Comenius - Trees and the Environment

More UK Tree Plantings

2010-06-14T10:00:00.005+01:00

Just before the summer drought sets in our Year 2 pupils helped us plant out 30 small trees consisting of Rowan, Wild Cherry and Silver Birch. We also planted one special Norway Spruce which was container grown especially for the project and which was much larger than the others. The clearing was made a few weeks prior to planting out. It was in an area on the edge of existing woodland. This area was once part of the woodland but gales about 20 years ago had destroyed the trees here. It was now overgrown with nettles and brambles. Hopefully the rabbits and deer will allow some of the trees to survive. In the clearing we discovered two small oak trees about 30cm tall. We surrounded these with a ring of twigs, like a bird's nest, for their protection.

Year 2 planting the Norway Spruce

The Forest Code Video - UK contribution.

2010-06-09T17:38:00.002+01:00

The UK team presents our Forest Code submission electronically. We hope you find it interesting!

2010-06-04T09:29:00.003+01:00

Pupils' report from Finland

Hello!
On 8th of May we went from Oulunsalo to Helsinki, and from Helsinki to Prague We were in Helsinki two hours. There we ate something, shopped and talked together, and then we left to Prague. We travelled by plane. It was nice. Our flights were fun, children sat far away from the teachers. It was the first flight to some of us. Food in the plane was okay, no good, but no bad. Every one of us liked to travel to Czech.

To tell was that the Czech Republic is a green and hilly country. It was summer in Prague! It was so green, warm, sunny and nice. When we arrived to Prag, we took our luggage to hotel Vinoh and after it we went to look at the city. Our hotel was also quite good, the position of hotel was good. We spent one night there and all the next day we were in center on Prag.

Prague was a big city and there were a lot of bridges and a lot of churches. It was full of beautiful and massive churches and towers. We saw church roofs everywhere. Prague had also a big castle, lookout tower, a football stadium and many more amenities.

Prague was a clean city, there was no garbage on the streets. Prague wasa great city, full of history. Airport of Prague was bigger than HelsinkiAirport for example. We used underground, trams and busses many times. It wasnew for me. There were steep and high escalators, near the underground.

In evening we travelled to Jablonne by train. On the train station were our hosts waiting for us. We went to homes with them. It was very late and dark.

The food was different than here in Finland, but it was still excellent. We ate different food in Czech Repulic. We ate dumplings, meat, ham and Chips. The dumplings are Czech national food.There wasn't salad or vegetables. There used much grease. We also ate much chicken. When we arrived in Prague we went to a restaurant. There I ate pasta, other boys and girls ate pizza.

In Prague and Jablonne it was very nice. There were nice people, good food, beautiful scenery and fantastic trips. Our host family was great, and their home was big. Simka, the daughter in our host family, was very nice and friendly. We went shopping with Simka, and we really had fun! Jablonné is a very beautiful and pleasant village. That time was a wonderful experience. Speaking English to my new friends from England, Czech Republic, Turkey and Slovakia was the best way to learn more English!

Every day we started in school and we went somewhere. On Tuesday we visited Zampach. We played games outside the school. On Thursday we visited in a wood company and in the same day we went hiking. On Friday we planted a Comenius tree and we met the mayor of Jablonne. After that we had a Comeniusparty in the theatre. We even sang a song about a bear.

On Saturday 15 th of May we travelled by train from Jablonné nad Orlicí toPrague early in the morning. Saturday was terrible because we had to go back to Finland. On the train we didn't find any seats, so we had to sit in the restaurantcar. But we had to buy something there. First we bought hot chocolate and after that we bought some pancakes with cream. That was really delicious. After the pancakes we were already in Prague. Ourf light went from Prague to Helsinki in the morning and we were in Oulunsalo at four o'clock pm.

We had a great time in the school, with our hostess and in Prague. All activites were great too!! Trip went safely through, and nothing bigger damage occurred. The trip was very funny and I would go happily again. :) Our journey to Czech Republic was great! Comenius journey was great! We got many new friends, new experiences, and we learned more English language. Trip exceeded my expectations. It was an amazing trip, I'll never forget the week in the Czech Republic.

Erika, Jenni, Joonas, Kaisa, Veera, Ville L, Ville V

Saturday 15th May

2010-05-14T16:17:00.009+01:00

A day for parting! All but the English left for home. The English were left behind to experience concentrated culture. The children stayed with their hosts and either went swimming or to the zoo or visiting other children to "bond". The staff were given a wonderful trip along the Polish border and into Poland. At one point we came across a very strange trio of musicians in a derelict old church. Who would have expected to find a didgeridoo band rehearsing in such an isolated spot? Wonders never cease!

Friday 14th May

2010-05-14T16:17:00.008+01:00

After gathering together at school we all marched down to the Town Hall where a tall darkly-suited gentleman was waiting to receive us. He was the mayor of the town and the reception hall was beautifully bedecked with fine wooden furnishings. The mayor spoke very good English but he preferred to talk to the whole group in Czech.

He talked a little about the town and about the project. After his welcome speech some of the Czech girls played some recorder pieces from the elevated section of the room.

Outside it was raining; but this would be perfect for what was about to happen. We walked for a few minutes down to a small green area in the lower part of the town. The mayor had had three holes prepared for the planting of three new trees in commemoration of the Comenius project.

This wasn't time for long speeches so we grabbed the three trees, birch, maple and hornbeam and placed them in the holes. The middle one was given a rather special present. Under its roots was placed a sealed bottle containing coins and messages from each of the partner countries. Perhaps when the tree keels over and dies in a couple of hundred years someone might find the bottle and investigate its contents.

So the mayor was thanked and he went back to his work and to a dry pair of shoes! The rest of us walked to the cinema where the musical performance would be taking place. There was first a rehearsal for the performers whilst the few non-performers wrestled with the hot drinks machine. Soon the performance was ready to start. The orchestra played Yellow Submarine and another Beatles tune. The Czechs gave dancing displays, belly dancing from the younger ones and something a little more classical from the older ones. The Slovak girls sang songs and one of them gave us a wonderful solo performance accompanied by her teacher on piano. The Finnish team also sang for us.

The morning was not over yet because it was time to visit the plastics moulding company, Isolit-Bravo. We were shown around the injection moulding department where we saw parts of Skoda cars being made. the highlight, however, was the white plastic highchair seat for young children which was something we could all relate to. They were being shoved into boxes with Ikea labels all over them. Interestingly, later we were to encounter some of these deployed for real in a couple of restaurants. Deep fat fryers bound for the Netherlands were also piled high.

In the assembly department we saw the fryers being packaged up. There were also some ingenious motorised wheelbarrows and many of the children got to give each other rides round the assembly and packaging area.

Lunch was in the factory canteen with some of the workers eating at the same time. We were made to feel very welcome and the lunch was very nice. Thank you Isolit-Bravo!

Back to school and a free afternoon. Some of us went shopping in the town whilst others just chilled, catching up with some of the uneaten cakes which had decorated the tables all week or grabbing some computer time. The weather was improving a little and the evening was drier.

Children went back to their hosts for a last night together whilst the adults met in the Black Bear for a goodbye meal.

Thursday 13th May

2010-05-13T07:36:00.008+01:00

This morning the children were divided into two groups. For half of the morning, each group did artwork for display at the final assembly, or practised their music for it. For the other half, they walked through the town to a factory where wooden garden furniture is prepared and assembled. Teachers accompanied this trip and also put up the display in the town cinema.

