Project „Young European in the world of tolerance” was based on the common work of five educational institutions from Poland, Lithuania, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria. Its main idea derived from the belief that it is a necessity for all educators to teach the youngest about the multiculturalism and tolerance as it is the values needed to change the world for better.Since the beginning of human migration, the world has become a multicultural place. People travel and share their discoveries, ideas and beliefs. Nowadays we are observing increased dynamics of a globalization process. The migration has become more intensive as the EU borders disappeared. We are observing an integration of countries and a correlation of societies. Without tolerance, openness and abilities to fight stereotypes future generations will face severe difficulties in coexistence in the multicultural Europe. Our project was an answer to this need. Through the project activities we taught tolerance, multiculturalism in five different social contexts and we are proud to have achieved a positive impact on our recipients.We engaged over 1500 individuals in our venture (children, teachers, parents, members of local societies, local authorities, Internet users etc) .We also invited over 50 institutions to work together to share our project idea with, to disseminate the results and to promote the advantages that the international cooperation of educational institutions in Erasmus+ projects offers.The main aims that were achieved after two years of work are: increase of participants’ knowledge in the field of partner countries, multiculturalism, ecology, development of key competences needed in a multicultural society (communication, foreign languages, social competence), the development of a need to be a part of the European family and to take care of our common environment. We created lots of results and products of the project that we hope will be used by others after the project is finished (lesson scripts, play scripts, eco-gardens, cookery books, art exhibitions, workshops etc). Some of the project tasks have become the part of project institutions’ curriculum (the International Day of Tolerance, the European Day of Languages). Two short-term teacher trainings gave us the occasion to equip the educators from the project schools and kindergartens with knowledge and skills needed to teach tolerance and ecology to others, develop their key competences and professional experience needed to educate young European children.

Small Scientists Across Europe is a project combining kindergarten education programmes, reflections on the implementation of these programmes and innovative methods for acquiring scientific knowledge in order to develop thinking in a structured way. This project brought together seven European schools of preschool level from six different countries, including a school specialising in the education of pupils with disabilities, linking more than 75 teachers, 1000 pupils and their families.It allowed students to broaden their scientific knowledge on four main themes: Earth, Air, Water and Fire and to be confronted with problem situations in order to acquire the skills necessary to understand phenomena through an investigative approach.By allowing children to appropriate a motivating starting question (simple but making sense so that children appropriate the problem and want to solve it), this approach allows them to experiment themselves with simple and available equipment, to confront others in action, to observe what they are looking for, to discuss with their peers, to bring out solutions and to share discoveries. This approach allows for in-depth and not superficial learning through the understanding of the real-world phenomena to which they have been exposed and the active construction of knowledge. This project also made it possible to develop language in all its dimensions and communication.Each theme to be studied was divided into several experiments taking into account the material, effects and possible transformations. The young child in each structure was confronted not only with experiments conducted in his or her environment, but also those carried out by the partners (twenty-one different experiments on each theme, three in each school and of three difficulty levels). The experience of the partner countries allows the confrontation of events, structures and thinking that are different from those of the country of origin. Experiences are documented in manuals for children to create personalized materials, including real and functional experiences.In addition to the production of four scientific books (one on each theme) for students, teachers and academic inspection (to ensure wider dissemination), students produced literary works (twenty eight stories on the four different themes) and played online activities based on their own drawings or productions. Thanks to the scientific context integrated into the children's daily environment and the selected activities that are an integral part of the national education programmes, our children's skills in research, critical thinking and creativity have been developed. They experimented with different materials, learned through play, cooperation and collaboration with other children, respecting rules and responsibilities, had the opportunity to explore, observe, analyse and solve problems, feel the joy of creativity.Our project has strengthened the digital and technical key competences of staff and children, as well as the key competences in cultural and intercultural awareness. Teachers in partner pre-schools are now more confident and more willing to adopt and use new technologies in their classrooms. A dedicated project website is a living and regularly updated source of information that will continue after the two years of the project (part of the budget has been set aside to maintain the site). Throughout the project's life cycle, the documents have been registered in Twinspace on the eTwinning platform, all teachers have registered and been able to discover the platform and get involved in projects.All planned project meetings were successfully implemented and took place in a fruitful and productive atmosphere. At these meetings, objectives, targets and activities were clearly defined. An agreed timetable clarified all objectives and set specific deadlines, and these meetings were an excellent opportunity to exchange good practices in science education. Communication between participating educational staff strengthened networks and provided feedback on ideas that could be used in the project.The evaluations put in place show a real interest on the part of children and teachers in this type of discovery, the practice of experiments in class and the desire to ensure that this teaching continues in future years. The parents of the students appreciated this different approach, the team's investment in this project, its success and the communication around it.

