ObjectiveSchools: Future Labs aimed to increase the employability of young people, by increasing their interest and achievements in STEM and foreign language subjects.Problem statementThe problem we addressed was two-fold:• Low interest of students in STEM subjects, because these subjects were taught (and therefore perceived) in dry, theoretical, abstract terms;• Low proficiency in foreign languages, because classroom teaching was largely theoretical/passive, instead of participatory which would enable students to use and practice the language they are learning.Ultimately, these two subject areas were fundamentally linked in the sense that in theory, they appeared abstract and useless, yet once they were practiced, they opened doors to the world. Methodology, Activities and OutputsTo reach its objective, Schools: Future Labs developed and tested a teaching methodology based on Action Research, involving task-based exploration of STEM subjects during classes taught in tandem by STEM and foreign language teachers. Using mobile science labs that enable students to develop and implement their own experiments, this methodology was student-led, self-directed and included project planning and implementation skills: all essential to the development of transversal skills.The activities of the project implementation phase were primarily concern training of teachers, piloting of the methodology by teachers in their classes, further training and production seminars and on-line mentoring, resulting in the development of project outputs.The outputs of this project are:• A teacher training Course for the Schools: Future Labs methodology;• A series of “plug-and-play” STEM-CLIL lesson plans, applied to a variety of STEM subjects and applicable to any foreign language;• A virtual student learning portfolio which will document each student’s learning outcomes.Expected ResultsThe efficacy and effectiveness of this methodology was comprehensively evaluated, both in quantitative terms (did students test better than those not involved in this project?) and as importantly, in qualitative terms (were students more interested in STEM and FL than those not involved in this project? Did teachers and students find classes more interesting and motivating?)The evaluation demonstrated that as a result of Schools: Future Labs, students were more interested in STEM subjects, achieved a higher and deeper level of knowledge, developed better fluency in their chosen foreign language, and that these results were achieved in a cost-effective way.Based on this evaluation, the results were: - the participating schools will continue to use this methodology with their students;- the Schools: Future Labs Teacher Training Course have been accredited in most Partner countires as a teacher training course;- the participating teacher training institutes started offering this course as part of their new and in-service teacher training offer.We used these results to promote:- the adoption of the Schools: Future Labs methodology by public education authorities in the participating countries and its implementation in more schools, including in secondary schools;- the piloting and dissemination of Schools: Future Labs in more countries in order to extend its benefits to students (and businesses) across the European Union.Long-term impactsWe expect that as a result of this project, students will, as they grow older:- make a more successful transition into employment, in careers that are vital to the competitiveness of the European economies;- possess the skills that the private sector desperately needs. If these needs are different in 15 years' time, they will have developed the transversal skills necessary to adapt.ParticipantsThe project was piloted in 5th and 6th-grade classes (or local equivalent) in seven project partner schools in four countries: Bulgaria, Greece, Poland and Romania. One linked secondary school also participated in each country as an observer, with a view to extending the methodology to secondary schools in the future. Participants included STEM and FL teachers who were trained in the Schools: Future Labs methodology, as well as their students who did benefit from this methodology.Two Teacher Training Institutes (BG, PL), a University (EL) and an Education Ministry department (RO) specialised in teacher training, as well as two national cultural institutes (Goethe-Institut (DE) and Instituto Cervantes (ES)) trained, accompanied and supported the teachers and ensured that their work results in effective project outputs. The Spanish Ministry of Education completed the partnership, bringing its network and know-how to project dissemination.

"The project was aimed at children's interest in building the Earth and increasing awareness of the protection of the planet in accordance with the principle of sustainable development.The subject matter of stones is a neglected area in the field of environmental protection and science about it. Over the several decades, man disturbed the Earth's balance, which was 4.5 billion years old. The students learned how the environment was created and what its history was.They understood the ""speech"" of stones as geologists, archaeologists and sculptors do. The project made it possible to instil in students the habit of searching for knowledge, fulfilling leisure time with constructive activities that bring satisfaction and teaching teachers to develop effective educational strategies.Five primary schools from Poland, Bulgaria, France, Italy and Portugal participated in the project. Activities were divided into 6 stages.1 The students mastered the geological structure of our regions. They learned how to recognize the basic minerals and rocks and learned about the age of the Earth. They learned how to take samples of rocks and fossils and describe them properly. They collected specimens for collections in their schools, but also for their colleagues from partner schools to enrich their collections.2 Archeology, history and art history. Students discovered the use of rocks, eg: clay, coal, salt, marble, ores, precious stones and their role of stone in human life from the stone age to the present day. They found information about life in caves and mud huts. They met sculptors and their works. They learned what and how glass was created and participated in glass painting workshops. They extended this knowledge during the exchange in Sicily, participating in pottery workshops and decorating the earthenware. In schools, competitions were organized, the subject of which were rocks.The author of the book ""KamiennyKraków"", prof. Jacek Rajchel, guided students around Krakow, indicating which rocks were used in various periods to build the city. He showed that history and politics affect the type of building material used, eg in the interwar years, basalt cubes imported from Wolyn were used for street paving.3 Soil and its components, soil-forming processes and variability of soils and their functions in shaping the natural environment and landscapes.Participants learned about the importance of humus for soil fertility, made soil maps, analyzed soil properties, conducted experiments regarding their aeration and soaking in plant-growing aspects, and illustrated the dependence of occurrence of plant species on the type of soil. They set up rock gardens and constructed prototypes of sewage treatment plants using rocks for filtration purposes. During the exchange in Portugal, they established a European garden.4 Diversity of the landscape, with particular attention to the shape of the surface and tourist values of the regions.The students prepared lists of inanimate nature monuments and made mock-ups of important places in their regions. During the exchange, they discovered the history of Krakow during the field game and visit to the underground medieval city. In the Jagiellonian University they saw the instruments used by Copernicus and the first map on which America was marked. They got to know the history of Krakow Jews on the basis of matzevot sculptures (Remuh cemetery), and in the synagogues they read symbolism connected with Jewish culture and tradition. During the workshops, they made Krakow's cribs mapping architectural details of Krakow's buildings. In Salt Mine in Wieliczka they learned the genesis of halite and the importance of the mine for Poland throughout history. They observed karst phenomena in the Ojcow.Exchange participants prepared an international program and celebrated the National Education Day together. The choir sang in French, the functions of compere was conducted in Polish, French and English, Italian played on Tarantella fiscaletto and the whole meeting was crowned with a pantomime performance - “The legend of the Wawel Dragon"".5 The literary stage. Students searched for legends, fairy tales, where the theme was rock. They wrote scenarios of theater plays about the search for a philosopher's stone. They put on plays, for which they invited friends and family.6 Developing their own initiatives and creativity, the children held an international debate on ""Our ideas and actions for the future."" They made posters calling for wise management of the Earth's resources. They wrote letters to the authorities, informing them about their observations and appealing for help. These lists were read in Bulgaria in the presence of the city authorities and returned to the magistrates of the partner cities and other people responsible for the environment.We have developed a “Guide to Good Practices” with examples of activities in the form of lesson plans for general use by European theachers."