Following our last post about the interactive and multimedia project In the wake of an ice-breaker in the Arctic, associated to the AOA educative website, the scientific team is setting up an original and innovative teaching device intended for primary schoolstudents, to allow them to discover the Arctic region, the scientific and non-scientific crew, as well as the challenges of the undertaking research in the area.

The first step of the project, consisting in gathering videos-questions in the partner schools’ classes, is accomplished! From May 23 to May 27, Pascaline Bourgain went to meet 5 classes from 5 different schools from Ile-de-France region. You can find below the context of Pascaline intervention. She will be then aboard the research icebreaker Amundsen, during leb 1b (June 23 to July 14) to make short-films (1-2 min), produced in response to each identified question.

Workshops with enthusiast children

After introducing to the students the GreenEdge expedition that will occur soon onboard the Amundsen icebreaker, the 10 years old students were asked to imagine that they could go on board and ask anyone their questions : to the scientists, to the doctor, or even to the helicopter pilot ! What an enthusiasm ! The students were curious about everything and asked very relevant and sometimes funny questions ! Depending on the type of questions, if they were dealing with the Science on board, the natural environment or the everyday life, the students had to drop their PostIt on different hoops. Then, they worked in teams to sort all the questions collected with the difficult task to select only 3 of them by theme. Finally, the students were recorded asking the selected questions in front of the video camera, their classmates contributing to the video and sound recordings. The students and the teachers are now looking forward to get their answer and to follow the expedition on board the Amundsen !

Discover the 10-year old school students who actively participated

The 28 students from CM1 level with their teacher Mrs Guichard, coming from the elementary school Reuilly in Paris

The 26 students from CM2 level with their teacher Mrs Forestier, coming from elementary school Du Val in Meudon

The 26 students from CM2 level with their teacher Mr Binot, coming from elementary school Jules Ferry in Levallois-Perret

The 25 students from CM1 and CM2 level with their teacher Mrs Mazeau, coming from elementary school Jules Ferry in Bois Colombes

The 28 students from CM1 and CM2 level with their teacher Mrs Issartel, coming from elementary school Diderot in Paris

In addition, the students with their teacher Mr Maillard from the elementary school Montempoivre in Paris also discovered the Arctic and the GreenEdge expedition but without recording the questions.

This project is made with the support of the region Ile de France and in partnership with the académie de Versailles, the académie de Paris and the APECS-France association.

Pascaline Bourgain and Julie Sansoulet

First Rendez-vous with children: Be curious about the ice-breaker!