before the friendly match Germany versus France tomorrow in Bremen.

Formula 1: Sebastian Vettel, twice Formula One - world champion has expressed his

understanding for the early resign of Magdalena Neuner at the age of 25. He also said he will

go on driving for a long time as he loves to be in the cockpit.

Boxing: Vitali Klitschko is looking forward to his next fight against Jean-Marc Mormeck. He

wants to gain his 50th

knock-out-win.

The weather forecast

In the morning the weather will be rather sunny, in the afternoon it will be cloudy and during

the night there will be rain all over the country. I have never seen such a weather before!

These were the breaking news for today. Have a nice evening. We will be back at 10 pm.

Good night.

Schule am Schillerpark

QUOTATIONS OF OUR STUDENTS REFLECTING ON THE PROJECT

“Reading this book is so much fun, that I not only start reading it at school, but also in my

leisure time. I normally prefer to watch TV but since I started reading I’m less addicted to the

television. The book is so thrilling, that I want to read every minute, just to know how the

story is going on. Although reading never was interesting to me, now I really, really find it

fun. I don’t understand any longer why I firstly refused to read!”

“I always thought reading would be terrible. In the Comenius project I learnt that reading can

be much fun if you take the right books.”

“During the project my English has very much improved. I never thought I really would be

able to talk to people.”

“The only books I read in my life (and the only ones, I read until the end) were the books of

the Comenius project.”

“I got a lot of courage and self-confidence taking part in the Comenius project.”

“I learnt much about democracy.”

GRUPUL ȘCOLAR DUMEȘTI, IAȘI COUNTY, ROMANIA

We are a rural school in Dumesti, near the biggest city in north-east of Romania, Iasi, a

beautiful university town with a lot of touristic and historical places. Several big Romanian

writers lived here. Now there is no big industrial activity in the area because the factories have

been disbanded one by one, so there are not many jobs in the area.

In our school are studying almost 500 students aged between 7 and 16 years, from primary to

lower high school. There are well-equipped laboratories of science, biology and computer

room in the school, also a documentary center with all equipment and library books.

Dumesti is a large village with about 4500 inhabitants, many of them go abroad in search of

better paid jobs for a better standard of living for their families. Many of ours activities aimed

at keeping students in school and encouraging them to continue their studies. Students and

local community must became aware of the importance of knowledge in their lives. We need

education, creativity, information, communication, love, friends, family, peace to grow up and

became strong and healthy personalities. The project helps children with similar problems to

communicate and understand the importance of education, learn more about other countries

culture, customs and traditions of each partner.

So do we, as teachers, we gain new knowledge and experience, then we will use them in the

interest of our students.

Grupul Școlar Dumești

OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES

• Increasing the number of lectures to read per semester ( book presentations, reading

times, case study);

• Increase student`s interest on a certain topic (drama by drawing comics, or they can

change story by adding, changing, or rejection);

• The development of positive attitudes by reading stories (learning songs, playing

roles, conducting photo albums, posters);

• Assimilations of knowledge about the culture of other countries (presentations by all

partners involved in the project summaries of readings from the study of national

literature);

• The presentation of the project`s product through comic books, short stories about

resolving common social cases seen at all project partners;

• Socialization (creation of a virtual community where students are involved in

exchanges of views, impressions through the internet).

RESULTS AND EXPECTATIONS

ACCEPT. REJECT

OUR ACTIVITIES:

1. Donate a book and see “Salt in food”

2.“Salt in food ” drama

3. Comics books for “Salt in food”

4. The story of a lazy man - debate with 7-th grade

5. Literary contest

6. The story of a lazy student- a drama created by a student of 7-th grade

7. Activities evaluation


The dramatization of a literary work “SALT IN FOOD” was a special activity

prepared with great love and excitement by the students of 3rd grade. Them, under the

guidance of teacher Mr Ion Sofron staged “Salt in food” and with great joy played the roles.

