Thomas Gudschun
UNESCO-Ostsee-Projekt
Enviromental Education
Project on the Baltic Sea (BSP): Participating ASP-Schools/Institutes in
the Federal Republic of Germany
CORRECTION - March 1991
1) Description of
School/Institute
Bismarckschule Hannover, An der Bismarckschule 5, D-3000 Hannover 1
Tel from Germany 0511-1683456, int. code FRG …-49
Hannover -511 Bismarckschule -1683456
Telex: - ,Fax: -
Principal of school: Mr. Ulrich Bauermeister
BSP liaison person: Mr. Thomas Gudschun
Type of school: secondary (grammar) school / ASP school
Age groups: from 12 to 18 years
Number of students: about 550; teachers: 65
Number of persons engaged
in the project: about 25 students (13th form biology)
in future: students of different ages; 2 teachers
Partnerships (countries)
existing: Poland, Finland, Turkey, USA, France, Leipzig
(for merly GDR)
desired: -
Contact languages: German, English
2) BSP-Activities
Themes, titles, problems (in key
words):
• a
course on ecology: „a marine ecosystem by the example of the Baltic Sea“
• excursion
of two A-level-courses to the Baltic Sea coast documented in reports,
photos and a video
• exchange
visits and co-operation with our partner-schools, development of
conceptions for courses on ecological problems conceming the Baltic Sea
(Short description of activities:
s. annex)
Short description of activities
1. Preliminary remarks
The correlation between ecology
and society is one of the main issues of the educational and scientific
work at Bismarckschule. Various subjects as well as several
extracurricular activities deal with enviromental studies.
Excursions to some ecosystems in
the vicinity of the school (from the 7th to the 13th form / biology) allow
researches into botanical, zoological and chemical parameters of onds and
streams (preparation and analysis during biology and chemistry lessons).
The insight into the basic
interrelations of life in and around stretches of standing and flowing
waters, gained by experimental work, is meant to sensitize the pupils to
the importance of water and its pollution.
2. Some details concerning
activities within the framework of the „Baltic-Sea-Project“
Within the lessons of two
A-level-courses biology in grade 12 general ecological problems are
examined by example of the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea.
Dealing with topics such as
• genesis
and geographical classification of the Baltic Sea
• water
as a vital element (physical and chemical properties) – salt and water
balance of sea organisms (osmoregulation) – the tides
• functional
structure of the ecosystem Baltic Sea
• substance
and energy cycles of the sea
• adaptability
of various species to antibiotic factors (plankton, nekton, benthos)
serves as a basis for the
examination of the problems of enviromental pollution and protection
carried out widely independently by the students:
• pollution of the Baltic
Sea by heavy metals, organic compounds (pesticides etc) and waste caused
by civilization
• eunophication
• influence
of tourism and the fishing industry on the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea.
After a first inspection of
specialist literature and discussions about the selection of subjects
conceming the structure of teaching in 1990 a survey among students showed
that their knowledge of the Baltic Sea was not very profound. The students
decided to go an a one-week excursion to the German coastline of the
Baltic Sea (with emphasis on biological research).
About 25 students and two biology
teachers went to Wendtorf on the Baltic Sea, September 24 to 30, 1990. The
program consisted of inspecting the beach (including a guided tour of the
nature reserve „Bottsand“), boat trips, examinations of plants and animals
in and near the sea, simple analyses of water, investigations of
industrial sites and tourism, and getting to know something about the area
and it's inhabitants. The group visited the „Institute of Oceanegraphy“
of the University of Kiel and got the chance to look behind the scenes of
laboratory work.
We met Mr. Hoppe of the IGS
Friedrichsort, a model UNESCO school also concerned with the Baltic Sea
Project, and initiated cooperation.
The students documented their
experiences and results in reports, photos and video-films. A short report
and a video have already been sent to Finland, Poland and the IGS
Friedrichsort.
We are planning to continue the
work on the project with senior students in future courses, but we also
want to intensify the discussion on the Baltic Sea among junior students,
possibly in interdepartmental projects dealing with the subject.
In 1990 students of our
partnerschool in Poznań (Poland) began to work on die theme „Pollution
of the Baltic Sea” and informed us about the results. Students of
Bismarckschule will have the opportunity to discuss different points of
view with them on the next exchange visit in Poznan (August 23 to
September 4, 1991) which will be organized with the help of German biology
teachers.
URL:
http://www.unesco-club-hannover.de