This educational excursion is primarily intended for primary school teachers as a methodological teaching aid. It integrates knowledge from history, the Slovak language, foreign languages and regional education, and offers pupils the opportunity to understand historical and cultural aspects of mining through experiential learning.
The excursion “Exploring with the Mining Dwarf” represents an interactive walking route in the centre of Banská Bystrica, during which pupils, working in teams, complete tasks at several stations and discover the mining history of the city in an engaging way. They are guided by the character of a mining dwarf – a symbolic figure connected with mining legends – who leads them through the individual activities.
During the excursion, pupils:
- explore the history of the mining town of Banská Bystrica and its key sites,
- develop language skills (Slovak, English, and elements of German),
- solve tasks focused on logical thinking, cooperation and spatial orientation,
- interpret historical stories, legends and symbols,
- connect knowledge from multiple subjects in a real urban environment.
The excursion includes several thematic stations, for example:
- SNP Square – stories about mining dwarfs and searching for their symbols,
- Thurzó House – language tasks and historical context of settlement,
- The Town Castle – history of the town and its defensive function,
- Matej’s House – city fortifications and the significance of historical buildings,
- Lazovná Street – hygiene in the past and public baths.
The methodology includes:
- a detailed scenario of the excursion with activities at individual stations,
- tasks for pupils of different ages and levels,
- suggestions for materials and organisational recommendations for teachers,
- evaluation and reflection of the excursion through discussion and competition.
The full excursion methodology in PDF format can be found here: Exploring with the Mining Dwarf
