Students will calculate their individual carbon footprints, engage in direct user research through interviews and empathy mapping, and begin understanding how personal and community behaviors contribute to carbon emissions in order to identify meaningful needs for change.

Students will synthesize their carbon footprint data and empathy research into a clear, user-centered problem statement. Using evidence from carbon calculator results, interviews, and content knowledge about energy sources and global warming, they will define a focused community carbon challenge that guides solution design in the next phase.

Students will generate a wide range of human-centered solutions to reduce individual and community carbon footprints. Using structured brainstorming, concept sketching, and peer feedback, teams will move from divergent idea generation to selecting a high-potential solution aligned to user needs, scientific principles, and project criteria.

Students will build and refine testable prototypes of their Community Carbon Reduction solutions, using user-centered design principles to create tangible models or campaign materials. Through structured peer feedback and self-assessment, they will revise their prototypes to better meet user needs before final testing and exhibition.

Students will test their Community Carbon Reduction Prototypes with authentic users, revise based on feedback, and present a multimedia exhibition demonstrating how individual and community actions can effectively reduce carbon footprints.