Nature and Biodiversity

Gamt ukai: litt le nat ure lovers in t he making

How a Lithuanian school project is delivering theoretical knowledge about nature.

On 29 March 2019, over 50 children from the primary school in Plungé attended a rather special lesson. It went by the name »Nature«. The mobile team from the Nature Mobile Study Studio came to Plungé with their set of modern and interactive teaching tools.

90 minutes of pure focus on nature. The students were the last to enjoy this nature class as more than 50 other students had already taken part since February 2018. The Lithuanian Ministry of Environment set up the Nature Mobile Study Studio, which was funded by the EU. The studio visited schools and addressed classes in grades 1–4. The 90-minute lessons included a two-part 3D film about nature and conservation, live science experiments, special booklets on inanimate and living nature, and other educational material. All of these tools were developed in collaboration with non-formal learning professionals and natural scientists.

The Gamtukai project has made science lessons an event suited to young audiences. After all, the goal of the campaign was to spark enthusiasm for environmental protection, nature and its secrets. To do this, the programme developers relied on eye-catching experiments. One pupil from Tuskulénai explained what she liked about the interactive nature lesson: »Oh, I liked the experiments! We ate frozen biscuits, steam came out of our mouths, and our teachers hammered nails into the table with bananas. Also, at the end of the lesson, the geyser exploded. It was a lot of fun.« The experimental approach used to spark the children’s interest was carefully chosen. According to Gediminas Petkus, the methodologist behind the project,

students who study nature more often get better marks than their peers in various subjects.

Theoretical know-how Ornithologist Gediminas Petkus, who has extensive experience in the field of children’s education, sees schools paying a lot of attention to nature education –

»Oh, I liked the experiments!

We ate frozen biscuits, steam came out of our mouths« – pupil from Tuskulénaie

waste separation, eco-friendly living and similar environmental topics are integrated into the curriculum. However, they forget to focus on theoretical knowledge. »Nature is constantly changing and is sometimes unpredictable, so practical knowledge of nature is one of the key components in education. Being in nature, you get all the sensations and experiences that are vital from an early age – these shape your personality, attitudes, values. Children who are detached from nature are afraid of insects, say that frogs and snakes are scary, that nettles only sting and are useless«, says the expert.

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