NanoPiçule: discovering and understanding the world

The idea was born from the desire to involve children and convey a scientific message to them from an early age. The aim is to increase awareness and spread knowledge about specific topics. Each year, these topics are carefully chosen, and based on them, a range of experiments is created. They are created not only to explain the concepts but also to develop transversal skills such as collaboration, teamwork, listening, and interpersonal relations. These skills are important not only in the context of learning but also from a personal and social perspective.

The goal, as previously mentioned, is not only to teach children how experiments work but, more importantly, to educate and raise awareness about issues that affect our present and future generations.

It is no coincidence that the topics we highlight are also the goals of the 2030 Agenda. We do not have the presumption to be able to fully achieve them, but we firmly believe that we can contribute to their attainment by sowing seeds of knowledge.

In creating this program, we must also foster a sense of belonging not only to the work group but also to the local community and territory, and, more broadly, to the global community.

The event starts with the formation of heterogeneous groups of children who do not know each other. This creates an opportunity for them to make new friends. Each group, accompanied by volunteers, participates in all the activities proposed each year (in 2023, there were 25 activities divided into two half-days).

Experiential activities and the theory of “learning by doing” are at the core of NanoPiçule’s entire program. This approach allows for the presentation and explanation of abstract or difficult-to-understand concepts in a concrete manner.

Among the activities, we have favored those that enhance and stimulate the senses, recognizing the children’s need to interact with primary elements and nature. Not surprisingly, the chosen themes are strongly linked to the environment and the local area (bees and honey, milk and cheese, wheat and bread), and then tailored to stimulate and arouse the intelligence, abilities, and attitudes of each child.

The children thus become the true actors of their knowledge, and for this purpose, the work, ideas, skills, and knowledge of volunteers become essential to prepare them to step onto the world’s grand stage. Regarding this last aspect, the contribution of the technical, organizational, and operational sectors is indispensable and of fundamental importance, based on collaborative construction among volunteers.

The affinities and trust built over the years have allowed us to synergize our diverse experiences, skills, and passions in creating multifaceted and diverse pathways.

When it comes to feedback, I’d like to start with those who experience the interaction with the children firsthand, the volunteers. Every year, we are amazed by how much satisfaction and personal enrichment we take home.

We try to give our best in preparing the activities for the children. Despite the commitment and efforts we put in, what they are able to give us back has always a higher value. Children are amazed by things that we take for granted, and for brief moments, they let us enter their world and their logic, which is free and limitless, something we are no longer accustomed to.

Some volunteers started this journey not very convinced or with the sole objective of school accreditation. However, what inevitably emerged at the end of the NanoPiçule days was the feeling of being part of a beautiful experience that they never expected to live. ‘You have to try it to fully understand it.’ Needless to say, these volunteers not only returned in the following years but also asked to contribute to the preparation of the experiments.

The other side of the coin is the happiness of the children that was conveyed to us and reported by the words of parents and grandparents. Faced with the enthusiasm of the little ones, they often asked us to extend the days or repeat the event during the year. We were delighted to hear that the children themselves asked to participate in subsequent editions (even at the cost of interrupting their seaside vacations!).

We heard that they even tried to replicate the experiments and explain some concepts once they returned home. Moreover, something we are very proud of is that some kids who met for the first time at NanoPiçule still keep in touch today. Every year, there is greater attention and participation, which invariably leads to the loyalty of children from the valley and beyond. On the other hand, this is also an excellent opportunity for us to see and witness their personal growth firsthand.”

The laboratories of the 2023 edition were clearly related to the objectives of the Agenda 2030. They focused on food, its nutritional value, and food sustainability. Remaining faithful to the motto of NanoValbruna, “Think global, act local,” we decided to integrate these concepts into a context that promotes a sustainable ecosystem and valorizes the foods and products of the region. Children were thus involved in laboratory activities and games aimed at understanding foods, their nutritional principles, the microorganisms and organisms used to produce them, as well as intolerances and allergies. At the same time, reflection on the concept of sustainability applied to food, agriculture, and the environment was promoted.

Some laboratories were dedicated to nutritional principles. In particular, through models and practical examples we talked about carbohydrates, proteins and fats, their structure, function, and where these can be found.

A whole thematic journey was dedicated to bees and honey. The anatomy of bees and their different roles within the hive system were explained, followed by an immersive experience into their flight and their “dance” through augmented reality. Pollination was discussed, illustrating first what pollen is, where it is found, the structure of a flower, and the related allergies, then moving on to the hive, the reason behind its particular shape, and its realization through 3D printing. The children then used and tasted bee products: they made soap with beeswax, tasted and evaluated the organoleptic properties of different kinds of honey, and lastly, they saw and touched a real hive thanks to a meeting with the beekeeper Carlo Cussigh.

Another major theme involved milk and its derivatives. The composition of milk, the allergies that can result from it, and lactose intolerance were discussed. Also casein, the main protein in milk, was discussed. The children coagulated the proteins and separated the whey, reproducing what normally happens with the addition of rennet in cheese production. The children also observed microorganisms found in dairy products like yogurt under a microscope, and finally, they tasted and evaluated the color of cheeses with different ages and from different origins, thanks to the intervention of Paolo Settimi.

The children then explored wheat and the wheat grain. They discussed celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, and then activated their senses by touching and describing different types of flour and making and eating bread. The presence of yeast in the bread recipe provided an opportunity to introduce fungi, molds, and yeasts. Thanks to the intervention of Daniela Piussi, the children saw macroscopic fungi and tried to identify local plants by their shapes and smells. Microscopic fungi, bacteria, molds, and yeasts were shown both under the microscope and on agar plates. Experimentally, it was demonstrated how some microorganisms, through their metabolism, can produce carbon dioxide, a process that is fundamental to bread fermentation.

Finally, the children tackled issues such as world hunger, climate change, and biodiversity. They examined a product and, by tracing its journey backward, analyzed the ingredients and discussed topics like production, packaging, transportation, and waste. They considered the best ways to minimize environmental and social impact and discussed the meaning and importance of sustainability.

In summary, using concrete examples, sensory experiences, and practical and reasoning activities, we created a journey that connects various foods to both local and global ecosystems. Through appropriate language and lighthearted, engaging presentation and discussion methods, we aimed to raise children’s awareness of important concepts that affect our daily lives.