The white stork – the new hero of the Play Green with Us!® program

Polenergia presents another educational kit prepared as part of the Play Green with Us!^® program, in collaboration with bird enthusiast and teacher from Stefan Żeromski Primary School No. 1 in Żuromin, Mr. Adam Ejnik, and academic staff from the University of Zielona Góra, Dr. Elżbieta Roland and Dr. Olaf Ciebiera, active members of the Nature Conservation League, Zielona Góra Branch. This time, the main theme of the materials is the white stork – a unique bird, present in the Polish landscape and culture for centuries, and a symbol of the harmonious coexistence of humans with nature.

A new educational workbook, designed for fourth-grade primary school students, invites young people to explore the natural world in an engaging, interesting, and age-appropriate way. The lesson plans help them understand the interrelationships between organisms, the importance of ecosystems, and the role of humans in maintaining natural balance. The stork, as an umbrella species, becomes a guide to the world of biodiversity.

The set of materials also includes an educational film, “White Stork. Do Storks Eat Frogs?”, in which naturalist and teacher Adam Ejnik presents fascinating details about the life of the white stork. This film serves as a practical supplement to the exercises and is a great tool for illustrating topics discussed in the classroom.

Teachers participating in the Polenergia program Play Green with Us!^® also receive access to live broadcasts from the stork nest of Ramses and Cleopatra – a pair of storks who live from spring to autumn right next to the Wincenty Witos Primary School in Bierkowo (Redzikowo commune). Thanks to a camera placed near the nest, students can observe the life of the stork family in real time, allowing them to experience a real biology lesson in action. This is an excellent example of how environmental education can combine learning with emotion, empathy, and responsibility for the environment.

Initiatives like this demonstrate the importance of fostering a sensitivity to nature and curiosity about the world from a young age. Polenergia’s educational materials, Play Green with Us!^® , help teachers inspire students to observe nature and discuss its conservation – both in and out of school. Therefore, we cordially invite educators and students to join us on another educational journey, this time to learn about the white stork.