eTwinning Project
Happy Islands – Eco-Cities of the Future
“Happy Islands – Eco-Cities of the Future” is an international, interdisciplinary educational project based on the STEAM approach (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math). Students from various countries collaborate to create a single country made up of multiple islands, each symbolizing their ideal eco-friendly city of the future.
Participants co-design a flag, an anthem, and a map, creating a shared identity for their new country, built on the principles of sustainable development. Each city, designed by a different student group, is innovative and self-sufficient. Happy people live there in harmony with nature, with one another, and with themselves. They cooperate, support each other, share duties and ideas. Everyone feels important and needed. Together, they develop a “Happiness Code”.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) supports the creative process by helping students generate ideas, graphics, maps, visualizations, and texts.
As part of the project, students:
design sustainable urban solutions;
create a “Happiness Code”;
conduct scientific experiments;
learn coding and use modern technologies;
engage in joint eco-actions (e.g. recycling, waste segregation, clean-up campaigns).
All activities are gamified and carried out in international cooperation. Students tackle global problems (e.g. a drifting trash island threatening the environment), plan strategies, and make joint decisions. This builds responsibility, teamwork, and a sense of global community.
The project blends learning with creative play and develops linguistic, digital, social, and intercultural skills. It follows the STEAM philosophy, promoting design thinking and conscious action for a better future.
Target group: students aged 6–12 (grades 1–6 of primary school)
Duration: 5 months (e.g. from September to January)
MAIN OBJECTIVES:
Foster ecological awareness and sustainability – by designing innovative, self-sufficient cities and taking part in environmental activities.
Develop STEAM skills – through experiments, coding, urban design, and AI-supported creativity.
Strengthen international and intercultural collaboration – through joint creation, problem-solving, and decision-making.
Enhance social and emotional skills – by building a community and co-creating the Happiness Code.
Promote creative and critical thinking – through gamification, problem-solving, and strategic planning.
Integrate modern technologies in education – using AI and digital tools.
Improve communication and language skills – through international interaction and project presentation.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
Organize at least two international student video calls.
Create an interactive map featuring sustainable city design elements.
Develop a flag and anthem for the “Happy Islands”.
Write a collaborative international “Happiness Code”.
Prepare at least two eco-district urban designs using STEAM and AI methods, plus hold three coding workshops to develop supporting apps.
Conduct at least two practical eco-experiments or tasks (e.g. air quality measurements, planting, recycling) and document the results.
Organize local eco-actions involving students and their communities.
PROJECT OUTCOMES:
Virtual “Happy Islands” map
E-guide (text + visuals or video)
Common flag
Happy Islands anthem
Happiness Code
Book of Experiments
Art project album
Code Week activities
KEY ACTIVITIES:
Organizational planning: task division, schedule
AI-generated island map – each group names and locates their city
Creating identity – shared flag and anthem
Designing future cities – Tinkercad, Minecraft EDU, recycled materials
Eco-challenges – trash wave reuse, water protection, renewable energy
Happiness Code – brainstorming, voting, illustrating good behaviors
Coding and experiments – Scratch, micro:bit, water filters, windmills
International collaboration – online meetings, TwinSpace, shared content
Evaluation
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