Ocean Health Challenge

More than 170 trillion pieces of plastic are now estimated to be floating in the world's oceans, with this figure expected to triple by 2040 if no action is taken. This plastic pollution proves fatal to marine animals and seabirds whilst taking hundreds of years to decompose, creating a legacy environmental challenge that demands innovative thinking and practical solutions.

The UCL Ocean Health Challenge addresses this crisis by empowering young people to become part of the solution. Rather than simply learning about environmental problems, students engage directly with the engineering design process to develop practical interventions that could prevent plastic waste from reaching our oceans.

Dr Fiona Truscott
Engineering Education and Sustainable Design
Role: Lead curriculum development and educational strategy
Background: Specialist in making engineering accessible and engaging for diverse learners, with extensive experience in curriculum design and student engagement strategies.

Dr Helen Czerski
Oceanography and Science Communication
Role: Provide authoritative knowledge on marine ecosystems and environmental impact
Background: Renowned oceanographer and science communicator, bringing cutting-edge research on ocean health and plastic pollution to classroom learning.

Dr Zoe Laughlin
Materials Engineering and Sustainable Materials
Role: Guide understanding of materials science and circular economy approaches
Background: Expert in innovative materials and sustainable design, offering insights into how materials choices impact environmental outcomes.

By the end of the Ocean Health Challenge, learners will be able to:

1. Discuss the complexity of the ocean ecosystem and recognise its importance for the health of our planet
2. Describe the key properties of plastics and their benefits
3. Explain how plastics enter the ocean and summarise the ways in which they cause harm to the ecosystem and the species that inhabit it
4. Outline the role of waste and demonstrate why we should think about it as a starting point rather than an end point
5. Explain the key characteristics and responsibilities of engineers and discuss the role they can play in tackling global problems
6. Adopt a reflexive approach when defining problems, taking into account the scope, trade-offs, stakeholders and their personal values
7. Practice planet-centred design and apply the engineering design cycle
8. Build a prototype and evaluate it to gain insights on their design
9. Plan and deliver a pitch in the form of a poster to effectively communicate their solution

Our carefully sequenced curriculum guides students through the complete engineering design process whilst building deep understanding of ocean ecosystems, plastic pollution, and sustainable solutions.

Foundation Phase (Lessons 1-3):

Lesson 1: Why is the ocean important? Students explore ocean ecosystems, marine biodiversity, and the critical role oceans play in global climate regulation, food security, and economic systems. This foundation lesson establishes why ocean health matters and connects students emotionally to the challenge.

Lesson 2: Why is waste a problem? Comprehensive examination of waste cycles, plastic production and disposal processes, and environmental impact assessment. Students develop understanding of how waste systems work and where interventions might be most effective.

Lesson 3: How do you define a problem? Introduction to problem definition methodologies, stakeholder analysis, and the importance of clearly articulating challenges before seeking solutions. Students learn systematic approaches to understanding complex environmental issues.

Design Process Phase (Lessons 4-6):

Lesson 4: What is the design cycle? Comprehensive introduction to engineering design thinking, iterative processes, and systematic approaches to solution development. Students understand how engineers approach complex problems and develop solutions.

Lesson 5: How can we think about materials differently? Materials science fundamentals, circular economy principles, and sustainable material selection and usage. Students explore how material choices impact environmental outcomes and learn about innovative sustainable materials.

Lesson 6: How do you communicate your design? Technical communication skills, visual presentation techniques, and effective stakeholder engagement strategies. Students develop abilities to share their ideas clearly and persuasively.

Implementation Phase (Lessons 7-9):

Lesson 7: What is a prototype? Understanding prototyping purposes, types, and methodologies for testing and validating design concepts. Students learn how to move from ideas to tangible solutions.

Lesson 8: How do you make a prototype? Practical guidance on prototype construction, material selection, and testing procedures. Students engage in hands-on making and testing of their solutions.

