Geolukio in English & Natural Science Programme

The study units in the natural science programme

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NS 1 Dive into natural sciences
An introduction to natural sciences and related sciences through various topics. Learn about geology as a field of science and about current natural science phenomena. Familiarize with different study methods used in natural sciences.

NS 2 Space
Explore galaxies, stars and planets. A more detailed study of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter where the meteorites crashing into Earth come from. The American space agency NASA offers constant updates on the movements of the asteroids, so it is possible to find out which asteroids risk crashing into Earth. If they hit Earth, they cause great destruction and form meteorite craters such as Lake Lappajärvi.

NS 3 Local geological sites
The meteorite impact in the Lappajärvi region 78 million years ago created geological formations that have not been detected elsewhere. These local geological sites are presented in the Crater Lake Georoute based on Google Maps. They include the quarry on the island of Kärnä, the traces of ice age in the surroundings of Lappajärvi, the Kokkola-Kaustinen mine, the limestone mine in Vimpeli and the Kaatiala pegmatite quarry in Kuortane.

NS 4 Natural science research
Go on field trips to geological sites accompanied by a university researcher or some other specialist. Also learn about different research topics (change every year) on which to write a research paper. In the Lappajärvi region we need geological research e.g. on the following topics: the current shape and the runoff area of the lake, the chemical makeup of the water, the effects of the ice ages on the rock and soil formation as well the effect of soil minerals on the vegetation. A possible research topic could also be searching for and photographing rare impact diamonds, or a story told by the local rock types.

NS 5 Portfolio
Study current articles and latest research on natural sciences. Compile a portfolio of publications on natural sciences and analyse them together with your fellow students. The goal is to deepen the knowledge of natural sciences, learn to follow the latest research and to search for articles as well as to enhance the understanding of scientific articles. This will broaden your skills in the field of study that you might well choose in the future.

NS 6 Introduction to natural science studies at university
Take a peek course on natural sciences organized by the university for upper secondary school students.

Ready for an adventure? Join our team!

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GEOLUKIO LAPPAJÄRVI

Lappajärvi Upper Secondary School of Natural Sciences

Geolukio Lappajärvi provides general upper secondary education as well as a programme specialising in natural sciences. Our school is located by Europe’s biggest crater lake in Southern Ostrobothnia in Western Finland. This unique geological environment serves as the foundation for our natural science programme. The environment and nature are used as a learning environment but also for outdoor activities and for the benefit of well-being.

Our strength is the spirit of cooperation and belonging. The annual survey on school pedagogy reveals that students rate teachers as competent and inspiring. Everyone knows each other in a small school, so we can ensure a safe learning environment. Students also have easy access to necessary support in their studies.

The upper secondary school was established in 1962. Throughout its history we have cherished strong traditions in international cooperation. Every year we organize an overseas school trip which almost all second-year students participate in. In addition, we engage in various international projects e.g. through EU-funded Erasmus and Nordplus programmes. In 2021 we launched a new project with a Japanese upper secondary school. The aim is to expand this educational and research cooperation into a student exchange experiment.

Geolukio Lappajärvi offers its students financial assistance in the form of a student housing supplement. Another benefit is access to the gym free of charge. Quite popular are the regular social nights organized at school in the evenings. The activities range from playing board games and watching movies to cooking together.

Natural science programme

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The natural science programme gives a brief introduction to natural sciences and provides students with an opportunity to clarify their future plans. They will explore the natural science phenomena and processes in our hands-on educational field trips in the Lappajärvi region.
Students may freely select courses in biology, geography, physics and chemistry from the general programme. The science programme also includes six advanced courses specifically designed to explore natural sciences from different perspectives.
The natural science programme encourages the students to pursue higher education in the fields of medicine, pharmacy, biology, geography, geology, physical sciences, chemistry and mathematical sciences.
The programme reinforces the students’ skills in scientific reasoning and therefore also enhances their performance in natural science and mathematical subjects in the matriculation exam. Due to the student admissions reform, it has become more and more important to study and do final exams in natural sciences in order to get into higher education.
After finishing the programme, the student receives a separate certificate and a marking on the graduation diploma.