This document discusses a project called "The Dodecahedron" that was developed in 2003 and implemented in subsequent academic years at a school in Belgium. The project promotes cross-curricular, collaborative learning by having students from different subject areas like history, language, and carpentry work together on projects like writing a story inspired by a dodecahedron object or building a scale model of a Roman villa. The projects are designed to make subjects more interesting for students and encourage skills like teamwork, additional research, and perseverance. They can be easily reproduced by teachers without additional funding by using existing school resources and periods.

1. E-COP – Project no. 167127-LLP-1-2009-1-IT-KA1-KA1ECETB
Kick-off meeting, Milan, February 25 and 26, 2010 1
The Dodecahedron
Un projet peut en cacher d’autres
(a project can hide other projects)
Institut des techniques de l’Industrie et de l’Automobile
Liège, Belgium

2. E-COP – Project no. 167127-LLP-1-2009-1-IT-KA1-KA1ECETB
Kick-off meeting, Milan, February 25 and 26, 2010 2
The project actually promotes a
global and transversal learning
process to encourage students to
understand that the different
subjects taught at school are
complementary and that they
are useful in everyday life.
The students discovered
the dodecahedron in a
Gallo-Roman museum and
the object appeared quite
mysterious. The students
thought that it was a good
idea to adopt the
dodecahedron as the
symbol of new knowledge
and research.

3. E-COP – Project no. 167127-LLP-1-2009-1-IT-KA1-KA1ECETB
Kick-off meeting, Milan, February 25 and 26, 2010 3
Two examples of activities
Write a story around the
•For the pupils of the primary school
•Obeying the rules of the literary
genre and grammatical rules (French
class)
•Type the story and illustrate it
(computer class)
•Publish the story obeying the rules
of book editing (French class)
•Read the story to all the pupils of the
primary school
•Present the project in a national
forum about innovative projects in
Brussels
Build a scale model of a
Roman villa
•Introduction to history and everyday
life during the roman era
•Research about the blue print of a
villa
•Technology students build the model
+ help from other students to
research the subject for decoration
•Presentation of scale model at public
events

4. E-COP – Project no. 167127-LLP-1-2009-1-IT-KA1-KA1ECETB
Kick-off meeting, Milan, February 25 and 26, 2010 4
Why this project ?
• Work in a horizontal and transversal manner between the
departments of the school
• Increase the students’ knowledge and understanding of subjects
that are usually studied in a rather passive manner, make the
subject much more lively, hence more interesting
• Set up a “duo” system combining interests / subjects covered in
general courses (history, language, …) and technical courses
(carpentry, welding, …)
• Support a project that is useful for the students, an object that can
be exhibited, that has a meaning, that stays alive even after the
project is completed

5. E-COP – Project no. 167127-LLP-1-2009-1-IT-KA1-KA1ECETB
Kick-off meeting, Milan, February 25 and 26, 2010 5
Developed in 2003 for the first time
Implemented during subsequent
academic years
Can be reproduced any time by any
teacher
No need for funding, it happens
during normal school periods with the
material available in the workshops
Transversal projects
-Favour team work
-Support a higher appreciation between students from
different sections
-Encourage curiosity and additional research
-Stimulate pride and perseverance

6. E-COP – Project no. 167127-LLP-1-2009-1-IT-KA1-KA1ECETB
Kick-off meeting, Milan, February 25 and 26, 2010 5
Developed in 2003 for the first time
Implemented during subsequent
academic years
Can be reproduced any time by any
teacher
No need for funding, it happens
during normal school periods with the
material available in the workshops
Transversal projects
-Favour team work
-Support a higher appreciation between students from
different sections
-Encourage curiosity and additional research
-Stimulate pride and perseverance