The final "Lesson from the Ocean". Photo: Sergei Parkhomenko/Tomsk Regional Branch of the RGS
The Tomsk Regional Branch of the Russian Geographical Society has successfully completed the international project «Lessons from the Ocean», which has become a unique experience in conducting educational programs for schoolchildren from different countries via teleconference. The final, 10th part, dedicated to space, was held at the cultural center of Tomsk State University. Schools from several regions of Russia as well as from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Australia joined the broadcast.
«We taught nine lessons about oceans, continents, and great explorers. The beautiful end of the project was a lesson on the topic 'Ocean — Space’, which aimed to show how the relationship between the ocean and space has been preserved for many centuries and helps people. Humanity has come a long way from the days when sailors had to navigate by the stars to the modern GPS system. Today, sailors and travelers navigate the oceans with the help of celestial bodies created by humans. In other words, space is 'looking out’ for the earth and the ocean,» said Yulia Kalyuzhnaya, author of the «Lessons from the Ocean» project.
Yulia Kalyuzhnaya added that in the three and a half years of its existence, the «Lessons from the Ocean» project had gained many friends, having at its disposal a serious base of scientific contacts from all over the world. The result of the work was an extensive community of experts and schoolchildren from different parts of the world.
Initially, «Lessons from the Ocean» were conceived as part of the expedition of the Tomsk Regional Branch of the RGS «Following the paths of Russian explorers». Two brave Siberians, Evgeny Kovalevsky and Stanislav Berezkin, set off from Kronstadt on July 1, 2021, to conquer the vast expanses of the oceans on an inflatable sailing trimaran under the flags of Russia and the Russian Geographical Society. In three years, they traveled about 32,000 nautical miles (60,000 km), visited 30 states and island territories, crashed twice on the high seas, and were in deadly situations several times. And throughout the voyage, the crew shared their impressions and knowledge with schoolchildren from Russia and other countries. In November 2022, the «Lessons from the Ocean» project was recognized as the winner of the prestigious International Crystal Compass Award in the «Best Regional Project» category.
Stanislav Berezkin and Evgeny Kovalevsky answer students' questions while sailing. Photos of the expedition participants
«The main organizer of the project is Yulia Kalyuzhnaya. She gathered schoolchildren from Russia and other countries, brought our crew in touch via teleconference from different parts of the World Ocean. It was very interesting and informative. Of course, we regret that the 'Lessons from the Ocean’ are over. However, each project has its own lifecycle. And we are already preparing new projects,» Evgeny Kovalevsky emphasized.
At the beginning of the final 'Lesson from the Ocean’, the participants were greeted by the Honorary President of the Russian Geographical Society, Honored Geographer of the Russian Federation, Academician Vladimir Kotlyakov. TSU Rector Eduard Galazhinsky told the students about the Tomsk Astronomical Observatory, about the scientific discoveries and developments of the university which are used in world science and on the International Space Station, as well as that the training programs of many TSU faculties provide for active space exploration.
In the theoretical part of the lesson, students learned about who stood at the origins of Russian cosmonautics, how modern satellites and GPS system work, how the development of the space industry is changing people’s daily lives, and many other interesting facts. An exciting quiz helped to test the gained knowledge. The children also asked questions to circumnavigator Evgeny Kovalevsky and test cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov. One of the most interesting questions was how long it took for cosmonauts to prepare for their first flight.
"It took me a little less than five years from the beginning of professional training to the first flight. But preparing for flight and the profession of a cosmonaut takes more time: all the studies from school, physical training, and health care. The efforts were always purposeful in order to increase the chances of being selected for the cosmonaut corps. And it takes about eight years of professional training to go into orbit on a long-term expedition,» Konstantin Borisov said.
More information about the «Lessons from the Ocean» project can be found on the page of the Tomsk Regional Branch of the Russian Geographical Society.