Protect European Biodiversity!

CLIP:  GO WILD!  SEE EUROPEAN LOST SPECIES!

In Europe we have a wonderful and incredibly diverse nature. Did you know that in our continent there are deserts, dark and green forests, lakes, snowy mountains, islands and beautiful beaches?

There are plants and animals that exist only in Europe and which we should protect, because they are unique species. Some of them are in danger of extinction: they risk to disappear for ever, never!

We must protect our biodiversity! The video clip cannot turn into reality! Do you imagine Europe without wolves, eagles, bears or lynxes?

The European Commission helps European Union countries to take care of nature and offers special protection to some areas of great value, where it is forbidden to hunt wild animals and to pick flowers. What a good idea!

Let's explore Europe!

Hello!

Come with us and let's explore Europe together! We come from different countries and speak different languages, but we share a common home: Europe.

Do you want to become a medieval knight? A strong prehistoric girl? A frightful viking? You decide!

It will be an adventurous journey through time and space and you will find out loads of interesting things! Throw the dice and test your knowledge about Europe: Geography, History, European Union, Culture...  Only the fastest and wiser kids will be able to surpass this adventure!

You can play the game alone or challenge your friends or classmates.

Online Game: Let's explore Europe!

e-book   

European Union

Learning at the Euro School!

FIGHTING AGAINST THE INFLATION MONSTER!

You have just begun the school and probably you have heard mum and dad complaining like this: "How many expenses! You need new books, folders, sport shoes, a tracksuit… And in addition, some things are more expensive than the past year!"

Luckily, the European Central Bank works to avoid that prices in € raise too much and fights against the evil monster of the inflation, who is the one that causes price increase. But… How does it work? You will find it out in this funny cartoon!

The European Central Bank is the central bank for Europe's single currency, the euro. 17 European Union countries have introduced the euro since 1999.

At the Euro School you will discover many didactic resources : games, interactive displays, events and competitions. Tell your teacher!

First day of school in Europe

The summer ends and it is time to come back to school. Get ready! You have to organise your books, tracksuit and backpack… A new scholar year is waiting for you!

After so many days of vacation, returning the school is always a bit hard! It takes us a few days to get used to timetables, to get up early and to study. Do not worry, it is normal and it happens to everyone!

Think about the good things: the first day of school is also very exciting! You will meet your friends and fellows and you will play again with all of them. That's great! New teachers, many things to learn, fascinating adventures to live!

Do you know when do European children come back to school?

In most of Europe, the school begins on September 1. This is the case of Belgium, Slovenia or Poland, although like this year, as that day fallen on a Saturday, the first day of school was on September 3, Monday.  Schools in Russia historically begin on Knowledge Day, September 1st. In France schools opened on September 4 and in England many do on September 5.


In the south of Europe, where the summer is longer, the school begins in the middle of September. For example, in several Italian regions as Sardinia or Calabria the first day of school is September 17. The same happens in Turkey. In Spain, the majority of the children returns to school on September 10. In Portugal, the classes begin between the 10th and 14th of September.

However, in the north of Europe the autumn starts earlier and children come back to school in August, as it happens in some regions of Germany, Scotland, Holland or Sweden. Some dutch kids   began the school year on August 13!

Paralympic Games!

The London 2012 Paralympic Games take place between 29 August and 9 September in London.

You may ask yourself... Paralympic games? What is it?  They are the second largest sporting event in the world, a olimpic competition involving athletes with physical or intellectual disabilities, for instance blindness or mobility impairments. Despite having these problems they have fought very hard to turn into big sportsmen and sportwomen and overcome barriers. They are a great example for all of us!

The name ‘Paralympic’ comes from the Greek word ‘para’ which means ‘beside’ or ‘alongside’. It means a competition held in parallel with the Olympic Games.

London 2012 will be the biggest Paralympic Games ever featuring 4,280 athletes from 166 countries all over the world, who will compete in 20 sports, like athletics, wheelchair basketball, cycling, judo, football 7-a-side, swimming, tennis in wheelchair, archery or sail. Wow, that's impressive!

Like the Olympic Games, Paralympics Games were born in Europe: 

After the World War II, a European doctor called Ludwig Guttmann was working with war soldiers with spinal injuries when he started to think about using sport to help them. He was convinced that making them more active would help re-motivate them after serious injury. So, at the same time as the London Olympic Games in 1948, he organised the first wheelchair games at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, in England. It was a big success and four years later international competitors started to come to the event and interest grew. First Paralympics Games took place in Rome, in 1960, and some years later Sweden hosted the first winter games in 1976. Since then Paralympics Games are celebrated every four years.

Did you know that Mandeville is the official Paralympic Mascot for London 2012? It is inspired by Stoke Mandeville, the birthplace of the wheelchair games. Mandeville loves sports and thinks that paralympians are amazing. Its one eye is actually a video camera so that it can record everything that it sees. It has also a light which reflects London taxis. Mandeville is aerodynamic to represent “Spirit In Motion”, the Paralympic motto. It's always ready for action!

Paralympics athletes fight every day to improve themselves and to overcome barriers. They are very brave and love challenges;  if at first they do not succeed, do not lose heart and go forward.

They are admirable!