The factory belongs to the husband of a teacher at the school, so he knew all about us and had prepared a warm welcome. We were given t-shirts and refreshments, shown the processes of the factory from start to finish, and then the children were invited to do some manufacturing themselves. They hammered and glued and used electric screwdrivers for all they were worth, making parts of small stools which were patented here, while teachers watched in admiration, taking photos. The best surprise of all was that while we were having our refreshments afterwards, we were presented with a wrapped stools for our schools which our own children had put together. How cool is that?

The weather was again kinder than forecast, so after lunch at school and a short break--time for teachers to update blogs and check the latest flight situation--we were able to set off by coach again for Tvrz Bouda, an underground fortification constructed in the 1930s for defence against Germany, but never used as such. Apparently it was used during the Cold War by the Russians.

This trip involved climbing what the English would call a mountain (nearly 1000 m above sea level) but the Czechs regard as just a hill. There is a wonderful view from the top as far as Poland, but we saw nothing because of the low cloud base. Then began a long descending hike to the fortifications, and a walk for an hour through the maze of tunnels underground, where it was cold (4.5 degrees). The guide was an enthusiast who felt he had to tell us everything! My impression was that I would have hated to live and work in such an environment as a soldier.

After surfacing and eating our packed tea we continued our descent, this time about 7 km to Těchonín where Hugh and Chris, two of the English party, have been staying. The track was muddy in places and steep in others, but now we enjoyed some spectacular views en route in Alpine-type country before rejoining our bus for the short ride back to school and hosts, tired but happy.

Wednesday 12th May

2010-05-13T07:35:00.006+01:00

The Morning of Unusual Sports
The morning was a bit cloudy and Valeria thought it would be good to start right away at the sports field just behind the school building because the weather report had promised some showers. The sports ground had nice decorations in white paint. There was also the word COMENIUS in big letters.

The children were divided into four groups. Each group was of mixed nationality. The first game was dodgeball where the members of one group tried to hit a member of the other team by throwing the ball. What enthusiasm and accuracy in throwing!

The second game was named Finnball. The meaning in this game was to hit a ball with a baseball bat and the members on the field were to collect the ball and throw it back to the home base. During this time the whole of the other team would run around two cones. They got a point if all the members had passed the cone before the person in the home base had received the ball back from the field and shouted "Stop". After all the members had had a turn of hitting the ball, the teams changed their task. A lot of running gave red cheeks.

We were lucky; no rain the whole time. All were thirsty and glad to have something to drink, with delicious cake made early in the morning by one of the host mothers. After this the teams played crocker (a game played with a football but with runners and wickets as in English cricket) and bumball (a game played on all fours like handball except you can´t stand up). The children were quick like small spiders. The enjoyment, fun and the international co-operation was just gorgeous.

Afternoon trip to Litomyšl
Chicken with pasta and soup for lunch tasted very well. After that we took our siesta and at 13.30 was our bus ready to go to Litomyšl, that is the birthplace of Czech composer Bedřich Smetana. We have done this 40 km trip in about an hour. Some of us were a little bit tired and slept in the bus. The non-sleepers watched some of us, how to sleep. The weather has cooperated with our fatigue. It's raining, men!

We arrived in Litomyšl at about 3.00 p.m. We visited the chateau complex which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999. We saw the exquisite interiors of the castle, especially the baroque castle theatre, in the amphitheatre, in the castle park and Smetana's house, all offer varied programmes of concerts and theatrical performances. In 1994 the meeting of the seven Central European presidents took place at the castle.

There are original coulisses in the baroque castle theatre. It was built for the rich and also for ordinary people. They still play in this theatre. Opposite the castle is a brewery, where Bedřich Smetana was born as a son of a brewer.

There are large rooms in the castle with original wood-floor, made in different kinds of designs, which were in every room different. The owner and nobility entered this castle and all of the rooms already riding their horses. There is also a big collection of porcelain, pianos and great pictures with horses, war scenes and hunting scenes. There were also portraits of the owners, art pictures from holidays, a lot of lounge rooms – the blue one, the green one, saloon for ladies, etc.

After this visit we were in centre for shopping for an hour and we left the city at about 17.15. We turned back and the adults had a very nice dinner in the school. The meal was prepared by a school cook. Great surprise was an evening belly dance by the teachers (photos not allowed). Four ladies danced some prepared dances for our Comenius group.

We really enjoyed this day and the evening.

Tuesday 11th May

2010-05-13T07:34:00.009+01:00

Today we boarded a bus which took us to a nearby town called Letohrad. Even though the weather report promised rain we were treated to bright sunshine from the beginning. Just beyond Letohrad was a very special place, Zampach Arboretum.

The arboretum was not just a place for caring for trees but it also cared for a special group of people. Zampach is also an institution which cares for people with special needs. It provides them with accommodation and training in self-sufficiency by allowing them to take care of the trees, a few horses and a donkey.

On arrival we were shown an introductory presentation and then we walked around the grounds following the worksheet which was prepared for us. The Turkish team was by far the best at this. Well done.

The arboretum was at the foot of a large, forest-covered hill. At the top of the hill stood a castle, but we didn't have time to visit it, unfortunately. The surrounding countryside was beautiful and bathed in a golden light. Large deer were seen dashing across distant fields.

After the arboretum we went back to Letohrad and stopped at a museum of old craft. There were old farm machines and workshop tools covering a variety of metal and wood crafts. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take any photographs inside the museum.

Lunch was in the restaurant at the museum. Some of us had the typical Czech menu with dumplings.

After lunch the coach took us to a flooded section of the river above the Pastviny Dam. Here we were able to hire pedalos or a rowing boat for an hour of fun on the water. It did rain a little but we were not bothered at all.

Last stop before returning to school was the dam itself. The dam was fairly tall but the volume of water coming out of the bottom was fairly small. The river itself is no more than a few metres wide and it is not very deep. The amount of electricity generated must be quite small.

Monday 10th May

2010-05-10T16:06:00.005+01:00

The day began early with everyone arriving at the school in Jablonné before 8 a.m. We were all warmly welcomed by staff and children. However, the elements were not so friendly and umbrellas were the order of the day, for the short walk to school at least. Soon we were given the morning´s instructions and divided into groups for a tour of the school building. After a refreshment break the children were sorted into two groups. One group went off to start rehearsing the week´s musical production whilst the other group went off to do an art activity based on the "Comenius Tree". At about 10 a.m. the whole school was assembled outside, the weather having improved enough, to sing two songs together with their guests. The first song was Queen´s "Friends will be Friends". Not many people knew this song well enough but we all gave it a good try. The second song was better known and much better performed. It was "We Are The World", made famous by Michael Jackson over 25 years ago. Both songs were chosen for their lyrics which reflected the spirit of the Comenius project. After the singing it was time for speeches. Each team leader was handed the microphone to say a few words to the assembled body. The Czech team leader translated where necessary. Turkey was first to brave the microphone, followed by the Slovaks, the British and finally the Finns.

After this there were visits to lessons for the children and any adults wishing to see more of the classes.
Lunch was provided in the canteen. We had a nice soup and a fish dish with mashed potatoes. Dessert was mixed fruit in syrup. Lunch was followed by tours of the town of Jablonné.

We were shown the plastics factory, Isolit-Bravo, the river Orlici, the old town bridge, the town square including the old Black Bear hotel, the Town Hall, the mayor´s house, a museum, pizzeria and other beautiful buildings. The old church, with its 300 year old spire, was the highlight of the tour.

