The Skies of Hermoupolis

The educational activity ''The Skies of Hermoupolis'' was implemented at the 1^st Primary School of Hermoupolis by its two 3rd-grade classes, focusing on the history of the ceiling frescoes in the neoclassical buildings of Hermoupolis. The main objective of the activity was to bring the pupils in contact with the history of the buildings as well as their ornamentation styles and techniques.

The children got introduced to each fresco’s technique and history, and they interacted with the local community by guiding its members through their town. The activity was carried out using collaborative writing and experiential group learning as methods, amongst others. Furthermore, the educational programme contributed significantly to the improvement of the school's daily life, as during the 2-hour Flexible Zone sessions the pupils had an exciting activity or visit each time.

Under the guidance of their teachers, the pupils published a compilation of the frescoes of Hermoupolis and a dictionary with previously unknown words such as palmettes, puttos, mouldings, etc., which emerged from their various visits to the neoclassical buildings of Hermoupolis. The activity also contributed to the improvement of the teaching practice, in particular in the field of written language. The activity also inspired a series of activities that attempted to interpret history through theatre exercises. In addition, awareness was raised amongst the pupils of their town’s history and the preservation of the local heritage.

The children presented the fresco compilation to the Hermoupolis Children’s Library. They were particularly pleased to accept the library’s offer to use this compilation as well as their fresco paintings as materials for a summer educational programme addressed to all children of the island.

• 28 pupils from the 3rd grade participated in this activity under the guidance of 2 teachers.