Project closed | Project period: 2005–2012
Experiment Kit and Discovery Box
Experiment Kit for children in elementary school
The Experiment Kit enables children aged between three and six years to discover and understand how scientific and natural phenomena are connected. With the contents of one box 45 different experiments can be conducted, it includes light bulbs, electric motors, mirrors, crystals, baking soda, as well as pencils and rulers amongst others. Thus, the boxes contain everything needed for the experiments, except conventional consumables such as water, vinegar, oil or honey.
Working Area:
Education
Region/Country:
Germany
Project period:
2005–2012 (closed)
In cooperation with the non-profit Science-Lab Bildungs GmbH, Siemens AG and Siemens Stiftung distributed around 3.500 Experiment Kits free of charge to elementary schools all over Germany from 2005 until 2012, each being worth 500 Euros.
The holistic concept of the Experiment Kit did not only rely on the experiments, but also included motion, music, and games as educational methods. Moreover, each Experiment Kit contained a voucher for a one-day training course for educators, where they could learn the best method for implementation. The aim was to position the teaching of sciences in kindergartens and elementary schools on an equal level with other fields of education such as the arts, music and sports.
The Discovery Box worldwide
For its use abroad, the Discovery Box was developed and then distributed by Siemens Stiftung and other non-profit partners to kindergartens and elementary schools worldwide. With this Experiment Kit, children aged between three and six years can playfully enhance their fine motor skills, linguistic abilities, and cognitive faculties. Each box containes enough material to conduct 22 experiments in the fields of energy, electricity, environment and health. Instruction aids for teachers are also included in the form of a DVD, a fold-out booklet as well as topic cards in different languages.
From Discovery Box to Experimento
The more comprehensive project Experimento replaced the Experiment Kit and the Discovery Box. Experimento is an international educational initiative of Siemens Stiftung focusing on elementary school, primary school, and secondary school educators. It is based on the principle of learning through discovery: experiments teach children to explore natural phenomena on their own and understand the relationship between science and technology. Beside Experiment Kits, the holistic concept is also based on teaching materials and seminars for educators.
Angela Clerc
angela.clerc@siemens-stiftung.org
+49 89 540487 303