DEVELOPING ENGLISH AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMPETENCIES THROUGH ELEMENTS OF NATURAL SCIENCE

The aim of the article is to present projects, lessons and other activities focused on rising students' interest in natural science and carried out in informal education, English and IT lessons at Silute Martynas Jankus basic school. Students may learn in a wide variety of settings that is alternative to traditional classroom and this awakes their curiosity, desire to learn or know about their environment. The activities presented in this article, let us to develop not only science, but English and IT skills as well. The chosen themes for activities are actual nowadays, so we think, children should start from their close environmental research such as nature, cultural and historical heritage. The students observe, analyse, share their opinion on a particular issue, exchange ideas using innovative IT tools and developing English competencies such as speaking, listening, reading and writing. Nordplus Junior project “Global Education” lasted for three years and we analysed issues about global warming and biodiversity. The result influenced us to involve more students in international projects and we participated in the project “Glimpses at our home place”. The students took photos of famous natural or historical buildings, shared info about them, created legends and e-book of them. At the moment we are working on the Nordplus Junior project “Divided by Nature, United by Sea”. We analyse legends about mythical water creatures in different cultures and try to find out how our societies tried to explain natural phenomena. A part of the work is travelling to other countries, visiting Nature and Science centres, fishery enterprises, forestry objects, parks. The students of primary classes work on projects “National Pet Month”, “Colours in Spring”online and describe their pets and blooming nature after winter. The students discussed about pollution and green energy, made experiments in English lessons “Acid Rain”, “Alternative Energy”, “Egg – symbol of Life”, studied electrical chain and solar system in IT lessons. Integrating different subjects motivates students to cope with a challenge to work in a team, to overcome their fear to communicate in English, to use web 2.0 tools and reveal the main idea of discussing the theme. We use Natural Science as a tool in our lessons and projects to achieve goals of our subjects, to develop responsible and active citizens, broad minded youth tolerant to other cultures. A list of words: natural science, environment, alternative, develop, natural phenomena, research, curiosity, energy, acid rain, solar system, reveal, observe.