Sustainable Development 101: Educators Learn Through Interactive Games
Sustainable Development 101: Educators Learn Through Interactive Games
Sustainable Development 101: Educators Learn Through Interactive Games
Jillian Daly
August, 04, 2025
Summary
During the Teachers on the Estuary workshop, Whitney Jenkins, Training Coordinator for the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve, used games and candy to teach sustainable watershed management. Through engaging presentations and an interactive "Watershed Game," teachers learned how impervious surfaces like roads and parking lots contribute to polluted runoff, harming water quality and estuarine health. The game simulated local decision-making, with teams using candy as currency to implement solutions like vegetated buffers, permeable pavement, and conservation easements. This hands-on approach successfully highlighted the connection between land use and water quality, earning praise from educators and real estate professionals alike.
Reference
Daly, J. (2025, August 4). Sustainable development 101: Educators learn through interactive games. North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Blog. https://www.deq.nc.gov/blog/2025/08/04/sustainable-development-101-educators-learn-through-interactive-games