Author: M. Golem
The education of children on Vis, Korčula and Lastovo during the “LIFE Artina” project is officially over. One of the goals of this project was to educate children living on the islands where Adriatic albatrosses (gregula, kaukal and Mediterranean gull) appear about these endangered species and what are the threats that make them endangered. The project included more than 100 children, from preschool children to eighth grade elementary school students. In order to bring this specific topic as close as possible to different age groups, we have designed several educational programs specifically adapted to kindergartens and primary school students.
Trying to make our visits to school as fun and educational as possible, we most often used games, participatory methods and various didactic materials. We learned how our birds live and what their greatest threats are through active games of bird imitation in space, various visual and auditory materials, making detailed models of birds, and finally through real field work.
Learning about the importance of nature protection through games (Author: M. Golem) 
Children had lots of fun playing interactive games (Author: M. Golem)
The children learned first-hand what it is like to be a researcher. They independently conducted a small monitoring of the waste of an island beach to see the real horror of pollution of the marine environment with waste, especially plastic waste, which is one of the biggest threats to birds. Some of the lucky ones, when visiting one of the three islands, had the opportunity to observe these birds live with special binoculars of PP “Lastovsko otočje”.
Finally, through bird education, they learned much more: what it means to be an environmentally responsible individual and a true little protector of nature, and what are the habits and behaviors they can use every day to create a better and healthier future for all living things.
