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Learning through atmospheric events: Citizen science and citizen arts educational material

On 23 February 2021, a visible layer of Saharan sand deposited on snow in Finland. The mineral dust had traveled thousands of kilometers up in the atmosphere and some of it landed in Finland through snowfall. The phenomenon intrigued citizens, as a visible layer of Saharan dust is not that commonly observed. The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) asked citizens to collect samples and to send these to FMI for analysis. The citizen science campaign was a success in terms of participation (525 contributors), citizens' response and enthusiasm, and research findings. This extraordinary natural episode triggered different types of reactions in citizens that resulted in varied artistic ways of expression. Events like this one have, therefore, the potential to serve a double purpose: contributing to the purely scientific knowledge about long-range dust transport and effects on climate and act as a trigger for developing science and arts activities for everyone. This project’s goal is to research and elaborate educational material around the event of Saharan dust deposition focusing on science and arts, with families and the youth as target audiences. This material will be useful from the research point of view as well as a foundation for citizen science and citizen arts campaigns in future dust deposition events. We want to explore ways of engaging society in the process of science-making, raise awareness about climate change, and highlight the human, artistic and emotional side of living in a changing world and environment. We will bring to the table a multidisciplinary approach in which science and arts can complement each other. The educational materials will be generated through an exploratory approach in co-creation workshops led by experience and visual designers, scientists and educational advisors together with educators from different educational stages. A promotion campaign and demonstration sessions with school children will also take place.

The main outcome of the project "Citizen Science and Citizen Arts Educational Material: Learning through Atmospheric Events" is Oranssi Lumi, named after the orange snow phenomenon. This initiative was created as a part of the project to develop the intended educational materials. The structure, visual identity, and content of these educational materials were formulated through a series of co-creation workshops involving the core team. Additionally, input from a group of educators supporting the project was incorporated. The collaborative efforts of the core team resulted in the final content of the materials, comprising a collection of engaging activities accompanied by relevant background information. These activities are centered around the concept of dust transport and deposition.
The narrative within the educational materials is constructed around the journey of a dust particle during a transportation event. Consequently, the scientific content and associated activities are divided into three categories corresponding to different stages of the dust particle's journey: origin, transport, and deposition. Each category is linked to a more relatable concept for children, namely dust, wind, and snow. This approach broadens the range of topics and methods explored in the educational materials.
Oranssi Lumi has been presented at various conferences throughout 2022-2023. The English version of the materials will be accessible from the Finnish Meteorological Institute's website in the autumn of 2023. A launch campaign is planned, which will involve schoolchildren visiting the Finnish Meteorological Institute. Furthermore, the materials will be released in Finnish and Swedish. For additional information about this initiative, visit Oranssi Lumi on Instagram (@oranssi_lumi).

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