Sustainable Solutions: Building a Smart Greenwall for Urban Environments¶
The project focuses on creating a vertical garden, or Greenwall, powered by recycled solar panels, which uses technology to automate watering and maintenance. This initiative aims to improve urban spaces while teaching students about renewable energy, environmental sustainability, and the benefits of urban greening.
What its about¶
The “Sustainable Solutions: Building a Smart Greenwall for Urban Environments” project integrates renewable energy and urban greening to enhance sustainability education. Students will collaborate across disciplines to design and construct a Greenwall using recycled solar panels and automated watering systems. This hands-on project will deepen their understanding of renewable energy, biodiversity, and the societal benefits of sustainable practices. By working in teams, students will develop technical skills in electronics and programming, alongside soft skills like communication and problem-solving. The project aims to inspire innovative thinking and environmental responsibility among students.
Link to Scopes DF¶
https://www.scopesdf.org/scopesdf_lesson/sustainable-solutions-building-a-smart-greenwall-for-urban-environments/
Gallery¶
Students presentation for science fair/ competition¶
Reflection questions¶
Collaboration: During the Field Activity, collaboration was key and involved multiple stakeholders. We worked closely with the city of Wesel, our school sponsor, which provided essential support and resources. The Hochschule Rhein-Waal served as a technical advisor, offering expert guidance on integrating environmental science with technology. Participation in the Digi Green competition provided additional motivation and context for the project. Collaboration with colleagues Sönke TenFreyhaus and Dirk Meyer was instrumental in developing and refining the lesson plan. Their diverse perspectives enriched the interdisciplinary approach, leading to the incorporation of more hands-on activities and real-world applications, making the lesson more engaging and relevant for students.
Instructional Challenges: One challenge encountered was ensuring that all students, regardless of their prior knowledge, could engage with the technical aspects of the project. To address this, differentiated instruction strategies were implemented, such as providing additional resources and support for students who needed it. The lesson plan was designed to accommodate diverse learning styles by incorporating visual aids, interactive discussions, and hands-on activities.
Integrating Disciplines: The lesson plan currently falls at the interdisciplinary level, as it integrates elements from environmental science, technology, and social studies. To move it towards a transdisciplinary approach, the lesson could be further developed to include real-world problem-solving tasks that require students to apply knowledge across disciplines seamlessly, possibly involving community-based projects or collaborations with external experts.