FEE Lesson Plan Competition

Each year, the FEE Education Awards celebrate educators across the FEE network who bring environmental education to life through creative and engaging project-based learning.

For the 2026-2027 Lesson Plan Competition, educators are invited to explore the theme of Water Explorers and develop a lesson plan incorporating and testing activities from our new the Water Explorers Education Guide, developed in collaboration with Sow my Dream, the educational programme of Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy.

2026-2027 THEME: Water Explorers

Explore. Investigate. Create. Act.

Water connects ecosystems, communities, and life across our planet. This year, we invite educators to engage learners with oceans and freshwater ecosystems, including wetlands, mangroves and rivers, as well as the water cycle and the importance of protecting, restoring and respecting aquatic environments and ecosystems.

The Water Explorers Education Guide is a free project-based learning resource for upper primary and middle years learners. It features hands-on missions, activities, and real-world examples that encourage learners to explore aquatic environments through observation, investigation, creativity, and action.

For this year's competition, educators are invited to use the Water Explorers Education Guide as the basis for their lesson plan, selecting and adapting its content to suit their learners, curriculum and local context. Guide has been developed in collaboration with Sow my Dream, the educational programme of Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy.

Application details FOR EDUCATORS

Who Can Apply?

To participate in the FEE Lesson Plan Competition, educators must be involved in one of FEE's educational programmes:

Prepare Your Application

1. Explore the Water Explorers Education Guide

Start by exploring the Water Explorers Education Guide and its learning activities, missions, and resources. Choose an area that connects with your learners and teaching context.

Additional information. Use the following documents to ensure that your lesson aligns with our greening education targets as well:

2. Create Your Lesson Plan

Use content or an activity from the Water Explorers Education Guide as the foundation for your lesson plan. Adapt and build on it to connect to your own curriculum subjects and create an engaging learning experience for your students.

3. Complete the Lesson Plan Template

Download and use the official FEE Education Awards Lesson Plan Template (Word / PDF) to prepare your entry and make sure all required information is included.

What Are We Looking For?

We are looking for lesson plans that creatively bring the theme of Water Explorers into teaching and learning while making water-related topics relevant to students and their surroundings.

Strong submissions should demonstrate:

Clear learning objectives

Meaningful use of the Water Explorers Education Guide

Active and engaging learning

Adaptation to learners' age, curriculum, and local context

Opportunities for students to investigate, create, and take action

Prizes

Thanks to the support of Sow my Dream, prizes will be awarded to the winning educators in the FEE Lesson Plan Competition 2026-2027:

1st Place: €300

2nd Place: €200

3rd Place: €100

4th Place: €100

5th Place: €100

Submit Your Application

Ready to share your Water Explorers lesson plan?

For the FEE Lesson Plan Competition 2026-2027, submit your application to your Eco-Schools National Operator.
If you do not have a National Operator you can submit to the FEE Head Office through the official submission form.

Before submitting, make sure you have: