World Phenomena

Try out

World phenomena

Take a look below and explore what a module of World Phenomena looks like.

Theme: Water

Perspective: How does it work?

Module: In the footsteps of water in the landscape

Lead-in: Arizona

The teacher and the students start a discussion and form a hypothesis about the formation of the most famous canyon in the world.

1. The greatest valley in the world

The Bingo game is focused on understanding the content of educational videos. During the activity, students will learn about the world’s largest canyon.

2. How does a river affect the landscape

In the role-playing game students make up questions from information that was presented in the video. Students understand the erosion action of the river, develop critical thinking and learn to formulate questions and answers.

3. Weathering and erosion

The activity is focused on peer education. In pairs, students read and interpret a text on the problems of weathering and erosion. In addition to gaining new knowledge, pupils learn to work with the text and shall explain its contents.

4. Water in the landscape

Students play a memory game focused on repetition. The pairs contain terms and definitions related to the module theme.

Sticker

During the module, the teacher rewards groups, or individual students with 12 progress stickers for the World Phenomena Game

5 solutions for implementation

World Phenomena as a new teaching subject

Why yes:

time to carry out activities and multiple topics
team teaching with two teachers / division into groups
creating a standard space for cross-curricular teaching

What to consider:

more demanding organizational arrangements: timetable
creating a curriculum for a new subject
higher demands on teachers

Real life example:

School management and teachers created a World Phenomena subject with a two-hour allowance from available lessons to create blocks of consecutive 45-minute classes to carry out activities. The World Phenomena are taught by two Physics-Biology and History-Geography teachers, and in block teaching they will take turns as needed. They also teach the whole class or divide into halves.

World Phenomena as part of existing subjects

Why yes:

ease of roll-out
each teacher teaches topics in which he/she is qualified
enhanced cross-curricular experience

What to consider:

exclusion of lessons from thematic plans
better coordination between teachers
less time for activities within a 45-minute lesson

Real life example:

Teachers chose the Water theme and split individual models among themselves. Teachers of physics, geography, chemistry, history, informatics participate and all models are taught in two weeks. They coordinate their work on an ongoing basis. In the end, they prepared a joint presentation where pupils presented their discoveries to other pupils from the same year.

World Phenomena as block teaching

Why yes:

enough time not limited to 45-minute classes
focus on a specific topic
enhanced cross-curricular experience

What to consider:

adaptation of thematic plans
program preparation and coordination
planning before start of school year/semester

Real life example:

The school decided to have block lessons on cross-curricular topics every Friday in November. Teachers divided all pupils into groups created from multiple years. They set up the program to teach the Air theme supplemented by other activities over 4 weeks.

World Phenomena as a thematic week

Why yes:

enough time for activities not limited to 45-minute classes
challenging the stereotypes of school teaching
enough space for comprehensive solving of topics

What to consider:

program preparation and coordination
assisting pupils with final presentation
planning before start of school year/semester

Real life example:

The school dedicates one week of the 2nd semester to the World Phenomena - for example three themes: Water, Sun and Air divided between 2nd level years and classes. At the end of the week, individual classes will pass on their knowledge to other pupils at a small conference.

World Phenomena as a video library resource

Why yes:

low coordination demands
low demands on implementation into the subject
added value during traditional lessons as illustrative videos

What to consider:

reduction of cross-curricular potential
not using all materials in the project
less motivation for pupils

Start teaching in an innovative, attractive and experiential way today

Order the World Phenomena educational materials package for your school and get everything to start teaching a new school subject immediately.

„Being involved in the World Phenomena project is an opportunity to make teaching more attractive for our pupils and teachers. Using the project’s modern methods, activities and videos, we can increase pupils' interest in education and open new perspectives on current topics while enriching traditional teaching.“

Mgr. Lenka Harvanová

Primary school, Trieda SNP 20, Banská Bystrica

„World Phenomena immediately interested me as an English teacher as it also includes BBC videos and I also enjoy new challenges. The school board opted for education through the new school subject ‘Research’. I am interested in physics, culture, books, and documents in general - so this was a dream come true. Our education system lacks this - linking topics, languages, cultures, etc. Education should be comprehensive rather than partial. The teaching will be experiential for the children and me.“

Mgr. Miroslava Závadská

Primary school, Pribinova 123/9, Nováky

„World Phenomena Expedition takes education to another dimension. The pupil becomes a researcher and the teacher increasingly becomes a facilitator. Individual phenomena are introduced in context and presented through unique BBC videos. By linking to English language teachers can apply the CLIL method to their teaching. And we see the main importance of this project in the application of cross-curricular relationships and the complexity that characterizes individual phenomena.“

Ing. Daniela Kopinská

Grammar school, Kukučínova 4239/1, Poprad

„World Phenomena Expedition can draw a pupil into a problem in a wider context - becoming a member of the expedition seeking solutions as part of a team. But the pupil doesn’t know the tasks are being solved in a cross-curricular way with a focus on problem-solving, which is exactly the innovative perspective. The subjects overlap. Such an approach to the subjects, a broader perspective, is also a novelty for teachers. It is a challenge we all look forward to.“

Mgr. Róbert Harmata

Primary school, Benkova 34, Nitra

„BBC videos - as well as high-quality cross-curricular activities linked to innovative teaching methods - will help us achieve our goals. We’ll be implementing this project now and in years to come into our teaching and we believe it will be of great all-round benefit.“

Mgr. Katarína Kurucová

Primary school, Komenského 13, Sabinov

„We see the World Phenomena Expedition project as an opportunity to revive traditional teaching with new features. Especially pupils with learning difficulties can engage in the learning process in an interesting way with these non-traditional methods.“

Mgr. Lenka Paľová

T. J. Mousson Primary School, Michalovce

„We were intrigued by the opportunity to bring unique educational materials to pupils, including videos from the BBC and the World Phenomena Expedition with a young YouTuber. Teachers also need motivation in the 21st century and they can get it thanks to World Phenomena’s innovative educational methods, amazing educational materials and digital technologies.“

Mgr. Katarína Šalamúnová

Primary school, Mládežnícka 1434/16, Púchov

„We also joined the project because it’s good for children and teachers. When we discussed it with colleagues, they liked the idea and were eager to participate. We look forward to seeing how the children enjoy learning.“

RNDr. Zuzana Hanudelová

Primary school, Komenského 13, Sabinov

„World Phenomena is a wealth of quality teaching materials, ready-made methodologies for teachers, the opportunity to experience innovative teaching methods, a new dimension of teaching, and the opportunity to show that innovation originates from a teacher’s thinking and attitude.“

Mgr. Gabriela Kuklišová

J. J. Turzo Primary School, Detva