Lesson 9: Communicating your idea Advanced presentation skills, poster design, and effective communication of technical concepts to diverse audiences. Students prepare to share their work professionally.

Culmination Phase (Lesson 10):

Lesson 10: Preparing your submission Competition entry preparation, documentation requirements, and final presentation development. Students complete their journey by preparing professional submissions of their work.

The Ocean Health Challenge can help schools meet several of the Gatsby Benchmarks. 

Benchmark 3: Addressing the needs of each pupil
The challenge encourages participation from students across various academic abilities and backgrounds, providing an inclusive platform where every student can contribute their unique perspectives and skills. By addressing the global issue of ocean pollution, the challenge connects with students' values and concerns. The flexibility in project ideas, ranging from developing a reusable bag reminder app to designing a smart recycling bin, ensures that students with a wide array of skills can find a meaningful way to participate and make an impact. 

Benchmark 4: Linking curriculum learning to careers
The challenge has been mapped to key aspects of the UK National Curriculum. By integrating principles from subjects like Science, Citizenship, and Design Technology, the UCL Ocean Health Challenge shows students the real-world applications of their classroom knowledge. The hands-on, prototype-based approach mirrors the work of engineers and innovators, giving students a practical understanding of how their studies can lead to careers in engineering, environmental science, and technology. 

Benchmark 7: Encounters with further and higher education
The challenge provides students with insights into further and higher education opportunities. Through this initiative, students gain exposure to the type of project-based learning and innovative thinking that is central to university programs like UCL's Integrated Engineering Programme. By working on this project, students can see how UCL, and other higher education institutions, can support their ambitions to tackle global challenges, encouraging them to consider pursuing further studies in engineering, environmental sciences, and related fields.

The CREST Awards scheme is the British Science Association’s flagship programme for young people. CREST is a scheme that inspires young people to think and behave like scientists and engineers.

The Ocean Health Challenge is a CREST-accredited activity, meaning students can earn a prestigious CREST Award. Find out more about how you could use these activities to gain a CREST Award at bsa.sc/accredited-resource. 

Students can achieve different levels of the CREST Award—Bronze, Silver, or Gold—based on the number of hours they dedicate to the project. The more time invested, the higher the award level they can earn.

Please note: that teachers are responsible for applying for and covering the cost of the CREST Award on behalf of their students.

Engineering Design Skills:

• Problem identification and analysis
• Solution development and iteration
• Prototype construction and testing
• Design communication and presentation

Scientific Thinking:

• Research and investigation methods
• Data collection and analysis
• Evidence-based reasoning
• Scientific method application

Future workplace skills:

• Critical thinking and problem-solving
• Creativity and innovation
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Communication and presentation

Environmental Awareness:

• Understanding of environmental systems
• Appreciation of human-environment interactions
• Sustainable thinking and decision-making
• Global citizenship and responsibility

Science:

• Materials science and chemistry
• Biology and environmental science
• Physics and engineering principles
• Scientific method and investigation

Geography:

• Human-environment interaction
• Sustainability and resource management
• Global environmental challenges
• Spatial analysis and mapping

Design Technology:

• Design thinking and problem-solving
• Materials and manufacturing
• Technical drawing and communication
• Product development and testing

Mathematics:

• Data analysis and statistics
• Measurement and calculation
• Geometric principles in design
• Mathematical modelling

Citizenship:

• Environmental responsibility
• Global awareness and understanding
• Democratic participation and action
• Rights and responsibilities

Computer Science:

• Develop algorithms to analyse data
• Write programs that track and visualise data
• Front end development for engaging apps
• Work with real-world datasets on plastic pollution

Entries will be shortlisted by the UCL Engineering team. Shortlisted entries will then be assessed by a judging panel that includes at UCL academics and external experts. You can access the assessment criteria through the course page on UCL Extend.

The winning entry for each year group, across all of the schools, will receive a prize equivalent to £500 for their school, and a prize equivalent to £100 for the student in the form of a voucher. Runners-up in each year group, across all of the schools, will receive a prize equivalent to £100 for their school, and a prize equivalent to £50 for the student in the form of a voucher. 

