by Theodora Kalla
The Larissa VIII Kindergarten a virtuous example for the whole Europe
The VIII Kindergarten of Larissa, Thessaly, Greece, member of Iter Vitis, carried out a pilot project with children aged 3 to 5 years. Over a period of six months and through various activities, they explored the tradition of winemaking. From archaeology to art, digital applications to music and dance, the children discovered the magic of winemaking as part of their local tradition. They also met with producers, visited wineries, and even created their own wine. The children prepared handicraft outputs, studied in ancient Greek, and participated in a version of the ancient Symposium, dressed as ancient Gods of Olympus.
This exciting journey was made possible thanks to the competence of the teachers and the foresight of the director.
The Larissa project serves as a pilot for other European schools, and the first exchange is scheduled to take place with Tuscany next June. It is our civic duty to transmit to the younger generations, starting from their early years in school, the importance of agriculture and viticulture as part of the European legacy and identity. Using art, creativity, and music, the Iter Vitis project in Larissa demonstrated not only to the children but also to their families how crucial it is to use imagination to raise awareness about their roots, civil sense, and respect for the environment.
INTRODUCTION
The Iter Vitis Route is a Cultural Route of the Council of Eurore, certified in 2009. It
celebrates the culture of the vine, winemaking and viticultural landscapes, which are integral to European and Mediterranean food culture. Since the domestication of the vine, thousands of years ago it’s evolution has shaped Europe’s landscapes and people. The route spans from the Caucasus to Western European vineyards, allowing travelers to explore cultivation techniques, vinification, storage and transport.
The VIII Kindergarten of Larisa, located in Thessaly, Greece, is a member ot the Iter
Vitis project. They carried out a pilot project with children aged 4 to 6 years, aiming to raise awareness about the value of viticulture. Over a period of six months, the children engaged in various activities related to winemaking. These activities included exploring archaeology, art, digital applications, music and dance all centered around the magic of winemaking as part of their local tradition. The children even had the opportunity to meet producers, visit wineries and create their own wine. Additionally, they prepared handicraft outputs, studied ancient Greek and participated in a version of the Ancient Symposium dressed as Ancient Gods of Olympus.
The Larisa project serves as a pilot for other European schools. It is essential to transmit to younger generations, starting from their early years in school, the importance of agriculture and viticulture as part of the European legacy and identity.
METHODOLOGY
Aims of the Iter Vitis school project
The aims of the Iter Vitis School European Programme with the title <CULTURAL
ROUTES OF WINE> are:
A) Knowledge
- The students will learn about the grape, the harvest and everything related to it.
B) Attitudes - The students will acquire behaviors (social, business),
- The students will understand the offer of the grape in people’s lives.
C) Skills
- The students will prepare must from the pressing of grapes (traditional pressing of grapes)
- The students will acquire skills in the use of digital systems
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
The specific objectives are:
Our primary goal is for students: - the students to act independently and cooperate with joy and enthusiasm in matters of wine
production, which is a top product for our prefecture, - the students to expand their knowledge about the vine and its uses (plant parts, cooking
recipes), - the students to acquire the ability to plant a vine,
- the students to learn how must, wine, vinegar, alcohol, raisins are produced from grapes
ACTION PLANNING
The participation of our Kindergarten school in the European program gave teachers the opportunity:
to upgrade their professional abilities and skills,
to expand their cognitive horizons,
to enrich their knowledge and their practices through their interaction with colleagues from other countries,
to improve relations between them and
to help open the school to society.
Organizing and Preparing the Initiative:
Following thorough research and data gathering, the Initiative Group (comprising the Principal and the school’s educators) briefed the Teachers’ Union on the Kindergarten’s engagement with the European scheme. As part of this process, the national coordinator for
the European program in Greece was invited to our institution to discuss the program and consider our suggestions.
Implementation of the action
To align with the harvest season, the program kicked off with a trip to a contemporary winery
in the region. At the Kindergarten, we introduced various grape varieties and delved into the history of winemaking, tracing its evolution from ancient times to the present.
The internet was a valuable resource, providing us with photographs, illustrations, paintings, and poems. We engaged in virtual discussions with the European program’s Coordinator via an online platform.
We proposed that our students enact a story centered on wine. Our play focused on Dionysus and the 12 Olympian gods, with teachers assigning roles and tasks for the production.
A person was designated to oversee dialogues, choreography, set design, props, and
costumes. The children excelled in their roles.
