Goals: Students will investigate the potential impacts of rising sea level of different coastal zones and make recommendations if that flooding occurs.

Objectives: Students will:

• Identify industry, population, agriculture and natural habitat in chosen coastal zone
• Identify potential impacts (environmental, economic, health, immediate and future) of that coastal zone being lost to rise in sea level
• Make recommendations of what could be done if zones flooded.

Materials (For a class of 30):

• Maps
• Internet

Time Required: 2-3, 45 minute classes for research and reporting

Standards Met: S1, S3, S4, S5, S6, LA7, LA8, G1, G3, G4, G5, G6

Procedure:

• Place students in 6 groups, assign a coastal zone to each group.
• Students and teacher should brainstorm a list of what may be impacted if the coastal zone flooded due to sea level rising.
• The impacts should be categorized into local, state, national and international impacts on student sheet.
• Each map has information explaining the coastal flood zone.  Review the information as a class.
• Using the Internet, groups research the coastal zone’s industry, agriculture, population, economy and natural habitat.
• Make recommendations for what could be done if their coastal zone flooded.  Students need to consider:  environment, health, economy, population, industry, agriculture, etc.
• Report findings to class.   Make transparency of maps for overhead projection during reports. 
• Hurricane Katrina should be used as an example of how a flooded zone is impacted and what should be done in the area.

 Assessment:

• Completed Student Sheet
• Presentation of findings to class
  

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Waterworld – Student Sheet

Group names _______________________________

Coastal Zone ________________________________

Directions: 

• Choose an area on your coastal zone and identify it by labeling the map.  Example:  Atlanta, GA,  Miami, FL
• Using the Internet, identify the local industry, agriculture, population and wildlife for the section of your coastal zone.  
• Categorize the information into local, state, national and international impacts.
• List what products would be in shortage, how many people would be relocated, what animals/plants may become endangered, which industries could present environmental concerns if they were suddenly underwater, change in the waterways as the sea water moves further inland.
• Calculate how much land (acreage) would be lost to the zone being flooded.
• Make recommendations as to what could be done if the zone flooded on a regular basis.
• Discuss how the recommendations may impact surrounding communities or your own community.
• As a group, choose ONE major impact that ALL group members agree would be the most recognized impact if the zone were flooded.

DELAWARE BAY COAST
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Elevations are based on computer models, not actual surveys.  Coastal protection efforts may prevent some low-lying areas from being flooded as sea level rises.  The 1.5-meter contour depicted is currently about 1.3-meters above mean sea level.  Therefore, some of the areas depicted in red will be above mean sea level for at least 100 years and probably 200 years.  Nevertheless, because mean spring high water (i.e. high tide during new and full moons) is typically 60 cm above sea level, the 1.3-meter contour would be flooded a few times per month by a 70 cm rise in sea level.  Over the next century, sea level is most likely to rise 55-60 cm along most of the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.  The 3.5-meter contour roughly illustrates an area that might be flooded over a period of several centuries.

Elevations are based on computer models, not actual surveys.  Coastal protection efforts may prevent some low-lying areas from being flooded as sea level rises.  The 1.5-meter contour depicted is currently about 1.3-meters above mean sea level.  Therefore, some of the areas depicted in red will be above mean sea level for at least 100 years and probably 200 years.  Nevertheless, because mean spring high water (i.e., high tide during new and full moons) is typically 60 cm above sea level, the 1.3-meter contour would be flooded a few times per month by a 70 cm rise in sea level.  Over the next century, sea level is most likely to rise 55-60 cm along most of the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.  The 3.5-meter contour roughly illustrates an area that might be flooded over a period of several centuries.

Elevations are based on computer models, not actual surveys.  Coastal protection efforts may prevent some low-lying areas from being flooded as sea level rises.  The 1.5-meter contour depicted is currently about 1.3-meters above mean sea level.  Therefore, some of the areas depicted in red will be above mean sea level for at least 100 years and probably 200 years.  Nevertheless, because mean spring high water (i.e., high tide during new and full moons) is typically 60 cm above sea level, the 1.3-meter contour would be flooded a few times per month by a 70 cm rise in sea level.  Over the next century, sea level is most likely to rise 55-60 cm along most of the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.  The 3.5-meter contour roughly illustrates an area that might be flooded over a period of several centuries.

WEST GULF COAST
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Elevations are based on computer models, not actual surveys.  Coastal protection efforts may prevent some low-lying areas from being flooded as sea level rises.  The 1.5-meter contour depicted is currently about 1.3-meters above mean sea level.  Therefore, some of the areas depicted in red will be above mean sea level for at least 100 years and probably 200 years.  Nevertheless, because mean spring high water (i.e., high tide during new and full moons) is typically 60 cm above sea level, the 1.3-meter contour would be flooded a few times per month by a 70 cm rise in sea level.  Over the next century, sea level is most likely to rise 55-60 cm along most of the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.  The 3.5-meter contour roughly illustrates an area that might be flooded over a period of several centuries.

NEW JERSEY COAST
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Elevations are based on computer models, not actual surveys.  Coastal protection efforts may prevent some low-lying areas from being flooded as sea level rises.  The 1.5-meter contour depicted is currently about 1.3-meters above mean sea level.  Therefore, some of the areas depicted in red will be above mean sea level for at least 100 years and probably 200 years.  Nevertheless, because mean spring high water (i.e., high tide during new and full moons) is typically 60 cm above sea level, the 1.3-meter contour would be flooded a few times per month by a 70 cm rise in sea level.  Over the next century, sea level is most likely to rise 55-60 cm along most of the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.  The 3.5-meter contour roughly illustrates an area that might be flooded over a period of several centuries.

NORTH CAROLINA
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Elevations are based on computer models, not actual surveys.  Coastal protection efforts may prevent some low-lying areas from being flooded as sea level rises.  The 1.5-meter contour depicted is currently about 1.3-meters above mean sea level.  Therefore, some of the areas depicted in red will be above mean sea level for at least 100 years and probably 200 years.  Nevertheless, because mean spring high water (i.e., high tide during new and full moons) is typically 60 cm above sea level, the 1.3-meter contour would be flooded a few times per month by a 70 cm rise in sea level.  Over the next century, sea level is most likely to rise 55-60 cm along most of the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.  The 3.5-meter contour roughly illustrates an area that might be flooded over a period of several centuries.

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