Gamtamokslinis ugdymas / Natural Science Education

4-6

Authors: Elena Vasilevskaya

The development of the natural sciences in the XXI century is characterized by the need for a comprehensive solution of fundamental problems shared by experts in various fields. Advances in science are reflected in the content of modern education. Science in school education most often represented by a set of individual academic disciplines, such as chemistry, physics, biology, geography. Interdisciplinary communication is a reality expression of the integration processes in the study of these disciplines. Illustration of the material unity of the world around us, to demonstrate the possibilities of science to explain, modeling and reproduction of natural processes in the laboratory have a priori that the difference. In the practice of school education widespread the integrated courses of natural science too. Described trends in the development of science education in good agreement with the economic development strategy "Europe 2020: a strategy for intelligent, sustainable and inclusive growth", one of the activities of which is to enhance the performance of education systems and to facilitate the involvement of young people into the labor market.

20-31

Authors: Violeta Šlekienė, Loreta Ragulienė Vincentas Lamanauskas

One of the main natural science education aims is the integral perception of the phenomena occurring in nature. Therefore, teachers have to be able to find and convey the pupils the links between separate natural sciences. For this, it is necessary to specially organise the teaching process itself, to prepare the teaching material. First of all, the material has to be distinguished which reflects interdisciplinary links, to choose the teaching forms, methods and ways. In the renewed natural science general programme, seeking to bring secondary education nearer to present day requirements and to improve pupils’ learning motivation, one of the most rapidly spreading science fields in the world – nanotechnology – is included. To what extent and how deep to analyse nanotechnologies, decides the teacher himself. Therefore, it is necessary for the teacher to be prepared to work in the constantly changing teaching environment, to be able to realise the newest interdisciplinary didactic principles, to use information communication technologies. By giving a sample lesson, natural science (physics, chemistry, biology) informatics and mathematics subject relation realisation didactic possibilities are revealed in the article. A sample scenario of the lesson Nanotechnologies: we produce a fullerene model, is presented. The lesson course is described, the tasks, integrating natural sciences, information technologies and mathematics are presented, extra tasks and the tasks for homework are foreseen.

45-54

Authors: Eleonora L. Melnik, Alla Y. Gudym

Content - analysis of scientific literature conducted in the frameworks of the research and method of observation on life and work of Vodlozero residents in the national park "Vodlozersky" in the context of environmental education, showed that the style of their relationship with nature is built not only on the knowledge of modern science of nature and society, but also on regulations, standards, patterns of behavior and activities, as well as various beliefs that have their roots in the past of the society of this region. Relict programs are an objective reality of modern life of residents of the National park and are still rooted in their minds, coming out in the form of individual customs and traditions in agriculture, farming, fishing, gathering mushrooms and berries, cooking, home furnishing. The process of "relict memory" functioning among people is supported at different levels of social activity: communication between social groups of different ages in areas of their compact settlement, attributive means - dances, roundelays, songs on national festivities and holidays. An annual celebration of "Otzhinaha", which takes place in the central village Kuganavolok becomes a phenomenon linking the old traditions of Vodlozero residents and contemporaries. Residents of the former villages, previously located in Vodlozerye also take part in it. "Otzhinaha" is associated as a kind of folk festival in this region. Nature and activities in it is subject to its rhythm - the change of seasons: transition of the sun from winter to summer, the end of winter and beginning of spring, blooming plants and harvesting. The content of lyrics sung at the festival reflects the nature of human work in the fields, hayfields, its labor inputs and dependence on nature, "there will be bread, and there will be song." Orthodox holidays are an important part of spiritual life of the villagers. Modern secular program that could ensure the reproduction of forms and types of activities that are vital for the area and determine the specific character of the community, that are working currently and influence their future, are demanded in a lesser degree. The reasons for this phenomenon lies in partial or complete loss of the true bearers, guardians, and reproducers of forms and types of former activities, the complexity and long duration of the process of reproduction of a particular type of craft. Certain activities were typical only for a limited part of residents living compactly in the area away from the center. This fully applies to the issue of the revival of ancient shipbuilding technology - an ancient lost skill of "sewing" typical for this region boats - "vodlozerki." The craft is in demand, boats are sewed, and people buy them. But awareness of the kinds of crafts demanded in the region is low. Most often in everyday life villagers use the traditional beliefs, signs and custom suggesting the emergence of negative consequences for people. Working in the human mind as a taboo, they serve as a talisman for life and that is why they are stable in memory. Based on our observations, we can say that the superstition or fear of being punished (by water spirit, wood spirit, etc.) has played and continues to play a significant role in behavior of people.