Another online session was conducted with the Greek program officials to observe our
rehearsals and suggest incorporating ancient Greek into the dialogues.
We hosted an open event that featured a reenactment of traditional winemaking in a wine press, where children participated in grape pressing. They wore traditional attire and
performed Greek dances to festive songs during the event.
Invitations were extended to students’ parents, European program officials, municipal
representatives, and educational authorities.
The grapes pressed by the children were sent to a distillery to produce our very own wine!
In the initial phase, teachers convened to strategize and prepare for forthcoming activities.
Subsequently, one group of teachers crafted digital activities to enhance children’s digital
literacy and interactive whiteboard skills. They created electronic puzzles themed around grapes, wine, Dionysus, and the Olympian gods.
Another group used tempera paints, watercolors, and collages to create grape clusters and wine bottle labels.
A third group focused on the farmer/vintner’s role, illustrating its significance to the children.
With modern technology, they followed a vine’s lifecycle from pruning to fruit-bearing.
During this program stage, we explored winemaking through robotics. After discussing each step from harvesting to packaging, we colored related images. The teacher scattered these pictures on a “track,” and children programmed a class robot to navigate this path.
Dramatization also played a key role due to its appeal to children. A team of teachers and students prepared sets and props like grape clusters and vines. They donned costumes from the kindergarten’s collection and performed beloved myths and fairy tales. Their efforts were showcased to their peers who became an appreciative audience.
The enduring tradition of winemaking prompted us to visit our city’s Timeless Museum. We toured the Dionysus exhibit, examining ancient storage vessels and masks used in celebrations. The children then attempted to replicate these artifacts by decorating their own vases.
October
The Teachers’ Union held informative sessions with the Parents and Guardians Association.
Adjustments and reorganizations of the program’s timetable were made as needed.
The pupils were shown videos and photographs of vineyards and grape harvesting, as well as online content about wine production in ancient times and more recent history. They toured the Tyrnavos Winery, where they observed the entire process from grape picking to the final
wine bottling.
November
A play was devised featuring Dionysus and the Olympian gods as characters. This
performance was presented to parents, the European program’s manager, local officials, and the educational community of our city, Larisa, in early November.
January-May
Digital games were set up on computers and the Interactive Whiteboard. Additionally,
students participated in robotics and coding activities. They enjoyed group activities
like a treasure hunt, searching for grapes hidden by a cunning fox.
They learned new and traditional songs, as well as folk dances associated with grape
harvesting and pressing.
They enacted the fable “The Fox and the Grapes.”
In the art workshop, using tempera paints, brushes, watercolors, and paper cutters, the
children created artwork featuring jugs, vases, grapes, and wine.
Human Resources
The program’s success was a collective effort involving the director, teachers, and students of
the 8th Kindergarten School, support staff, parents-guardians, local community members, and
coordinators of the European program.
Material Resources
Computers, interactive boards, cameras, brushes, temperas, and paper products were
employed. Grapes, a wooden vessel used as a press, a barrel, and theatrical props made by the
children (hats, Olympian god accessories, glasses, jugs for the gods’ feast) were utilized.
Teachers developed PowerPoint presentations to assess children’s understanding of plant
growth, grape anatomy, and vineyard maintenance. They digitally crafted mathematical
exercises and games focusing on grouping, identification, sorting, and numbering.
Additionally, electronic puzzles were created to enhance digital skills. The children engaged
in drawing, painting, and collage-making. Together with teachers, they built sets and props
for the plays.
For the robotics activities, Beebots and laminated painted cards depicting grape harvesting
and winemaking were used. Myths like “The Fox and the Grapes,” “The Deer and the Vine,”
“The Farmer and His Children,” “In a Bunch of Grapes,” and the story “Mythical Wine? Or
… a Wine Myth?” were incorporated into learning.
Success criteria of the action
Expanding teachers’ capabilities and skills through involvement in the European
program.
Enhancing the school’s community engagement.
Implementing outreach activities in the local area.
Recognizing the knowledge acquired by our young students on vineyard management and winemaking.
Evaluation of the action
Frequent dialogues on the advancement of activities and the execution of successful
educational methods.
Continuous input from the European program’s steering group for oversight,
management, and assessment of our projects.
Recording and assessing the community’s reactions to our outreach endeavors.
