From Rainfall to Biodiversity: Developing Green STEAM Lesson Plans Across Europe

From volcanic landscapes and Mediterranean agriculture to biodiversity, flooding and soil health, Green STEAM partners are developing practical educational activities that turn everyday environmental observations into meaningful scientific investigations.

How can students investigate climate change, biodiversity and environmental sustainability through experiences in their own surroundings? What can a school garden tell us about soil health, or a nearby stream reveal about rainfall and water movement? And how can teachers use these opportunities to connect science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics in meaningful ways?

These questions are guiding the development of the Green STEAM lesson plans, a collection of practical educational activities being created by partners in Iceland, Ireland, Greece, Croatia, Poland, Czechia and Italy. The lesson plans aim to help teachers bring environmental education into everyday school life, combining outdoor learning, scientific investigation, environmental monitoring and creative approaches to understanding sustainability.

Rather than developing identical activities for every country, the partnership is building on the distinctive environmental conditions, educational experiences and local knowledge of its members. The result will be a collection of adaptable teaching resources that demonstrate how familiar environments can become opportunities for scientific discovery.

Different Environments, Shared Learning Opportunities

In Iceland, GeoCamp Iceland is developing activities that connect environmental observations with climate data, volcanic landscapes and local environmental conditions. Working within Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark, these investigations explore how students can use direct observation, environmental measurements and available scientific datasets to understand natural processes and environmental change. Activities may involve comparing local temperatures, investigating different microhabitats or interpreting climate information through graphs and creative visualisation. The aim is to connect Iceland’s dynamic natural environment with practical scientific methods that can also be adapted to other educational settings.

In Ireland, the focus includes rainfall, flooding, river systems and environmental resilience. Students can investigate precipitation, surface runoff and water movement, exploring how weather conditions influence their surroundings and how communities respond to environmental challenges. Activities can combine observations of local environments with rainfall measurements, mapping and data analysis, helping students connect geography, mathematics, environmental science and climate adaptation. These investigations are particularly relevant to understanding the relationships between changing weather patterns, land use and water management.

The Greek contribution draws on the Mediterranean landscapes and cultural heritage of Crete, where environmental challenges such as water scarcity, soil erosion and sustainable land management provide opportunities for interdisciplinary learning. Activities include exploring traditional dry-stone walls, tree planting and agricultural practices, encouraging students to investigate how local communities have adapted to environmental conditions over generations. These examples demonstrate how scientific understanding can be combined with engineering, biodiversity, cultural heritage and traditional knowledge. Experiences from Sitia UNESCO Global Geopark also provide inspiration for developing outdoor activities that connect geology, ecosystems and human activity.

In Croatia, Osnovna škola Sibinjskih žrtava is contributing activities that connect environmental education with traditional ecological knowledge and sustainable resource use. Investigations explore local plants, responsible harvesting and the relationships between biodiversity, cultural traditions and environmental sustainability. These activities encourage students to combine scientific observation with knowledge from their communities, recognising that traditional practices can offer valuable perspectives on contemporary environmental challenges. By documenting plants, investigating growing conditions and reflecting on sustainable harvesting, students can develop both environmental awareness and an appreciation of local knowledge.

In Poland, INFOTECH is developing approaches that combine biodiversity mapping, environmental observation and digital technologies. Students can document species and habitats, organise observations and explore how digital mapping tools support environmental investigation. Activities also introduce opportunities to work with environmental data and AI-supported technologies, encouraging students to evaluate information critically and understand the limitations of automated identification and analysis. These approaches help connect outdoor exploration with digital literacy, scientific classification and evidence-based interpretation.

The Czech contribution includes investigations of soil health and environmental conditions, drawing on the scientific and educational expertise of the Technical University of Liberec. Students can compare soil characteristics, investigate factors influencing plant growth and explore the relationships between soil, biodiversity and ecosystem health. Activities provide opportunities to connect biology, chemistry, geography and mathematics through practical observations and measurements. The university’s involvement also helps strengthen the scientific methodology behind the lesson plans, supporting approaches that encourage reliable data collection and critical interpretation.

In Italy, APS Polygonal contributes approaches that connect environmental investigation with digital technologies, creativity and community engagement. Examples include digital biodiversity surveys and coastal habitat investigations, where students can document environmental conditions, identify human impacts and communicate their findings through visual and digital media. These activities demonstrate how scientific investigation can be combined with storytelling, photography, mapping and creative communication, helping students translate environmental observations into information that can be shared with schools and local communities.

