The Wolkenflitzer daycare center in Wasserburg has been awarded the Bavaria-wide STEM prize, "Es funktioniert?!" (Does it work?!), for a successful research project on acoustics.
The regional newspaper, Oberbayerische Volksblatt, reported on the award on its website. According to the Education Association of the Bavarian Economy (bbw), the award ceremony took place on July 8. The bbw manages the educational initiative—"Technology – Future in Bavaria"—to which the award belongs. The Bavarian metal and electrical industry employer associations act as main sponsors, and the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy also supports the initiative.
What the research project was about
The abbreviation MINT stands for the four subject areas of Mathematics, Informatics, Natural Sciences, and Technology (STEM in English). Under the title "What sounds, resonates. A journey into the world of acoustics”, 18 children, aged three to six, spent three months exploring sounds and vibrations, according to the report by the Oberbayerische Volksblatt (OVB). They were accompanied by their educators, who supported the children's curiosity and creativity.
The starting point for the project was a seemingly simple problem: A child could not produce a sound with a triangle. While searching for a solution together, the children noticed a tingling sensation in their hands, which led to the question of why that was. Using various instruments, the children tested their observations and subsequently experimented with sound sources, sound transmission, surfaces, and pitch. Through further research and the involvement of a music teacher, they deepened their inquiries.
According to the bbw, the award recognizes daycare centers, after-school care centers, and primary schools for educational projects in which children discover the world through play and curiosity. Whether a project receives an award is decided by an expert jury from various pedagogical fields. A key criterion is that it is the children themselves, not the adults, who determine the path to the solution.
Wolkenflitzer Daycare Wasserburg at the Hope Center
The Wolkenflitzer daycare center in Wasserburg is part of the local Hope Center and is supported by the Advent-Wohlfahrtswerk e.V. (AWW) and Wolkenflitzer gGmbH. The Hope Center is a community center that also includes offerings for families, psychosocial support ("Life School"), creative courses, and a music school, along with doubling as the home of an Adventist congregation, an evangelical church (Baptist) congregation, and another evangelical free church congregation (InnChurch).
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