The fourth Eco Patrol workshop was held – Why is the sea acidic?.

On April 12, 2025, a workshop entitled “Is the Sea Acidic?” was held, in which students from Vodice Elementary School participated.
The first activity of the workshop, entitled “How the Earth Feels”, was aimed at illustrating the impact of excessive CO2 emissions on the Earth. Students considered how human activities, such as industrial production and everyday habits, affect the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
The activity was carried out in such a way that one student, who symbolized the Earth, was covered in clothing that represented harmful emissions. Through this activity, students realized that excessive CO2 emissions cause global warming and climate change.
The next activity, which aroused great interest among students, was “Experiment – ​​is the sea acidic?”.
Through a scientific experiment, students examined the pH value of different solutions and connected their knowledge of photosynthesis with the absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This experiment allowed them to apply the scientific method in practice, by setting a hypothesis, conducting an experiment, and analyzing the results. Although the students expected the sea to be slightly alkaline, the results showed that the sea was slightly acidic, which clearly indicated that measures should be taken to reduce CO2 emissions and preserve the health of marine ecosystems. In the third activity, entitled “Accepted Hypothesis and Consequences of Acidification“, students further investigated the consequences of ocean acidification using the video “What is Ocean Acidification” and observed cause-and-effect relationships that lead to disruption of the balance in ecosystems. The activity encouraged students to think critically and draw conclusions, and motivated them to take personal actions to protect the environment. In the fourth activity, “Food Web“, students learned about the concepts of food chains and webs and understood the interdependence of species in an ecosystem. The activity involved connecting plant and animal species using pictures, and students observed how species are connected in food chains. Although some technical problems arose during the activity, such as intertwining ropes when making a food web, the students had fun and learned the importance of balance in nature.

The fifth activity was the creation of a “Postcard of Hope“, in which students showed their hopes for a better and cleaner future for planet Earth by 2030. Through creative expression, students expressed their wishes for more educational initiatives, better recycling and reduced pollution.

Workshop evaluation:
The workshop evaluation was carried out in a creative way, where students drew a handprint on paper and answered the questions that allowed them to reflect on their own impressions. The topic of ocean acidification surprised them the most, and they enjoyed the experiments and the food web game the most.
Finally, the students expressed their desire for a deeper exploration of the topic of ocean acidification and its consequences on ecosystems.

Conclusion:
This workshop had a great educational significance because it enabled the students to gain a better understanding of important environmental topics, such as CO2 emissions, ocean acidification and disruption of the ecological balance, through interactive and practical activities. The students learned in a fun way how their actions can have an impact on the environment and how they can contribute to the preservation of nature through small changes in their everyday lives.

The project leader is the Association for the Protection of Nature and the Environment and the Promotion of Sustainable Development Argonauta, and the project partners are the Municipality of Murter-Kornati; Vodice Primary School; Spužvica Kindergarten, Tisno; Šubićevac Education Center Šibenik; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb; Kamenčići Association Šibenik; JU NP Kornati; Association for Helping People with Intellectual Disabilities “Latice”; Education Center “Juraj Bonači”, Split. The project is co-financed by the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth.