Portugalis

Comenius Project “Immediate Surroundings”

Project Meeting in Portugal from 3^rd – 7^th October 2011

Report:

The host school - Secundária Cacilhas-Tejo - organized visits related to different periods of the Portuguese historical heritage, in order to allow our partners to experience the country.

The Comenius participants also took part in several other activities within the school for a better understanding of the school reality.

Besides that, students of the partner schools had the opportunity to live with Portuguese families throughout the week.

Project meeting    

Monday - 3^rd: Project working sessions took place in Almada, with a guided visit to the school facilities. The students attended classes with their Portuguese hosts before an introductory visit to Almada’s riverside and the old part of the city.

In the afternoon, students were able to share presentations about their schools and “daily life” in the auditorium, which was followed by the official welcome with the presence of the School Principal. Afterwards both students and teachers got acquainted with the Portuguese gastronomy and spent some time together, at the school canteen.

Tuesday - 4^th and Wednesday 5^th: Teachers and students had the opportunity to tour different museums and areas related to the Portuguese culture and history and participate in the programme activities.

Tuesday

Early morning lessons from 8.20 to 10.00 (the students)

Visit to Sintra, a beautiful place which has been considered by UNESCO as world patrimony. After the guided visits to the National Palace of Sintra and the Monserrate Palace and Park as well as the surroundings of Sintra, the participants were able view of the Atlantic ocean (Guincho beach, Cascais) and the Tagus river on the way back to Almada.

Once at school, the teachers had a meeting to discuss further activities of the Project and make some arrangements for the future meetings in Italy and Romania; the students went back home to the host families. 

Wednesday

On Wednesday the whole programme was focused on Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal and some of its most representative monuments, such as Belém Tower and Jerónimios Monastery in Belém. Students and teachers were together in the morning till lunch time.

In the afternoon, students had their own programme, either with the host family or with their friends and classmates.

The teachers went to visit St Jorge Castle and the old part of Lisbon as well as downtown. In the evening they went to a typical “Fado house” where they had dinner and listened to Fado (traditional Portuguese song).

Thursday - 6^th: Working session started with the students presentations (conclusion of the presentations which started on Monday); It was followed by Romania`s presentation of the main conclusions which resulted from the Questionnaire applied to all the students and teachers that have taken part in this project.

After these presentations students and teachers had a view of the surrounding sights at Capuchos belvedere and were able to appreciate one of the many local beaches.

In the afternoon there was a visit to a Portuguese noble house, dating back to the XVII century - Solar dos Zagallos - where visitors could “dress up” some characters of the time. This activity was planned in cooperation with the Museum staff and the host teachers.

Later on, at school, there was a working session in which teachers agreed on the work to be carried out until the next meeting in Venice, namely:

ü  All partners should promote a seminar or conference related to environment issues or preservation of natural /patrimony heritage;

ü  All schools should send to the Coordinator of the next host country pictures of that seminar or conference;

ü  All partners should prepare presentation of traditions of their city.

In the evening there was a farewell dinner in which students and teachers involved in the Project took part.

Friday – 7^th: Four of the partners departed on this day and the others that remained had the opportunity to visit S. Roque Church, a Baroque Monument in Lisbon. After that activity, some students went back to school to attend classes before returning home to a farewell dinner with the host family.

A group of teachers and students still visited The Parque das Nações in Lisbon, where Expo 98 took place. They visited the Oceanarium and the facilities in the surrounding area.