Title | UPCYCLING FOR GREENER FUTURE |
Aim | 1. to explore new ways of waste reduction and upcycling methods. 2. train youth to save the environment and fight against climate change by upcycling. |
Resources | – Different garbage collected during the project – Old clothes, scraps of materials, buttons – Drawing tools – paints, brushes, pencils, felt-tip pens – Gluing and cutting tools: cutting board, rulers, scissors, cutting tool, chalk, pencil, thimble, pins, needles, thread, hot glue – Canva (A3 format) |
Time | 3 hours |
Detailed instructions: | The project responds to two major challenges which are prevalent not only in many European countries but in countries all over the world: growing waste and climate change. Waste is the result of non-sustainable modes of production and consumption. The society is now forced to find new ways to combat wasting, climate change, and further consequences of non-ecological living. In this context, upcycling (reuse of an object in a new way without degrading the material it is made from) has become a simple and innovative concept in the area of waste management. 1 Step (20 min) Welcoming, warm up activities, familiarization with the project, sharing of tasks 2 Step (60 min) Collecting garbage. Students organize a garbage collection campaign in the school area. Students can divide into smaller groups: 2-4 people and share school areas. Each group collect garbage from their area and sorts a garbage according to their size and shape.
Source: picture made by author 3 Step (40 min) Creation Art Pieces from garbage. Each student creates a picture on his canvas on the topic of climate change. Trash collected during the campaign are used for the picture. They are glued to the canvas, and later the picture is finished by coloring with colours or painting the obstructed details.
Source: pictures made by author 4 Step (60 min) Organizing exhibition in School Students organize an exhibition of their created paintings for the school community
Source: picture made by author |
Evaluation |
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Success criteria | Number of paintings Organized exhibition Number of Exhibition visitors Positive feedback from Exhibition visitors and school community Changed students life habits |
Title | Reducing food waste |
Aim |
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Resources | – pencils – paper – tools for drawing |
Time | 3 hours preparation 2 weeks monitoring 2 hours analysis |
Detailed instructions: | Promoting sustainable practices contributes to the preservation of the planet. School students can contribute to sustainable initiatives and encourage other students to consume responsibly and eat all the food in the canteen during lunch. 1 Step. Make posters for this initiative, for example: “Don’t throw away food”, “put as much on your plate as you can eat”, “Empty plates are our goal”, etc. 2 Step. Hang posters in the school canteen, classrooms. 3 Step. Inform about project activities all school community, using local media (radio, social networks, face to face meetings) 4 Step. Monitor, how the students behave, after seeing the posters. Remind students to look at the poster before they start eating. During the first week, ask all the children weigh themselves the food they did not eat during lunch. Next week weigh thrown away food by yourself. Fix it the amount of food throw away each day. Write down the results. 5 Step. After 1 and 2 weeks summarize the results, draw conclusions. Publish the results to the school community. If necessary, extend the project.
Source: bit.ly/3BPUewU |
Evaluation |
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Success criteria | Changed students eating habits Decreased amount of food thrown away in school canteen |
Title | Cultivating Change: Creating a School Garden/Green Space |
Aim | · Understand the importance of biodiversity and green spaces. · Plan and design a garden layout and select appropriate plants. · Learn about plant care and sustainable gardening practices. |
Resources | Seeds, gardening tools, soil, water access, plant identification resources, design software (optional), gloves, lumber for beds. |
Time | 10 week |
Detailed instructions: | Target Audience: School community Weeks 1-2: Planning and Research: Learn about plant types suited to the local climate and garden design elements. Identify a location, set goals, and gather initial resources. Students will work with their teachers to develop a garden plan, purchase supplies, and prepare the selected area/location/beds or pots
Source: Microsoft Stock Image Weeks 3-7: Planting and Maintenance: Begin planting, water the plants. Care for the plants, weed, water, and learn about the maintenance needed to keep the garden thriving.
