During April, the GreenCoLab Outreach team organised several science outreach activities for elementary school students at the D. Manuel I School District in Tavira, engaging approximately 300 children in grades 1 through 4 in educational experiments on algae and the ocean.
Over the course of several days, researchers and members of GreenCoLab’s Outreach team led interactive sessions specially designed to spark scientific curiosity, encourage critical thinking, and introduce young people to science and blue biotechnology.
Activities included observing microalgae under a microscope, direct contact with fresh and dried macroalgae, and sensory experiences that allowed children to touch, smell, and explore the different characteristics of algae. Through this hands-on and engaging approach, students had the opportunity to discover that algae are much more than just organisms found on beaches and in the tides, realising their fundamental role in marine ecosystems and their potential for sustainable applications in the future.
The sessions also included artistic expression activities inspired by the ocean and marine organisms, promoting learning through creativity.
One of the most special moments of the visits was the presentation of the children’s book “The Green of Blue – Discovering Algae,” developed by GreenCoLab in partnership with PROALGA . The book was given to the children so that their exploration of algae could continue at home and at school, reinforcing the importance of ocean literacy from the earliest years of learning.
Through these initiatives, GreenCoLab reinforces its commitment to promoting scientific and ocean literacy among the younger generations, bringing children and communities closer to knowledge about marine resources, sustainability, and the blue economy.