"In the national strategic documents (Lithuania progress strategy “Lithuania 2030”, 2014-2020 National progress program, State education 2013-2022 strategy) the aims to the country's education system is ambitious: to create an advanced, modern and strong state, characterized by a harmonious society, dermis of economy and management. The greatest impact to the development of country have changes of Lithuania citizens culture, thinking, behavior and the prevailing valuables in society, so the imagination, creativity, critical thinking is seen as important for the country's resources, trained from an early age all life. In the EU and Lithuanian educational policy documents education of higher skills are identified as most important factor of creation of country well-being and progress. In the European social market economy strategy ""Europe 2020"" emphasized that the high level of skills – the ability to learn, solve problems, to think rationally, independently and critically, collaborate, adapt to the constantly changing world are the most important strategic factors for growth of today economy. At present, the weakest are the most important spheres of Lithuanian schools activities – education and learning, help for students. According to the data of OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) conducted fifteen-year old international study PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) in 2015, the results of the Lithuanian students learning do not satisfied the community and public expectations. PISA study shows that in the country there are many students whose achievements are low, and few of those who are able to achieve the highest levels of achievement. Compared Lithuania and partner countries (Norway, Latvia, Turkey) study results it is obvious that Lithuania, Latvia and Turkey student achievement results are lower than the OECD average. Norwegian pupils' skills are higher than the OECD average, the country is interested in the achievements would be better, or at least remain stable. This situation brings the challenges to find effective measures to improve each student's progress, to create a school that helps all students to spread their skills. The quality of education, improving student achievement - one of the most important partner countries education improvement challenges. The opportunities for the changes of culture of thinking education could create the proper selection of education (learning) tasks that require strategic, creative, innovative approach and many measures for students education of thinking. There is a lack of systematic thinking of students in the different school levels. Till today there were prepared too little education (learning) measures that would educate a higher level of thinking through playful, interactive activities, integrating a variety of learning things and be eligible to the student achievement, needs, exciting the desire to learn. By educational method “Thinking school” students and teachers are included to learn to think reflectively, critically and creatively, and to adapt these skills jointly constructing meaningful learning program. Successful achievement of students reflects in student’s skills to act independently and in cooperation, in the learning with satisfaction. More than 300 Thinking Schools operate successfully in the United Kingdom. According to the latest research, carried out by the University of Exeter (2012), these schools demonstrate the effectiveness of the method to students’ achievements, their motivation to learn, school attendance, as well as the benefit for the school community. The aim of the project - to consolidate existing knowledge and to create training tools for learners and educators (teachers and parents) internationally, which would contribute a higher level of critical and creative thinking, through experiential, playful and information technologies training (learning) methods. The project developed innovative educational products: educational (learning) measures for students (different age groups) and the guide of educational (learning) measures to educators (teachers and parents). The main aim of measures (through interactive, playful activities, integrating a various subjects, using of outdoor spaces) to develop students' higher-level thinking skills, holistic thinking. Ensuring the quality of education (learning) measures, in the partner institutions was done a practical testing of created measures. The activities of the project included 72 teachers and 360 students. Created effective and modern educational (learning) measures improved the quality of teachers' work, provide a higher quality education, help to the students to achieve better learning results, creates favorable conditions for the development of innovative education."

This project was created to contribute to the development of critical thinking, freedom, talking about cause and effect relation and improving personal consciousness by having the democratic values and the declaration of human rights as starting points. The project wanted to focus on children’s rights so as to make them more responsive to them starting from knowing through understanding towards applying them in real life situation and from the beginning. From the beginning, we were able to verify that it was much more meaningful for the students to work in relation to children's rights, so all the participating centers started from that premise.As all participant countries have connections with the European Union, we all wanted to cooperate within the frame of fundamental rights, freedoms and democratic values promoted by it. Since the topic is too wide, we decided to take into account those mutual problems that connect the partner schools and to deal with by searching in our environment for the target group of our project. We intended to create a useful democracy and human rights movement in our schools and local communityOne of the first agreements between the partners was that within the structure of the project itself, and in order to work on all the established issues in the most useful way for the students, each partner could prioritize some issues over others, emphasize some more actions meaningful or give more value to some topics because they are more meaningful for their students The activities of our project were designed in three stages: side, literacy and practical activities. . Literacy activities consisted in observation of the present situation, events and victims and reporting stories of victims in our local community, especially about the cases of the different partners in each country. All the practical activities referred to the activities that most involve children: making interview with the victims and shooting videos of them, preparing magazines, creating theatre plays, writing songs and organizing concert with them, organizing sports activities, joining in radio and TV programs.At the first meeting of the partners, it was agreed that charity events should focus on helping specific individuals and families, within the environments of each of the partners, as this was a more meaningful and valuable activity than the one proposed in an origin in the project.. We wanted to realize the inclusion of our targeted pupils within the mainstream education and society. By means of this project we tried to be able to bring a helpful hand in promoting their integration. A stimulating learning environment and innovative approaches for supporting these childrenꞌ s both social and emotional development is desired to be