Big Climate Convo - STEAM project brief

How can we work together to create a future version of the school grounds which:

• has different habitats for wildlife
• reduces the likelihood of flooding
• has space that we will enjoying playing and relaxing in?

Waltham Forest map illustration by Mike Hall

thisismikehall.com

Driving Question

In groups, follow the engineering design process to create a solution which contributes to the driving question.

- the designs should make use of the ‘urban water cycle’

Collectively the class produces an imaginative vision for their school grounds.

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Activity

The Engineering Design Process

Ask

Imagine -

ideas storm

Plan

Create -

Test

Share –

critique

Improve

There are lots of versions of the engineering design process – adapt it to suit the project

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The important thing is a cycle of ideas, feedback, reflection and improving.

Designing nature friendly school grounds

Ask-

What is the problem that needs solving?

• Use the survey of the school grounds and recommendations made in Part 3 to help decide what could be improved in the school grounds.
• What part of the driving question is useful to focus on?

Imagine -

Come up with as many ideas as possible

• Get outside and look at the area being focused on.
• Where is water coming from and going to…
• No wrong answers
• Write, draw, collage, video – any medium can be used

Plan -

Pick an idea to focus on. What tasks is everyone going to do?

• Group communication to decide on an idea to pursue is essential.
• The group need to know how they are going to present their idea. Can they make a model to test an idea for a rain planter? Or is an annotated diagram more suitable?

Create

If possible, make a model of the idea to test.

Remember to include water in some part of the designs.

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It must flow downhill!

Designing nature friendly school grounds

Designing nature friendly school grounds

Encourage the class to think of constructive questions about how the design idea works. What are the benefits? What could make it difficult or unpopular? Etc.

Can the final ideas be shared with someone in the school SLT?

Share

Group

presentation to communicate the design idea

Improve

Are there any changes based on the testing and feedback?

Images for design inspiration

Rainwater funnels down this clever wall piece shared by Elle Decoration on LovelyGreens.com

Example of an annotated design and how it looks in real life.

By Wendy Allen Designs

Example of a design and how it looks in real life.

RHS winning garden by Wendy Allen Designs

Artists drawing of a rain garden feature in a public space and artwork on the floor around it.

By Stacy Levy