Constructing altars for gods and unveiling the mysterious messages of nature: This week, 26 primary school children were able to do just this and more in the laboratories at TU Ilmenau. The children from Year 3, who are particularly interested and talented in mathematics and science, were also able to get a taste of the lecture hall: as participants in the mathematics correspondence circle of the Ilm district’s program for especially gifted and talented students, they were presented with their final certificates in the Curie lecture hall.
"There could hardly be anything better than doing physics with these interested students and discovering how this world works," said Prof. Erich Runge, looking forward to the young researchers in the run-up to the event:
I think it’s great that the Ilm district supports children in their natural curiosity and their urge to understand how our world works.
What the physics professor showed the Thuringian primary school students in his laboratories, including spaghetti and throwing things out of the window, was anything but theoretical.
With Dr. Anke Sander, head of the basic physics practical course, the children even became electrons themselves when they investigated the question: What are renewable energies? And how can solar energy be used to generate electricity? Just like in a real solar cell, they were allowed to set themselves in motion as electrons as soon as they were hit by incident sunlight - and charge either an energy storage device or a games console.
Deciphering nature’s mysterious messages
Privatdozent Dr. Sukhdeep Singh, head of the Bioorganic Chemistry of Bioactive Surfaces research group, introduced the students to simple experiments that they can easily carry out even at home under supervision. "The home kitchen is the first laboratory where every child can explore the wonders of chemistry and biology," said Dr. Singh. Together with the children, he revealed the mysterious messages of nature hidden in colors. Dr. Dana Brauer also inspired the young talents to immerse themselves in the fascinating world of biology: Under her guidance, they were allowed to take biological samples and examine them under the microscope.
With Professor Hotz, the students even went to India, to the year 800 BCE. Their task: to construct altars for the gods. They succeeded with the simplest of means - strings and sticks - coupled with a good understanding of the geometry of circles and squares.
"Once again this year, the third-grade pupils have shown great perseverance in dealing with experiments and mathematical puzzles. They were also very diligent at home," said an enthusiastic Hanni Hille from Ziolkoswi Primary School in Ilmenau:
’It’s great to see that there are still so many children who are interested in science and really go for it. The closing event at the TU Ilmenau is a great day and the highlight of the talent promotion program! We all’always look forward to this day.
