Impact of Sea Level Rise on Wilmington, DE
This lesson was adapted from the Armada project, and can be easily adapted to a coastal town that is relevant to your students.
Each group of students will need:
USGS Quadrangle topographic maps, scale 1:24 000
Clear plastic to overlay on map
Set of dry erase markers
Guided Exploration
Examine a topographic map published by the US Geological Survey.
Use your knowledge of maps and the map legend to complete the following activities:
What do these colors on the map represent?
green - _____________________________
blue - ______________________________
red - _______________________________
purple - _____________________________
Trace a primary highway (major road) with the red marker. Trace light duty road (local road) with the black marker.
Trace a school with the green marker. Circle a neighborhood of homes with the black marker.
Trace a river with the blue marker. Circle a marsh with the green marker. Circle a rocky shoreline in black.
You will notice that the contour lines have an elevation interval. What is the elevation interval? __________ft. Scientists record data in metric measurements; what is the elevation in cm?
__________
Choose an area of your local map that covers a coastal area with relatively level ground. It will be more interesting to have an area with natural features (marsh, beach, rocky shoreline) as well as man-made features (houses, businesses, jetties, piers).
Looking at your map, first find the current shoreline, as determined by the mean high water mark. Trace the current coastline with the blue marker.
Now trace a new coastline if sea level was to rise 60cm. What is this in ft? __________ Trace this new shoreline in red.
Calculate the amount of area that will be inundated by this amount of sea level rise.
Look at the features of the map that are now inundated (covered) with seawater. Within your research group discuss the implications of the shoreline change and make notes in your Environmental Journal. For instance:
Is the entire coastline affected in the same manner?
What natural and man-made features will be affected?
How much land will be lost?
Will buildings, houses, marshes, etc. be inundated?
What animals/plants will be affected?
Will there be economic costs due to the coastal change?
Will the impact be short-term or permanent?
What if sea level was to rise 90cm? What is this in ft? __________ Trace this new shoreline in green. Discuss the same questions and make additional notes based on this new shoreline.
How Much C O 2 Does Your Family Produce?
Have students find out this data…
1) How many miles has your family driven in the past year and how many miles per gallon of gasoline do the cars get?
2) On the utility bill from your home, look at how many kilowatt-hours of electricity were used in the home in a year.
3) Look up how much natural gas was used in the home in the past year.
4) Estimate how many miles family members flew on trips taken in the past year.
Summing it up…
Miles driven
———————— = Gallons of gas used
Miles per gallon
1)(Gallons of gas used)(20) = Pounds of CO 2 produced
2)(# of kilowatt hours)(3) = Pounds of CO 2 produced
3)(# cubic feet of natural gas)(12) = Pounds of CO 2 produced
4)(# miles flown in airplane)(0.5) = Pounds of CO 2 produced per
Add the total number of pounds of CO 2 produced by the family directly (ADD 1-4).
Double that sum to account for the CO 2 produced indirectly through the purchase of goods and services. (Carbon dioxide is used in the production of many items you buy, in the heating and cooling of public buildings you use, etc.)
One forest tree absorbs 13 pounds of carbon dioxide each year; one acre of trees absorbs 2.6 Tons of carbon dioxide each year. How many trees would be needed to absorb all this CO 2 produced by your family?
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