The best overall entry will receive a grand prize equivalent to £2000 for their school, and a prize equivalent to £500 for the student in the form of the voucher. The grand prize winner will not receive this in addition to a year group prize i.e. they will not receive a prize for their school equivalent to £2500, and a prize equivalent to £600 for the student. 

Prize winners and runners-up must redeem their prize within 6 months of their receipt. Please note, we will follow up with winning schools to find out the impact participating in the project has had for the school and the winning student.

Get instant access to all teaching materials through UCL's professional learning platform. No complex registration process - simply create your free account and start downloading resources immediately.

What You'll Get:

• 10 complete lesson plans with teacher guides
• Professional PowerPoint presentations for each lesson
• Student worksheets and activity materials
• Assessment rubrics and marking guidance
• High-quality educational videos featuring UCL academics
• Blank presentation templates for student use

Lesson Plans and Guides - Comprehensive teacher guides for each lesson including learning objectives, key concepts, activity instructions, differentiation strategies, and extension opportunities. Each guide provides everything needed to deliver engaging, effective lessons.

Professional Presentations - High-quality PowerPoint presentations featuring professional design, clear content structure, and embedded multimedia elements. Presentations include speaker notes and can be customised for your specific context.

Student Worksheets - Carefully designed worksheets that guide student learning whilst providing opportunities for creativity and personal expression. Materials include templates, planning sheets, and reflection activities.

Assessment Materials - Complete assessment package including formative assessment activities, summative assessment rubrics, and guidance for evaluating student work. Aligned with national curriculum standards and learning objectives.

Educational Videos - Professional documentary-style videos featuring UCL academics explaining key concepts, demonstrating processes, and providing expert insights. Videos are captioned and available in multiple formats.

Support Materials - Additional resources including materials lists, safety guidance, troubleshooting tips, and frequently asked questions. Comprehensive support ensures successful programme implementation.

Getting Started Guide - Step-by-step guidance for implementing the programme in your school context. Includes timing recommendations, resource requirements, and adaptation strategies for different settings.

Webinar Series - Regular online sessions providing programme overview, implementation guidance, and opportunities to connect with other participating teachers. Sessions are recorded for flexible access.

Email Support - Direct access to programme team for questions, guidance, and troubleshooting. Responsive support ensures you have help when needed.

Teacher Community - Connect with other teachers implementing the programme through our online community. Share experiences, resources, and best practices with colleagues nationwide.

Classroom Requirements:

• Standard classroom with presentation capability
• Internet access for video content
• Basic materials for prototype activities (lists provided)
• Student devices for research activities (optional but recommended)

Teacher Preparation:

• No specialist engineering knowledge required
• Comprehensive teacher guides provide all necessary background
• Optional preparatory webinars available
• Ongoing support throughout implementation

KS3

• Relationships in an ecosystem - how organisms affect, and are affected by, their environment, including the accumulation of toxic materials.
   The effect of unwanted materials in the oceans impacting on ocean ecosystems.

KS4

• Photosynthesis - factors affecting the rate of photosynthesis.
   Students could investigate the effect of plastics on algae in the identification of evidence to support the reduction of plastic flow into the Oceans.
• Ecosystems - the role of microorganisms (decomposers) in the cycling of materials through an ecosystem.
   Investigating the impact of plastics on Ocean microorganisms.

KS5

• Ecosystems - microorganisms play a key role in recycling chemical element.
   The potential engineering application of microorganisms to help with the breakdown of plastics.
• Biodiversity - adaptations of organisms to their environments can be behavioural, physiological and anatomical.
   The effect of plastics on environmental adaptations of organisms in the oceans as a pretext for engineering a solution to mitigate these effects.
• Research and referencing - use online and offline research skills including websites, textbooks and other printed scientific sources of information.
   When identifying a problem and communicating the proposed solution developing researching and referencing skills.

