New educational materials introduce schoolchildren to aerosol science through the journey of a dust particle

Oranssi Lumi: an exploratory journey through atmospheric events introduces schoolchildren to the fascinating journey of Saharan dust to Finland and its links to climate. Developed by the Finnish Meteorological Institute, these educational materials combine science and art to provide an engaging, interdisciplinary approach to environmental topics.

At the core of the materials is the journey of a single dust particle from the Sahara Desert to Finland. This perspective helps students understand scientific concepts such as desert formation, dust transport, and its interactions with clouds and snow.

Designed for teachers of grades 1-9, the materials align with the Finnish National Curriculum and are adaptable across multiple subjects, including music, physics, and language studies.

Oranssi Lumi educational materials are now available for download in English, with Finnish and Swedish versions coming soon.

Public enthusiasm for collecting snow samples inspired the developers of the educational materials

Oranssi Lumi was inspired by the 2021 Saharan dust event, when a visible layer of dust covered Finland’s snow. This rare phenomenon sparked public interest and led to a citizen science campaign in which people across Finland contributed dust samples for research.

To celebrate the launch of the materials, a special event will be held on March 10 at the Finnish Meteorological Institute in Kumpula, Helsinki. The event will feature hands-on workshops and interactive activities, giving students a chance to engage directly with FMI researchers. Students from Malmi Comprehensive School and the European School of Helsinki will participate.

Further information:

Senior Researcher, Leader of the Oranssi Lumi Project Ana Álvarez Piedehierro Finnish Meteorological Institute ana.alvarez.piedehierro@fmi.fi

More details and downloads can be found at Oranssi Lumi website

ResearchClimate