Challenge "Off to the umbels"

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Exploring biodiversity with technology

Not only has technology become an omnipresent aspect of our daily lives, it also plays a crucial role as facilitator in sustainability developments. It is therefore crucial to give young people the chance to learn how to use technology as a means of protecting the planet at a young age.

@Wapoid/Midjourney 2023

The challenge

That’s why Deutsche Telekom’s education initiative Teachtoday is calling on children and young people to participate in the Europe-wide challenge “Off to the Umbels”. The challenge’s target is to create awareness for environmental topics and the importance of insects through research. In this way the young people are encouraged to get involved in the protection of biodiversity.

Starting in April, school classes in grades 6-8 will be invited to become active as Young Green Pioneers. They will not only observe how plants - such as the wild carrot - develop, but will also use technology to independently research the state of biodiversity in their environment.

At a glance

The teams will be advised by the Teachtoday project office on how to implement the challenge. They will also receive support from members of Deutsche Telekom's Green Pioneers who are particularly committed to sustainability. The Challenge takes place in four stages from April to September:

Step 1: Off into the ground! (Beginning of April)
The teams receive a researcher box with small plants and instructions for planting and care. They plant the seedlings and make sure that they grow well.

Step 2: Kick off (Mid April)
The teams discuss how biodiversity can be researched with experts in online sessions. The white plant umbels are the foundation for recognizing insects via video and drawing conclusions about biodiversity.

Step 3: And action! (April - June)
The teams take pictures at different times of day, count the insects, collect data and analyze it together with experts. The data is stored via a share-link facilitate collaborative work.

Step 4: One bee, two bugs (September)
The results and photos of the implementation are summarized, suggestions for increasing biodiversity at the respective site are made and presented digitally in a grand finale.

Re-register now through April 18, 2023 and launch into the umbels!

Sure, the challenge offers several opportunities for project work. Planting the seedlings is one example, as well as several other stages of the process.

No. every team gets their own free research box with seedlings, instructions and additional materials. All you need is smartphones and/or tablets in order to take photos of the number of insects as well as the growth of the plant.

No, that won’t be necessary. Support and Advice will be provided via video-calls by the project-office Teachtoday and the Green Pioneers who are specialized in the field of sustainability.

No, the wild carrot is a wild growing cultivated plant and belongs to the non-toxic varieties among the umbellifers. You can eat virtually the whole plant.

Each team receives five plantlets with the researcher box. An area of about 1 square meters is required for planting. The wild carrot prefers a sunny to semi-shady location. It is quite adaptable when it comes to soil conditions. Rather dry, calcareous and well-drained soils are ideal. Tips for planting and care are included in the researcher box.

Usually, the flowering period of the plant begins from May. Then it's time to start collecting data. Ideally choose 2-3 consistent times of the day (early, morning, afternoon) to take photos of the flowers in order to reliably record and count the number of insects.

Planting can be done from mid-April, after Easter. The flowering period of the wild carrot begins in May, so counting insects or recording all data should be completed by the summer break.

Since the wild carrot is a wild crop, teams can also go exploring and observe other wild umbellifers in their area on a regular basis. We are happy to help with this.

Further questions?

Teachtoday is available for all of your inquiries via e-mail kontakt@teachtoday.de and phone: +49 30 2938 1684.

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Challenge "Off to the umbels"

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