On the 27th of June, students and teachers from the Alfredo da Silva School Group in Sintra and the Romeu Correia School Group in Almada took part in the final event of the European COSMOS project at the “Pavilhão do Conhecimento” – the biggest science centre in Portugal – a partnership between Ciência Viva and the Instituto de Educação da Universidade de Lisboa! It was a moment to present their projects and to celebrate their achievements!
The different classes from the 4th, 8th and 11th grade presented their school projects and actions about sustainability – focused on how to make the school and the community around them better prepared for a "green future". The discussed actions included exhibitions of sustainable building models, letters to the municipality and school directive board proposing feasible projects – involving photovoltaic panels and air-conditioning units – to improve the schools’ environmental sustainability, the implementation of nature-based solutions – placing potted plants at the windows, planting trees in the school yard and vertical gardens on the fences – to increase biodiversity in the schools’ area and to provide cover and reverse the ‘shade deserts’.
The young ones spent the morning learning more about bats with a acientist, from the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Lisbon, and to take part in workshops where they learnt how to build solar-powered cars.
The Cosmos project brings together children and young people learning science in schools with their communities, local organisations and municipal services to make science education and culture more impactful, thus preparing young people for a sustainable future and considering how science is an integral part of their lives.
