Children in Lebanon Park

From April to late October of that year, a project “Environmental and natural resources research” of the “Natural Monument”, financed by the Environmental Protection Fund of the municipality of Rezekne, was implemented in the elementary school unit OF Maltas. Objective of the project: by updating environmental education and education issues and promoting the personal responsibility of pupils for preservation and protection of the environment, organising environmental education project “Environmental and natural resources research” of the natural monument “Laizāns parks”.
As part of this project, our children were given the opportunity to work together with different specialists. Under the guidance of a qualified biology Anne Mežac, pupils on different substrates (trees, soil, artificial substrates) had identified the most common species of lichen and moss in the territory of the Lebanese Park. Students of classes 6 and 7 participated in interactive activities on the most common species of lichens and moss, as well as listening to a small narrative of them. Using Magnifier and microscopes, students learned to distinguish one species from the other. In addition to Anne Mežaku, a study was undertaken - the biomonitoring of epiphytic lichens and moss. The study will continue after the completion of the project. Now we have a collection of lichens and moss who grow up in Laizāns Park.
In September, children had the opportunity to work with new microscopes and stereomicroscopes. As a result, the children concluded that, with the help of stereomicroscopes, it is much easier to find the lichen species.
Under the direction of the ornithologist Andra Source, the children carried out bird observation and recognition in the territory of the Lebanese Park. Ornithologist offered children an opportunity to observe birds in binoculars, as well as with the help of telescope. The bird recognizer told me that we could hear some bird species, but we can't see. There are bird species whose presence we can find after their “feet.” Following activities in nature, the list of bird species found in the Laizāns Park was drawn up in the light of the descriptions of the external appearance of the birds found.
In September, together with experts from the Nature Protection Administration, children surveyed the Laizāns Park area after its renovation and identified one species of protected ants. It was very interesting for children to find out how a man, after “feet”, could also find out the species of insects. It was also possible to look at the insect cake after the insect hatch.
The pupils read leaves from the leaves of the trees growing up in the Park of Lebanon and set up an appropriate herbarium.
Children tried themselves in a photographer role and photographed trees growing up in the Laizāns Park to see the changes that happen to trees at different seasons. On the Internet, the pupils searched for tree descriptions.
The Renovation works and the park area will now be available as an area for research activities and practical activities in natural sciences and mathematics, where the materials prepared by students will be used.
Nadejda Savicka,
Foundry primary school chemistry and biology teacher