Experiment kits for elementary school children

The goal of NaWi was to impart scientific knowledge on elementary school children through experiments, with an emphasis on the independent use of the contents of the kits. The concept foresaw that elementary school teachers would take part in an initial training session on how to work with the experiment kits, which were then provided free of charge to the schools. The key component was of course the implementation of the experiments during lessons. A cooperative agreement spanning one year between the school and Siemens Stiftung showed a desire for sustainability and increased the verifiability of learning success.

Each series of lessons consisted of an informative introductory session and up to three course subjects of choice. The teachers at the participating schools were able to take a glimpse of the various experiments over the course of several afternoons. The approach was action-oriented: as many pupils as possible should be able to conduct experiments themselves! The development was spearheaded by the Institute of Didactics in Chemistry at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt. The participation and provision of the kits were free and the participants received a certificate of completion.