The students were dressed as characters from the story. King girls wore national costumes,

and the boys wore crowns had like kings. They manufactured parts of costumes. This activity

was attended by parents and other guests. Finally, “ the actors“ were applauded , have

received awards, diplomas and appreciations for their wonderful interpretation.


Another activity of this project was organized by the 6-th grade pupils who made cartoons for

the story “Salt in foods”. Of all pictures with scenes of this story, 4-th grade choose two

albums, that have been most successful.

The 7th grade debate and discussion on the opera “The story of a lazy man” started

with two concepts: Accept and Reject. The children were asked to give examples of

representative people in their community, but also negative examples. Then they explained

the two terms, helped by a dictionary of synonyms. We chose to study “ The story of a lazy

man” by Ion Creanga.

The students was divided into four teams and using the quadrants method each team

had to solve one requirement.

Through this competition we wanted to highlight the phenomenon of acceptance and

rejection by the Romanian literary work “Salt in food” and “The story of a lazy man”. The

competition involves students of primary school. They were divided into five groups with

funny names like: the braves, the curious, the savages…

We mention that the students of tenth grade were the organizers .Under the supervision

of the committee members they played the role of mature people, to make decisions for a


group of young children, without teachers intervention, to see their impact and how to act in

certain situations, in our case acceptance – rejection theme.

The whole activity was developed in a friendly atmosphere, very well organized, each

time was calculated in advance by the 10th grade. They have shown true qualities of

organization and competitive, and they have integrated without problems into a group with

students of different ages and classes, socializing with them.

The winning team was “ The curious’”, but all children received nice prizes. We took

photos with all participants.


The sketch “ The story of a lazy student” created by the seventh grade students was just to


illustrate the connection between literature (“ The story of a lazy man”) and real life. Just like

in the story, when the villagers tried to help his neighbor to cure his laziness, students tried to

help his classmate to become an excellent student but the attempts have failed because the

lazy student prefer to die rather than to learn.

The class must save himself and exclude the sloth which is a bad example for other

students.

EVALUATION

At the end of this cycle of activity was applied a questionnaire containing 7 questions, to

see the impact on students.

1. What were the activities with your class in the Comenius project "Living, Reading,

Growing?

2. What did you like the most from you have done?

3. Tell us where have you heard about acceptance or rejection in the lectures you have read

for this project.

4. Do you know any examples of rejected pupils from your class? Can you help them getting

over that feeling? How?

5. What kind of lectures became interesting in your opinion after developing the activities

within this project?

6. Tell something you have learned from a character after reading a lecture or a book this

semester.

7. What improvements or new ideas could you bring to this project?

At the first question, the pupils have enumerated the developed activities

About the second question, the students loved the idea of finding another end and the

adapting the story in the modern times. Also, they appreciated the sketch of the pupils from

the 3rd and 5th grade.

At the 3rd question, they have given many examples of the literary work where you can find

acceptance – rejection situations, most important being “The happy prince”, “A lost letter”,

“The hatchet”, “The young sheep”, “Memories from the childhood”, “Mr. Goe” etc.

At the question about examples of rejected students, they didn’t give names, but

they have mentioned that there are some cases. For the integration of this pupils, they gave a


few suggestions about helping them: discussing, involving them in their games and activities,

explaining some misunderstood things and giving them responsibilities.

Further, the students have enumerated types of the literary work they want to read,

like kids novels, romance, SF story, magazines and news paper.

Form the lectures that they have read, the students have learned from the characters

some sayings like: “help the others”, “never say never”, “never give up”, “follow your

dreams”, “life is beautiful”, “don’t say it’s over” etc.

As ideas for future themes of the project, the students have considered that will be

welcome some different contests, sketches, discussions about the lectures they have read, trips

and travels, artistic programs, free air activities, parade of the characters.

