The Greek Erasmus students sang traditional Christmas and New Year's carols to our Basque friends.
We would like to wish Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all the Erasmus family.
Eguberri on et Urte Berri on! Καλά Χριστούγεννα και Καλή Πρωτοχρονιά!
On Friday December 13th, students visited Guggenheim museum and they became critic arts for a day.They followed the explanations given by a guide about the museum. All the information they received was used to prepare their activities.They chose nine different pieces of art , sculptures and building and gave a brief presentation of those pieces of art as well as the author of them . After their visit, they expressed their opinion about them, how they felt when they saw them, their impressions.
When they visit us in May, both schools, the Greek and the Basque students will visit the museum and they will be given those critics to understand how our students saw those pieces of art and their feelings and we will ask them to write theirs as well.
Elexakde students also prepared sketches of them.Then all the critics were collected in a digital newsletter and presented to all the classes so that the students who didn´t go to the visit could enjoy it and chose the one they liked the most .
Today we are celebrating The International Day of The Basque Language .This day means an open window to the present and the future of the Basque Language. Last year in our blog we explained why this day is celebrated on 3rd of December. I invite you to read it and learn why.
In Elexalde BHI we have also celebrated this special day and we have organised different activities such as different games, two Basque dances, and two traditional Basque sports. One of the dances we have danced has been zazpi jauzi which we have also shared with our Greek partners. At the same time, this dance will be performed by students from both schools when Katerini students visit us.
Students have also competed in two traditional Basque sports " sokatira" and " txingak"
The Basque language is part of our heritage and identity . Besides, Basque is the oldest living language in Europe.It is a lively and ancient language whose origin, today is still unknown. We hope you enjoy today as we have done it!!
3rd Junior High School of Katerini September-October 2019
In the unit of maritime heritage the Greek Erasmus team chose to visit and present to our Basque partners the salt marshes in Kitros. We visited the salt production unit in the area and were informed about the way the salt marsh works. The area, called Alikes, consists of many saltpans out of which salt is extracted. The salt is being washed and then put on pyramids. That is the only processing it undergoes.
We also saw the lagoon next to the salt marshes. The area is also a wetland of international significance, with a large number of protected species (like the Mediterranean Gull and Greater Flamingo) using the site for breeding, feeding and resting. We were lucky enough to see the flamingos on the day of our visit. We also saw sea daffodils on the beach or else known as Pancratium Maritimum which is a protected plant species.
On the same day we visited the archeological site of Ancient Pydna.
Here is a video from our visit.
Watch the following videos to find out more information on the salt marsh of Kitros and the Greek salt marshes in general.
The Greek Erasmus team together with their music teacher wrote the lyrics to the following song using the music of the traditional Basque song "Txoria txori" (i.e. A bird is a bird). We dedicate it to our Basque friends and we look forward to meeting them in flesh.
The students of biology of 4DBH through Erasmus+ project visited Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve. Students received a lot of explanations about the ecological richness of the ares . Not only did students learn about the diversity of Urdaibai but also the y were taught to respect all the natural living beings. With all the information they received, they will create murals and PowerPoints about this viist.
Video of the visit
Video prepared by students about Urdaibai frm the geological point of view
PowerPoint and Prezi of Urdaibai as a natural heritage
In September we changed Maritime Heritage and carried out The transformation of Bilbao through the river. The reason why we did s change is because the activity consisted iof travelling with Bilboats through the river and the last boat is in September and the day we chose the weather was very good.
Students looked at the changes which took placein Bilbao though the river . Our students were witness of our industrial heritage . After this visit they prepared agoogle map with all the information they learnt in the trip and showing the changes of Bilbao through the river , illustrating all of it with videos and old pictures of Bilbao.
The video of the tip
A poster with all the pictures taken in the trip as well as old pictures of the city
Then students started creating their google maps . They will share them with Greek students when they visit us. They will have them in their mobiles in order to be as a guide to know our city.
