THE CROCUS PROJECT AT OUR SCHOOL

II. osnovna škola Čakovec, Croatia, joined the Crocus Project in the school year 2012/13.The initiator and the coordinator of the project  is Ms Snježana Odak Hrkač, a History teacher. The project is to be done cross-curricularly, as an integrated part of different school subjects and thematic studies. Apart from History the theme is going to be explored within classes of English, Religion, Literature and other subjects.

We would like to share our ideas and experiences with schools in other countries. Therefore we created this blog, edited by 8 grade pupils, the participants of the project.

AIMS:

-      to learn about the Holocaust period and reflect on its consequences;

-      to plant crocus bulbs, grow them and explain what they represent;

-      to commemorate the Holocaust Memorial Day (27^th January);

-      to promote intercultural dialogue;

-      to exchange ideas with other schools;

-      to respect cultural and linguistic diversity;

-      to learn about the importance of tolerance;

-      to accept differences within our society and consider them as a value.

In November we planted the crocus bulbs provided by HETI in memory of one and a half million Jewish children and thousands of other children who died in the Holocaust. The yellow flower symbolises the yellow Star of David all Jews were forced to wear under Nazi rule. The photographs were made by Jelena Sedlar and Monika Kuček, members of our school photo group.

We created a Crocus project pinboard next to our History classroom, to mark everything we do within the project throughout the school year. Next, we are preparing to mark the Holocaust Memorial Day.