Author: Gonca Köseoğlu
School: İhsane Tuna Dıravacıoğlu Primary School, TURKEY
Participants: 2nd-year students (8-9 years old)
Applicable age groups: 8-20 years
Occurring Date: March 2022
Applied Methods: Blended learning, Group study, Individual Study, STEM-based based on 5E learning cycle model events,
Pedagogical Approaches: Exploratory learning, problem-based learning, project-based learning, experimental activities
Inquiry-based learning and student-based learning approaches such as learning with
INTRODUCTION
Small rises in sea level threaten coastal homes, lands, and habitats. Moreover, the risk increases especially in large storms. Floods are inevitable. Additionally, the sea level is rising day by day. We know from recent satellite measurements that Earth’s mean sea level has increased by 10 to 20 centimeters over the past century. But over the last 20 years, annual sea level rise has increased to 3.2 millimeters per year. Namely, that’s almost twice the average value of the last 80 years! In the last century, large amounts of greenhouse gases have been released into the environment.
The atmosphere is caused by the use of fossil fuels, human activities, and various natural events. The oscillation caused the temperature of the Earth’s surface to increase. Eighty percent of that excess heat is absorbed by the oceans. As a result;
Small rises in sea level threaten coastal homes, lands, and habitats. Especially in big storms, the risk increases. Also, flooding is inevitable. Because the sea level is rising day by day.
We decided to solve this problem with STEAM learning.
GOALS
– What is Coastal Erosion?
– To know the causes of Coastal Erosion
– To know the consequences of coastal erosion
– To become aware of concepts, such as sea wall, breakwater, spur (groin), beach bait, and cultivated sand dunes
– To express one’s ideas clearly
– To develop inquiry skills
– To develop collaborative and creative thinking skills
– To develop engineering skills
– To solve the Basic Problems of Daily Life
After examining the photos with the students, we asked the students the following questions, especially:
1- Do you have a summer house on the beach? Would you like to have a house on the beach very close to the sea? Why?
2-What could be the reason for these images you see in the pictures?
3-What is the reason for the damage to the buildings on the beach?
They analyze the change in the coastline in the years 2009-2014 and 2019. Additionally, reflect and brainstorm the reason.
STEP 1:
The teacher draws the attention of the students by hanging pictures, posters, and posters about coastal erosion that he prepared before the children come into the classroom. Attention was drawn to the issue of coastal erosion. Concerning, the teacher gives the students an experiment on what erosion is.
Nature Based City with Steam of Green Hearts-Coastal Erosion – YouTube The video is the author’s own- (Attribution CC-BY).
It increases the awareness and importance of the subject. the teacher opens a related video and asks them to take notes on terms they have not heard before.
They took note of the terms that caught their attention in the video. The homework was given. We said to them: What are the different methods people use to control coastal erosion? These: beach feeding, sea wall, rock wall, gabion baskets, groins and breakwaters.
STEP 2:
They submitted a research paper. Different methods that people use to control coastal erosion, students. Namely, we found the answers in the research results.
STEP 3:
The story of animals living on the beach:
Tern Migratory Bird Sumy could not find the eggs she laid on the beach, but she was sure she had left him here in the dune. Just ahead, she saw the Sea Turtle Carety. The turtle was happy to see it. He asked Carety about her eggs. Sumy was surprised at Carety’s answer. She was looking for her eggs in Ceraty.
At this stage, let’s ask the students: How can we help the heroes in the story?
Why might the eggs be missing? Discuss on the subject, until the answer to coastal erosion comes. The teacher explains that similar creatures such as Tern and Caretta prefer the sand dunes on the beach to lay their eggs. Sand dunes are also said to be a viable solution to prevent coastal erosion.
STEP 4 – MAKING DESIGNS AS A SOLUTION TO COASTAL EROSION
At this stage, we expect students to decide on their designs. They are also divided into groups according to research topics and interests.
• 1st Group: Works on sea walls.
• 2nd Group: Works in the moles.
• 3rd Group: Works on Spurs.
• 4th Group: Designs by working on beach food and vegetated dunes.
Students were given materials and designed.
Materials :
Cardboard box
Bags, waste materials
Waste plastic cans and bottles
Paper cups, tongue sticks
Cloth scraps and burlap
Adhesive tape
Silicone gun
Rope, gravel, sand
Cardboard, floor cardboard, craft paper
STEP 5 – EVALUATION
Each group shares the product with other groups and their teachers. Furthermore, students have the opportunity to examine products or drawings designed by other groups. The aim here is to enable students to evaluate their products by comparing them with other products. The spokesperson of the group briefly explains the product in class. Additionally, if school conditions are appropriate, the prepared products are exhibited and shared with other students and teachers in the school.
1st group presentation: Student Çınar
Student solutions to coastal erosion – YouTube The video is the author’s own- (Attribution CC-BY)
2. Group Presentation: Students Azra and Elif
2nd team -Artificial Island soluiton to prevent coastal erosion student presentation – YouTube The video is the author’s own- (Attribution CC-BY)
Presentation:Students Elif , Aybike , Ahmet, Nur
4th team-Solutions for Coastal Erosion – YouTube The video is the author’s own- (Attribution CC-BY)
3rd group presentation: Students Elif and Aysu
5th team -Breakwater soutions fır coastal erosion – YouTube The video is the author’s own- (Attribution CC-BY)
Moreover, we had students who found a different and creative solution, which is something we want. The student created the breakwater, which also produces electricity
Zekeriya’s Presentation
Wavebreaker solution to coastal erosion that causes electricity damage – YouTube The video is the author’s own- (Attribution CC-BY)
Resources Used:
Inspired by the Scientix Resource:
and by: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/sea-level-rise/