START WITH A REAL CHALLENGE
Choose a wero
A wero is a challenge you accept. Pick one to get a strong starting question and see what your evidence could become.
Clean Water Wero
How can we monitor or improve water quality in a local system?
Streams, drains, and ponds change over time. Communities need evidence to understand what’s happening and what actions matter most.
Question starter
What changes in water quality across places or times, and what might explain it?
Evidence you might collect
- Temperature
- Turbidity/clarity
- pH
- Flow rate
- Photo evidence of sites
What it could become
- 3D printed sensor shade or holder
- Laser-cut sampling rig
- Graph story of measurements
- One-page report for the school
Teacher safety note
- Teacher check before sampling
- Hygiene after fieldwork
- Avoid unsafe water access points
Biodiversity at Night
What insects are active around our school, and what might that tell us?
Night-time biodiversity can reveal habitat health, lighting impacts, and seasonal patterns that matter for ecosystems and people.
Question starter
Where are insects most active at night, and what might influence that?
Evidence you might collect
- Counts by location
- Light type/brightness notes
- Weather notes
- Photos or sketches
- Time of night
What it could become
- Insect observation chamber
- Trap housing (teacher approved)
- Biodiversity field guide poster
- Map of activity hotspots
Teacher safety note
- Teacher approval for traps
- Avoid allergens/stings
- Respect living organisms and release where appropriate
Faster, Further, Fairer
What makes a simple vehicle travel further, and how can we test that fairly?
Engineering changes only count when you can measure them fairly. Students learn about variables, friction, and iteration through evidence.
Question starter
Which change makes the biggest difference to distance, and how do we know it’s fair?
Evidence you might collect
- Distance over multiple runs
- Build change notes
- Alignment observations
- Video or photos of runs
What it could become
- Wheel spacer
- Alignment jig
- Graph story of runs
- Fair-test protocol poster
Teacher safety note
- Eye safety during launches
- Keep launch zone clear
- Teacher check for high tension bands
Cooler Classrooms
Where are the hot and cool zones around our school, and what could we design in response?
Temperature and comfort affect learning. Schools can make evidence-based choices about shade, airflow, and behaviour.
Question starter
Where are the hottest/coolest places, and what might be causing it?
Evidence you might collect
- Temperature by location/time
- Shade/sun notes
- Airflow notes
- Heat-map sketches
What it could become
- Sensor mount
- Shade prototype
- Heat map poster
- Recommendation brief
Teacher safety note
- Teacher approval for outdoor measurements
- Sun safety
- No access to restricted areas
Growing Better
What affects plant growth, and how could we design a better growing system?
Food and gardens rely on systems: light, water, soil, and care routines. Small evidence-based changes can improve outcomes.
Question starter
Which factor seems to matter most for growth in our setting?
Evidence you might collect
- Height/leaf counts over time
- Soil moisture
- Light level notes
- Photo timeline
What it could become
- Plant support clip
- Moisture sensor mount
- Growth graph story
- Care guide poster
Teacher safety note
- Teacher approval for soil/compost handling
- Allergy awareness
- Wash hands after handling plants/soil
Safer School Movement
How could evidence about movement help us design safer signs, routes, or alerts?
Good safety design uses evidence, not guesses. Students can use observation data to propose changes that reduce risk.
Question starter
Where do near-misses or bottlenecks happen, and what changes could reduce them?
Evidence you might collect
- Counts of movement by time
- Hotspot map
- Photo sketches of risk points
- Student interviews (teacher guided)
What it could become
- Vinyl-cut safety sign set
- Route arrows/stickers
- Community briefing
- Infographic poster
Teacher safety note
- Teacher approval before surveys/interviews
- No filming other students without permission
- No real-world action without review
Robot Helper Challenge
What can a simple robot do reliably, and how do we test it fairly?
Robots only help when they are reliable. Evidence-based testing reveals what works, what fails, and what to improve next.
Question starter
Which change makes the robot more reliable, and how can we measure that?
Evidence you might collect
- Success rate across trials
- Time to complete route
- Sensor readings
- Failure modes list
What it could become
- Sensor holder
- Chassis bracket
- Test report
- Failure-mode infographic
Teacher safety note
- Teacher approval for tools and batteries
- Keep fingers clear of moving parts
- Electrical safety basics
Waste to Resource
What waste streams could we reduce or reuse, and what evidence would convince others?
Waste decisions are social and logistical. Evidence helps communities choose the right change and measure its impact.
Question starter
What waste happens most here, and what change could reduce it?
Evidence you might collect
- Counts/weights of waste types
- Photos of bin stations
- Before/after comparisons
- Short survey results (teacher guided)
What it could become
- Label set for bins
- Sorting guide signage
- Before/after data story
- One-page recommendation
Teacher safety note
- Hygiene and gloves if handling waste
- Teacher approval for surveys
- No public posting without review