The priest, Father Pavel, was very kind and he explained about the history of the church. He even let us investigate the old pipe organ and some people, including a certain music teacher, even got to play it! Even better than this was the trip up the steep and creaky wooden steps to the bell tower.

Father Pavel even let us ring the bells whilst standing only a metre and a half from tons of swinging metal. What the people of the town thought about the impromptu bell ringing we do not know.
Refreshment was provided at the museum in the town square: then back to school for more artwork and more music before finishing at 6 p.m.

In the evening the children went home with their hosts and some of the teachers got together for a cycle ride around the outskirts of the town. To be absolutely fair it has to be mentioned that the weather in the afternoon had become warm, dry and sunny for the whole of our tour and for the duration of the early evening before sunset. One piece of worrying news was that an internal flight from Prague to Brno had to be cancelled due to volcanic ash. We will undoubtedly be spending the week studying the sky very closely!

Sunday 9th May

2010-05-10T16:05:00.004+01:00

The English party, hosteled in the Stare Mesto or Old Town, went in search of breakfast on a sunny morning in the Czech capital but found that, despite the large numbers of people converging on the area from where the city´s marathon (15000 entries) was shortly to start, restaurant owners were having their usual Sunday lie-in; even the market stall holders were only just beginning to set up. We eventually found an Italian cafe open and enjoyed a continental breakfast amidst the runners warming up.

We returned to our hotel to meet Radka, a friend of one of our pupils, who had come up to the capital solely to act as our guide, without expecting to find the way to Wenceslas Square, where we were to meet the Finnish party, blocked by the race. We had to dash beneath the cordon and between the runners in order to progress, and did so under the eye of the Czech TV camera broadcasting the action. The rather intimidating-looking Czech police ignored us--school parties have a strange immunity at times! So we were able to march up the square, actually a long, broad, tree-lined street full of surprisingly English stores like M & S, to meet the Finns beneath the famous statue in front of the Museum. With them was the Czech teacher Petr, who was acting as their guide.

Cordial greetings were exchanged and the decision taken to get day travel tickets and catch a tram to the tower commonly known as the Mini-Eiffel. But neither Petr nor Radka had bargained on the marathon, and the tram had to be abandoned once we realised the right number was taking us in the wrong direction!

A long day´s walking ensued; but if you are ever going to walk all day round a European capital, choose Prague in the spring. The forecast rain held off, live bands played for the runners on what seemed every street corner, and on roads with more segways than cars running, we made our way with cameras clicking frequently through this most scenic of cities. Children not usually moved by British architecture were commenting on the beauty of the buildings, by turns colourful, grand, classically-proportioned and wonderfully decorated, some with murals, some with statues, and most with lovely examples of stonework. We walked up the hill (some took the cable car) to the imitation-Eiffel Tower at the top, followed by 299 steps for those who wanted the best view--more cameras clicking, accompanied by gasps which may have been in astonishment at the panorama unfolding, or may simply have been due to shortage of breath.

Even greater beauties lay in store for us than the view of spires, treetops, red-tiled roofs and the Vltava curving between the magnificent riverside buildings could afford. After a light but leisurely meal we made our way down to the still high castle and cathedral. Just when you might have thought you could not see a more attractive set of large buildings anywhere, you turned a corner and each new street seem to surpass the ones before. Cobbled streets, the absence of traffic, steep and narrow alleys disappearing down towards the river, incredibly-detailed carving and artwork on the walls, ornate iron fountains--and still we had not arrived at the jewels in the crown! I had to replace my camera batteries by the time we arrived at the castle, with a quartet playing classical music nearby and the blue-uniformed guards changing conveniently for us just after we showed up.

The castle is hugely impressive. Parts are in daily use as government offices, yet tourists wander freely around in both senses of the word, posing for photos and tossing coins into the fountain and the well. We had already seen more civic beauty than most cities could afford in their entirety, when we entered St. Vitus´ Cathedral, which simply took our breath away. One glory followed another in quick succession: the stained glass windows--I had never seen such an accumulation of colours tumbling over and into each other in patterns of vitality and passion--the huge arches, the ornately decorated tombs, the magnificent paintings, the beautiful statues and the quiet sacred corners. It was a very moving experience just to be here. Our time in the Czech republic had barely begun, and already it felt like a great privilege to be part of it.

Our first visit to Prague was nearing its close and it was time for us to collect our suitcases and to take the tram to the railway station. Meanwhile Petr was off to the airport to meet the Turkish team and to bring them to the airport too. Eventually three nationalities and our Czech guide were on the train for the one hour fifty minute journey to the nearest mainline station to our destination. The team from Slovakia and a fleet of cars was waiting for us. Jablonné was only thirty kilometres away so, although it was quite late, it was not unbearably so.

Fourth International Project Meeting - Czech Republic. 10th - 15th May 2010

2010-05-10T15:54:00.003+01:00

The final project meeting is taking place in Jablonné nad Orlici in the Czech Republic. The team from Finland began their journey as early as 3 a.m. on the Saturday morning (8/5/2010). The team from England also started on the Saturday but much later. Both teams stayed in hotels in Prague and met up on Sunday morning for a joint tour of the city.

The Turkish and Slovak teams were making their preparations to travel on the Sunday.

2010-05-06T20:01:00.001+01:00

The kids write on Thursday just before the journey:

Only two days to the departure to Czech Republic.
I am excited because this is my first trip by plane.
The flight departs on Saturday at six in the morning from Oulu airport.
I hope that the week will be awesome.

I'm very excited about the trip and I'm happy because I can go to Czech Republic
with one of my best friends. I have talked a lot with our lady of the house,
Veronika. I’m not scared of anything, because my friend is there with me. I
think it is amazing to have moss growing on itself!!! I will wake up on
Saturday at half past three. I can't wait!

I'm really excited about the trip. It's amazing and really great that I can go
to this trip and my best friend will come too! :)
We have to hope that the weather is going to be better, because now it's quite
rainy... My lady of the house is really nice. I will wake up at half past three
on Saturday, because the flight is going to leave at six o’clock from Oulu.
The trip is maybe the best thing of this year.. .:)

I am so excited about the trip that my hands are shaking already. I’m really
looking forward to meeting Simka. I can’t wait to taste some new foods. I hope
that I won’t forget any important items in Finland. I also hope that the
weather will be good in Prague.

I’m looking forward to visiting Prague and Jablonne. I am very excited about the
journey.
I hope that I will get some new friends. I’m going to pack my bags on Thursday.
I’m looking forward to meeting Simona. I hope that the weather will be great.
I'm looking forward to tasting Czech food.

I’m a little bit excited but happy. I haven't packed yet. So I need to pack my
bag.
The flight takes off at 6.00 so I have to wake up at 4.00 on Saturday. I think
the flight goes well and we will arrive at Prague in time. So we are waiting
for the journey here in Finland.

I feel good before the journey and I am really looking forward to it. I am not
excited but I am happy and happy. I think I have to wake up at six every
morning in Jablonne, BUT I am very happy.
I have packed my clothes and other things.

2010-05-04T13:15:00.031+01:00

Hello dear friends!

Busy days before the journey to Czech. We are eagerly waiting for the departure, wishing that the volcanic ashcloud doesn't hinder it. Janne and I are sipping the English Chai tea and remembering Ian and the rest of the Comenius group. We wanted you also to see our pictures from our trip to Turkey and feel the warmth and friendliness once again.

