Visiting the historical National Library of Greece, just before its relocation after 114 years

In our play-based school, we always look for opportunities to mingle with fascinating reality.

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A coming cornerstone for Athens, our city, is the relocation of National Library of Greece and of Greek National Opera to the very new and impressive SNF Cultural Center, near city’s coast.

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Since 1903, National Library of Greece has been located into a historical building in the very heart of the city, designed by Theofilos Hansen and constructed by the great Ernst Ziller.  This status-quo will end by September 2016, so these days it was really the very last chance for our pre-K and summer campus kids (kindergarteners & alumni) to visit it.

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Children of both classes have been working lately in a variety of projects on sea and volcanoes. So, it was a great opportunity for kids to visit the old building and utilize library services in their research, getting thus a good idea on why we need libraries!

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Library policies are tough and usually do not allow hosting preschoolers, but our fantastic kids proudly made it!

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Children searched their subjects in library computers….

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….identified the needed sources….

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…and copied all information needed.

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All in all, it was a fantastic day for our kids. They grasped a lifetime experience, just days before it become a gone-for-good memory!

(big thanks to Library staff Ms. Vasiliki Tsigkouni, Tonia Pateropoulou and Agathi Papamichael, for their assistance.)

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A real firefighting project in kindergarten

In September 2016, our kindergarten kids participated into a real-life firefighting exercise organized by the officers of Athens 1st Firefighting Station.

It was a fantastic chance for them to be parts of real fire department team, to learn important things on safety and to see how a team works in real life conditions.

Many thanks to our friends in Athens Fire Department!

One day after swimming class…

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Last Monday,  only Cynthia, Poppy and Marina from toddlers’ class participated in swimming lesson.

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Girls got ready in few minutes after lesson was finished. We had plenty of time since post-toddlers’ class was still in locker room. So, l asked them what we were going to do, and theιr answer was “We can discover the place!”

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And so the game began…

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We found water in the road…

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And jumped in it….

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We focused on the plants…

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Smelled them….

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And brought one back to school….

But time was running so fast, so we had to return in our school bus!

(by Chryssa Vaitsi, teacher & projects’ coordinator in Athens school)

Two hours in the woods, are enough….

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….to discover new paths.

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….to discover the botanical walk (and to possibly see the Christmas goblins making their magical tricks using herbs, according to Myronas!)

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…to see a strange and huge tree.

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….to make signs on the ground to help us find our way back.

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…to find something looking like a hollow for birds (but it was not…)

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…to cook!

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…to show our leadership skills!

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…to discover the beauty of nature.

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….and to leave our mark on the ground!

All, until next time!!!

(by Spyridoula Patouna, teacher in pre-K class in Athens)