"THEMIS challenge” - learning to reduce your impact in a fun way
The THEMIS project aims to sensitise secondary school students to environmental issues and, in particular, how they can take action to reduce their negative impact on the environment. This is the purpose of the “THEMIS challenge” game, for which a total of 24 challenges have been developed, accompanied by introductory videos and information sheets. The game can be played in class, between two or more classes from the same school or other schools. A special platform has been developed on which the points achieved by each class can be validated by the teachers.
Tested by students at the LARPS agricultural high school in Mauléon, France
The week from 27 November to 1 December 2023 was almost entirely dedicated to testing the “THEMIS challenge” game and brought together a total of 96 students and 4 teachers from the LARPS agricultural high school. Activities included the creation of eco-friendly menus for the school, a video competition on sustainable agriculture, a quiz on waste separation, a visit to a market and a supermarket to compare packaging, the design of a bioclimatic house and a journey to emit as little CO2 as possible, and much more. Students could also collect points for clothing produced in the EU if they wore it. The competition took place on two different days so that students could improve their scores.
The test showed that the “THEMIS challenge” game fully achieved its objectives. It is designed to be fun and close to the students’ reality. It not only encourages students to think critically and analyse complex environmental problems, but also encourages them to recognise their own impact and take action to reduce it. Taking action, finding solutions together and presenting them is what Daniel Goleman calls the development of ecological intelligence.