2010-02-19T08:24:00.003Z

It is nearly one year ago we had hectic, exciting moments. Is everything ready on time, what else can we do and prepare? We were enthusiastic about the fact that we would have you all - friends from far away - up here in the north as our guests. Thinking back to that time brings back warm and friendly memories of spending time together. On one occation, evening, the children painted their hand and pressed it on a piece of cloth. Now this is made into a fine remembrance of togetherness and friendship by Leena Hekkanen, our teacher. A new Comenius tree is reminding us of that time indoors while the snow covers the ground and it is -31. In the picture you can see Arttu who was in Turkey and Kaisa who will travel to Czech in May.

UK Woodland Seasons (Chapter 5 - Winter)

2010-01-27T21:10:00.014Z

Days are short and the air is cold. Under a blanket of snow life goes on unnoticed.

Green plants are pushing their way up through the soil just waiting for the snow to melt.

Above ground the branches of the trees are bare and what light there is finds its way to the woodland floor unimpeded.

When the snow is gone we find a sea of golden-brown leaves and very little obvious greenery.

However, by the end of January there is a significant number of identifiable green leaves appearing and the Snowdrops are beginning to come to life, some even in flower already.

A quick look at the tree buds at the end of January shows a few beginning to swell, such as Beech and Sycamore. Hazel catkins are a little under-developed but ready to turn yellow at any minute.

On our calcareous soil the seed heads of Traveler's Joy coat the outsides of some trees and bushes in white wool. This contrasts with the dark green of the Holly trees.

If green leaves are in short supply then the green of countless colonies of moss becomes much more noticeable.

Several fallen trees give a rare opportunity to glimpse into the top of a canopy and here we find a surprising amount of colour, with colonies of lichens.

The amount of water falling as rain or snow has allowed the logs on the ground to get a good soaking. This will greatly accelerate the rotting process.

Mammals have been busy too and everywhere there are signs of recent activity, like this Rabbit latrine.

Saturday

2010-01-15T15:25:00.008Z

Saturday began in a very leisurely way - some people went out to the shops or to the bazaar whilst others just chilled in the hotel. Eventually we were loaded into the coach again and this time we were on our way to a formal lunch as guests of the brother of the Mete Uygun school benefactor. Mr Uygun was a businessman who studied business in England and who now runs a fabric factory in or near to Gaziantep. Some of his customers are high street names in the UK.

The meal was in a hotel restaurant. The waiters were very friendly and they entertained the children during the long wait to be served. We were very grateful and all would like to thank Mr Uygun for his generosity.

When all were fed and watered it was time to take the coach out of the city again and this time we turned off the road at the foot of a small hill which was covered with a forest of Turkish pine trees.

The coach had to negotiate several hairpin bends before reaching the top of the hill. At the top was a popular picnic and play area with fine panoramic views over the surrounding countryside. We stopped to take in the scenery and to relax a while before returning to our hotel.

Friday

2010-01-15T10:20:00.019Z

On Friday morning we left the hotel at a reasonable hour and boarded the coach for the short drive through Gaziantep and out into the suburbs and the surrounding countryside.

As we neared Gaziantep Zoo the countryside suddenly became a lush green colour. Clearly a lot of effort was being put in to maintaining a very large expanse of grass.

It was still early in the day for the zoo so we were allowed through the gates with no hassle at all. After an hour or so walking around, the sun was beginning to climb high in the sky. Humans and some other animals dived for the shade but there were plenty of animals, like this lioness, enjoying the heat.

Human beings saved from extinction by specially shaded enclosures at Gaziantep Zoo.

After the zoo we drove back into Gaziantep where we were lunch guests of the municipality at the Civic Centre. Here we ate in the canteen. Food was served on individual trays. Each tray had several indentations pressed into it and the different courses could be kept separate. The meal was very enjoyable. Thank you Gaziantep city council!

After lunch we made a 'whistle stop' at a small, but very interesting museum of culture and local history. Here were exhibits displaying all of the famous local crafts, such as weaving, mother of pearl inlaying, copper and pewter decorating, Yemeni shoe making and so on.

Later in the day we were able to find all these things for sale in the bazaars.

On leaving the museum we were joined by a representative of the city tourism section and he showed us around the new botanic gardens.

It was obvious that the plantings were all new and that they would have a good few years of growing to do before the gardens would be looking at their best. Nonetheless it was a pleasant spot to stroll through and we enjoyed watching butterflies and hummingbird hawk moths visiting flowers to the sound of the nearby water fountains. Staff at the gardens were handing out bottles of water to the hot and thirsty visitors. Actually we felt some rain as we were leaving. Several drops in fact! However, it was only playing with us and the sun quickly regained the upper hand.

Later that afternoon, after we had been returned to our hotel, we were transferred by car to the area of the city where the most popular bazaars are to be found.

Walking through the narrow lanes of the bazaars was a noisy affair with the 'tap-tap' of metal workers and the sound of people and traffic outside. We saw all of the local crafts on sale and some of the children were keen to show off their bargaining skills.

In the centre of the noisy bazaar was a beautiful, tranquil courtyard with white-painted walls and bright red rugs. The walls were hung with local copper and pewter pots, Yemeni slippers and other locally-made objects. Under a central, shaded area there were low tables with bubble-pipes, everything red with rugs.

Fantastic!

Thursday

2009-11-04T11:07:00.003Z

When we woke up in the morning we didn’t expect how wonderful day is going to happen.
Our journey was leading to HALFETI town.
We left the hotel at 9 o’clock and the journey to HALFETI was taking two hours. During the journey we could see the surrounding. We were surprised by the soil that was dried with big stones, pistachios and olives trees. When we were travelling we stopped at the place called BIRECIK for a very short time to see a kind of bird called a bald ibis. Typical feature for them is that they’re bald and they live only six months in cages, next six months they spend in the nature. They’re similar to pigeons in that they have a homing instinct and there are only 103 birds in Turkey.
After the two hours journey we got to HALFETI town. It’s a town near Euphrates river. It’s very old and on the other side of Euphrates, there is RUMKALE, a castle which is near to HALFETI.
We were on the cruise on the lake under which there was an old town. Seven years ago this town was flooded and all the people had to move to their new houses.
Our next stop was in SANLIURFA. This town is 250 km from Gaziantep. We had lunch there and after that we were walking up the castle and then stayed there to see an incredibly beautiful view of this town. Very nice experience for us was to see the mosque and Muslims believers praying in their church. It was built on a place where the prophet Abraham was born. The next interesting thing was the lake full of fish. People believe that they’re holy and if they eat them they may die. After the day full of experiences we’re looking forward for another day because we never know what is going to bring us.

Wednesday

2009-10-29T10:09:00.012Z

After a long sleep we had a delicious breakfast. As every day the tables were perfectly set and covered with a huge variety of foods. The children have hardly ever seen such amount of goodies.

….an enjoyable moment in front of our luxury hotel. We are waiting for the bus taking us to a private school.

Cahit Nakıboğlu Private School – main entrance

We were amazed by school’s spacious meeting room which looked like a cinema. What came afterwards was almost breathtaking. Traditional Turkish songs interpreted by both the pupils and their teachers were an unforgettable experience for everybody.

The school we were privileged to visit was equipped in an extremely advanced way. Remarkable notices in English spread all over the school attracted not only us teachers but also children.

…no wonder children like coming here. Comfortable desks, chairs…in general pleasant school environment.

While the children were enjoying their time in the school gym,

the teachers were holding a Project conference. We went through the future project assignments and planned next meeting in the Czech Republic in May 2010.

