Betel–NextACT

Next Lab’s Betel–NextACT project features an immersive virtual experience exploring utopian and dystopian climate change futures, paired with a booklet of sustainability-focused drama-based lesson plans for K-12 educators to encourage the younger generation and beyond to grow their eco-consciousness and make personal commitments to zero-waste.

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NextACT was born from a partnership between multiple ASU-affiliated organizations and initiatives: Next Lab, the physical theatre production Anthropocene, the ASU grant program Create the Change, and the Turn it Around project from Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation. Next Lab’s immersive experience and lesson plans are intended to be featured alongside the Anthropocene performance on their website as well as on tour.

Three Virtual Environments: The Next Lab immersive experience presents three worlds alluding to different potential climate change futures: Utopia, Dystopia, and the “Middle World”, an abstract monochromatic landing hub representing our current day and present inaction when it comes to combatting climate change.

Initially brainstormed with representatives from Next Lab, Anthropocene, and Turn it Around, the three environments share a central tree motif, utilizing different presentations of this tree to reflect the state of the earth in each given future. Each environment features relevant Turn it Around flashcards and incorporates themes from Anthropocene with its contrasting representations of Utopia and Dystopia, with the former being a flourishing meadow blossoming with untouched nature, and the latter being a desolate and dry wasteland filled with waste and single-use plastics.

By embedding these immersive environments within the Unity game engine, one can virtually walk around and explore the different futures that are further enhanced by ambient soundscapes, encouraging players to enter a contemplative state and consider their relationship to the Earth.

Lesson Plan Booklet: Seven sustainability lesson plans were created in addition to the immersive experience, intended to be distributed in a booklet format at touring shows of the Anthropocene production. The lesson plan booklet features three lessons for each grade band (upper elementary, middle school, and high school), and one all-ages lesson. Each lesson features drama-based activities and connects to cross-disciplinary Arizona state standards, including select Turn it Around cards as design elements within the booklet. Focused on physical, experiential, and active learning, the NextACT lesson plans encourage students to use their bodies to engage with lesson content such as researching endangered animals, modeling ecosystems, how to compost, creating zero-waste solutions, and more.

Project showcase:

• Lesson Plan Booklet

Launch date:

• May 2025

Contributors & Credits:

• Amanda Federico — Project Manager, Curriculum Designer
• Jesus Franco-Yescas — Unity Developer
• Shelby Cavanaugh-Toft — 3D Modeler
• Sukhada Pande — 3D Modeler
• Adar Rosen — Sound Engineer, Graphic Designer
• Ryann Woods-Sweeney — Concept Artist

Partners:

• Anthropocene
• Create the Change (led by ASU Professor Sally Kitch)
• Turn it Around