Bridges not Walls

School Project

Age: Range 11 to 18 years old

Aim:We will try to build bridges and pull border walls down (and prejudice walls too!) with an international school project. We will look into people, societies, NGOs who build bridges defending migrants´ rights

Subjects: We will be working this topic in various different subjects such as Languages, Literature, Social studies, History, Art, Religion, Ethic Values, Maths, Technology, Philosophy...

Process: Teachers will lead 12 classroom activities (25th April - 20th June) 20th June is the Refugee´s international day. We will begin with an initial dialogue based on cartoons and photos (1st activity), secondly, a film forum, discussion inside the classroom after watching documentary (Walls) and videoclips as M.I.A (borders). We will answer the questions after watching the documentary and we can answer other pupils´ questions, encouraging the discussion around the world, sharing views with due respect to other´s views. 

3rd activity: We will do school researches about border walls around the world and why they are increasing. We can play an interactive map and discover the famous "East side gallery" in Berlin, appreciating art as a protest

4th activity: We will collect photos about the border walls around the world and art/graffitis as a protest. We can build school exhibitions about borders and walls, exhibitions about art as activism with Banksy graffitis and different artists around the world...

5h activity: Play and learn! Connected walls interactive game. Are you ready for breaking real walls?

6th activity: Are you ready for an awareness campaign? Think and start up your campaign and slogan with your team and make a photo on your favourite bridge (it can be your town´s bridge) with your schoolmates and your slogan or campaign. Share on social networks with #BridgesNotWalls

7h activity: Would you like to write a 500 words short story or poem? You can participate in a school literary competition about border walls and we will publish on this blog the winner story of each school.

8th activity: It would be great if someone who crossed some border walls could go to your school for sharing his/her story. If it´s not possible you can prepare an interview and send it to a migrant/refugee reception centre/NGO. You can interview a migrant/refugee or volunteer assistant. We will publish all the interviews on this blog.

9th activity: Discussion between two pupils´groups: for and against border walls/migrants. Prepare and explain your points! This activity is particularly interesting for Social Studies and Language subjects

10th activity: Building Bridges. We can research on people and NGOs who build bridges and "broke" border walls, people and NGOs who support, protect and walk with immigrants and refugees. We can make and present slide presentations or infographic posters and then we will publish/upload them on this blog. Share your school projects!
Tools: https://piktochart.com/   https://www.canva.com/create/infographics/

11th activity: Encourage your pupils to compose a song about border walls and migrants! Share with us! (Music subject)

12th activity: Would you like to perform a theatre piece about border walls? You can perform at school on 20th June, International Refugee´s Day. Share with us your school play!

How can we do it? We will do it through this collaborative blog and we will share and upload slides, infographics and pupils activities/comments.

We can write in different languages (Spanish, English, French, German, Arabic...) Translators and teachers can help us! Internet breaking walls

Pupils, teachers and organizations all over the world can participate with comments and publishing blog posts. I think it would be great!

Help us! Some spanish schools are joining our project, as well as we are looking for African/American/Middle east schools because we absolutely believe working and sharing views an experiences with different pupils and teachers will be enriching and interesting. 

Could you help us spread this project? Please do!!

Teacher contact: susanagm33@gmail.com