Explore, Investigate, Reflect, Act: A Common Educational Framework

Although the lesson plans address different environmental themes, they are being developed around a shared pedagogical framework: Explore – Investigate – Reflect – Act. This approach provides a common structure while allowing teachers to adapt activities to their students, local environments and available resources.

During the Explore stage, students observe their surroundings and identify environmental questions. Investigateintroduces practical methods for collecting evidence through fieldwork, observation, measurements and environmental sensors. Reflect encourages students to analyse findings, compare results, consider uncertainty and connect local observations with wider environmental challenges. Finally, Act provides opportunities to communicate findings, suggest improvements or identify further investigations.

For example, a lesson about soil health might begin with students observing differences between a school garden and a nearby green space. They could then investigate soil moisture, vegetation and other environmental conditions, compare their findings and discuss possible explanations. The activity might conclude with students proposing ways to improve growing conditions or planning further monitoring. The same learning cycle can be applied to investigations of rainfall, biodiversity, temperature, water quality or sustainable land management.

Environmental Sensors and Data Literacy

An important part of the Green STEAM approach is helping students move beyond observation towards collecting, interpreting and evaluating environmental evidence. Where appropriate, lesson plans will incorporate environmental sensors and digital tools to measure variables such as temperature, humidity, rainfall, soil moisture, light levels and water conditions. Digital mapping, spreadsheets and data visualisation can then help students organise their observations, identify patterns and communicate their findings.

However, Green STEAM places equal importance on understanding the methods behind the measurements. Students are encouraged to consider where and when data was collected, whether measurements are comparable, what limitations may influence the results and what conclusions can reasonably be drawn. This is particularly important when connecting local observations with broader environmental issues such as climate change. A single temperature measurement, for example, cannot demonstrate a long-term climate trend, but repeated observations can help students understand environmental variation and the importance of reliable scientific evidence.

The lesson plans are therefore designed to develop environmental literacy alongside scientific and digital skills. Technology is used where it adds educational value, but activities can also be adapted to schools without specialised equipment. A simple thermometer, observation sheet or hand-drawn map can provide an effective starting point for scientific investigation.

Developing Practical Resources for Teachers

The lesson plans are being developed alongside the Green STEAM Teacher Handbook and a shared collection of field activity templates. Together, these resources aim to provide teachers with practical guidance for planning, delivering and evaluating environmental learning activities.

Each lesson plan follows a common structure covering learning objectives, intended age groups, environmental themes, STEAM connections, required materials, investigation methods, student activities and opportunities for reflection and action. Attention is also given to accessibility, safety, assessment and the possibility of adapting activities to different educational settings. This shared structure will make it easier for teachers to understand how an activity developed in one country could be implemented elsewhere.

The partnership recognises that effective educational resources must be practical within ordinary school schedules and adaptable to different levels of experience. Some activities may be completed during a single lesson using school grounds or nearby green spaces, while others can develop into longer investigations involving repeated measurements, environmental monitoring or cooperation with local organisations. The emphasis remains on meaningful learning outcomes rather than the complexity of equipment or activities.

From Development to Classroom Testing

The lesson plans are currently at different stages of development, drawing on existing educational practices, new activity concepts and experiences shared through international project meetings and training activities. The partnership is now working towards refining these resources through practical implementation and feedback from participating teachers and schools.

Classroom and field testing will provide opportunities to evaluate whether activities are engaging, manageable and appropriate for different age groups. Teachers will be encouraged to document their experiences, identify practical challenges and suggest improvements to the learning methods, equipment requirements and assessment approaches. These findings will contribute to the further development of the lesson plans and the final Green STEAM Teacher Handbook.

An important objective is to create educational resources that are transferable without losing their connection to local environments. A biodiversity investigation developed in Poland might inspire a similar activity in Italy or Croatia, while methods used to investigate environmental conditions in Iceland could be adapted to schools elsewhere in Europe. By combining shared scientific approaches with locally relevant questions, Green STEAM is developing a collection of teaching resources that can support environmental education across different countries and educational systems.

Every Environment Offers an Opportunity to Learn

The diversity of the Green STEAM lesson plans reflects one of the project’s central ideas: meaningful environmental education can begin almost anywhere. A school playground, garden, forest, river, agricultural landscape or coastal habitat can become a place where students investigate scientific questions, develop practical skills and explore their relationship with the environment.

By bringing together the experiences of seven European partners, Green STEAM aims to help teachers make these opportunities more accessible. The lesson plans will provide practical starting points for connecting environmental investigation with interdisciplinary learning, digital technologies, creativity and sustainability.

Every school has an environment worth exploring. Green STEAM is developing the tools and educational approaches to help students discover, investigate and understand it.