Results of the action
Our young learners enriched their lexicon with terms like ‘vine,’ ‘harvest,’ ‘winepress,’ and ‘wine.’ Engaging in fun robotics tasks, they comprehended the winemaking process and
remembered the sequence from vineyard to bottle.
We actively disseminated information about our activities to the wider community, involving
parents, educational bodies, and local governance. Our school organized plays and displayed
the children’s artistic works, culminating in a festive program finale with parental
involvement.
For the educators, we explored avenues for integrating a European program. Some enhanced
specific competencies, such as digital content creation and set design. By fostering
collaborative ties, we effectively steered the program within the set timeline, reinforcing our
collective confidence in joint ventures.
Parameters that facilitate achieving the objectives of the action
The school utilized its existing facilities, such as the library, capacious rooms, and
interactive boards.
The teachers involved showed a keen interest and willingness to cooperate.
Parents were actively involved and promptly responded to communications from the
teachers’ association.
There was regular communication and discussion with the managers of the European
program.
Difficulties
The main challenges stemmed from the tight timeline, particularly with the theatrical
performance that debuted the program to parents and local community groups. This required
extensive preparation, including many online meetings and dialogues with program
managers.
Epilogue: Conclusions – Suggestions for Continued Action
During their hands-on experience with wine production, the students:
Embraced independent action and joyful collaboration on projects related to wine
production, a key local industry.
Broadened their understanding of grapevines and their uses, including plant parts and
culinary applications.
Gained skills in vine planting.
Learned about the processes involved in creating must, wine, vinegar, alcohol, and
raisins from grapes.
Working closely with winemakers, the students delved into various grape types, deepened
their knowledge of winemaking, and recognized the cultural significance of wine. Their
adventure spanned from picking grapes to sampling wines, fostering a deep connection with
the land and its traditions. By bottling their own wine, they connected with a longstanding
heritage.
The cultural exploration extended into the following academic year. Teachers sought new
opportunities, launched initiatives, fostered collaborations, and approached the European
program with renewed vigor. They will investigate wine regions, study maps, visit vineyards,
and artistically depict the terrain through models and children’s artwork. Furthermore, the
theme of wine will inspire students to compose verses and structured poetry. Their insights
and artistic expressions will be shared with fellow program participants.
The development of digital skills in children and toddlers is an important issue. It is essential
to allow children to explore digital materials within a framework of human interactions, with
an adult as a mediator and playmate. Use shared technology time as an opportunity to talk
with children, use new vocabulary, and demonstrate proper use. Avoid passive screen time.
To help children develop digital skills, you can:
Encourage exploration and creative use of technology through interactive applications
and games.
Use technology as a learning tool, such as educational videos or programs that teach
basic concepts.
Provide guidance and support, helping children understand how to use technology
safely.
Set limits on screen time to ensure a balance between digital and non-digital activities.
Additional Suggestions for Encouraging Digital Literacy in Children:
Introduce Coding: Start with simple coding games or apps that teach basic
programming concepts.
Encourage Problem-Solving: Use technology-based puzzles and challenges that
require critical thinking.
Promote Content Creation: Encourage children to create digital content, such as
blogs, videos, or digital art.
Teach Online Safety: Educate them about privacy, cyberbullying, and the importance
of keeping personal information secure.
Model Responsible Behavior: Demonstrate good digital habits, like verifying
information before sharing it online.
By integrating these activities and approaches, we can ensure that children not only gain
valuable digital skills but also appreciate their cultural heritage. This holistic education will
empower them to navigate the future with confidence and awareness.
WEBSITES
Using Digital Media to Support Early Learning
By Joy Kennedy, Naomi Hupert
February 2, 2021
https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-digital-media-support-early-learning
Technology and Young Children: Preschoolers & Kindergartners
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/technology-and-media/preschoolers-and-
kindergartners
SUPPLEMENT ARTICLE| NOVEMBER 01 2017
Digital Screen Media and Cognitive Development
Daniel R. Anderson, PhD;
Kaveri Subrahmanyam, PhD;
Pediatrics (2017) 140 (Supplement_2): S57–S61.
https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-1758C
https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/140/Supplement_2/S57/34173/Digital-
Screen-Media-and-Cognitive-Development
Screen time and preschool children: Promoting health and development in a digital
world Michelle Ponti, MD
Paediatrics & Child Health, Volume 28, Issue 3, June 2023, Pages
184–192, https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/pxac125
https://academic.oup.com/pch/article/28/3/184/7163632