COLABORATION. COMPETITION

ACTIVITIES

1. Painting traditional eggs – introducing our new Comenius theme.

2. Little surprise for the partners

Literary meeting – contest and debate

3. Collaboration – Competition in sportive games

4. I– alone or with the others? - English class activity

5. Comenius Rainbow – colors and Comenius images in the school yard.

6. TheBook - a traveler through time -Literary contest in The Central Library Botosani

7. The Story of Harap-Alb – literary contest.

8. Activities evaluation

The Easter was close , so we organized a traditional activity for introducing the new

Comenius theme :Collaboration – Competition.

The 8-th and the 10-th grades have participated, also the teachers colleagues and the

parents. During the painting and the discussions we have seen also the movies for the literary

stories of the theme. The prices and diplomas have ended our successful activity.




When we returned home from Italy, because we enjoyed the visit, to keep our partners

close to us and to really feel them participating to our school activities……we prepared the

short story at the literary meeting .

Work shop

The 10-th grade organized and created the scene under the guidance of Teacher

Moldoveanu Mihaela ,Teacher Gheorghiu Corina and Teacher Tesu Adrian.


After the work shop of the 10-th grade students, we continued with the literary meeting

of the 4-th and 5-th grade pupils.

Collaborating with the Librarian Cocoveica Laura , we have discussed the two stories

of our Comenius theme:

- The Story of Harap-Alb

- Praslea the Brave and the Golden Apples

The pupils completed the questionnaire we gave them and invited others pupils to join

us, in the Comenius Space we have created in the school yard.


This activity was proposed and guided by Teacher Tesu Adrian with the participation of

the 8-th B grade pupils witch formed teams for the contest and also competing two by two.

Expectations: the students to collaborate and compete between them. All the contest was

organised on the school back Yard.


Another activity of the project, during the English class, Teacher Buzila Mirela under

the title Communication and social abilities, the 7-th grade pupils talked about the meaning

of the Collaboration and Competition words, they identified situations and places where we

can find those words, also the pupils illustrated the activity with drawings inspired by the

stories of the Comenius theme.

• The Comenius Rainbow-Color and Image through Children’s Eyes

• The third and fourth grade students participated at the activity, which took place in the

schoolyard and on the sidewalks around the school buildings, during the English

classes.

• The students used color chalk, cardboard and colored sticker to illustrate scenes and

moments from the proposed work:” The Brave Praslea and The Golden Apples”.

• They were supervised and guided by the two teachers , Maria-Corina Gheorghiu and

Iuliana Dorneanu, also were invited Mrs. Director Ana Dorneanu and Mrs. Librarian

Laura Cocoveica.


• The students were encouraged to express their opinions and ideas about the discussed

topic. At the end of activity were selected the most interesting ideas and opinions

which, along with the artistic drawings have been awarded.

• The students also received a worksheet with references to the text. On the worksheets,

students wrote their opinions about the activity and the importance of reading in our

lives.

• The purpose of the activity was to enrich students’ knowledge, to encourage and

stimulate their imagination and artistic skills.

• The fifth grade students participated at the activity, which took place in the schoolyard

and on the sidewalks around the school buildings, during the English classes.

• The students used color chalk, cardboard and colored sticker to illustrate scenes and

moments from the proposed works:” The Brave Praslea and The Golden Apples” and

“The Story of White-Moor”.

• They were supervised and guided by the two teachers, Maria-Corina Gheorghiu and

Iuliana Dorneanu, and also were invited Mrs. Director Ana Dorneanu and Mrs.

Librarian Laura Cocoveica.

• The students were encouraged to express their opinions and ideas about the discussed

topic. At the end of activity were selected the most interesting ideas and opinions

which, along with the artistic drawings have been awarded.

• The students also received a worksheet with references to the text. On the worksheets,

students wrote their opinions about the activity and the importance of reading in our

lives.


• The purpose of the activity was to enrich students’ knowledge, to practice their ability

to communicate in English, to encourage and stimulate their imagination and ability to

analyze and think critically, but also their artistic skills.


The activity took place in the reading room of the County Library "Mihai Eminescu" in

Botosani, during the trip made to Ipotesti. Activity duration was 60 minutes, and its

purpose was to increase interest in reading and changing for the better children’s vision

about reading.

