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.