Today, we arrived at Yisheng Elementary School, nestled in the mountains, to hold an air quality education course. It’s a small school with only a few classrooms, where children interact closely with peers of different ages. Living in the fresh mountain air filled with phytoncides, the issue of air quality might seem distant to them. However, during this activity, many children unexpectedly showed great enthusiasm for this topic.
In the first half of the activity, NCU students kicked off the course with an engaging video. The children were glued to the big screen, occasionally discussing their questions with the teaching assistants. After the video, we moved on to a Q&A session, where many children eagerly participated, competing to answer questions even though there were no special rewards. Whenever I tried to capture their enthusiastic participation with my camera, the kids would notice and, rather than being shy, they struck poses with innocent smiles, which delighted me.
To help the children better understand the harmful effects of air pollution on the human body, the course included an experiment. The team demonstrated air pollution using colored smoke balls and simulated air purification with fans and filter paper, allowing the children to see firsthand how changing wind speed and filter density produced different results.
In the second half of the activity, there was a game where each team had to deliver balloons to the corresponding box without dropping them or using their bodies to touch them. The children’s cheers and competitive spirit filled the venue with laughter. Due to strong winds, the team had to shorten the race distance to ensure the game could proceed smoothly. Despite these challenges, everyone gave their all, with some teaching assistants even more excited than the participating children.
At the end of the activity, regardless of which team won, every child received a small succulent plant as a reward. In just two short hours, we not only imparted knowledge and hands-on experience but also shared a heartwarming and touching time. The children’s enthusiasm and innocence will remain a cherished part of this memory, forever imprinted in our hearts.
Text by Wang Qian-Yu
Edited by Li Ruo-Jia
Photos by Wang Qian-Yu
On a slightly damp morning, we navigated the winding mountain roads, past fallen rocks, and brought a box of succulent plants to Yisheng Elementary School, perched on the edge of a cliff with the sky and misty mountains on one side and a rock face on the other. Before entering the campus, the laughter of children playing badminton in the activity center echoed through the air.
In the clean, fresh environment after days of rain, the children of Yisheng Elementary began their air quality education course. When faced with successive quiz questions, each child raised their little right hand as if in a battle, their eagerness elevating the atmosphere. The teacher at the front was also infected by their enthusiasm, growing more and more energized in their explanations.
This activity wasn’t just about lessons and quizzes; the NCU students also prepared a smoke experiment and games to help deepen the children’s understanding of air pollution and air quality. The college students set up two boxes labeled “Toxic” and “Non-Toxic,” and the children used spoons to carry differently colored balloons to the correct box. They devised all sorts of creative ways to protect the balloons, even inventing a method of walking backward to shield them from the wind.
After several rounds of competition, the teams finally had a winner, and the winning group got to choose their favorite succulent plants first. The children listened attentively as the teacher explained how to care for the succulents, learning that plants have the ability to purify the air. They carefully cradled their potted plants and earnestly asked many questions, vowing to take good care of them. Seeing their eyes filled with curiosity, love, and responsibility for the plants, I realized that there are still pure eyes and souls in this world, caring for life without ulterior motives, just like the way Yisheng Elementary School teachers look at their students.
Text by Zhang Zi-Yi
Edited by Li Ruo-Jia
Photos by Zhang Zi-Yi