The forty students from SAM Dumesti and Liteni School have arrived at the library in

Botosani and Mrs. responsible for loans from the reading room students spoke about the

importance of reading, writing, and how benefit may be attending a library.

This activity has been trained with the 7- th grade students from SAM Dumesti . Its

purpose was to increase students’ interest in reading and their learning motivation. The

duration of the activity was approximately one hour. At this activity the students were

guided by teacher Mrs. Roxana Tarîţă.

Being a knowledge-building lesson, the "Harap-Alb Story" , being studied at Romanian

classes, students had to response to a questionnaire of reading, which contained twenty

questions. The students proved that they know the proposed works.

The second sequence of the lesson involves


students working in teams by 4-5 students. Each team will have to solve certain

requirements based on a fragment of the studied tale. This fragment was read by a student.

The requirements can include: summarizing the tale, making characterization of the

main character, etc.. Each team will designate a leader to read the answers. We also

discussed the role of Harap-Alb, to fulfill its mission, but also about the importance

of competition between the characters. At the end of the lesson they have expressed their

opinions.

After this cycle of our project, the interest for reading and libraries of our pupils ,

shown us a positive result.The students interest for libraries is grown, they also manifested

wishes such as :organizing more literary activities .

They enjoyed also the sport competition and the visit to The County Library “ Mihai

Eminescu” , we received appreciations for the originality of our work. The questionnaires we

applied shown us that the pupils have read the Comenius stories and they give real examples

of resemblance with characters of our community.

The originality and diversity of the activities influenced also the students to participate

and to read more.

SUBMISSION.

REBELLION

For the last abroad mobility , in Poland, we choose to approach our theme in a modern

and different way from the past activities in this project.

The proposed themes war “Rapunzel” and “The mother in law with three daughters in

law” – Ion Creanga, with a debate “Rebellion in our lives – or better submission?” under the

guidance of the VI-th grade pupils and Teacher Iuliana Dorneanu.

Teacher Cristina Gheorghiu and the pupils of the II-nd and III-th class proposed a

drama inspired from “The mother in law with three daughters in law” with traditional songs

and dance.

Considering that “Living.Reading.Growing” was our schools first Comenius experience

we observed a new and increased interest of our students in reading, library and books.

Also we war lucky to have some wonderful partners in the project with marvelous

countries and places to see. Thank you all for this experience we lived together and

good luck!


SUMMARY

The Multilateral Comenius Partnership ”Living, Reading, Growing” .....................2

Școala Generală ”Sf. Nicolae” Târgu-Jiu, Romania, .........……………………...

- Cycle Àcceptance-Rejection` .................................................................................

- Cycle 'Collaboration-Competition' .........................................................................

- Cycle `Submission - Rebellion` ..............................................................................

- Opinions about the project ......................................................................................

Szkoła Podstawowa Nr 13 W Chorzowie Im. Tadeusza Kościuszki, Chorzów,

Poland ...............................................................................................................................

- Cycle Àcceptance-Rejection` ..................................................................................


- Cycle `Submission - Rebellion` ...............................................................................

- Reflection over the project ........................................................................................

Karsiyaka Ilkögretim Okulu, Izmir, Turkey ……………………………………… - The activity of Turkey ............................................................................................

- Our impressions on project .....................................................................................

Istituto Statale Comprensivo “G. Pascoli” Urbino , Italia ………………………

- Cycle Àcceptance-Rejection` ................................................................................

- Cycle 'Collaboration-Competition' ..........................................................................

- Cycle `Submission - Rebellion` ..............................................................................

- The importance of being a reader ............................................................................

Schule am Schillerpark, Berlin, Germany …………………………………………….

- Cycle Àcceptance-Rejection` ................................................................................


- Cycle `Submission – Rebellion ...............................................................................

- Quotations of our students reflecting on the project .................................................

Grupul Școlar Dumești, Iași County, Romania .....................................................

- Results and expectations …………………………………………………………

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