In the evening we were kindly invited to a café for delicious Turkish ice-cream by our host friends Mehmed and Yunus.

Tuesday

2009-10-07T18:39:00.012+01:00

The first official project day began with breakfast together in the hotel. We were then warmly greeted by four old friends; the Turkish children who went to Finland were waiting outside to escort us on our incredible journey, as the day turned out to be.

A short walk from the hotel, along the tree-lined streets sometimes loud with the sound of traffic, we found ourselves outside Gaziantep museum. More exciting though for our young guides was the presence of the football stadium opposite!

The museum contained many artefacts from different eras, ranging from the prehistoric up to the early Islamic period. Most spectacular were the many Roman mosaics on display.

Much more could be written about the museum visit but it would take a week to write it all up – so we will move on.

Lunch was very special this day as we were invited to a restaurant by the Chief Education Officer for the whole of Gaziantep (1.5 million population). The food was very good but the innocent-looking roasted green pepper should have come with a warning label. They were not the sweet variety that we Europeans are used to! More water please!!!

After lunch we walked further along until we came to the ruined castle which stands on a small hill in the centre of Gaziantep.

Unfortunately much of the castle was closed due to the ongoing restoration work. However, we did manage to visit one side of it and we were able to enter its stone corridors, bedecked with exhibits and video screens depicting the struggle for Turkish independence and the end of the Ottoman era. The walk up to the entrance was full of modern cast statues, also depicting the struggle for independence. The British occupation after the end of the First World War and the ensuing French forces in the city will never be forgotten here. The Armenian question remains unanswered, except to say “This is Turkey and we are proud to be Turkish!”

Those who lost their lives at the hands of the foreign troops are spoken of as martyrs. They are venerated and they certainly will live on forever in the hearts of the people.

The streets around the castle were alive to the sounds of hammering. Artisans were on the street outside their workshops applying intricate designs to copper and pewter vessels of all shapes and sizes.

People were pushing carts laden with fruit and vegetables, an old tractor puttered past pulling a trailer laden with water melons, several small shops had spices and selections of dried produce such as nuts, seeds, lentils, dried fruit and dried vegetables.

We were shown into another small museum with displays covering the subject of Turkish and local cuisine. Despite being full from lunch it was not difficult to start to feel hungry again. It was like being inside one of the best cookery books in the world! Time to move on.

Just before we were shown onto a coach for the next part of the day the females of the party were shown into some old public baths near the foot of the castle. Today was “ladies day” at the baths so the men had to stay outside and admire the small patch of green grass which was kept alive by the application of water at regular intervals. Needless to say it was frowned upon to walk on the grass.

The coach took us some distance away in the city to our goal – our host school. The school is in a rundown part of the town which is inhabited by some of the poorest people. The short walk from the coach stop past about 100 m of residential housing was one of the most culturally surprising aspects of the visit so far. The local population, mainly female and infants dressed in headscarves and wearing gypsy-style dresses, crowded the doorways or stepped out onto the street. As the walls of the school came into view a loud rhythmic banging started up, along with a deafening noise of human cheering and shouting. What was happening? The answer was waiting round the corner as the high wall ended in the school gates and we walked in. Hundreds of small children were crowded together in front of the school building jumping up and down to the rhythm of a big bass drum. A piper was playing a scream pipe but we couldn’t hear it above the noise. Every small child wanted to shake our hands and to say something in English. After about 500 handshakes it became apparent that some of the children were coming several times over. Their enthusiasm overwhelmed us.

Eventually we, and the contents of the school yard, entered the building. Local pupils went to their classrooms and we were shown into the staffroom where the local teachers had prepared drinks and sweet treats for their guests.
Some classrooms were visited and the reception class were engaged in one of their favourite games of “stand up, sit down”.

The walk back to the bus was met with just as much curiosity as had been our arrival, maybe not as noisy though.

Some notable remarks of the day:

For much of the day our group was accompanied by a civil police officer who had been hired to deal with any possible problems which we might have had with the local population. It is now apparent that we must be the only European visitors ever to have visited Gaziantep and we have been given the status of celebrities. The guard at the school gates had to close them quickly behind us to prevent the curious local inhabitants from following us inside the school compound. We were often having English spoken to us as we walked past people, although it appears that very little is spoken in the town. Everywhere the people have been very warm and friendly and very willing to use whatever English they have.

Saturday to Monday

2009-10-07T18:37:00.004+01:00

After 13 hours of travelling the Finns arrived in Gaziantep after midnight. Mr Erdem and Mr Tasman were waiting at the airport for our group. The accommodation was, to our delight, at their homes.
In the morning, after a refreshing shower, we were served a delicious Turkish breakfast. We got to taste traditional family Sunday breakfast. One delicacy was the pistachio pastry which is served on Sunday mornings only in Gaziantep. It was very rich so one would need to exercise for half an hour.
Mr Erdem has three sons and a friendly, hospitable wife. The family lives in a new block of flats. There were several large rooms and two bathrooms and a modern kitchen.
In the afternoon Yunus and Mehmet Emin and his family were kind enough to take us sightseeing before going to huge mall called Sanko Park. There we were able to buy quality products. Next to the mall there was a great park. We saw skilful roller-skaters. They were also keen on making contact with us. Janne’s hobby as photographer was noticed by a crowd of young people.
The Plaza hotel was to be our home for the coming week. The rooms were large and the beds were great. We had dinner at the restaurant and we enjoyed mixed grill and twist of angels’ hair.
On Monday at noon Yunus came to pick us up for a trip to the local bazaar. We were able to watch various craftsmen at their work e.g. a coppersmith. We enjoyed narrow paths, the atmosphere and the busy trade. We visited a shoemaker’s shop and bought ourselves absolutely fabulous lambskin Yemeni shoes. We had lunch among ordinary Turkish people in a place where it was also possible to have a moment for peace and prayer.
After this exciting trip we went to our host’s school. Mr Mehmet Emin Erdem was to be found in his pleasant office where we had tea whilst he explained about his school. Mr Erdem took us kindly around the vast school where there are 2860 pupils and 86 teachers. Mr Erdem is the head of the whole school with five deputy principals.
The children were enthusiastic about our presence and greeted us warmly, sang songs and practised their English with us. We were able to meet the teachers too in their lounge. The male teachers look really good with their suits on. Matron brought everyone refreshing tea and biscuits. The teachers asked many interesting questions on topics such as welfare, educational questions and teachers’ salaries.
The English were coming to the airport and we wanted to come along with the bus and welcome them. They were a happy lot. The Slovaks arrived some hours later. We all had dinner together and chatted a long time. On the whole it was a perfect start for the Turkish week. Only the Czechs had yet to arrive……

Third Comenius Project Meeting - Gaziantep, Turkey

2009-10-07T18:32:00.002+01:00

Dates were 4 - 11 October 2009

Life in the Past

2009-09-30T14:04:00.021+01:00

How did we have it earlier?

(Oulunsalo - Finland)

It is custom to the pupils in our school to visit the local village museum. Sometimes there are older people telling the children how it was on the 20th century when they were young. In the museum there are several items that were made at home for everyday use.

The first thing to be able to live in the countryside is to build a well to draw water from it. One could find tall trees in the forest and use them to make a pump. It had to be light enough for the women to sink the bucket and to lift it up with the water. These pumps are to be seen even nowadays in the country but most often they are not in daily use.

