Wanting to share the importance of measuring and the fun of science with as many children as possible, HORIBARIANs head out to various locations to offer hands-on classes using the theme, “learn by measuring”. This time, HORIBA Advanced Techno visited Nagasaki Prefectural Uku High School located on Ukujima, the northernmost island of the Goto Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture on July 3rd and 4th, 2025, and held hands-on classes.
Ukujima is located about two hours by high-speed boat from Sasebo Port and with a population of about 1,800, is surrounded by the sea and rich in nature. Seven students in grade ten attended our seminar. Our theme was measuring familiar things at hand. The lessons aimed to explore the surrounding science and nature through the act of measuring.
As an ice-breaker, we used the Water Cycle Game* created by HORIBA Advanced Techno. In this board game, which conveys the importance of protecting water resources and water quality, three to five players take turns rolling dice to travel around the town. Through play, students learn the significance of limited water resources and the need for sustainable community development. Students actively thought up strategies about how water resources could be increased and what they needed to achieve that. They had fun playing the game while learning at the same time.
*The Water Cycle Game is designed for upper elementary school students and older.
A new program included a pH experiment using purple cabbage. Purple cabbage extract changes color when it becomes acidic or alkaline. Students reacted to the beautiful color changes with surprise and curiosity!
Why does the color change? What color does alkaline cause? How about acidity? The students took part in the experiment by first asking questions and predicting the color changes. By measuring the pH of the solutions, students experienced both visual and numerical changes beyond simply observing the differences in color.
Students measured seawater pH and water quality by themselves using instruments like the U-52 Multi-parameter Water Quality Meter and LAQUAtwin Pocket Water Quality Meters. Recording the current state of the island’s natural environment was a valuable experience.
Students also used the LAQUAtwin series to measure pH values of familiar beverages such as juice, tea, coffee, and sports drinks, making predictions about what the outcome would be. When they were checking the results, we heard surprised reactions such as, “Wow! Way more acidic than I expected!” Seeing differences in properties through real numbers, they were able to discover unexpected aspects of drinks they usually don’t think about.
Throughout the lesson, we emphasized the process that starts by predicting, then measuring, then comparing and thinking about the results. We believe the students truly got a feel of the joy of hands-on science, operating equipment with their own hands and observing changes in color and numbers with their own eyes. It was fun to see the students' eyes sparkle as they engaged in a learning experience that was a little different from usual.
Many thanks to everyone at Uku High School for creating this valuable opportunity for us. Our experience with Ukujima’s people, nature, and food, brought us closer to the island's charm and gave us a strong desire to protect its rich natural environment.
By educating the children of our future, HORIBA will continue to convey the enjoyment of measuring.
HORIBA Advanced Techno employees with Uku High School students and teachers
