Information about AEDE Bulgaria and FACTWorld can be obtained from :

Stefka Kitanova
butsa13(at)abv.bg
POB 57, Sofia 1797, Bulgaria
+359/2/962 04 42
+359/898/48 96 99

If you think gift is a present you are wrong. But if you think GIFT is a present you are right!

So GIFT stays for Geosciences Information for Teachers. The workshop took place in Austria Center Vienna at the end of April 2012. It was part of the  General Assembly 2012 of the European Geosciences Union. In the workshop participated 80 teachers from 19 countries all over the world.

During 3 days very GIFTed and talented lecturers deliver information about water – the topic of this year. They were also from all over the world. The main topics were related to water cycle and availability of fresh water, water in the metabolism and biodiversity, disasters related to water – floods, storms, etc. And all this in the direction how can be used at school practically. There were also curious presentations about atmospheric moisture and its movement over the continents, Earth observations from space, the fresh water reservoir of Yucatan, piezometric  mapping, simulations and  modeling of underground water, monitoring climate and droughts. Not speaking about the teachers’ presentations of in-door activities where students can practically understand why they learn Maths, Physics, Chemistry…, and what happens when it rains heavily.

I would also like to mention the fascinating facts given on how much water is there in an apple (and other products we eat). Not literally speaking – about 30 g – but how much water is consumed to produce the apple. 70 litres. From now on I will think much more and will teach my students much more about this incredible phenomenon – water! And thinking again – I thought Biology is a complex discipline and it turned what – we do not know much about this simple molecule water.

Stefka Kitanova

’dry’ water activity: Water for life, bottle for longer
http://www.gabih2o.com/funstuff/
Embedded Water
http://www.waterwise.org.uk/pages/embedded-water.html
Highly recommended information from National Geographic
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/embedded-water/
International Water Association: for World Water Monitoring Day
 - which is spread over many months!
http://www.iwahq.org/1nb/home.html
http://www.gabih2o.com/funstuff/

A review  by Stefka Kitanova of FACTworld –Bulgaria
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/B005NWJQM8/ref=sib_dp_kd#reader-link
There is good news and bad news about this book.
The good news is that the book exists itself. And it can be used in many ways by students and teachers but not only.
What can students find in it?  Funny stories to read, enriching their vocabulary and practicing their grammar skills. Also – as the stories are translated, students can train their brains in translation and compare with Dora’s translation or their mates ones. So to develop communicative skills.
What can teachers find in it?  Funny stories to read, but not only. They can be used for class work to develop students’ speaking skills, asking them to re-tell the jokes. The writing skills can also be trained – asking students to re-write the stories. Direct-indirect speech practice or dialogues are also possible variation of usage. Not speaking about ‘standard’ and ‘normal’ exercises of missing words/gaps, prepositions, mixed up phrases, etc. which ‘are on the menu’ of each teacher.
Students can be asked to find similar stories or to tell stories from their own life – it always gives opportunity! Another possible use is to ask students to find similar characters in other countries and tell the stories to classmates.
What can the ‘general readers’ find in it?  Funny stories to read, but not only. After reading the stories one can be in the center of the company and ‘bright’ with brilliant English and good sense of humor. Especially speaking about restaurants, schools and English people.
And now the bad news coming. Don’t read the book in public – people might think you are crazy or mad by the way you are laughing…
Stefka Kitanova
FACTworld –Bulgaria

Participants from different countries meet in a hotel located in Slovakia and stay there for 5 full days to take part in activities such as sports, art and intercultural activities as well as language workshops etc. Through this project they will have a chance to meet their peers from other countries and make new friendships
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EMBAJADA DE ESPAÑA EN BULGARIA
Consejería de Educación, Sheinovo 25, 1504 Sofía
Tel: 359 2 9434907  Fax: 35929441525
www.educacion.es/bulgaria
consejeria.bg@educacion.es

SECCIÓN 1:
Materiales didácticos complementarios

• 1.1. QUÍMICA: INTRODUCCIÓN A LA QUÍMICA ORGÁNICA1.1. QUÍMICA: INTRODUCCIÓN A LA QUÍMICA ORGÁNICA
• 1.2. BIOLOGÍA: LOS MAMÍFEROS

SECCIÓN 2:
Actividades didácticas de español y en español
ACTIVIDADES DIDÁCTICAS EN ESPAÑOL (MATERIAS NO LINGÜÍSTICAS)

The FACTWorld website,based in Bulgaria,  is a reference source for Content and Language Integrated Learning projects.
http://www.factworld.info/
Further information from:  butsa13(at)abv.bg
Get information about CLiL activity worldwide .  Join the FACTWorld international discussion group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/factworld/

Visit to Sofia, Razgrad and Veliko Turnovo courtesy of AEDE Bulgaria 20 – 27 August 2011 - Rod Holmes AEDE UK Section

Sofia, during the Neolithic period some 5000 yrs ago, began as 2 settlements around numerous hot and cold mineral springs, which still run today. Previously called Serdica and Sredets, Sofia is ancient, some 1700 yrs older than Brussels and older than Rome.
Terry Randall’s enthusiasm for the city is infectious. (see: Sofia – the History of Europe, http://sofia.fivestarmedia.eu) ‘I am a Sofian. Sofia is my city. This city’s European atmosphere, its Mediterranean spirit makes me feel Celtic, Roman, Thracian, Hellenic, but above all I feel cosmopolitan. Sofia is ancient, but it hasn’t grown old, it has grown extremely wise, like the translation of its name from the Greek, God’s wisdom.’
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Sofia - the History of Europe - by Terry Randall

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryXSD2HoCe0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_Gemjk4L5s&feature=related