The fathers often were industrious and had learned to be good carpenters. They didn't have electric light but had self-made kindling chips to give light to do objects to the mother, household and children. Houses had shingle roofs, the furniture was made of wood.

In the farmhouse livingroom there was a large table and benches made of treetrunks. Larger houses could have even a finer room with decorative furniture for festive occasions. Rockingchairs were and are favourite places to ease the mind. And long thin trunks were placed up near the ceilings to hang the bread for the week.

Some fine pieces of furniture were the cradles that are nowadays the valuable heirlooms of many families.

The mothers were in charge of the clothes. Many households had a handloom to weave fabric first. These looms were also used for making carpets and Finnish rugs for the walls.

Wooden Products Now

2009-09-29T08:25:00.007+01:00

Information centre, Staircase,

Wooden earrings, Kitchen utensils

Wooden toy,Wooden door,

Wooden fence, Sauna

Wooden Products in the Past

2009-09-25T08:37:00.007+01:00

Ski and sleigh, Butter form, Lateru,

Tool for making cottage cheeseOld wooden table and chairs,

Old wooden clock, Piano, Zither, Wooden sleigh, Tools

September in Oulunsalo

2009-09-07T12:36:00.017+01:00

Our new tree is Mustakuusi, 'Picea mariana'. We planted it the 3rd of September, just one month before our trip to Turkey. The tree itself was about 120cm tall and has beautiful small cones. Our janitor had dug the hole ready when the pupils and some teachers and grandparents arrived to the ceremony. We had new soil and fresh water for the roots. The children sang two songs about trees, one of a finch that makes a nest in a birch and one of a squirrel that has its soft home in a fir. We are happy with our new ever-green tree. The children have looked after it well and have placed stones around the root area.

It is September 2009 and our first Comenius tree, Pylväshaapa, Populus tremula Erecta, is still alive and growing. The pupils have taken good care of it, no branches broken. At the moment it is green but we are waiting for the leaves to turn to autumnly colours, more or less reddish.

UK Woodland Seasons (Chapter 4 - July)

2009-07-10T14:26:00.017+01:00

The wild cherry has now started to drop fruit onto the woodland floor and it is supplying good nutrition to birds and small mammals. See the difference in size between the ripe fruits and the stones inside! It isn't much of a meal really.

In July the canopy is as full as it can be and the amount of light reaching the floor of the woodland is very small for 90% of the woodland.

However, there are a few clearings bringing in sunlight and in these the wood grasses and dog's mercury grow very well. Several species of butterfly flit across these clearings.

On the edges of clearings the bramble continues to flower and insects of many varieties abound. Pollinating flies, butterflies, beetles and bees are among the visitors to the flowers. Here on the left is a red-tailed bumble and on the right a honey bee.

Slightly further away from the clearings new flowering species appear. Among these is the dock (left).

Martagon lily (right) is now showing its ripening seed pods.

Dangling from the lower branches of trees is the climbing Old-Man's Beard or Travellers Joy (Clematis vitalba). This creeper indicates alkaline soil conditions.

Old-Man's-Beard is the name given to it due to the untidy hairy-looking white fruits seen in the autumn. Here the flowers are just beginning to open.

UK Woodland Seasons (Chapter 3 - June)

2009-06-03T21:48:00.027+01:00

Looking upwards in early June we now see wall-to-wall foliage and very little light reaches the woodland floor.

Only on the woodland edges do we see any sunlight. Here on the woodland edges the growth of vegetation is amazing, with bright white flower heads of Elder and pink wild roses.

Wild Roses

On the ground we see very little colour, other than green. Gone are the bluebells, except for yellow leaves and swollen seed pods.

Bluebell seed pods

Where there is light the Nettles and Dog's Mercury are growing tall. Other plants in flower are the Wild Privet and the Bramble (Blackberry). Martagon Lily is almost in full bloom - just a few more days.

Martagon Lily

Flowers of the Elder tree adorn the woodland edge. The scent is like honey!

Elder flowers in closeup

Greater Burdock on path edges. This species has the largest leaves of any native British plant.

Bramble in bloom

Nettle in flower

Wild Privet in flower. This is a calcium tolerant indicator species (indicating the high pH of the soil)

Impenetrable growth quickly filling any clearings.

Where there is light Nettle and Dog's Mercury grow luxuriantly

Bramble growing rampantly in a clearing. Only two years earlier this very patch was rough grassland with two species of orchid present. Clearly some conservation work needs to be done.

Tree planting

2009-05-07T07:42:00.007+01:00

During last days we had next meeting with a forester. it took part in the 7th class. Except the discussion about forest and it´s benefit for people. We were planting three types of trees in our school garden. They were: lime, birch and pine.

It was a really funny day that we enjoyed.

Comenius Tree Wakes Up

2009-05-01T17:39:00.003+01:00

Here is the UK's Golden Beech tree as you never saw it before!

We hope you enjoy the sight. What does your tree look like?

Planting trees within the project Trees and the Environment

2009-04-22T12:11:00.007+01:00

Not only children planted...

but also teachers.

It was hard work.

But it worth it. 2000 young trees were planted in a day.

Everybody was looking forward to traditional roasting of sausages after such a hard day.:)

The UK Woodland Seasons (Chapter 2 - April)

2009-04-16T14:29:00.016+01:00

This year Spring came early and the bluebells have advanced to almost their full height already by mid-April. The larger patches of bluebells are stunning.

Up in the trees the leaves are in various states of progress. Generally the younger trees are in a more advanced state than the older trees which are concentrating on flowers rather than leaves. The next two pictures of Sycamore will show this very well.

Looking upwards we see that some of the Beech trees are slow to come into leaf ..........

..whereas the Hawthorn and Birch are well advanced. The overall impression is of a golden-green light striking the woodland floor.

The highest accolade this month goes to the Wild Cherry (perhaps shared equally with the Bluebell).

At ground level the plants are making best use of the light before the leaves close the canopy. The Snowdrops are almost over and all that remains are the long slender leaves lying flat on the ground.

Daffodils have begun to fade out too but, here and there, their yellow heads can still be seen.

Dog's Mercury is now rampant and the 'Stinging' Nettle is beginning to take hold on the woodland edges.

Two rather special plants, members of the Lily family, are the Solomon's Seal and the Martagon Lily.

Adding colour to the edge of a path is the first Wood Violet of the season ........

.. and in the darker, damper patches of vegetation shines the Wood Anemone.

A plant to watch over the coming months is the Wild Arum. This plant has several other English names: Cuckoo Pint and Lords and Ladies to name but two.

Feedback from Finland

2009-04-08T13:25:00.001+01:00

Feedback from the stay in Finland given by the pupils of Pitkäkangas school:

- It was a pity that we couldn’t have visitors staying in my home.
- It was a great experience to be able to talk in English with foreigners. I started to think how it would feel to talk English all the time.
- It was awfully nice to play football esp. with the Turkish boys. The Turkish girls taught us a new game, they were fun.
- The party in school hall was terrific. The English had a familiar song and we could sing it together. The Czech had nice pictures and music of their country.
- It was nice to have them on the lessons but we didn’t understand everything. Some of them had funny names.
- I was excited when they came in the morning. The visitors greeted us cheerfully but then I didn’t have time to get to know them and speak to them. It felt bad.

And the lodgers commented as follows:
- We looked forward to getting to know new people and to talk to them. The visitors were friendly and eager to experience new tastes and habits –even sauna. We got along well.
- Some children were rather quiet and shy. Some ate chocolate and not food.
- Some visitors seemed to be very interested of shopping and late nights, we would have liked to spend more time together.

