Hands-on science lesson at night

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July 31, 2019

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Hands-on science lesson at night

Source: Xinhua | 00:10 UTC+8 July 31, 2019 |

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It is 10pm at Fragrant Hills Park in northwestern Beijing, formerly a hunting ground for emperors, and 20 boys and girls are having a summer adventure.

Teacher Li Weiyang leads a group of elementary school students, dressed in yellow shirts and reflective vests, down a trail. He picks up a small toad from the roadside, holds it on his palm and shines a light on top of the creature. The toad retracts his head and peed on Li’s fingers.

“That was its stress reaction. But don’t try to taste the liquid. Your tongue will suffer for days and don’t ask how I know about this,” said Li, 40, team leader of the night safari.

Most of the students touched the skin of the toad but two jumped back and refrained from the experience. Li returned the toad back to nature after showing it to the kids and their parents who accompanied them.

The program, dubbed as “night safari at Fragrant Hills,” is a natural science education program offered by Beijing-based company Nature Culture. It includes camping, science lectures and field trips at night. The firm has organized the program since 2014.

This summer, both private and public institutions have hosted events to engage children in popular science. During this year’s summer vacation, the Museum of Chinese Gardens and Landscape Architecture, the Beijing Botanical Garden, the Temple of Heaven Park and Beijing Zoo organized similar programs.

Zhu Jun, in charge of the Fragrant Hills (Xiangshan) project, said the night safari is open to children aged between 6 and 12 and nearly 400 families join each year.

“Nature science education is important for kids. With more kids raised in cities, their parents want them to spend time in nature, so this kind of program is very popular,” Zhu said.

“It’s one thing to learn about nature in a museum and quite another to actually experience it,” said Yang Tao, a father who came with his 9-year-old son.

Li is a part-time science writer. The company also hires wildlife researchers as guides.

“When I was a boy, I came to Fragrant Hills with my friends to look for frogs, hedgehogs and other animals,” he said. “My passion for natural science grew from here. I hope these children can feel the same.”

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Hands-on science lesson at night

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