SPARE distance workshop "Energy Efficient Building" brought together Russian and Bulgarian schoolchildren

Authors:

Marina Shelkunova, teacher of «Gymnasium № 1 of Bryansk district», Russia

Anna Kislichenko, teacher of the Moscow Waldorf School "Grain Path," Russia

SnezhanaStefanova, teacher of P.R. Slaveykov Educational Institution, VelikoTarnovo, Bulgaria.

In times of self-isolation nine regions of Russia and Bulgaria, 30 schools, more than 350 schoolchildren took part in an unusual workshop in April-May 2020. The basis of the distance workshop was the in-depth study of  some graphic and text materials of the pop-up book "Energy efficient building. Problems and Solutions for Efficient and Economical Use of Energy", created by the Russian SPARE program in 2017.

Early in April 2020, an active group of the Bryansk regional non-governmental organization ”Viola” and teachers of SPARE schools in Russia and Bulgaria created a concept of the workshop, theoretical and practical tasks for schoolchildren. We sent them to more than 250 e-mail addresses of schools in Moscow, the Moscow region, the Central District of Russia and our partners in Bulgaria.

Schools of the Moscow, Yaroslavl, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kaluga, Smolensk, Kostroma and Oryol regions of Russia and the city of VelikoTarnovo (Bulgaria) expressed their desire to participate in the SPARE workshop. We sent to these schools a digital version of the book «Energy Efficient Building». We asked each participant to read the texts, to study the drawings which the SPARE program recommends for the creation of an energy-efficient building taking into consideration the assessment of energy losses during production, transportation and  consumption. Teachers suggested that students consider how to realize the motto: "Energy saving - saving funds - comfort - preservation of nature and climate."

The workshop started on April, 22 - on the International Earth Day and  finished on May, 11. Pupils carefully studied, sketched and created works of different heaters and water-saving equipment. They also studied some modern energy-efficient materials for building and finishing the house. After they carried out energy insurance of their own houses and offered, their own designs of alternative energy sources.

The schools participating in the international workshop took part in general correspondence and exchange of experience through Skype, Zoom and WhatsApp platforms.

At the last stage of the workshopthe schoolchildren made their own energy-efficient houses and buildings using the drawings "Energy-Efficient Building." These models were made of secondary materials: wood, cardboard, fabric, modeling clay  and  a construction kit for children. The school children shot and filmed their models afterwards.

The winners in the international workshop were students of the P.R. Slaveykov Educational Institution, VelikoTarnovo (Bulgaria). The Bulgarian schoolchildren under the guidance of Danko Borisov, , the headmaster, Dilyan Gajev, the assistant headmaster and Snezhana Stefanova, the teacher of  Biology and Chemistry created more than 30 models of different energy-saving courtyards  and farms, painted more than 20 drawings and posters. The second place was taken by the work of Miroslav Kislichenko from the Moscow Waldorf School "Grain Path", who trained the workshop participants through the video platforms how to create models of energy-efficient houses from garbage and modeling clay. Later he sent each participant his eco-cartoon: "Don 't be lazy to sort the garbage!"

The third place was taken by all the other schools - participants of the workshop!