In January 2023, a new program of activities will launch at PORT – Gardens of Experience. The free workshops are intended for preschool children as well as primary and secondary school students. Registration is now open.
How are colors created? What is spherification? Is it possible to protect the Earth from being overwhelmed by plastic waste? Answers to these and many other questions will be discovered by participants in workshops organized by the PORT Technology Education Center – Gardens of Experience at Łukasiewicz – PORT. The classes cover topics in chemistry, physics, biology, and ecology. They are held in the educational laboratories of the Wrocław-based institute, equipped with professional instruments, reagents, and specimens. Young researchers tackle scientific challenges by independently conducting experiments and hands-on investigations.
Workshop Topics
The new workshop program is designed for organized preschool groups (children aged 5 and older) as well as school groups from primary and secondary schools. It includes five different workshop options. The youngest participants will learn about color mixing principles, the properties of liquids, and the structure of the Earth, as well as volcanic phenomena. They will also build their own volcanoes and trigger eruptions. Older primary school students will explore the scientific secrets of molecular gastronomy and the unconventional food-processing methods used in this field. Secondary school students will address the issue of plastic pollution and produce bioplastics. They will also face the challenge of solving a “chemical crossword,” identifying various substances in test tubes through chemical reactions.
“I am convinced that educational workshops held in the laboratories of Łukasiewicz – PORT will be an excellent complement to the knowledge provided during school lessons,” says Marek Staniewicz, Director of the Department of Social Responsibility of Science at Łukasiewicz – PORT Polish Center for Technology Development. “Regardless of the participants’ age, the guiding idea behind our workshops is learning through experience. We focus on the active involvement of children and young people, encourage analytical thinking, and provide opportunities for independent experimentation. This is the best way to spark young people’s interest in science and show that it can be a fascinating adventure.”
How to Register for the Workshops
Online registration for workshops scheduled from January to March 2023 is available on the Łukasiewicz – PORT website. The schedule and detailed descriptions of the workshops can also be found there. Organized school and preschool groups may apply; depending on the workshop topic, group sizes range from a maximum of 15 to 30 participants. During the first quarter of 2023, as part of a pilot edition, participation in the workshops will be free of charge. Workshops may be conducted in Polish, English, or Ukrainian. There are also plans to launch activities for individual participants.
The workshops offered by the PORT Technology Education Center – Gardens of Experience are implemented as part of the “Entry into the World of Science” program, co-financed by the Ministry of Education and Science.
At the same time, another edition of the partner program “Light in Science” is underway, implemented by Łukasiewicz – PORT in cooperation with the Foundation of the Polish Center for Technology Development and OSRAM. These workshops are intended for secondary school students and focus on photonics and materials chemistry. Working under the guidance of experts from Łukasiewicz – PORT, young scientists will learn about the spectroscopic properties of luminescent materials and the structure of liquid crystal displays, as well as how a tomograph works. The synthesis of organic drugs, including the independent preparation of aspirin, will help them understand how pharmaceutical substances are created and why discovering new medicines is a major scientific challenge. Registration for these workshops is conducted via email at: ogrody.doswiadczen@port.lukasiewicz.gov.pl.