KS3

• Earth and atmosphere - Earth as a source of limited resources and the efficacy of recycling.
   The effect that plastics entering the ocean have on the availability of the ocean’s resources.
• Chemical reactions - defining acids and alkalis in terms of neutralisation reaction.
   The effect of changes in the Ocean’s chemistry because of human activity. Acidification of the oceans.

KS5

• Organic chemistry - reactions classified as addition, elimination, substitution, oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, addition polymerisation and condensation polymerisation.
   The challenge could investigate alternative polymerisation processes around either reusable plastics or biodegradable plastics.
• Research and referencing - use online and offline research skills including websites, textbooks and other printed scientific sources of information.
   When identifying a problem and communicating the proposed solution developing researching and referencing skills.

KS3

• Responsibilities of citizens, community engagement, and environmental protection.
   Evaluate the role of individuals, communities, and governments in addressing plastic pollution and promoting sustainable practices.
• Politics, democracy, and justice. Sustainable development and the environment.
   Evaluating the societal and environmental implications of policies can help students understand the broader impact of their design choices on communities and the planet.

KS4

• Democracy and Justice.
   Explore the role of government policies and international agreements in addressing plastic pollution in the ocean.
• Rights and Responsibilities.
   Discuss the environmental rights and responsibilities of individuals and corporations in relation to plastic pollution.

KS3

• Algorithms.
   Develop algorithms to analyse data on plastic pollution in the ocean, such as calculating the rate of pollution increase over time.
• Computational models.
   Create a computational model to simulate the effects of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems.
• Programming.
   Write programs that track and visualise data on plastic pollution in oceans, potentially including features for predicting future pollution levels based on current trends.

KS4

• Computer Systems.
   Potential to research the role of computer systems in monitoring and managing ocean health, including the use of sensors and networks to detect and track plastic waste.
• Impacts of Digital Technology on Wider Society.
   Evaluate the environmental impact of plastic pollution through the lens of digital technology, exploring how technology can be leveraged to reduce waste and improve sustainability efforts.

KS5

• Data Representation.
   Work with real-world datasets on plastic pollution, creating data visualizations to identify trends, hotspots, and the effectiveness of cleanup efforts.

KS3

• Sustainable Materials.
   Explore the use of sustainable materials in product design to reduce ocean pollution.
• Design principles, material choices, and sustainability.
   Design sustainable products considering the lifecycle of materials to reduce plastic waste.

KS4

• Identifying and Investigating Design Possibilities.
   Investigate the impact of plastic pollution in the ocean and identify design opportunities to create sustainable packaging or alternatives to single-use plastics.
• Evaluating.
   Evaluate existing products' environmental impact and consider how redesigning them could mitigate plastic pollution, engaging in peer reviews and feedback.

KS5

• Designing and Making Principles.
   Explore the environmental impact of materials, focusing on the lifecycle of products and the importance of designing for sustainability.
• Technical Principles.
   Investigate the properties of alternative materials to plastics and their potential use in reducing ocean pollution.

KS3

• Human and physical geography – coasts.
   Explore the physical characteristics of oceans, including waves, tides, and marine ecosystems.
• Human and physical geography – how human activity relies on effective functioning of natural systems.
   Investigate the role of oceans in climate regulation and the impact of human activities on marine environments.
• Geographical skills and fieldwork - use Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to view, analyse and interpret places and data.
   Potential to use software to analyse the geographical distribution and environmental impact of plastic pollution on land and in oceans.

KS4

• Place: processes and relationships – geography of the UK, environmental challenges.
   Investigate the causes and consequences of environmental issues such as plastic pollution in the ocean.
• Human geography: processes and change - The causes and consequences of uneven development at global level.
   Explore strategies for sustainable development and management of marine environments affected by plastic pollution.

KS5

• Global systems and global governance - global systems shape relationships between individuals, states and environments.
   Explore the global distribution and impact of plastic pollution in the oceans, considering international agreements and governance structures aimed at tackling this issue.

