Unit 4, Lesson 5: Community Science Projects
From Learning to Action
Lesson Overview
This capstone lesson is about taking the knowledge and skills developed throughout the unit and applying them to real-world action. Students will finalize their design challenges and present them, and we will explore opportunities for ongoing community engagement and environmental leadership.
Enrichment Suggestion (LF_STEM): Add a "Next Steps" section linking to local conservation groups like DOC or local iwi environmental projects to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world action.
Learning Activities
1. Do Now: Final Touches (15 mins)
Groups get together to put the finishing touches on their presentations for the Sustainable Technology Design Challenge.
2. Innovation Showcase (30 mins)
Each group presents their design challenge solution to the class. Presentations should be 3-4 minutes long and cover the key aspects of their design. The class is encouraged to ask questions and provide constructive feedback.
3. From Project to Action (10 mins)
Class discussion: How could we take these ideas further? What local organizations could we partner with? Brainstorm a list of potential community action projects (e.g., starting a school-wide composting system, a tree-planting day, a campaign to reduce plastic waste).