Friday in Finland

2009-04-06T10:18:00.014+01:00

Friday, March 20th
We were taken by three coaches to Iso-Syote to enjoy skiing and sleighing as well as roasting. The weather on the way seemed to be anything but not nice. As we arrived though, it suddenly turned into a beautiful sunny day. Those brave of the English group rented skiis for x-country and followed the "skilled" Czech instructors.

Majority of children had a great amount of fun while sleighing/toboganning on improvised plastic bags.

After having a delicous lunch, we were happy to be informed about a national Syote park by a nice guide. Some of the children were entertained by a seeking game prepared for them in a permanent display

Both films were impressive and showed how the Finns care about their precious nature and their eagerness to pass it on their youth.

Roasting the "Pulla" in the afternoon was definitely a pure rarity for all of us. Not for the Finns though :)

Saturday in Finland

2009-03-26T09:27:00.001Z

Pupils and teachers spent an exacting but a beautiful week. Today we could sleep longer. Our meeting is coming to an end.
Today, pupils and teachers have visited Vuokko Kangas house where they were baking typical Finnish bread. The householder is a musical composer and also a musician. Next door they were singing songs prepared forward.
In the afternoon we all went shopping presents for our relatives.
Oulu is a big city with lots of shops, so it wasn’t any problem. Wood is a symbol of our project and so in the evening we had dinner in a restaurant „Sokeri – Jussi“ that was made from wood.
We said goodbye to all our friends from Turkey that were travelling home sooner.
We spent the next beautiful day.

Second Meeting continued:

2009-03-20T16:24:00.004Z

Thursday - National Equal Rights Day

On arrival at school in the morning we were greeted by the blue and white flag of Finland flying from every tall flagpole in and around the school grounds. It was now obvious why those are the colours of Finland's flag - blue for the sky above and white for the bright snow beneath. On enquiry we discovered that it was to celebrate Finland's national "equal rights for women" day.

Today was going to be our first day out of school for all and, after boarding the coach, we were soon on our way to the nearby, Japanese-owned, Shinshowa sawmill in Kello. Mr Jarmo Noponen kindly showed us the 'cutting-edge' of the business. We saw hundreds of pine and spruce logs of about 4m in length and various girths. We witnessed the process of stripping bark, square cutting the logs and then moulding into construction timber such as tongue-and-groove cladding for houses. There was quite a lot of noise, sawdust and a strong smell of sawn pine.

Moving on, we stopped at Virpiniemi outdoor centre where local people could do some skiing or toboganning or use an outdoor barbecue. Off the tracks the snow was knee-deep. A fine lunch was enjoyed by all at the University of Oulu before visiting the next wood-related industry, Honkamajat Log Houses

(http://www.honkamajat.fi/).

Mr Kristian Aalto (Managing Director) showed us more logs, this time being cut into various forms for making a variety of types of log buildings. We saw the rough logs being processed into perfectly smooth, round logs with a lower concave surface, grooved to match the lower log in an outside wall. This effectively created a wide joining surface which was good for insulation and for strength. We saw machines making joints in rectangular-sectioned timber for another type of construction and we were also shown new ways of jointing which allowed for neater external corners and the possibility of 45 degree angles for such shapes as bow windows.

The company has recently installed new equipment and technology to enable it to manufacture the new joints. The outside of the machine looks like part of a tube train. Two people, working for ten hours, could manufacture all of the parts for one house! Mr Aalto explained to us that, whilst other companies were finding it difficult in the current economic conditions, his company was continuing to expand and orders were very healthy. Wooden houses from here are exported all over the world, especially to France and Japan. Increasingly the Far-Eastern market is taking off and Mr Aalto was, in fact, just about to leave for China within an hour or two.

We were all very impressed and all took brochures and dreamt of owning their own wooden house one day. After this visit we stopped at Hietasaari Winter Wonderland on the beach near Oulu. The ice-fort was interesting enough but something bigger was attracting us away. The sea was completely frozen over and covered in snow; a huge, flat wasteland of snow glistening in the bright sunshine. We could not help ourselves but to run out to sea as far as we could in the time available. We felt like superhuman beings with the power to walk on water. However, people had beaten us to it and everywhere there were ski tracks and even car tracks going out to the opposite shore, almost on the horizon. Some men were fishing through holes in the ice. Rating, 10/10!

Before returning to school we stopped for an hour in Oulu where we could walk into town to look at shops and buildings and also we could visit the Market Hall (www.oululiikekeskus.fi/index.php?285). This was reminiscent of Oxford's indoor market. Some people were able to buy souvenirs and/or reindeer meat (poro).

In the late afternoon, back at school, the children worked in the technology department making wooden key fobs and keeping up with communications with home. Dinner in the canteen included a special cake for dessert; 10/10 again!

Second project meeting - Finland 17th - 22nd March 2009

2009-03-18T13:29:00.013Z

Tuesday and Wednesday

The Slovak team arrived in good time and the Turkish team took the train from Helsinki and arrived in Oulu in the morning. The teams were shown different parts of the school, e.g. kindergarten, dentist, the office of the headmistress. According to the programme the children attended various lessons. In the evening our guests got to know their host families.

UK and Czech teams arrived later in the evening and went straight to their host families.

On Wednesday morning all arrived for an 8 am start. The programme of the day included e.g. handcraft, ICT, maths, arts, English. The teachers visited lessons and spoke to local teachers and generally got to know their way around the school. The pupils had their lunch with their Finnish classes. The adults had lunch together and discussed the project so far.

The whole school was gathered in the hall for a party together. There was a lot of singing from all parties involved. The atmosphere was joyful and pleasant. All the 400 pupils enjoyed the experience of having foreign guests at school.

Later in the afternoon the children played games in the hall with their teachers until it was time to have dinner in the school canteen. After dinner the children constructed a Comenius tree made from fabric handprints. After a long day it was time get home to the families.

The meeting with forester

2009-03-06T12:34:00.001Z

On Thursday 19.2.2009 our pupils had a meeting with a forester.
He was speaking about nature the life in wood, in our region and answered for the very interesting question of our pupils.
The classroom of meeting was decorated by the colorful pictures of animals and plants that are in our woods.
The pupils enjoyed this meeting.

The UK Woodland Seasons (Chapter 1 - February)

2009-03-02T10:35:00.017Z

Late February marks the end of Winter and the dawning of Spring.

This year tree buds of Wild Cherry seem to be making the first move and the Oak buds are beginning to swell too. The woodland floor has been alive with the presence of a profusion of Snowdrops for a month or more.

Wild Daffodils are now beginning to open, gradually changing the woodland floor from white to yellow.

The long yellow Hazel catkins are now past their best but still the most colourful thing at eye level or above.
Looking upwards there is no barrier to the sky and sunlight is able to reflect off the woodland floor, turning the dead leaves into a sea of gold.

The green shoots of Dog's Mercury and Bluebell threaten to steal the gold away at any moment.

Slovak - Czech web conference

2009-02-06T08:14:00.004Z

Web conference is a part of our project. Web conferences are very popular among students. They are always looking forward to have this web conference. Students choose a topic they will talk about prepare some questions about it and ask these questions students from their partner´s schools.

Slovak trees in our school garden

2009-01-21T08:35:00.003Z

Typical Slovak trees - apple, and main "Comenius" group

First Comenius Project Meeting

2009-01-15T12:27:00.012Z

The joint meeting held in November 2008 at St. Andrew's School in the UK went very well. Everyone arrived at their appointed times and the only mishap was one misdirected suitcase which turned up two days late.