created by the end of the project. The objectives of the project have been fully met, with the added value that they have been able to adapt to the particularities of each of the participating centers. In addition to this, it has been possible to carry out the vast majority of activities except for the last mobility to Lithuania that had to be canceled due to the Covid19 pandemic. The participants at this project will be the students, the teachers, the administrative staff, parents and representatives of the local community. Students are the main actors in all stages while teachers are supervisors and beneficiaries. The administrative staff are also other important members as well as the parents and representatives of the local community. The last ones will be the side beneficiaries since they will be the target group for the dissemination of our project activities, outputs and results. We placed the performance and fairness as the two main principles, while involving and selecting the participants. In terms of methodology, ones the project got started we will set up project clubs in the schools and will announce the students to join the club. Minimum 50 students will be involved. These 50 students will be divided into teams which will be given tasks for a certain duration regarding the sections and activities of the project. One of the greatest virtues of the project has been the exchange of learning experiences between the different partner countries. As the project progressed, although certain topics had already been worked on, an idea from a partner was picked up by another partner and started up in its own centre, due to the virtues that it might have. This has meant a circular operation of the project themes, which in a secondary way has been more positive than the linear theme that was established at the beginning, since all the work themes have arrived fresher at the end of the project, since they have been continued working in various ways throughout the duration of the project.All teams worked and supported the main body of the project under the supervision of the teachers. There are 5 L/T/T/A all for teachers since the studentsꞌ age makes them vulnerable to travelling. Teachers leaded the students in local level to join all kind of activities in order to create a positive interaction in the school environment and the impact on every member of the school. At the end of the project, in all the participating centres the different themes have been worked on, a large group of teachers has been trained in relation to the project and this cascade training can continue to be extended to the rest of the teachers. In addition to this, the project has been included in the different working documents of the partners, so its continuity and sustainability has been assured.

MOTIVATIONSince reading an essay entitled biophilia, the idea of the project arose: that people are naturally attracted against their natural world. However, numerous parents in the 21st century will challenge this hypothesis, when they witness their children show a strong preference for sitting in front of a television in a sofa over playing outdoors. It is estimated that the typical European child spends 4 to 7 minutes every day in unorganized outdoor play, and more than 7 hours per day in front of a computer.The project includes two key activities in its core; on one side, it will take children outside and on the other side it will teach them specific responsibility toward nature and the world beyond.Based on all these reasons and goals, as Europe's primary school teachers, we have come together and created this study to implement a comprehensive curriculum to connect our children with nature, to make them excited in the outdoors, to create and implement easy and realistic entertaining practices within the school systems.We've established 50 specific outdoor plays (10 for each LTTA), as primary school teachers would come together in 5 LTTAs and organize workshops with their techniques, strategies, resources and formulation to create such plays appropriate for schools. They will introduce and apply these plays in their schools upon returning home from the mobility and they will integrate them into their curriculum of our schools.OBJECTIVESO1. To share experiences and practices related to teaching of outdoor games between primarylevel teachers from various European countriesO2. To promote the production of outdoor playing teaching resources appropriate for schoolsO3. To develop the environmental awareness among children O4. To provide children with individual and social commitment and responsibilityO5. To enhance the role and position of the school inside the local communitiesO6. To popularize an active citizenship and social/civic responsibilityThe project events and activities will allow the children to play outdoors and show the children individual responsibilities for nature and hence the environment. Therefore, they are going to be more aware of preserving nature.PARTICIPANTSThe project firstly addresses kids/children aged between 4-11 as main beneficiaries via their teachers who will study and work out the practical activities in the LTTAs, which will then be implemented locally. Teachers will be the second beneficiaries and they will be the main actors for running the activities at first hand as instructors. 5 teachers from each partner school will take part in each LTTA. 50 teachers will benefit as direct participants and minimum 150 teachers as indirect ones. Altogether, the dissemination events will affect around 500 teachers. 150 aged between 4-11 are actively and directly involved in the activitiesACTIVITIES AND METHODOLOGYWe've established 50 specific outdoor plays (10 for each LTTA), as primary school teachers would come together in 5 LTTAs and organize workshops with their techniques, strategies, resources and formulation to create such plays appropriate for schools. They will introduce and apply these plays in their schools upon returning home from the mobility and they will integrate them into their curriculum.RESULTS AND IMPACTThe outdoor plays created and uploaded to the virtual platforms during project events and will be used by all partners after completion - this will increase the schools 'resource base. New courses for pupils may be created further on, such as using the materials produced in the project.The project also involves the growth of the human resources, which is both useful in the short and long term. Project builds partnerships between teachers and their colleagues in Europe and offers them the ability to create potential ideas for future project. All participating teachers improve their knowledge of other systems of education and can use the best practices in their own regional contexts.There will be increased cooperation among teachers within the same school and this would increase the intensity of intra-institutional ties. It will establish an optimistic atmosphere and greater collaboration and will help all of the school's actors.Once outdoor activities are used, the lessons will become more appealing to pupils. That means children will feel more inspired to study. They will also grow a sense of responsibility and continue to take a more active role within their culture, supporting themselves, the identity of the school and the society itself. In coming years, students and their instructors will plan environmental education programs. They may also arrange after-school activities for pupils and allow the involved citizenship normal activity at school level.