KS3

• Develop fluency - move freely between different numerical, algebraic, graphical and diagrammatic representations.
   Ability to use and translate data when defining a problem then designing a solution.
• Statistics - construct and interpret appropriate tables, charts, and diagrams, including frequency tables, bar charts, pie charts, and pictograms for categorical data, and vertical line (or bar) charts for ungrouped and grouped numerical data.
   When identifying their problem or communicating about their proposed solution students can develop their ability to utilise charts.

KS4

• Algebra - plot and interpret graphs (including reciprocal graphs and exponential graphs) and graphs of non-standard functions in real contexts.
   Graphical analysis of plastics entering the Earth’s oceans could be conducted as a real context.
• Statistics - use and interpret scatter graphs of bivariate data; recognise correlation and know that it does not indicate causation; draw estimated lines of best fit; make predictions; interpolate and extrapolate apparent trends whilst knowing the dangers of so doing.
   Coherently and precisely utilise interpretative skills to identify causation of effects caused by plastics in the Oceans.

KS5

• Aims and objectives - apply mathematics in other fields of study and be aware of the relevance of mathematics to the world of work and to situations in society in general.
   Mathematical analysis could be carried out on the effect of plastics on the oceans within a sociological context.
• Use of technology - The use of technology, in particular mathematical and statistical graphing tools and spreadsheets, must permeate the study of AS and A level mathematics.
   Data analysis and graphing tools could be used by students to compute summary statistics or access probabilities from computing statistical distributions.

KS4

• Energy - conservation of energy in a closed system, dissipation.
   The ability to use more efficient processes to change the way we use plastics to reduce the quantity required. Students could design a solution that creates more efficient plastics or analyse the energy involved in manufacturing plastics.

KS5

• Mechanical properties of matter - stress, strain, Young modulus, force-extension graphs, energy stored.
   The material and engineering challenges around plastics and how changing their properties to have a longer lifetime and reusability could reduce unwanted plastics in the Ocean.
• Research and referencing - use online and offline research skills including websites, textbooks and other printed scientific sources of information.
   When identifying a problem and communicating the proposed solution developing researching and referencing skills.

KS5

• The nature of sociological thought – the relationship between sociology and contemporary social policy.
   The impact of policy on how Ocean Health can be preserved.
• Presentation of evidence and argument - organise evidence and communicate arguments in a coherent manner.
   Ensuring the efficacy of their proposed solution is communicated coherently with clear links between evidence and the argument for policy change.

If you are a lead for your subject, you may wish to incorporate the Ocean Health Challenge into your core curriculum. We have mapped aspects of the challenge to the national curriculum for a wide variety of subjects to give you some inspiration.

The challenge would work excellent as part of the Design Technology curriculum at KS3 as it promotes key skills around engineering that will encourage students to consider it as an option for the future. Furthermore, we know that not all schools are able to appoint DT teachers and may be lacking in teaching materials and expertise. The OHC is fully planned and does not require physical resources to run effectively making it a brilliant option for your Autumn term curriculum.

The challenge could be run as a cross-curricular scheme of work over lessons from different subjects with an entire year group. We would recommend having a lead teacher to coordinate this process between the departments. Students could be provided with an overview of the challenge in form time activities leading up to the first lesson.

• Lesson 1 + 2 – Geography: Explore the physical characteristic of oceans and why they matter before looking at the human geography around waste generation and processes.
• Lesson 3 + 4 – Science: Focus on the “big ideas” around planet and nature-centred design and develop skills to think like an engineer. If you have the time, you could explore careers in Engineering using the This is Engineering website (https://thisisengineering.org.uk/).
• Lesson 5 to 8 – Design Technology: You could space these lessons allowing students homework time to further develop their ideas with support from home. If you have the materials, you could create a physical prototype in addition to your technical drawings.
• Lesson 9 + 10 – Citizenship or English: Developing confidence and communication skills are essential to being an engineer. Many schools develop public speaking programmes in their English or Citizenship lessons. This could be a brilliant way to get students pitching their final ideas to one another.