The parties from Czech Republic and Turkey were able to take advantage of some slack time to get in a trip to London. The rest of us had to make do with the programme put together by the author of this post.

Wednesday

Czechs visit London and buy some colourful hats. Everyone else arrived at different times.

Thursday

Once settled in with their host families everyone began to relax a little and the programme got underway with some classroom observation for the visiting children, school tours for the adults, biscuits, tea, coffee and lunch for all. Some children were able to do relevant photography in the grounds of the school and everyone participated in a tree walk around the grounds. Computers were available for communication and for project work.

During the business meeting we decided upon dates and the programme for pen friends exchanges. We all exchanged posters, presentation books and gifts of all descriptions.

On Thursday evening we were treated to a lavish buffet party with each country supplying some entertainment. Everyone enjoyed the food and decorations and some may have enjoyed the entertainment (the author can't really comment since he missed the entertainment - too bad!).

Friday

On the Friday morning we visited Rushall Farm woods where we were given a quick demonstration of the art of thatching whilst the Black Barn was being given a new straw ridge. Inside the Black Barn we were able to see the old oak beams and supports for the roof. The tour of the woodland included a stop at a new hedgerow planting and the charcoal burning site. Unfortunately we were not able to see hazel hurdles being made.

Later in the day we visited the Living Rainforest Centre where we were able to get the feeling of a totally different type of forest and also practise our English skills.

In the evening the adults found solace in a communal pizza meal and visit to a local pub whilst the children were enjoying family life with their hosts.

Saturday

After a small impromptu international football match, somewhere in the Streatley area, we all gathered together for a trip to Oxford, stopping on the way at the Harcourt Arboretum to examine some fine conifer trees and having lunch at the nearby garden centre. At this point we were receiving text messages from friends of the Turkish party who were waiting to see them in Oxford. We finally found our way into the town along overcrowded pavements where we met up with the aforementioned 'texter'. Each country went its own way around the town for a couple of hours, visiting such attractions as Christ Church College and Cathedral (Harry Potter fans take note!), the indoor market, Primark and the Castle. The display of photographs at the Castle was all the more relevant to the Turkish group with a solemn reminder of the fragility of buildings in the grip of the most recent earthquake in that country.

Sunday

Sunday morning got off to a slow start with some people racing around organising departures and lunchtime arrangements whilst others were getting up late and doing things in traditional Sunday style. Eventually we were on the road to Windsor Castle (and shops as it turned out). The castle was still there, of course, but we were pushed around the State Rooms a little too quickly for comfort. The weather was a little depressing at this time and we were happy to get under cover near the shopping centre. Some groups found cover in the gift shops and others were more interested in their stomachs. The people studying the insides of British pubs were not disappointed as there was some waiting around to do.

That evening we said our farewells to the Czech team who had to return a little earlier than the rest.

Monday

Slovaks and Finns took their leave of us around the middle of the day whilst the Turks were doing heavy shopping in London.

Tuesday

The Turks left from Luton at 13:00

By the end of their stay most of the visiting children were beginning to open up and experiment more with their English. As I waved goodbye to the last of them and turned to go I was amazed to hear a loud "See ya!" hurled in my direction by a smiling Özlem (or was it Büşra?).

Back at school it seemed very empty and lacking colour. It is hard to come down from a high such as this meeting.

Link to Turkish blog

2009-01-14T14:09:00.002Z

If you have not yet discovered the Turkish blog link in Fatih's profile then here it is for you all:

http://comeniustreesturkey.blogspot.com/

Finally our tree in Jablonné nad Orlicí has been planted!

2008-10-16T10:16:00.011+01:00

On October 8th we managed to plant our symbolic Linden tree at last. About 120 children from 6th and 7th form took part and each of them got the opportunity to throw his chunk of soil filling the hole around the tree.

Since you are familiar with the digging process you will not be surprised by another treasure
revealed while planting. This time it was a vole which found its home in a pile of soil. As you can see in the photo, it became a friendly and sociable member of the ceremony immediately.

Beyond entertaining activities mentioned above, we had to focus on proper conditions for a good grow of the tree such as peat, water, poles and treetop tuning. The latter one is the most important for the root system.

Final photograph:)

Shifty weather spoilt our ceremony of planting but ...

2008-10-06T11:53:00.016+01:00

On October 1^st we were planning to plant our national tree Linden.
Although the ceremony was prepared, our mayor was invited there was
still one thing to be done - to dig a hole. Children from the 6^th class did it on September 30^th

As we were going deeper into the ground of our school yard, we spotted a
....TREASURE!
Ok,ok, calm down...it was just a coin, nevertheless
it was not an ordinary coin and from our project point of view it had a special meaning for us.

Check it out....the lady on the heads is actually planting a linden.

At least one of us did his job, since we
were betrayed by our unpredictable Middle-Europe weather. Heavy rain
forced us to fall back into the school shelter and give up our planting
attempts.

To be continued.....we are going to plant the tree on Wednesday October 8th

St. Andrew's Tree Planting Ceremony

2008-09-25T16:26:00.009+01:00

Today, at 11:15 a.m. we gathered round the hole which we had previously dug out of the clay. The bottom of the hole was filled with the turf which was removed when the hole was being dug. Bonemeal and some compost were then laid onto the turf before placing the tree into the hole.

The children from the 'Fifth Form' were invited to plant the tree together and they took it in turns to fill in the hole and to water it in.

Three short plastic pipes were drilled with holes and inserted around the roots of the tree. The rest of the hole was then filled with a mixture of compost and the original soil from the hole. Children used a metal weight on the end of a pole to tamp down the compost around the roots to anchor the tree firmly in its hole.

More bonemeal was sprinkled around the tree before a final layer of loose compost was placed on the top as a mulch to keep it weed free. Water was poured into the three pipes several times over to water right down to the base of the roots.

Finally we found a rabbit-guard from the woods and placed it around the trunk of the tree.

The tree is a 'Golden Beech' or Fagus sylvatica 'Zlatia'. The photographs show it in its autumn colours of yellow and brown.

Thanks to Mrs Snow for taking the photographs.

Our tree in Oulunsalo

2008-09-10T12:21:00.009+01:00

Hello dear partners!

We up here in the north decided to plant the tree in advance due to our climate - everything grows more slowly. We took turns to water the soil properly.

The day was in May just before we started our summer holiday. The pupils were watching while the men lifted the tree on its place.

After this the pupils, the first graders, took their small spades and shovelled the soil.

The sun shone brightly and we sang a song and Janne (our cameraman ) took photos.

Dates for first meeting in UK

2008-09-02T21:46:00.002+01:00

Thursday to Sunday 20th t0 23rd November. Please try to arrive some time on Wednesday 19th and depart on Monday 24th November. The itinerary will follow in due course.

Congratulations!

2008-09-02T21:22:00.003+01:00

Well done to all participants for a successful outcome to all funding applications. The project is now officially started.

Welcome Comenius Participants

2008-05-14T04:42:00.007+01:00

This is a joint project between schools in UK, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Finland and Turkey. The aim is to study trees and forests in the different localities and to look into some of the technological uses of wood as well as social and economic issues surrounding forestry. Environmental concerns are also included in the study.

Teams from each school will visit one of the participating schools roughly twice a year for the two years of the project.

The project will be publicised in each participating region and funding will be obtained through the generosity of the British Council Lifelong Learning Programme.