Ane Aguirre and Lorea Telletxea have visited Magalarte Lezama winery where our txakoli (a slightly sparkling, very dry white wine with high acidity and low alcohol content) is produced. They have produced txakolin for more than 120 years old. Ane and Lorea have offered us a report about their visit.We have learnt all the different steps to be taken into account to produce txakoli , such as the harvesting of the grapes, the juice of the grapes stored in vidons, the addition of yeast to the wine fermertation, the bottling. Enjoy watching the video and you will learn about the production of this traditional Basque Country wine.
When our Greek partners visit us, we are all invited to visit it.
The first issue of the newsletter of the project "Discover and share your identity mark" where it is shown what it has been carried out during the first year of the project. It is a summary of all the activities that have been done in this first year.
On Monday 17th June , the OPEN DAY of the project has taken place. Parents and students who participate in the project have been invited to share all the ativities which have been carried out until now.
First, there has been a presentation of the project, the reason to present it, its objectives , the different platforms where the project can be found .
Then, we have shown them a video to summarise the activities done until now. Then, one by one has been described and parents and students have had the opportunity to enjoy with the videos we have created for them.
Second, students as ambassadors of the project have toured them through all the murals they have designed , describing all of them.
To end, we have met together to have a cup of coffee and taste some sweets to talk about the project. Parents have also assessed the meeting and students have surprised us with a Greek dance hasapiko .
We al have had a good time and laern a lot about the project!!1
We have given parents a brochure with information of the project as well as the activities we have done and the different platforms where it can be seen.
Have you realised our mayor is holding a packet of chewing gum?
Would you like to know why?
By mere chance, one of the Greek teachers Ms Anna Persidou had one and gave it to our mayor.
Our mayor visited this Greek island and
Read the importance of this in the following article :
Chios mastic (Mastiha de Chios), whose label of Protected Designation of Origin comes from 1997. It is a natural aromatic resin, in the shape of a tear, that comes from a tree originating from this Aegean island belonging to the family of pistachia. The mastic tree grows only in 21 villages in the south of the island of Chios and it is totally related to the wheather condition.
This island has an excellent warm and dry climate. Chios is the only place in the world where the trunk and the branches of the mastija throw tears. The mastija drops them after the incisions made in the trunk of the tree. A viscous transparent liquid appears in its secretion At first, the taste is bitter but, quickly, it acquires a unique aroma. The product, once solidified, is collected and cleaned, giving us the Chitos mastic in its natural form
Its production requires a long and hard work throughout the year. The first reference to the mastija comes to us from the historian Herodoto from V a.C who said that n Classical Greece it was used as a natural tooth whitening, that is, it was the only chewing gum of the Ancient Greeks.
Since ancient times, doctors, such as Hippocrates, Galinos or Dioskuridis, had discovered their therapeutic virtues. The mastija is good for digestion, it helps oral hygiene, kills germs, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and makes cholesterol dissapear.
The cultivation of the mastija, due to the special knowledge it requires, has been included among the candidatures which will be evaluated by Unesco to be inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible cultural heritage of humanity
In the morning we have been training about how to organise the open days and the possible activities we could organise in the students´mobilities. We have also examinated the two platforms of the project, mobility tool and the platform of results .
Then the Greek students have said farewell to Elexalde teachers and Management team. It has been a vey fruitful training meeting which will enrich the project.
Fourth day 16th May 2019 Today training has been about dissemination. The project has to be disseminated at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the project launch. We have started with dissemination in the media, and continued with the dissemination in the comunity. We have been disscussing different ideas about it .
Then the mayor of Galdakao has welcome the Greek team. The Greek teachers have introduced themselves and have been talking about the common things between both countries. The coordinator of the project Mrs Gemma Gutierrez has explained the project in detail and he has shown a big interested in it.
Third day 15th May 2019 Before continuing with the asessment training, we have visited Andra Mari church Galdakao´s historical and architectural heritage .This church dates from XIII century . It belongs to the Middle Ages , its style is a mixture of romanesque-gothic and it is opposite our school.
