27 - 31 October 2008 in Backnang, Germany

On the occasion of the fifth Children’s University in Backnang, primary school children had the possibility of learning during their half-term holidays. “What influences us “was this year’s topic and for a week the children could learn something about nutrition, advertising, dependence and global environmental change. Approximately 70 children participated in the opening event on Global Change and listened attentively to the lecture of Dr. Juergen Weichselgartner and Catharina Meyer.

At the beginning, the two scientists invited the children on a discovery journey with Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s Little Prince who guided them through the scientific contents. “Important was that we included constantly the young listeners into our presentation“, described Juergen Weichselgartner the new Young LOICZ activity of working with elementary school children. Following the presentation, the children put what they learned into practice at five different stations. At the first station (Continent Puzzle), the children discovered how and why the earth has moved over time by shifting continental plates. The second station (Past & Today) illustrated by means of photos how human life has changed over time. At the third station (Water Levels), the young researchers experimented and discovered the diverse solubility of sand and salt, resulting in different water levels. The fourth station (Knowledge Quiz) offered a questionnaire to test the acquired knowledge, and the fifth station (Greenhouse Effect) illustrated how society influences the earth’s climate.


Offering valuable insights in the complex topic of global environmental change, the lecturers actively involved the children with numerous questions, a short movie about the greenhouse effect, and an age-specific language. “It was great to watch how much energy and enthusiasm the children showed in mastering the challenges presented by the work stations” Catharina Meyer summarized the new experience. The closing award ceremony showed that the applied concept – an age-specific presentation plus creative practical teaching elements – was a success for both parties: the kids and LOICZ.