Features of previous years include the providing of the necessary materials for the planning of activities. In this manner cards were initially designed with maps of the area, the evolution of the landscape, and the major historical-artistic assets of the district. For children cards were designed which would allow pupils to learn as they played. With them, workshops have been held on the world of palaeontology, geology, and history and culture of the Geopark. Children are particularly attracted by reproductions of trilobites and workshops reproducing cave paintings.
The experience of the first teaching materials and their application in workshops has taken shape in the implementation of other more tangible didactic tools such as what is popularly known as the “Geocase”, a teaching case containing a collection of the rocks and minerals characteristic of the Geopark. The case also contains some fossils and replicas of others. All resources have a teaching card.
Finally, the past academic year saw the presentation of the textbook of Knowledge of the Environment of the Villuercas-Ibores-Jara Geopark. The book is profusely illustrated and complements the subjects of Knowledge of the Environment of the last academic years of primary education and Natural and Social Science of the first two years of secondary education. All the centres have enough copies of the book for use in the classroom, which allows them to approach the year’s knowledge in an educational manner by appreciating its own heritage.
Educational activities have been organised in most of the participating centres. The organisation of the teachers’ and resources centres has allowed the setting in motion of InterCPR seminars and activities during the European Weeks of the Geopark, the most exciting point of which is the holding of the Geocoexistence.
During the 2016-2017 Educational Programme of the Geopark activities such as the following were carried out:
– Publishing and distributing the book GEOEXPERIENCES – activities complementing the Knowledge of the Environment of the Villuercas-Ibores-Jara Geopark – You can download it on this website.
– The carrying out of activities and the holding of workshops during the school year. This may consist of experiencing again the activities already described or of new ones to be developed on other chapters of the book of knowledge. It will be necessary to draw up a simple report on their implementation and on the graphic material including the pupils’ work.
– 2017 Geocoexistence. Berzocana. This event was a great success with over 600 participants. The Botanical Gardens and the Cancho de Las Sábanas (Sheet Rock) were visited. The seminar was held in the plaza of the village and allowed the pupils from each school to expound the results of the workshops they have attended and the activities they have carried out during the school year in relation to the Geopark.
– Educational trips and geology workshops. These activities continued during this academic year with geologists and personnel of the Geopark. It is possible to visit the geosítes or to improve the teachers’ capacity of interpretation by giving some guidelines on the rock types present, the palaeontology, the geological history, the formation of the relief, etc. 24 educational trips were organised for schools from the whole of the province of Cáceres.
– The first “edusite” is the wall of time of the Fausto Maldonado School of Cañamero; this is an educational action on geological time and its milestones in the Geopark represented in the school patio.
– Geocoexistence. The last one was held in Logrosán. With a great success of participation, almost 1,300 participants between students, teachers and collaborators. The Geological and Mining Museum Vicente Sos Baynat and the Costanaza Mine were visited. The seminar, in the municipal pavilion, served for students from each educational center to present to the others the results of the workshops and activities that they have carried out during the course in relation to the geopark. As on other occasions, staff from the Commonwealth, the town hall and various local associations collaborated, being a great example of union of the territory and educational activity at all levels.
– Geology and paleontology workshops. These are activities that continued during this course with geopark specialists. There is the possibility of visiting the geosites or improving the interpretation capacity of the teaching staff by giving some guidelines on the types of rocks present, paleontology, geological history, the formation of the relief, etc.
– Educational trips, which are organized for educational centers throughout the province of Cáceres together with the Educational Programs Unit of the Provincial Delegation of Education (UPE). With the elaboration of a didactic unit on the heritage of the geopark, twenty centers enjoy a day in the geosites and interpretation centers of their choice, accompanied by one of our activity companies. They have not been able to perform in the last two years, but this one they will return.
– The first “edusite” is the time wall of the Fausto Maldonado School in Cañamero. An educational action on geological time and its milestones in the geopark represented in the schoolyard. This activity will be carried out in all the centers in the form of a series of murals that, together, show the geological, natural and cultural heritage of the geopark not only to our schoolchildren, but also to those who visit our towns.
– Large-format metal maps, with which teachers and students can work with magnets, transparencies, stickers, etc. on the topics they want in a more attractive way.