Looking for an entire day activity to run as a year group or whole school? The Ocean Health Challenge can be adapted to be run in a day. We trust teachers to make professional decisions and have highlighted the most important aspects of each of the lessons to allow you to shorten or lengthen some of the activities.

• Week(s) before: Run through the overview of the challenge videos from Lesson 1 as form time activities and run some of the discussion activities around waste from Lesson 2.
• Period 1 (1 hour) – Building Context: Lessons 1-2 can be combined to build contextual understanding of the problem. We recommend including the videos and you may wish to adapt or develop your own discussion activities.
• Period 2 (1 hour) – Problem-based Design: Lessons 3-4 can be combined to look at how to conduct a problem-based design approach. You could utilise the “what is an engineer” resources as a follow-up homework for students to research a wide variety of engineering careers.
• Period 3 + 4 (2 hours) – Create and Prototype: Lessons 5-8 could be adapted to solely focus on the students developing and prototyping their own designs. Students could work straight onto the competition template sheets so their entries are ready to submit.
• Period 5 – Presentation: Lessons 9-10 may cover skills you have developed with your students in your core curriculum. Students could come together in small groups and offer critical feedback to one another and suggest improvements to their designs.
• At the end of the day, you could scan or collect all the entries and submit to the competition straight away, or you may wish to give students additional time to develop their projects further.

The challenge could be run over 10 weeks with students meeting with the teacher once per week to work through the lesson resources. Lessons 5-8 could be suited for students working independently at home by providing them with access to video resources. It is perfectly feasible to run your own competition between students within your club. You could consider inviting some STEM Ambassadors to your final session and have your students pitch their ideas to the ambassador.

If you have an existing STEM club, you may wish to run this as a prolonged activity with these students.

Each lesson's timings are adjustable to allow the sessions to be fitted into a lunchtime club.

Are you an enthusiastic form tutor? Each lesson is broken into granular sessions and could be run over the course of many weeks. For example, you could split Lessons 1-4 into 10-minute episodes that are delivered in three to four form times each week. You could then move to a more holistic design phase where students continually develop their work over many weeks working towards a final entry.

There is no cost to participate in the challenge. However, there is a centre cost for submitting student entries as part of a Bronze CREST award. It will be the responsibility of individual schools to enter and pay for CREST award entry for their students.

Not at all. This is a multidisciplinary challenge. Students could design a mobile app that prompts people to dispose of their waste responsibly, a plastic labelling system that machines can recognise in recycling centres, or a social media campaign to discourage the use of single-use plastics. Creativity is key!

It can be both. Some schools might run this in STEM clubs, while others may use it as part of a class or as a cross-subject piece of project-based learning.

Yes, lesson plans will be provided as part of the challenge resources.

No specialist knowledge is required. The project is designed with all the necessary information included in the lessons.

Certainly. You are encouraged to adapt the resources to best fit the needs of your students and school.

You can enter as many students as you like!

No, both school and student prizes will need to go to furthering the engineering education of the school/student. More guidance will be provided at a later date.

From a learning perspective, absolutely. The resources will be available for schools to run at alternate times during the year, such as during British Science Week. If you do run the activity past the competition deadline (30th November 2025), you will not be able to submit your student’s designs for entry and will not be eligible to win any of the prizes.

Due to our governance and widening access policies, only entries from state-maintained schools are received. However, you are more than welcome to use the resources and run the challenge in your setting to develop your students' engineering education.

Due to our governance and widening access policies, only entries from state-maintained schools are received. However, you are more than welcome to use the resources and run the challenge in your setting to develop your students' engineering education.

Parents and guardians cannot submit on behalf of their children. If you wish for your child to take part, please speak to their school and ask them to register for the challenge.

For additional support, please contact jed.marshall@ucl.ac.uk.