The project Parco Giochi delle Scienze was concluded on June 30th, thanks to the cofinancing of Fondazione con il Sud and the collaboration between A.L.I., Centro per lo Sviluppo Creativo “Danilo Dolci”, Technorama di Zurigo, Urania, Centro Siciliano di Terapia della Famiglia, and the schools High School “Mario Rutelli”, Comprehensive School “Vittorio Emanuele III” and Comprehensive School “Pestalozzi – Cavour.
The experts of the associations have realized various and relevant activities in the schools and their collaborative network led to results which satisfied all those who were involved in this precious journey.
Experts of the Centro per lo Sviluppo Creativo “Danilo Dolci” have realized the activities of reciprocal maieutic and creative thinking, involving a total of 18 classes within the Comprehensive School “Vittorio Emanuele III” and Comprehensive School “Pestalozzi – Cavour”.
Thanks to the Socratic approach of Danilo Dolci, teachers and students, together with experts, have shared and experienced the enhancement of the inner potential of students, increasing the sense of belonging to the class. The creative thinking techniques have consolidated in a fun and dynamic way the knowledge of students on the seven scientific themes analyzed in the project: Astronomy, Waves, Geology, Perception, Electricity and Magnetism, Light and Colours, Mechanics.
The activities have allowed the students to approach with curiosity and enthusiasm scientific areas such as the Garden and the Museum of Tore the Inventor, supporting the introduction of the exhibits within the teaching.
Experts of Urania have realized their activities at Comprehensive School “Vittorio Emanuele III”, Comprehensive School “Pestalozzi – Cavour” and Planetarium of Villa Filippina, in Palermo.
The starting point was the visit from students to the exhibits of Astronomy, Geology, Earth Science of the Tore the Inventor museum.
Following this with the support of Urania experts and teachers, the students made small scientific instruments, used telescopes for observations of the Sun and participated in workshops dedicated to the study of rocks and minerals, with observations and projections under a microscope.
In this way, students have continued the activities at the Museum and Planetarium, where they attended the lessons under the dome of the planetarium and visited the rooms of the museum.
The Centro Siciliano di Terapia della Famiglia, has activated a listening service for students, parents and teachers in the three complexes of each school in the network: High School “Mario Rutelli”, Comprehensive School “Vittorio Emanuele III”, Comprehensive School “Pestalozzi – Cavour”.
Experts, referents of the service, have offered their professionality by welcoming the students through active listening and direct involvement of the teaching staff and parents.
The promotion of the service within the three schools, the meetings with teachers and the presentation of the service to the families, have allowed a constant communication between everyone involved, supporting the usefulness of the activated service and supporting students with further difficulties. This has allowed them to have a new vision of the school and to feel it also as a safe and familiar place where they can receive support.
The experts of the lead partner association A.L.I. have led the students of the High School “Mario Rutelli” making them the protagonists of the creation and experimentation of scientific paths of the city territory provided by the project.
Over the course of the journey, it was possible to better understand and strengthen the skills of students in promotion activities, which have realized tours and promotional videos, aimed at valorizing the Museum and the Garden of Tore the Inventor and other precious works created thanks to project.
The students of the 26 classes involved, in addition to realizing scientific models and experiments, have offered their knowledge on marketing and have realized studies for the creation of a Scientific Tourist Itinerary connecting the two scientific spaces and other places of citizen relief, in order to direct visitors of all ages to discover science through fun.
The students at the three branches of the school “Mario Rutelli” (High School of Science, Department of Surveyor and School of Tourism) were also involved in a contest of ideas that saw them engage in the creation of “mini-exhibits” and audio-visual products.
Experts of the Technorama museum have led activities and workshops on the seven scientific themes of the project, directed at teachers of the three institutions. The first training events were held in Palermo, in collaboration with experts A.L.I. and Urania, the last one took place in late April 2016 directly in Zurich within the striking Science Center. Leading the training was the physics scientist Marco Miranda that has surprised and involved the teachers in attentive and participatory ways with numerous experiments reapplicable to teaching.
The approach shared in recent months, combined with the realization of the scientific areas, have given a new look to the technical and scientific disciplines showing an innovative, playful and artistic character, becoming a heritage of the teachers and students of the schools involved and of the territory.
Who would have said that a school could also be a place of fun? As students pointed out, the many exhibits of Tore present in the Institutes, can attract and entertain people of all ages: the Parco Giochi delle Scienze, is the ideal place to be able to take a walk among the scientific inventions and learn through playing.
A great achievement for everyone, including Palermo and Science!