💡
Our Innovation Project
How we turned a museum problem into a learning adventure!
Team 99 Nights · FIRST LEGO League · Vancouver, BC
😴 The Problem We Found
We visited UBC’s Museum of Anthropology and noticed something surprising…
12s
Average time students looked at each museum exhibit before moving on
<15%
Students who could remember 3 or more things after their visit
“What if kids could actually DIG like a real archaeologist?”
— The question that started everything for Team 99 Nights
💡 Our Solution — The Unearthed Kit
Physical + digital learning — all in one box!
⛏️
Discovery Sandbox
Real sand, 3D-printed artifacts, brushes and shovels — just like a real archaeological dig site!
- Hidden artifacts to discover
- Real digging tools
- Classification booklet
🤖
AI Artifact Scanner
Scan what you found → our AI identifies it → watch a video → answer a fun quiz!
- Upload photo or use camera
- AI identifies the artifact
- Educational video + quiz
⚡
Smart Haptic Tool
Special sensors tell you if you’re digging too hard — protecting the artifacts!
- 🟡 Yellow light = slow down
- 🔴 Red light = stop!
- Hall + FSR sensors
📷 The Unearthed Kit — V3 · Sandbox, tools, 3D artifacts, and AI scanner
👩🏫 Experts Who Helped Us
We didn’t just guess — we asked real archaeology professors!
Prof. Jennifer Kramer
UBC — Department of Anthropology
“Make the sandbox more realistic — use actual soil layers like a real archaeological dig site.”
Xinyi Zhao
SFU — Department of Archaeology
“Add a classification game and a booklet — students need to actively sort what they find, not just look at it.”
🏛️ Our Field Trips
We did real research — we went there ourselves!
Sep 30, 2025
Museum of Anthropology, UBC
👥 Whole team · Vancouver, BC
Observed real engagement gaps — students glanced at exhibits for just seconds before moving on. This visit started everything!
Nov 15, 2025
Tokyo National Museum
👤 Derek L. & Family · Tokyo, Japan
Compared how Japanese museums engage younger visitors — different cultural approaches to hands-on learning.
Mar 4, 2026
SFU Campus Visit
👥 Team · Burnaby, BC
Met with Xinyi Zhao from SFU Archaeology — her feedback helped us add the classification game and improve our artifact booklet.
Mar 24, 2026
Burke Museum, UW
👤 Derek L., Katherine X. & Katelyn X. · Seattle, WA
Studied the Burke Museum’s Natural History collection and how they make archaeology accessible for young visitors.
🎉 Did It Work? YES!
Matthew led our pilot test — Unearthed vs. a regular lesson. Here’s what the data showed!
🏆 Unearthed Group
-
42
minutes focused on task
-
+38%
quiz score improvement
-
4.5
out of 5 confidence rating
-
🎉
High engagement throughout
📝 Regular Lesson
-
18
minutes focused on task
-
+12%
quiz score improvement
-
3.1
out of 5 confidence rating
-
😴
Low engagement
Students using Unearthed stayed focused 2.3× longer and scored 3× higher on our knowledge quiz!
Pilot test led by Matthew · Team 99 Nights · 2025
💛 Help Us Dig Further!
Each kit costs $12.50 — help us make 40 kits for local schools!
🎯 Goal: $500
$120 raised so far!
Every dollar helps us build more kits and reach more kids. Thank you! 🙏
🪨
$5
Stone Age Supporter
Buys sand and labels for one kit!
🏺
$15
Artifact Builder
Funds one whole classroom kit!
⭐
$50
Expedition Sponsor
Funds 3 kits + Hall of Fame!
🏛️
$100
Museum Patron
Funds 8 kits + we visit your class!
| Item |
Per Kit |
40 Kits |
| 📦 Box + structure |
$4.00 |
$160 |
| 🏖️ Sand + labels |
$2.50 |
$100 |
| 🏺 3D-printed artifacts |
$3.00 |
$120 |
| ⛏️ Tools + sensors |
$3.00 |
$120 |
| TOTAL |
$12.50 |
~$500 |
