The students of PYP 8 (5TH EP) have made an enriching visit to Mercabilbaothe main wholesale food distribution centre in northern Spain. This exit is part of the unit of enquiry "How we organise ourselves".within the Primary School Programme (PYP) International Baccalaureate, which the school implements from Infants onwards.
💡 Transdisciplinary theme: How we organise ourselves
ℹ️ Central idea: The organisation of societies has an impact on food production and consumption.
During the visit, the pupils were able to observe at first hand the complex web of organisation and co-operation which makes it possible for food to reach shops and homes from its place of origin. Accompanied by their teachers and guided by the Mercabilbao team, they toured the different market pavilions, discovering how the fruit, vegetable, fish, meat and seafood areas are managed.
The group was particularly surprised by the magnitude of the installationsthe variety of products and the pace of work They also learnt about the life in this large logistics centre, where thousands of tonnes of foodstuffs are moved every day. They also learned about the quality control processesthe importance of night time to ensure freshness of produce and the sustainability measures that are applied to reduce food waste.
This experience allowed students to connecting learning to real lifeThey were able to understand the relevance of social organisation in something as everyday as food. They were also able to reflect on the impact of collective and individual decisions on consumption habits, the local economy and care for the environment.
The visit to Mercabilbao is framed within the methodology of the International Baccalaureatewhich encourages inquiry-based learning, conceptual understanding and action. Through such activities, pupils develop key competences such as observation, curiosity, critical thinking and responsibility.
A full day, in which theory and practice came together to awaken in the students a deeper insight into how our society is organised and what their role is in it.
