A passion for science can begin in the very first years of school. It often starts with a question, a phenomenon observed in everyday life, or something that cannot be immediately explained and sparks curiosity, encouraging children to imagine, make hypotheses, and experiment.
This is the idea behind Scintillab, the free educational project promoted by Fondazione Agnelli together with Ferrari, with the scientific contribution of the CNR – Public Relations and Integrated Communication Unit and the co-design of the educational materials by Fondazione OpenDot.
Scintillab is aimed at teachers and pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5 of primary school and seeks to make children’s first encounters with science engaging, stimulating and meaningful. Through in-person teacher training and a dedicated educational kit, classrooms become places for discovery, where students observe, ask questions, test ideas, make mistakes and try again. In doing so, they experience their first real encounter with the scientific method.
At the heart of the project is the inquiry-based learning approach, which encourages learning through questions, exploration and problem solving. Shadows, balance, gravity and the basic principles of scientific investigation become opportunities to observe the world more carefully and search for answers through hands-on experience.
During the in-person training sessions, teachers work alongside expert trainers to explore inquiry-based methodologies and test the activities included in the kit, simulating classroom practice. Each participating school receives a ready-to-use educational kit containing materials and practical activities designed for group work on five major scientific themes.
The project is the result of a structured educational partnership between Fondazione Agnelli and Ferrari, bringing together expertise and vision to support high-quality public education. For Fondazione Agnelli, Scintillab represents a further step in its long-standing commitment to promoting STEM education through projects that combine educational research with practical action in schools, with the aim of improving teaching quality and expanding opportunities for students.
Ferrari has long supported educational initiatives as a driver of innovation and growth for younger generations, both within and beyond its local community.
The CNR – Public Relations and Integrated Communication Unit contributed to the development of the project and supervised its educational and methodological framework. Fondazione OpenDot collaborated in transforming the educational concepts into practical, ready-to-use teaching materials included in the kit.
In the 2025/2026 school year, Scintillab has already involved 59 comprehensive schools, 238 teachers and around 4,700 students in the provinces of Cuneo, Savona, Modena, Parma, Ancona and Matera.
The initiative focuses particularly on provincial areas outside major cities, with the aim of helping to ensure a broader and more balanced distribution of educational opportunities across Italy. Over the next two school years, the project aims to reach 800 teachers and 15,000 students, expanding into new areas including Brindisi, Salerno and Catania.
We would also like to thank the schools that joined the project, as well as the organisations that hosted the training sessions, including Fondazione Caterina Dallara in the province of Parma and the company Loccioni in the province of Ancona.
To learn more about the project and how to get involved, visit the Scintillab website
