SCOUT (Science Communication of the University of Tsukuba) held its first Kagaku Asobi Lab children’s science workshop at a nursery school in Tsukuba City on May 28, 2010.
The primary goal of Kagaku Asobi Lab is to let children appreciate the beauty of science through fun activities and games suitable for their age group.
This time, the theme of the workshop was how seeds disperse by flying or floating in the breeze.
Children aged four to five years old from four nursery school classes participated in the activity. SCOUT members from the University of Tsukuba led the workshop, with two leaders for each class.
In each class, the leaders first introduced the children to the theme of the workshop by asking what seeds they knew from their surroundings and if they knew how these seeds are dispersed. The children happily shared what they knew. The children were then given samples of seeds that can be found in the local area.
After this brief introduction, the real fun began and leaders gave the children print-outs of two kinds of seed shapes, asking them to cut out the seed shapes and color them with crayons. This really delighted the kids, and they soon became absorbed in the task.
After cutting and coloring, the four classes gathered at the school hall to disperse their hand-made paper ‘seeds’. Each class took turns getting up to the stage area of the hall and throwing their paper seeds in the air. The model seeds flew in a various patterns according to their shape, which really amazed the children.
Finally, to encourage the children to continue thinking about seeds, 
they were given other shaped model seeds to play with at home, and a small activity book.
The activity book contained coloring pictures showing the life cycles of an acorn tree and a dandelion, beginning with a seed and how the seed is dispersed. It also showed different varieties of seeds with other dispersal tactics, and provided space for children to paste seeds that they find around their home, recording the name of the seed, where they found it, and how they think it was carried there.
The activity was very enjoyable, not only for the children, but also for the workshop leaders as well.
SCOUT hopes that through Kagaku Asobi Lab, children will have greater appreciation and enthusiasm for science. SCOUT will continue to hold science workshops at other
locations around Tsukuba, so check the Kagaku Asobi Lab schedule for information on upcoming workshops.
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