In the school year 2021-22, the lower secondary school of the Deák Ferenc Primary School of the UP has chosen water as one of the priority themes of sustainability. Its multifaceted approach offered a rich program of activities for students outside the school walls as well. Since the first two years of lower secondary school do not include environmental education, the teachers tried to make the week as informative as possible through a focus on the subject. To set the mood, they also commemorated Earth Day at the class level.
The teachers invited parents to join the national selective waste collection organized by PontVelem Ltd. At the end of the competition, the pupils who collected the most items were rewarded. The school was in the lead in the county-wide collection.
The week started with an opening program performed by the first grade, which all the lower classes attended. Weekly programs and applications were also announced.
A task booklet was prepared for the colleagues with sayings, proverbs, riddles, crosswords, and online exercises.
Some episodes of the Mecsekerdő online nature series were also integrated into lessons this year.
In 2022, the series started with the online lesson of János Áder, which was watched by several classes, even on video.
A class-wide activity was the execution of the Storytelling Water Drop drawing competition. All grades produced imaginative and demanding creations. At the end of the theme week, the artworks were displayed in the corridors and classrooms after being judged.
The tutors of the Mecsekerdő Ltd. Mókussuli Forest School, (who were registered) also contributed to the sustainability theme week. This school year, several classes were able to participate in full-day sessions at the Sás Valley Education Centre. They investigated the fauna of wetlands, studied under a magnifying glass the body structure of aquatic animals, and then confirmed their findings with summary worksheets.
The Eco-City-Ecoregion Foundation was also happy to host activities for several classes in the Balokány-boscage in Pécs. The program was partly linked to the World Day of Water and sustainable development. The children listened to a story about the journey of a drop of water, from its origin to the water cycle. They learned the basics of fishing, smelled scented baits, browsed through a wide range of lures, and could even touch live baits. Each student could choose a carp to release into the pond after naming it. The program has folded up with a boat ride while trying to be on the watch of fish that were released.
All the lower classes managed to get to the Damjanich Street Water Treasury of Tettye Ltd. They took part in demanding and enjoyable interactive activities. They talked about water saving, water purification, how water gets up to the Tv Tower of Pécs, and we learned about the drinking water supply system of Pécs. The tools needed to clean the reservoir, winches, and wetsuits were shown (the braver ones could even step into them). The children built a water viaduct and carried water on a treadmill.
At the end of the program, the school made a poster with the usage of the knowledge gained.
