BEGINNING



The Turkish STEM National Workshop was a great opportunity for both me and my students. During the workshop, my group and I were discussing everyday problems, and the recent water shortage came to mind. Despite living in a place with abundant water sources, our resources were drying up. The Sapanca River and the Sakarya River were just a few examples. The decrease in the Sakarya River, particularly during the summer due to agricultural irrigation, led us to focus on that area. Finding a solution wasn't easy. Nature is truly miraculous. It seems to extend a helping hand for every problem we create. It was through this that we realized we could solve one problem with another. Fog could be the helping hand of the sky. This is how our project, "The Silver Blanket from the Sky: Fog," was born. I'm attaching a picture from that evening now.



General Project Information

3G Mist: A Silver Blanket from the Sky – An Eco-Friendly STEM Project for the Sakarya River
An innovative project developed around drought, sustainability, and STEM education.

Climate change, global warming, and unconscious water consumption are rapidly threatening water resources today. According to the Falkenmark Water Scarcity Index, Turkey is not among the water-rich countries. Serious decreases in river flows are occurring, particularly due to agricultural irrigation and industrial use. One of the important water resources affected by this situation is the Sakarya River.

The decrease in water in the Sakarya River is not only an environmental problem; it also poses a great risk to biodiversity, ecological balance, and sustainable life. This is precisely where...

🌍 The Starting Point of the Project: The Sakarya River is Sounding the Alarm
The decrease in the flow rate of the Sakarya River to levels of 45-50 cubic meters per second is causing the formation of islands in the riverbed and damaging the aquatic ecosystem. Excessive water use for agricultural irrigation, combined with climate change, is increasingly shrinking the habitats of aquatic life in the river.
🌫️ What is Fog Network Technology?
The project's basic solution model is based on 'fog network' technology. Fog networks are passive systems that convert atmospheric moisture into water without expending energy. This technology, used in foggy regions, is very important for sustainable water management.
🧬 Biomimicry: Technology Inspired by Nature
This project uses a biomimicry approach. Students are expected to discover the mechanism by which the Namib Desert beetle collects moisture from the air and the water cycle of sequoia trees. Drawing inspiration from natural systems strengthens students' scientific thinking skills.

I am giving a presentation at the Turkish National Workshop.


We presented our project to the province at the Sakarya Province STEM and eTwinning Sharing Day.






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THE PROCESS

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                                              Completing the process was quite enjoyable. I generally thought I could have this much fun. First, we made a plan and uploaded the driver. I will share this plan separately. We wrote a participatory story with a compelling problem statement for the introduction. Our story takes place in the Sakarya River, where catfish and carp, which are abundant, roam freely. It was adapted to the normal story of these fish. Then we uploaded it to "Calameo". The most important part of the process was the researchers who noticed the fog nets. For this, we used biomimicry and desert insects as inspiration. How the fog can be captured was realized through an experiment. This is the path to solutions you can benefit from in the process. As we approached the end, we added films for studying to help children gain water awareness. We wrote a collabor...
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ABOUT THE BLOG

It takes time to become aware of what we have in life. Sometimes, by the time we realize it, it may be too late. Each new generation borrows experiences and life lessons from the previous one. As a teacher, my greatest dream is for our experiences and awareness to be passed on to our students. This blog will tell you about how this dream journey comes together in a project.Perhaps these kinds of projects will inspire you too.
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Application Process with Students

  🏫 How Does the Learning Process Work? In the first stage, students analyze a real-world problem and conduct research on the Sakarya River. Then, an expert seminar is given to both parents and students, and they deepen the process with experiments. Next, students design their own fog mist net prototypes, create drawings, and test their products. At the end of the process, the developed projects are exhibited and shared through presentations. 🐟 STEM Touching Children's Worlds Through Storytelling In the project, students explore environmental problems through the characters Yayın Can and Sazancan Dede. River creatures, threatened with losing their habitats due to decreasing water levels, ask for help from the children. Through this approach, students not only gain knowledge but also develop environmental awareness by empathizing. 🌱 Expected Outcomes of the Project The expected outcomes of the project are: • Autonomous fog harvesting prototype • Alternative water source for agric...
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