Gruppo Puglia Grotte has organized the project "The school in the environment" for the school year 2000-2001.
Foreword Addressees Didactic aims Didactic activity plan How to contact us Foreword It is our firm belief that safeguard and exploitation of the environment could only derive from the knowledge of the value of the natural and historical heritage surrounding us; from this idea, we propose our colaboration to the school world. Our intention is to offer the students a different school where, in addition to teaching of the various disciplines, it could also be possible to promote didactic activities aimed at establishing a close and deep relation between the pupils and the territory where they live. The project "The school in the environment" is intended for getting a deeper knowledge of the territory through theoretical lessons, integrated with field lessons. The proposed topics deal with the following sectors: a) geographical - naturalistic; b) historical - anthropological; The program of excursions in the field is very rich as well. Addressees The project is addressed to pupils and students from kindergarten, elementary, and secondary high schools. Didactic aims The project is aimed at: - stimulating a direct contact between pupils and the world of Nature; - maturating the understanding of the geographical space; - developing knowledge of structures and mechanisms of the natural ecosystem; - promoting the acquiring of an ecologic consciousness; - advertising knowledge of the various types of human settings in prehistoric times; - developing practical capabilities through field excursions and work. Didactic activity plan The project consists of eight proposals; each lesson is integrated by projection of slides. The proposed topics have been grouped as follows: Geographic-naturalistic sector Cartography, topography, use of main topographic instruments; Karst: geographic and geologic analysis of the territory, and information of surficial and subterranean karst; The treating Nature: how to recognize and use the plants of our territory; Biospeleology: life in the caves. Historical-anthropological sector Prehistory: general information on the use by man of natural cavities in past times; Paleolithic: hunters and farmers; Neolithic: from plundering to food production. Field excursions Based on our experience, and starting from the results coming from environmental didactics, we propose a number of naturalistic, speleological, and archeological itineraries, whose choice was dictated in order to cover the main aspects dealt with in the theoretical lessons; moreover, these excursions are useful for stimulating the pupils from kindergarten and elementary schools to have a direct contact with the Nature. The Castellana Caves and the Speleological Museum F. Anelli Zinzulusa Cave Along the way of the Apulian Aqueduct The Pulo of Altamura and its caves Dinosaurs of Apulia The man of Altamura Caves of worship Gravina Madonna della Scala Gravina di Petruscio The natural site of Porto Selvaggio Gravina di Monsignore How to contact us Pino Pace Responsible for the environmental education c/o Museo Speleologico Franco Anelli museo@gruppopugliagrotte.it Tel. +39 - 080 - 4966267 Mob. +39 - 368 - 7714777