Source: Microsoft Stock Image
Source: Microsoft Stock Image
Weeks 8-10: Harvest and Celebration: Harvest everything you’ve grown, put together a table, present for school community and share your produce. Reflect on the project, what benefit students got. • Intended outcome: working school garden or green space, plant identification guides (cards); journal documenting project progress, school community event to introduce garden/green space. • Sustainability link: increased biodiversity, local food production, healthier environment, increased awareness of nature |
Evaluation | · Did you like this way of learning about nature? · Will your lifestyle habits change after this project? · Will you grow your own edible plants and contribute to sustainability? |
Success criteria | · Number of sprouted plants · Positive feedback from project participants and school community · Presentation of harvest results held · Students’ lifestyle habits changed |
Title | Local Food Hero: Reducing Our Carbon Footprint Through Local Food Systems |
Aim | To promote local food consumption in your community and explain the sustainability and environmental impact of food transportation. · Understand the concept of “food kilometers (0 km)” and their environmental impact. · Identify local food producers and their activities. · Promote sustainable food choices. · Collaborate with local farmers/food producers. |
Resources | Internet access, list of local farmers, interview guides, poster making supplies, presentation software, stalls or demonstration materials. |
Time | 4 weeks |
Detailed instructions: | Target Audience: Target audience: School community, local farmers/food producers Week 1-2: Research and planning: Learn about “food kilometres”, carbon footprints and local agriculture. Identify potential local food producers/farmers. Contact them and arrange a visit and interview
Week 2-3: Research. Data analysis and dissemination campaigns. Development. Interview with a selected local farmer/food producer. Collect data on food production, transportation methods and distances. Analyze the data collected. Create a multimedia campaign (posters, social media, local food producer presentations, etc.) to promote local food. Week 4: Implementation of the action. Presentation and reflection. Launch the campaign, set up a local farmer/food producer stall or virtual presentation. Present the findings and results, reflect on the impact of the project on yourself and the school community
Expected result: Multimedia campaign (posters, social media posts), presentation, local food stall, project report. Sustainability link: promoting healthy eating, raising awareness about food production, determining carbon footprint, supporting local economies. |
Evaluation | · Did you enjoy this way of learning about local food production? · Did you find it important for sustainability and climate change mitigation? · Will your lifestyle habits change after this project? |
Success criteria | Presentation of research results to local farmers/food producers Changed students’ lifestyle habits Positive feedback from school community and local farmers |
Title | School Energy Detectives: Finding Ways to Save! |
Aim | Students will become “energy detectives,” exploring their school to find simple ways to save energy: · Identify common ways energy is used in a school setting (lights, electronics, heating/cooling). · Recognize examples of energy waste (lights left on, electronics left plugged in). · Suggest simple actions to conserve energy. · Communicate findings and ideas to others. · Work together as a team |
Resources | Checklists: Simple lists with common energy uses (lights, computers, chargers, heating/cooling, etc.). Clipboards or Paper: For students to record their findings during the scavenger hunt. Poster Paper/Markers or Simple Design Tools: For creating campaign materials. Simple cameras or devices: For creating videos (optional) |
Time | 4 weeks |
Detailed instructions: | Target Audience: School, students (adaptable for different grade levels) Week 1: Introduction to Energy: Discuss what energy is, why it’s important, and ways we use it at school. Introduce the concept of “energy waste.” (Use simple language and visuals) Week 2: Energy Scavenger Hunt: Conduct a school-wide “energy scavenger hunt” in teams. Provide a checklist of common energy uses (lights, computers, fans, etc.) and have students identify areas where energy is being used wisely or wasted. Focus on observational data rather than complex measurements.
Source: Microsoft Stock Image
Week 3: Analyzing Findings. Brainstorming Solutions. Discuss the results of the scavenger hunt. Identify 2-3 common areas of waste, and analyze why the waste occurs. Brainstorm simple ways to save energy in those identified areas (e.g., turn off lights when leaving a room, unplug chargers when not in use, wear extra layers, rather than turning on the heat in the winter).
Source: Microsoft Stock Image
Week 4. “Energy Saving” Campaign Design. Sharing and Action. Create simple posters/flyers/short videos with tips on how to save energy. Display posters around the school and/or present campaign messages to other classes, and make sure to present the findings and plans to the school administration. Expected result: Completed energy waste hunting checklists, evidence collected (photos, posters, short videos), list of actions to be implemented by the school. Sustainability connection: Increased awareness of personal energy use, encouraging eco-friendly behaviour, reducing carbon footprint, can help save costs for the school. |
Evaluation | · Did you like this way of finding out where energy is going? · Do you think it is important for sustainability and climate change? · Will your lifestyle habits change after this project? |
Success criteria | Presentation of the research results to the school community Changed students’ lifestyle habits Positive changes in the field of energy waste |
