Challenge D | Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Welcome to the elementary school challenge page for Challenge D of the Fairchild Challenge! Read below to find challenge information, entry requirements, resources and more for the challenge.

Challenge D: Botanical Sculptures

Title: “Journey of Sustainable Soles”

For individuals or Groups | Maximum points: 200

Due Date: Fri., March 13 by 5 p.m.

Your Challenge:

This challenge invites you to reflect on your personal journey toward sustainability while expressing your creativity through sculpture. Shoes tell powerful stories—they carry us through everyday routines, major life changes, and the paths we choose for the future. Your task is to design and create a 3D sculpture of a pair of shoes (heels, sneakers, boots, sandals, or any style you choose) that represents your journey in sustainability. Think about where you started, what you’ve learned, and where you hope to go. How have your habits, values, or awareness around the environment changed over time?

Your shoe sculpture must be made entirely from reused or recycled materials, transforming items that might otherwise be discarded into something meaningful. As you design, consider how the materials you choose connect to your message. Consider how your design represents obstacles, growth, progress, or hope. Your sculpture should be both a personal reflection and a statement about the importance of sustainability.

Along with your sculpture, you will write a brief description explaining your concept, materials used, and personal sustainable narrative. Take time to think deeply about how your artwork reflects sustainability in your own life and why this topic matters to you.

Materials for the sculptures cannot be purchased new; they must be found at home or school, recycled, or purchased from a secondhand store. We highly recommend visiting the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse for a wide variety of sculpture-crafting materials! (Please do not use food or living materials.)

Select sculptures from this challenge will be featured in Phipps’ 2026 summer show – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Therefore, each sculpture MUST be original and include a photo and description. A very limited number of well-made sculptures will be displayed.

Entry Requirements: Deliver to the high school programs coordinator at Phipps in person or via certified mail (electronic submission is not accepted):

Challenge Entry Form
A sculpted pair of shoes created using found, recycled, or thrifted materials (NO LIVE PLANT MATERIAL OR GLITTER).
Sculptures should be creative, well-constructed, and COLORFUL!
Sculptures must be 3D and no larger than 2ft by 2ft and free standing.
Include the school name and the participating students’ names.

*Along with each sculpture, please submit a photo of the designer(s) and a written description. The description should include:

A bio for each designer (name, grade, school, and a little bit about yourself and your interests).
The materials you used and where they came from.
An artist statement (50–250 words) explaining how your shoe sculpture represents your personal sustainability journey and the meaning behind your design choices.

School Submits: Challenge Entry Form, 3 sculptures MAXIMUM, photo of designer(s), description/bios.

Address:
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
The Fairchild Challenge c/o Alyssa Mulé
One Schenley Park
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Resources: The following list of online resources may be used when preparing your entry:

Grades K – 1

3.1.K.A5 Observe and describe structures and behaviors of a variety of common animals.
3.1.K.B1 Observe and describe how young animals resemble their parents and other animals of the same kind.
3.1.K.C3 CONSTANCY AND CHANGE Describe changes that occur as a result of climate.
3.2.K.A3 Describe the way matter can change.
3.2.K.B3 Describe how temperature can affect the body.
3.2.K.B6 ENERGY Recognize that light from the sun is an important source of energy for living and nonliving systems and some source of energy is needed for all organisms to stay alive and grow.
4.1.K.A Identify the similarities and differences of living and non-living things within the immediate and surrounding environment.
4.1.K.D Observe and describe what happens to living things when needs are met.
4.2.K.C Identify that there are living and nonliving components in an aquatic habitat.
3.1.1.A2 Investigate the dependence of living things on the sun’s energy, water, food/nutrients, air, living space, and shelter.
3.1.1.C3 CONSTANCY AND CHANGE Describe changes that occur as a result of habitat.
3.3.1.A4 Identify and describe types of fresh and salt-water bodies (ocean, rivers, lakes, ponds).
4.5.1.C Describe how pollution affects the health of a habitat.

Grades 2 – 3

3.1.2.C2 Explain that living things can only survive if their needs are being met.
3.1.2.C3 CONSTANCY AND CHANGE Describe some plants and animals that once lived on Earth, (e.g., dinosaurs) but cannot be found anymore. Compare them to now living things that resemble them in some way (e.g. lizards and birds).
4.1.2.A Describe how a plant or an animal is dependent on living and nonliving things in an aquatic habitat.
4.1.2.D Identify differences in living things (color, shape, size, etc.) and describe how adaptations are important for survival.
4.1.2.E Identify how living things survive changes in their environment.
4.2.2.C Identify and describe the basic needs of plants and animals in an aquatic ecosystem.
4.4.2.C Examine life cycles of plants and animals in an aquatic habitat.
4.5.2.C Identify how people can reduce pollution.
3.1.3.A2 Describe the basic needs of living things and their dependence on light, food, air, water, and shelter.
3.1.3.B5 PATTERNS Identify characteristics that appear in both parents and offspring.
3.1.3.C2 Describe animal characteristics that are necessary for survival.
3.1.3.C3 CONSTANCY AND CHANGE Recognize that fossils provide us with information about living things that inhabited the Earth long ago
3.2.3.B3 Explore temperature changes that result from the addition or removal of heat.
4.1.3.D Identify organisms that are dependent on one another in a given ecosystem.
- Define habitat and explain how a change in habitat affects an organism.
4.1.3.E Identify changes in the environment over time.

Grades 4 – 5

3.1.4.A5 Describe common functions living things share to help them function in a specific environment.
3.1.4.B5 PATTERNS Identify observable patterns in the physical characteristics of plants or groups of animals.
3.1.4.CI Identify different characteristics of plants and animals that help some populations survive and reproduce in greater numbers. Describe how environmental changes can cause extinction in plants and animals.
3.1.4.C2 Describe plant and animal adaptations that are important to survival.
3.1.4.C3 CONSTANCY AND CHANGE Compare fossils to one another and to currently living organisms according to their anatomical similarities and differences.
4.1.4.D Explain how specific adaptations can help organisms survive in their environment.
3.1.5.B1 Differentiate between inherited and acquired characteristics of plants and animals.
3.1.5.C2 Give examples of how inherited characteristics (e.g., shape of beak, length of neck, location of eyes, shape of teeth) may change over time as adaptations to changes in the environment that enable organisms to survive.
4.2.5.C Identify physical, chemical, and biological factors that affect water quality.

Challenge D: Botanical Sculptures

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