Purpose of the Challenge

This final mission extends and reinforces the workshop learning by allowing students to choose one of two pathways, depending on whether they want to focus on Water or Microbes. 

It supports students to: 

  • Apply workshop learning to real-life problems 
  • Demonstrate environmental, economic, and social understanding 
  • Use evidence, systems thinking, and creativity 
  • Connect learning to their home, school, or community 

Teacher Note

Students choose ONE pathway (Water or Microbes). 

The challenge is designed to: 

  • extend workshop learning beyond the day 
  • encourage real-world application 
  • allow students to show understanding in creative ways 

Teachers can support by: 

  • helping students choose a pathway 
  • encouraging clear explanation of ideas 
  • supporting students to connect their learning to real life 

The focus is not on a “perfect answer,” but on thinking, reasoning, and explaining clearly. 

 

Mission Briefing for Students 

After completing the workshops, students choose ONE pathway: 

Students complete only ONE pathway. 

PATHWAY 1 — WATER: WARRIORS OF THE WAI

Solve the Case. Save the Wai.

 

THE CHALLENGE (Two-Part Video) 

Students take on the role of Water Detectives. After participating in the “Who Dunnit?” workshop mystery, they now complete their final mission by creating a short video containing two parts: 

PART 1 — WHO DUNNIT? (Workshop Storyline)

Students explain: 

  • WHO they think made the awa sick in the workshop mystery 
  • Their reasoning using:  
  • Means — How that character had the ability 
  • Motive — Why they might have done it 
  • Opportunity — When/where it could have happened 

This is fictional reasoning about the scenario — not real-world blame. 

 

PART 2 — WHAT DID YOU DO? (Real Life Application)

Students identify one real water use problem in their: 

  • home 
  • school 
  • or community 

Then they design a Water Saving Solution and show: 

  • what they created, changed, or tested 
  • how it works 
  • why anyone could try it 
  • what materials they used 

Water examples section

Examples to get you thinking (you don’t have to use these) for Part 2 

Here are some WATER ideas to get you started: 

You can use one, change one, combine two, or come up with your own idea. We’re more interested in how you think than what you choose. 

Growing food or gardens

 

1.  Drip irrigation bottle 

  • This is when you reuse a plastic bottle to slowly drip water into the soil near a plant’s roots. 
  • You poke small holes in the bottle
  • Fill it with water 
  • Turn it upside down in the soil 
  • This saves water because the plant only gets what it needs, and less water runs away or evaporates.  
     

2.  Smart watering plan 

  • This means watering plants at the best time, not just whenever. 
  • Water early in the morning or late in the afternoon 
  • Check the weather so you don’t water when it’s going to rain 
  • Decide how much water different plants need 
  • This helps plants grow better and stops water being wasted. 
     

3.  Runoff filter 

  • When it rains, water can wash dirt and rubbish into drains and rivers. A runoff filter catches the dirty stuff before it reaches the river. 
  • You might use gravel, sand, leaves, or plants 
  • Water can pass through, but rubbish gets trapped 
  • This helps keep rivers cleaner and healthier. 

Soil & water:

 

1.  Mulch test 

  • Mulch is things like leaves, bark, or straw that you put on top of soil. In this test, you compare: 
  • Soil with mulch 
  • Soil without mulch 
  • You’ll see that mulch helps soil stay wet for longer and protects it from drying out. 

 

2.  Soil water experiment 

  • This experiment shows how water moves through soil. 
  • Pour water onto different types of soil (sand, clay, garden soil) 
  • See which soil holds water best 
  • This helps us understand which soil is better for plants and gardens. 

 

3.  Rainwater collectors 

  • This is a way to collect rainwater from roofs. 
  • Rain goes into a bucket or tank 
  • The water can be reused for gardens or cleaning 
  • This saves drinking water and uses rain instead. 

Community:

 

1.  5 Minute Shower Challenge 

  • This is a challenge to help people use less water when they shower. 
  • Use a timer, a song, or a stopwatch 
  • Try to finish your shower in 5 minutes or less 
    This saves water and energy. 

You could make this a neighbourhood challenge! 

  • Invite people on your street to join in 
  • Keep track of how many people try the challenge 
  • Celebrate together if everyone takes part 

 Bonus idea: 
You could organise a street BBQ, shared afternoon tea, or picnic as a prize or celebration for everyone who joins the challenge. 

This helps save water and brings people together. 

