My Team: MISSION SUSTAIN 🚀, were challenged with bringing SDGs (Sustainable development) to the classroom. My team created an interaction module to help students explore sustainable living on different planets. We were one of the top 5 qualifiers for our local event, and our project was submitted for global judging.
The challenge is to develop a lesson plan that educates high school students about an SDG, and can be integrated into a science unit that may already be part of the curriculum (e.g., a unit on weather, geology, soil health, etc.). The goal of this challenge is to develop new and exciting methods to educate students about the SDGs in ways that organically align with classroom topics.
Our project, "Soil: Sustaining Life on Land," developed by Team Mission: Sustain, addresses the challenge of integrating Sustainable Development Goal 15, “Life on Land,” into high school science curriculum, specifically within the topic of “Sustainable Ecosystems and Human Activity.” We recognized that students prefer hands-on, practical activities that enhance engagement and understanding. To meet this need, we created an interactive module in Figma that allows students to virtually explore various soil types across different planets and examine the ecosystems they support. This visual and experiential approach uses NASA's open data to illustrate soil’s critical role in promoting biodiversity and sustainability, making theoretical concepts more relatable to real-world scenarios. The module culminates in an interactive activity where students can engage with soil firsthand, allowing them to experiment with different soil types, like sandy, or clay, while defining conditions such as water levels, seed types, and light exposure. This hands-on experience deepens their understanding of how soil conditions affect plant growth and the ecosystems that depend on them. In the future, we envision our interactive module evolving into a comprehensive platform that connects classrooms globally, fostering collaboration and sharing of findings. By inspiring students to become proactive in sustainability efforts, we aim to cultivate a generation that is informed and engaged in preserving both Earth and potential future habitats in space.
Our project, "Soil: Sustaining Life on Land," is an interactive educational module designed to integrate Sustainable Development Goal 15 into high school science curricula. The module allows students to virtually explore various soil types from different planets, such as Earth, Mars, and the Moon. Through this exploration, students examine the characteristics of each soil type, understand how these conditions influence plant growth, and learn about the ecosystems they can support. A distinguishing feature of our module is the interactive component at the end, where students can engage directly with the soil through a hands-on activity that simulates planting and growing.
The module, designed in Figma, provides a visually engaging user interface that immerses students in the study of soil and ecosystems. It begins by introducing students to different types of soil—such as loamy, sandy, and clay—along with their unique characteristics and how they support various ecosystems. Students can explore each soil type's properties, learning about its composition and the types of plants it can support.
As they interact with the module, students can simulate various environmental conditions, such as water quantity, seed type (vegetables, herbs, or flowers), and light exposure (full sun or partial shade). This interactive component allows them to visualize how these factors influence plant growth and soil health, reinforcing theoretical concepts with practical examples.
At the end of the virtual exploration, educators can encourage students to participate in a hands-on activity that allows them to apply their knowledge in a real-world context. In this interactive component, students work with actual soil, selecting their soil type and defining the same experimental conditions they explored in the module. They will plant seeds and monitor growth over a designated observation period, making observations and recording data. This bridge between virtual learning and physical experimentation deepens their understanding of soil's critical role in ecosystems while fostering a sense of stewardship for the environment.
Our primary goal is to empower students with knowledge about soil and ecosystems, fostering a sense of responsibility towards environmental conservation. We aim to cultivate a generation that is not only informed about sustainability challenges but also motivated to take action. By integrating SDG 15 into the curriculum, we hope to inspire students to think critically about their role in preserving terrestrial ecosystems and to encourage proactive engagement in sustainability efforts. We aim to inspire students to recognize their role in promoting sustainability and to encourage proactive engagement in environmental stewardship. By the end of the module, we hope students will be equipped with knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their impact on ecosystems. Our project, "Soil: Sustaining Life on Land," not only educates students about the importance of soil and ecosystems but also emphasizes how this knowledge contributes to measuring progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 15, "Life on Land." Through hands-on activities, students gather data on plant growth, soil moisture, and other relevant metrics, allowing them to assess the health of their ecosystems. This practical approach helps students understand the link between their experiments and broader environmental issues, such as land degradation and biodiversity loss. By engaging in this experiential learning, we specifically address students' need for hands-on engagement, which enhances their understanding of ecological principles while developing critical thinking skills. As they analyze their findings in relation to SDG indicators, they become informed advocates for sustainability. This connection between hands-on learning and global goals not only enriches their educational experience but also empowers them to contribute meaningfully to environmental stewardship in their communities.
Experience our interface through this interactive prototype!