THE PROJECT 2006

 

The project fits perfectly in the new law on the self-management of schools, since it completes and implements the proposals of changes and experimentation which form the base of the educational offer.

 

In fact schools are entrusted with the task of working and carrying out projects of research, experimentation and development, since they make possible to offer new areas of personal growth for  the young.

 

This action, when established and in the Plan of Educational Offer, will contribute to the start of a cross-disciplinary project aiming at rousing and facilitating the students? abilities to learn, mix and face reality; for the students the project represents a special meeting moment and place for experiences aiming at educating and  strengthening the values of public spirit, politeness and unselfishness, which are of primary importance against the dangers of isolation, social exclusion and youth deviances.

 

Technically speaking it is a week of multi-disciplinary activities on a sailing boat. In fact ?Settimana Azzurra? offers the secondary school students (14-19 years of age) of the Province of Bolzano an extraordinary experience: seven days on the open sea, with sailing lessons alongside  more standard lessons of maths and physics, literature, history and foreign language.

It is a great adventure for the students, who will learn theoretical notions through direct contact with practical phenomena, and will have the opportunity to visit unforgettable places. But ?Settimana Azzurra? is an invaluable experience for the group leaders too, since a sailing boat is a really special classroom and even the strictest of the teachers will have the chance to show their ?.. human side!

 

Objectives

Primarily this type of activity is aimed at facilitating the relationship between teachers and students, out of the usual school canons and proposes four basic objectives:

-       setting up an experience with a highly cross-disciplinary character;

-       contributing considerably to the cultural training and to the psychological growth of the youngsters;

-       developing knowledge, cross-skills and team and group work abilities;

-       educating to the sustainability while enhancing the environment and focusing on particulars rich in history and traditions.

 

The project is sponsored by: Port Authority Forces, Education and Labour Department of the Province of Bolzano, School Authority of Bolzano, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests.

In alliance with: National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago, WWF, Museum of Natural Sciences of Bolzano.

 

Stay: the voyage lasts a ?.. (blue, of course) week, exactly.

 

A standard day:

7,30 am: waking-up, tidying up the cabins, personal cleaning, mopping the boat, inspection;

8,15 am: briefing of the skippers; information of the activities and route of the day;

8,30 am: raising the anchor, sailing, lesson on board;

12,30 pm: arrival at a bay (if scheduled), anchorage, lunch, cleaning up the kitchen and the wardroom;

2,30 pm: raising the anchor, sailing, lesson on board;

5,00 pm: arrival at the port of mooring; activities on land: visits, entertainments etc.;

7,00 pm: dinner, cleaning up the kitchen and the wardroom;

9,00 pm: free time

10,30 pm: again on board

 

Study programme

On land: during the school year the project plans a series of activities and lessons aiming at a better knowledge of the places to visit and anticipating some of the notions which are necessary on board.

On the sea: while sailing theoretical and practical lessons are held concerning three macroareas:

 

Scientific area:

Physics: carrying capacity and drift, the forces working on the hull and on the sails; the venturi effect; the friction;  the sail propulsion; parallelogram of the forces;

Meteorology: atmosphere, temperature, pressure, humidity, clouds, rainfall, wind, effects of the wind on the sea surface, the tides;

Geography: the earth, terrestrial coordinates, Mercator chart, sea routes, miles, elements of cartography;

Sciences: identification of the stars; wildlife of the islands; guided tours to the places which are the most suggestive and precious for botany; anthropization and biocompatibility; eutrophication of the islands; the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago; the WWF oasis; the food chain; the ?sea? lab.

 

Humanities

Literature ? history: guided tours to the large historic evidence   characterizing the islands, the influence of Etrurians, Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Saracens; the Maritime Republic of Pisa, tutor of the islands of the archipelago for over two centuries, the Turk pirates; the Spanish period; Napoleon; the Grand Ducky of Tuscany and the annexation to France;

Foreign languages: the editorial staff, formed by the students, will update the log book in German and English. It will be possible to read the log book on line on the Internet;

Computer science: distance management of the Internet site; flow statistics  and frequency report; the modern peripherals.

 

Motor activities

Physical education: sailing, swimming, snorkelling, skindiving. Swimming-pool training to improve the aquaticity and supply information on snorkelling (flippers, diving mask, snorkel).

 

Technical schools can also analyse:

Economic Geography: international sea trade referring to the fishing sector in particular, sustainability, chain of the fish market; lecture by experts in the sector; Law and Business Studies: EU public law and international public law referring to the rules regulating the circulation of people and things. Navigation laws, contracts, shipping contracts, sea wedding; international law, home waters. Sea transports; insurance, contracts of reinsurance; lecture by an expert in the sector of international transports and law. Technical drawing: relief map of some parts of the buildings of the former penal colony of Capraia; Mineralogy: the mines, the minerals (haematite, pyrite, quartz, magnetite, limestone, limonite?), tunnel cutting and open quarries, stratification, mining, sorting, washing and processing of ores; petrography; experimental park of ancient metallurgy (Molicaccio and Portoferraio). Beside these study activities the students, thanks to the Syndicate of the Fishermen of the Isle of Elba, will be offered to take part in the night fishing of anchovies, according to the times, ways and traditions which have characterized this important activity for centuries. Moreover every week a maritime biologist will take the boats in the discovery of the seabed and the plants of the islands.

All the participants are covered with school insurance, with a specific integration for the action ?Settimana Azzurra?, compulsory insurance  for the boats.

For further information

 

Settimana Azzurra

Cell. +39 320 37 842 63

Tel. +39 0471 955540

Fax +39 0471 594220

Bruno Franceschini (chairman)

Bruno.franceschini@tin.it