Andra Mari´s altarpiece is plateresque style and a woodcarving of of Santa Maria ( XIII century) can be found . All of us have enjoyed this marvellous church. We have come back to work and we have continued with the training related to assessment. We have analysed the different tools such as rubrics, cultural tests, questionnaries and kahoot. We have seen all the different tools we have carried out until now and the activities which have to be done. And to practise all the training done until now what better than a kahoot about what we have learnt in this training.!!
We have stopped for a little so that students have got to know the Greek teachers and talked with them. They have made them a lot of questions about the project, the activities they like the best. They have also asked them if they would like to visit Greece. Students have also danced a traditional Greek dance for them.
To end the day, we have had lunch in a txoko, a typical Basque gastronomy society . The Greek teachers have tasted the Basque cuisine which has also been worked in our project. There is a section of them in this blog, where you can try to cook them. Our menu was cod salad, squids in its ink, flan ,cod pil pil. All delicious!!
Mrs Anna Persidou has been helping our chef Jesus de Blas , teacher of Elexalde High School. She has learnt how to cook some of the dishes we have tasted.
Second Day Tuesday 14th May 2019 Today ,we have shown Katerini teachers our historical and architectural heritage as we are working it in our project. We have stopped in Bakio and we have explained to them the importance of this summer resort with surfing and the characteristics of the Basque coast .
Then we have visited San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, we have been welcome by Tartalo, one of the Basque mythological creatures of the Basque culture. We have been charactes of Game of Thrones, and we have climbed the 241 steps to the top and as it is tradition we have thought a wish and tolled the bell three times .
This idyllic place is located between the coastal towns of Bakio and Bermeo .It has been the scenario of pirates ,covens and legends.At the top of it, there is an spectacular view of Bay of Biscay.
Then we have visited Mundaka, Urdaibai which is natural heritage and our students will work and share with Katerini students. Urdaibai is a natural setting of outstanding beauty and diversity, which is listed by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve in 1984.
It has been a very interesting visit .
In the afternoon, we have arrived in Gernika and learnt the history of this town, the meaning of Gernika tree, the story of the town and the importance of it in the Basque people´s lives.
Monday 13th May FIRST DAY C3 short joint training staff meeting
On Sunday 12th , we have gone to the airport to meet our Greek partners, Dimitris from Periplo has also been with us.
Ms Katerina Koutroupa, Maria Dampratzidou, Ioanna Goula, Anna Persidouand Mr Iordanis Kyrailidis,Katerini teachers have arrived at Elexalde high school at 9:00 o'clock, they have been introduced to the management team and met the headmaster who has said a few words in Greek and Katerini teachers have given him the presents they have brought for the School
Then, they have been welcome with an "aurresku" performed by Ruben Azcona, Nerea Ereño, Maitane Molina, Annne Etxebarria, Peio Eguileor and María Crespo , students who participate in the programme.
The txistu has been played by the Basque teacher Ms Raquel Iruarrizaga and a student from first batxiller
It has been very moving and the Greek teachers have really enjoyed it and discovered one of our heritage and identity. They have visited the high school and met all the teachers of the different subjects.
Then we have had a lunch with the School staff where Elexalde teachers have met Katerini teachers and have exchanged information about both schools and both countries The coordinator of the project Mrs Gemma Gutierrez has told them a few words giving them a warm welcome and explaining that this mobility will strengthen the links between both countries and she hopes their staying in our school and in the Basque country will unite both schools
The English teacher Mrs Anna Persidou has also showed Greek teachers' gratitude for the warm welcome and also has insisted on keeping a future relationship between both schools
After lunch, we have started our training. The points we have dealt have been a look at the programme we will follow in these five days ,a brief approach to Galdakao and Basque Country. Teachers have watched a video about Galdakao, Bilbao and the Basque Country. We have also explained to them our system of education . Then, we have analysed the chapter of assessment in our project. The type of tools which could be used to assess our project and which will be disscused in these days. We have started disssemination, reading the report we did in February and disscused about it .
