The end of this school year was marked with successfully carried out field trips organised with the goal to encompass all that students had learnt from different subjects, in the course of the academic year.
Year 1 students visited Viminacium and Ram Fortress
Our students visited Viminacium, less than 100 km away from Belgrade, a former military camp, established at the time when the Roman Empire borders reached the Danube, in the first decades of the 1st century. Almost all Roman emperors either passed through Viminacium or stayed in it for different length of time. It is situated in the vicinity of the town of Kostolac, near the city of Požarevac, and represents one of the most important Roman cities, apart from Singidunum, the one students will learn more in the Latin lessons next year.
After the introductory talk, the students explored the necropolis area. They climbed down to the space 5 metres under the ground, with a low ceiling, filled with dim light, and saw three tombs – the pagan one, the Christian one and the one with Cupid.
Having completed the visit to the necropolis, our students walked around the Roman Baths and amphitheatre, where gladiator fights used to be organised.
Later the tour around Ram Fortress was scheduled, followed by the visit to Srebrno Lake, the right place to enjoy the rest at the lake shore.
Year 2 students visited Manasija and the Lisine waterfall
The field trip of our Year 2 students included the tour of the monastery of Manasija, the Model park and the Lisine waterfall in eastern Serbia. While staying in the mediaeval monastery, the students experienced the piece of the place, which monks there can enjoy, and got to know about the history and art of this unique monument of culture.
In the Model park our students could see in one place the models of all major religious monuments from all over Serbia, while listening to the park host’s interesting stories about the life of people in the Middle Ages.
The Lisine waterfall was the opportunity to learn more about nature and do some orienteering. Having walked to the waterfall, together with their teachers, our students hiked through the nearby forest to find the spring of the river Vrelo.
Year 3 students discovered the beauty and importance of Oplenac and Topola
Only some 100 km from Belgrade, very close to Topola, there is a hill, Oplenac, where the Mausoleum of the Karađorđević dynasty was built. Princ Aleksandar Karađorđević started the vineyards there and king Petar I Karađorđević started the construction of the church-mausoleum and the whole of historic memorial complex, which would become the endowment of the Karađorđević dynasty on Oplenac.
It should be remembered that Oplenac used to be the centre of the major cultural events and was recognised as the renowned symbol of the Serbian people’s liberation from Turkish power. Precisely because of that, Oplenac is the place where our Year 3 students discovered a lot of exciting facts about the history of this area.
The type of curriculum and learning encourages students’ bonding
Savremena Gimnazija is proud of its truly different concept of education and curriculum it offers. Besides numerous interdisciplinary projects, outdoor education programs and participation in international projects and interdisciplinary lessons, our students especially enjoy field trips, organised at the end of the school year. Myriads of questions are asked from the moment when the coach leaves Belgrade and do not cease till the students’ return. This type of curriculum and learning encourages students bonding within groups formed by teachers and, at the same time, it provides teachers with feedback on how much students have learnt and have grasped the material presented in the course of the school year.
