In May and June 2026, a pilot program of innovative environmental education lessons was successfully conducted, with the goal of promoting understanding of the biological value and conservation of natural grasslands. Students from the Daugavpils Design and Art School “Saules skola” actively participated in this series of events, demonstrating excellent results in interdisciplinary nature exploration.

One of the activities tested was “Detective in the Meadow: Plant Identification and Classification,” in which the young people honed their species identification skills through hands-on practice.  In the session “A Pharmacy at Your Feet: Medicinal Plants,” the students acted as “Green Pharmacy Detectives,” analyzing herbal remedies and identifying dried plant samples based on their scent, color, and texture. During the exploration, participants also learned the basic principles of sustainability and the conservation of natural resources. The workshop “Get to Know Latvia’s Flowering Plants” invited young people to identify plant names in Latvian and Latin, as well as to create artistic sketches of plant parts and digital e-posters using Canva.

Future teachers from Daugavpils University also showed particular interest and enthusiasm as they simulated a real-life teaching process, engaging in practical activities designed to integrate modern competencies and research-based teaching methods into the school setting. The teachers emphasized that this approach, which combines botany with art and modern technologies, helps to successfully develop students’ critical thinking and creativity. The experience gained will serve as valuable methodological support for future teachers as they plan and conduct interdisciplinary science lessons.