TICCIT Packaging Toolkit
This project was a submission for the 2020 Paperboard Packaging Alliance Student Design Challenge. The task was to design a packaging toolkit for educators to be distributed by the TICCIT® (Trees into Cartons, Cartons into Trees) program and engage third through fifth graders in an environmental and educational activity that highlights the renewability and sustainability of paper and paperboard packaging. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, we didn't have the ability to make the physical package, so these photos include virtual renders, and physical photos of a small (and very rough draft) version I made at home. Other than being in a pandemic, what was so unique about this project was that we were given the opportunity to not only create the packaging, but to actually create educational activities for the students to participate in. I also had the incredible opportunity to work with the same talented graphic designer that I worked with the previous year on the Limited Edition Cyberpunk Xbox Package.
After a lot of discussion and research, we decided to create three activities that students would rotate between based on the three topics of the TICCIT program: Why Trees are Good, How Paper and Cartons are Made, and Why Paper Recycling is Important. We sent out surveys to 3rd-5th grade teachers to get advice on the types of activities that best engaged their students in a fun and educational way. From our results, we decided to base our activities on what seemed to be the three main interests of students at those ages: art & creativity, electronics & gaming, and physical activity.
Activity 1: Why are Trees Good? This activity sparks the artistic and creative interests of students. In the dieline of the corrugated shipper, we included 2 punch-out trees. The trees slide into one another to create a standing tree trunk with branches. Included in the individual activity carton are pre-cut paper leaves with the words “Trees are important to me because…”. The activity prompts each of the students to write 1 reason why trees are important and to decorate/illustrate their leaf to represent that reason. Once all the students glue their leaf to the tree, the class has a 3D tree that can be displayed in the classroom as a reminder of the TICCIT program.
Activity 2: How is Paper Made? This activity attests to students’ interest in electronics and online gaming. The individual carton unfolds into a mini game board with punch-out game pieces. On the carton is a hyperlink that brings the student to an interactive PowerPoint question and answer game about the process of making paper and cartons. The game board serves as a score-keeping tool.
Activity 3: Why is Recycling Important? This activity brings a physically engaging element to the program. Included in the individual carton is a stack of cards and 2 flat bins that the students are prompted to fold into what represents a trash bin and a recycling bin. The cards will either have a trash or recycle logo on the front, and a trash or recyclable item on the back to match. Students are prompted to break into two teams (Trash vs. Recycle) and set up their bin on the opposite side of the desk that they're standing at. Taking turns, each team reads their recyclable or trash item aloud to the group, crumples up the card, and tries tossing in into their bin. The team that makes the most shots by the end of the station wins! This idea of this activity is to get the students thinking about the products they can and cannot recycle, and hopefully use their new knowledge to start recycling more!
What we loved about our toolkit was that it not only reinforced TICCIT's topics in a fun way, but it got students engaging with the packaging; the sleeve turned into the tree, the carton unfolded into a gameboard, and the flat paper contents turned into 3D bins! Considering TICCIT's main idea is turning trees into cartons (and cartons into trees), we wanted our packaging to demonstrate how you can turn your packaging into something creative too!
In addition to just the activities, we also wanted the opening experience of the package to be fun and interactive for the kids in order to boost their interest of packaging right away. To do this, we took TICCIT's slogan "Plant a Tree, Grow a Mind" and turned it into an animation. As you can see in the pictures, as the activity boxes are pulled out, an icon appears in the cut-outs on both the front (Plant a Tree) and back (Grow a Mind) of the package that represents the slogan in some way.
Unfortunately, we did not place top 3 in this year's competition, but my partner and I are still incredibly proud of our finished piece!
After a lot of discussion and research, we decided to create three activities that students would rotate between based on the three topics of the TICCIT program: Why Trees are Good, How Paper and Cartons are Made, and Why Paper Recycling is Important. We sent out surveys to 3rd-5th grade teachers to get advice on the types of activities that best engaged their students in a fun and educational way. From our results, we decided to base our activities on what seemed to be the three main interests of students at those ages: art & creativity, electronics & gaming, and physical activity.
Activity 1: Why are Trees Good? This activity sparks the artistic and creative interests of students. In the dieline of the corrugated shipper, we included 2 punch-out trees. The trees slide into one another to create a standing tree trunk with branches. Included in the individual activity carton are pre-cut paper leaves with the words “Trees are important to me because…”. The activity prompts each of the students to write 1 reason why trees are important and to decorate/illustrate their leaf to represent that reason. Once all the students glue their leaf to the tree, the class has a 3D tree that can be displayed in the classroom as a reminder of the TICCIT program.
Activity 2: How is Paper Made? This activity attests to students’ interest in electronics and online gaming. The individual carton unfolds into a mini game board with punch-out game pieces. On the carton is a hyperlink that brings the student to an interactive PowerPoint question and answer game about the process of making paper and cartons. The game board serves as a score-keeping tool.
Activity 3: Why is Recycling Important? This activity brings a physically engaging element to the program. Included in the individual carton is a stack of cards and 2 flat bins that the students are prompted to fold into what represents a trash bin and a recycling bin. The cards will either have a trash or recycle logo on the front, and a trash or recyclable item on the back to match. Students are prompted to break into two teams (Trash vs. Recycle) and set up their bin on the opposite side of the desk that they're standing at. Taking turns, each team reads their recyclable or trash item aloud to the group, crumples up the card, and tries tossing in into their bin. The team that makes the most shots by the end of the station wins! This idea of this activity is to get the students thinking about the products they can and cannot recycle, and hopefully use their new knowledge to start recycling more!
What we loved about our toolkit was that it not only reinforced TICCIT's topics in a fun way, but it got students engaging with the packaging; the sleeve turned into the tree, the carton unfolded into a gameboard, and the flat paper contents turned into 3D bins! Considering TICCIT's main idea is turning trees into cartons (and cartons into trees), we wanted our packaging to demonstrate how you can turn your packaging into something creative too!
In addition to just the activities, we also wanted the opening experience of the package to be fun and interactive for the kids in order to boost their interest of packaging right away. To do this, we took TICCIT's slogan "Plant a Tree, Grow a Mind" and turned it into an animation. As you can see in the pictures, as the activity boxes are pulled out, an icon appears in the cut-outs on both the front (Plant a Tree) and back (Grow a Mind) of the package that represents the slogan in some way.
Unfortunately, we did not place top 3 in this year's competition, but my partner and I are still incredibly proud of our finished piece!
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