Latvia's Sate Forests course for teachers
On November 22, the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry hosted the educational course for natural sciences, chemistry and physics teachers, for them to explore wood through the new methodological tool "Wood Experiments for Grades 5-12". The course is organised by SIA "Latvijas valsts meži" and association "Latvijas koks" in coperation with other partners.
The aim of the courses is to raise awareness in schools about wood, a topic that has been little covered in school curricula, but is important for the Latvian economy.
Teachers were encouraged to practically carry out a variety of experiments that are relatively easy to include in the curriculum - chemical staining of wood to distinguish between conifers and deciduous trees, changes in wood due to moisture and testing the strength of wood. Participants were introduced to the research of LSIWC scientists, toured the laboratories, and at the end of the course received from AS "Latvijas Finieris'' a "toolbox" for science experiments in schools, which contains samples of raw materials for the described experiments, which teachers can adjust according to the specific teaching process in schools.
More information is available here
Photos: Latvia's State Forests