  

2.  Tapoff signs 

  • These are friendly reminders near taps. 
  • Signs that say “Turn me off!” 
  • Pictures that remind people to save water 
  • They help people remember not to waste water. 

 

3.  Refill station at school 

  • A refill station is where students can fill their drink bottles. 
  • Instead of buying plastic bottles 
  • Everyone brings their own bottle 
  • This reduces plastic waste and helps the environment. 

Impact Section

 

Students explain how their solution helps: 

  • their home or garden 
  • their community 
  • and the awa 

 

Student Deliverable 

A 30–90 second video including: 

  1. Who they believe polluted the river (and why) 
  2. Their real-life water saving action 
  3. Detective reasoning (Means / Motive / Opportunity) 
  4. The impact

PATHWAY 2 — MICROBES: MICRO & MEGA

Crack the Code. Change the World. 

 

Challenge Goal

Students identify one real-life problem in their home, school, garden, or community where microbes could make a difference and create a Microbe Powered Solution linked to: 

  • Agriculture 
  • Compost / Soil Health 
  • Community Action 

Students may work: 

  • Individually 
  • With whānau 
  • Or in a small team 

 

Student Deliverable

Student Deliverable 

Students choose ONE format: 

  • Poster 
  • Comic strip 
  • Mini-model / prototype 
  • Detective report 
  • Infographic / fact sheet 
  • Story / poem / creative writing 

 

Must include 

  1. The Microbial Problem 
  2. Your Microbe Powered Solution 
  3. Microbial Science (MRS GREN) 
  4. The Impact 

Microbes Examples Section

Here are some MICROBE ideas to get you started: 

Agriculture:

 

1.  Microbe booster for soil 

  • Kids design a pretend “microbe booster” that helps plants grow strong. 
  • Choose 3 helpful microbes (e.g. nitrogen helpers, disease fighters, decomposers) 
  • Draw or build a container (bottle, sachet, seed coating) 
  • Name their product and explain how it helps plants 

 

2.  Poster comparing healthy vs unhealthy roots 

  • Create a comparison poster showing what roots look like with and without microbes. 
  • Split a page into two sides 
  • Draw roots with microbes (thick, fuzzy, lots of life) 
  • Draw roots without microbes (thin, weak, cracked soil) 

 

3.  Comic about microbes fighting plant diseases 

  • Make a short comic where microbes defend a plant from disease. 
  • Invent a villain (fungus, bad bacteria, drought monster) 
  • Create microbe heroes with powers  
  • Show how the plant is saved 

Compost / Soil Health:

 

1.  Mini compost system 

  • Design or build a mini compost system.  
  • Draw or build a compost jar/bucket 
  • Label what microbes eat (food scraps, leaves) 
  • Show what compost becomes (soil!) 

 

2.  “Decomposition race” poster 

  • Predict which items decompose fastest. 
  • Choose 5 items (apple core, paper, plastic, leaf, banana peel) 
  • Rank them from fastest to slowest 
  • Explain why 

 

3.  Detective case: The Disappearing Apple Peel 

  • Solve a mystery using microbial clues. 
  • Write a case report 
  • Draw microbes as detectives 
  • Explain how microbes “made it disappear” 

Community Action:

 

1.  Microbe Heroes education campaign 

  • Create a campaign to teach others about helpful microbes. 
  • Design a poster, sticker, or mini video idea 
  • Create a slogan (e.g. “Microbes Make Our World Work!”) 
  • Choose where it would be shared (school, town, farm) 

 

2.  Story about microbes cleaning pollution 

  • Write or illustrate a story where microbes clean up pollution. 
  • Choose a problem (dirty river, oil spill, landfill) 
  • Show microbes breaking it down 
  • End with a healthier environment 

 

3.  Fact sheet: What Microbes Do for Our Town 

  • Create a kidfriendly‑ fact sheet. 
  • List 5 ways microbes help (wastewater, soil, food, compost) 
  • Add drawings or icons 
  • Make it easy for others to understand 

Impact Section

 

Students explain how their solution helps: 

  • their home or garden 
  • their community 
  • and the awa 

 

Student Deliverable 

A 30–90 second video including: 

  1. Who they believe polluted the river (and why) 
  2. Their real-life water saving action 
  3. Detective reasoning (Means / Motive / Opportunity) 
  4. The impact

Judging Criteria (20 points)

 

  • Creativity 
  • Understanding 
  • Impact 
  • Clarity 

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