The Museum of Technology, together with its partners, has produced a HOW environment for 7th and 8th graders, which includes 10 different science, mathematics and technology workstations and workshops. The workstations include electricity and energy, water, plastics, climate, industrial economics, artificial intelligence, signals, robotics, packaging and wood.
The Wood Point was produced by the Association of Wood Processing Engineers together with the New Wood project.
“The content of the Wood Point is based on the introductory theme of ForestBioFacts, which helps students gain an understanding of bioforestry,” says the Development Manager of the Finnish Association of Wood Processing Engineers. Vera Hallikainen.
“Before the museum visit, students will be sent a few articles from the introductory section of ForestBioFacts as background material. On-site, at the Wood Point, students will get to learn about the journey of wood from the forest to processing, the industries that use wood, and the products made from wood.”
The introductory part of bioforestry is followed by a workshop that has inspired the students. In the workshop, the students get to design and develop all sorts of things that could be made from wood and wood-based materials. The ideas are realized by molding them in Woodcast material.
"The workshop has produced, among other things, a wood-based formula car, and one group thought about making a football out of Woodcast. The workshop is scheduled for half an hour, but some of the students have been so enthusiastic that they have returned later to continue the sculpting."
PI inspiring young people into the industry
"One of our priorities is to inspire and encourage young people to enter the field through hands-on activities and experiments. We collaborate a lot with university students, but also with middle and high school students," says Hallikainen.
PI is involved in the Forest of Opportunities campaign, aimed at upper secondary and middle school students, where expert ambassadors visit schools to talk about the forestry sector, wood-based products, and job and study opportunities in the sector. The campaign is aimed at 8th graders and upper secondary school students.
PI also transmits via the Subjectaid service Puunvuoromagazines and information about study opportunities in the field to hundreds of Finnish schools annually.
On March 6th, the Chemistry Day and Night event will be held at the Heureka Science Center. It is intended for all PI members, their families and students from elementary to high school. The idea of the event is to arouse interest in chemistry and its study. PI acts as the main partner of the event with the Finnish Chemists' Society.
