In the period from December 1 to 4, 2025, at the Count Janko Drašković Elementary School in Klenovnik, the first cycle of workshops of the Small STEM School “Environmental Care: Air” was held.
Small School lasted 4 days, and the participants spent 2 hours each day studying a new topic:
- Air – you can’t see it, but if it weren’t there, we wouldn’t exist
- Air pollution – greenhouse effect and acid rain
- Air in enclosed spaces
- What is the air like around me?
Small School was attended by ten participants who, together with the facilitator, researched how human activities can affect the air in the immediate environment, demonstrated the greenhouse effect and the formation of acid rain through practical activities, measured air quality indicators, and performed many other activities.
At the workshops, participants tested the air with various laboratory instruments, created a model of the lungs, drew conclusions about air quality, explained the causes and consequences of air pollution with the help of examples and experiments, measured air quality using car exhaust gases, and engaged in various other activities that creatively taught them about the importance and quality of air.
Small School ended with a short presentation of their conclusions and a short talk on what we could all do together to make the air around us cleaner. The students gained a basic understanding of the causes and consequences of air pollution and learnt how they can improve the air quality in their everyday environment through their actions. The workshops gave them a clear picture of how air is measured, interpreted and protected, and they left with concrete recommendations that they can apply at school and at home.
The next cycle of Small STEM School workshops, “Environmental Care: Air”, is planned for January 2026, after the school holidays.
