The NaT-Lab for School Children offers a range of projects relating to the fields of the natural sciences that are designed for school classes and individual school students. Many of the institutes and departments of Mainz University cooperate within the school class visit program, making it possible to provide a wide spectrum of subjects and topics on which the youngsters can work.
The purpose of one-day school class projects is to make available topics that are designed to supplement what the pupils are learning at school. Teachers can register for the projects, which are suitable for pupils from 5th and 6th grade to 12th grade.
During vacations, there is a special project program of so-called Researcher Days and Vacation Academies, aimed at youngsters with a particular interest in the field of natural sciences. While the JGU Researcher Days projects last three to five days and are targeted at pupils from 4th to 10th grade, depending on the subject, the Vacation Academies are specifically designed for senior year pupils. In addition, an introductory course in chemistry is also offered for senior year pupils. Project days are held in the School Chemistry Laboratory on the JGU campus (Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 34) and last from 9:30 am to 3.30 pm. Groups are restricted to a maximum of 24 participants.
Anyone interested in studying chemistry, biology, geosciences, physics, or biomedicine, or in training for a career in these fields is invited to attend one of the JGU Vacation Academies before taking up their course of studies or training program. Here they will be familiarized with routine laboratory work and be able to decide whether the intended course of study or training program is right for them. There are also afternoon experimentation courses for children from 3rd to 6th grade. These aim at promoting the kids' interest in natural science subjects outside the school environment. The NaT-Lab school laboratory collaborates closely with the university institution training students to teach chemistry at school. Teaching degree students supervise the children experimenting in the school laboratory, collecting useful experience for their future work in the classroom.