Some 150 primary school students were introduced to science on Wednesday during the Children’s University 2024 edition. This year’s topic was “Caring for the North Sea”. Ingeborg Mulder and Esther Nijkamp-Schaars were the teachers who literally immersed the children in the topic.
‘Beach! Running! Fish!’ the children cried out when asked about their associations with the North Sea at the start of the lecture. But the North Sea is much more than just a spot for some summer fun. Mulders and Nijkamp-Schaars gradually introduce fisheries, nature, shipping and (wind) energy as key topics related to the North Sea.
Awww…
After the lectures, the children split up into groups to work on a future plan for the North Sea within one of these domains. Their plan was to include a proposal on how to (sub)divide the North Sea. Just like in real life, a group decided that wind turbines and nature could coexist. Another group designed a fixed shipping route (with a roundabout) so that room elsewhere in the North Sea became available. The group wanting to do away with nature in the North Sea altogether (‘just nuke it’) was called out by the others. The North Sea without nature is not possible. Besides, didn’t everyone exclaim “awww” when the teachers discussed seals in the North Sea? So there!
Setting an example
The students presented their plans to each other at the end of the afternoon. Esther Nijkamp-Schaars noted how well they were able to achieve a consensus despite starting out with different ideas. ‘They set an example for many adults.’
The Children’s University is an annual initiative organised by the Science Hub Wageningen, which aims to introduce primary school children to science and scientific education in a playful and low-threshold way. Wageningen Science Hub also organises an annual design competition for the same demographic, on which Resource reported last year. This year’s edition is to centre on the North Sea and will take place in the spring.