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LessonPlan:LeveesBy:DarbyFeldwinnInspiredBy:LivingwithStreams-EngineerandBuildYourOwnLeveeDr.BarbaraMunn,CSUSGeologyDepartment,Dr.KevanShafizadehandDr.MatthewSalveson,CSUSCivilEngineeringDepartmentTargetGrade:3rdGradeTeacherPrepTime:1hourset-up+45minutesofclean-up(Ifyouhavematerialspurchased,leveeboxesmade,andraincupsmade.)LessonTime:3.75hours(Werecommenddoingthislessonoverfourdays.)

• Part1:o 45min–ReadingandQuestions

• Part2:o 45min–MaterialExplorationo 45min–DesigningLevees

• Part3:o 1hour–BuildingLevees

• Part4:o 30min–LeveeTestingandEvaluationo 45min–DiscussionQuestions

LessonOverview:Inthislesson,studentswillreadandanswerquestionstolearnaboutleveesandtheiruses.Studentswillthenexplorehowfivematerialsinteractwithwater.Usingthesefindings,studentswilldesignandbuildaleveeingroups.Asaclass,theywilldevelopanevaluationtooltohelpthemassessthreeleveesbasedonbothcostandperformance.Theleveeswillbetestedbyallowingittorainontheleveeandhavingwaterraisetothe½maximumpredictedfloodheight,followedbythemaximumpredictedfloodheight.Studentswillalsodiscusshowbuildingaleveecanhaveanegativeeffectonsurroundingareas.LearningObjectives:

• Studentswillbeabletostatewhataleveeisandwhatitisusedfor.• Studentswillbeabletoconstructalevee.Studentswillgeneratecriteriatoevaluateleveedesignas

aclass,andusethecriteriatoevaluatethreeleveedesignsindividually.• Studentswillunderstandbothpositiveandnegativeenvironmentalimpactstobuildinglevees.

NGSS:3-ESS3-1Makeaclaimaboutthemeritofadesignsolutionthatreducestheimpactsofaweather-relatedhazard.*3-5-ETS1-2Generateandcomparemultiplesolutionstoaproblembasedonhowwelleachislikelytomeetthecriteriaandconstraintsoftheproblem.

• ScienceandEngineeringPracticeo #6ConstructingExplanations(forscience)andDesigningSolutions(forengineering)

(ActivityfocusesonDesigningSolutions)§ Constructingexplanationsanddesigningsolutionsin3-5buildsonK-2experiences

andprogressestotheuseofevidenceinconstructingexplanationsthatspecifyvariablesthatdescribeandpredictphenomenaandindesignmultiplesolutiontodesignproblems.

• Generateandcomparemultiplesolutionstoaproblembasedonhowwelltheymeetthecriteriaandconstraintsofthedesignsolution.

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• DisciplinaryCoreIdeao ESS3.BNaturalHazards

§ Avarietyofnaturalhazardsresultsfromnaturalprocesses.Humanscannoteliminatenaturalhazardsbutcantakestepstoreducetheirimpacts.

o ETS1.BDesigningSolutionstoEngineeringProblems§ Testingasolutioninvolvesinvestigatinghowwellitperformsunderarangeoflikely

conditions.• CrosscuttingConcept

o #6StructureandFunction§ Ingrades3-5,studentslearndifferentmaterialshavedifferentsubstructures,which

cansometimesbeobserve;andsubstructureshaveshapesandpartsthatservefunctions.

• EnvironmentalPrincipalandConcepto #3NaturalSystemsChangeinWaysthatPeopleBenefitFromandCanInfluence

§ Naturalsystemsproceedthroughcyclesthathumansdependupon,benefitfrom,andcanalter.

• ConceptA:Naturalsystemsproceedthroughcyclesandprocessesthatarerequiredfortheirfunctioning.

• ConceptC:Humanpracticescanalterthecyclesandprocessesthatoperatewithinnaturalsystems.

WhereThisLessonFitsin:Thislessonshouldbedoneafterstudentshavediscussednaturaldisasterssuchasfloods.MaterialsNeeded:(Itisrecommendedthatyouhavenomorethan6groupsinyourclass.Groupsshouldhaveatleast3studentseach.)

• Studentworksheets(1perstudent)• Leveesreading(1perstudent)• PowerPointofcoloredpicturesinLeveeReading• LeveeEvaluationTool(1copyfortheteacher)• Fakemoneyforstudents,startbygivingeachgroup2-$100,8-$20,and4-$10bills,buthave

extramoneyforthebank.(Ifyouhave6groupsyoushouldhave12-$100,50-$20,and25-$10bills.)

• Squirtbottles,knownasawatertruck(1pergroup)• Water• Spoons,knownasabackhoe(2pergroup)• (30oz.)Bowls,knownasadumptruck(1pergroup)• ~1”Rocks,canpurchasefromHomeDepot(a5cubicfeetbagwillbeplenty)• 3/8”Gravel,canpurchasefromHomeDepot(a5cubicfeetbagwillbeplenty)• Fireclay,canpurchasefromBedrockBuildingSuppliesinSantaBarbara(a10lb.bagwillbeplenty)• Sand,canbepurchasedfromHomeDepot(a50lb.bagwillbeplenty)• 5cmx5cmpiecesoftowels,IusedgreendishtowelsortowelsfromBed,Bath,andBeyond.(group

willneed~7pieceseach)• 100mLgraduatedcylinder(1pergroup)• 3oz.bathroomcups,labelthecupswithR(forrocks),G(forgravel),S(forsand),C(forclay)

(~120cups).For6groupsyouwillneedapproximately20cupswithR,20cupswithG,20cupswithS,and12cupswithC.

• Sharpie,usedforwriting“½”on3oz.cupswhenstudentspurchase½cups• ~3cupplasticcontainersformaterialstesting(1pergroup)

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• Leveeboxes,shoeboxsizedplasticcontainer(7inwide×10.5inlong×4.5inhigh).Onsideof

container,markthelandsideandthewaterside.Putmarksevery½inchupthesideofthecontainer.Atthe2-inchmark,write“½Flood”andatthe3-inchmark,write“MaxFlood.”(1pergroup)

• Raincup,18oz.Solocupwith9holesinthebottommadewithapushpin.Makesuretotestthecupstomakesurethattheholesarebigenoughforwatertocomeout.Iftheyarenot,twistthepinsintheholestomakethembigger.Thelast~20mLofwaterwillnotcomeout.Ifthecupismadeoutofplasticthatistoothin,itwillcrushwhenyoutrytopokeaholeinthebottom.(1pergroup)

• Watercontainers,studentswillneed~½Lofwaterforthematerialstests.Youwillneed~1Lfor

eachoftheleveetests.• Timer

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TeacherPrep:• Part1(ReadingandQuestions)

o Havethevideoshowingaleveefailingreadytoshowhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nFEdNmn5kI

o HavecoloredpicturesfromreadinginPowerPointtoshowstudentso Haveleveenotebooksandreadingsforstudents.

• Part2(MaterialExploration)o Breaktheclassinto6groups.o Havethefollowingreusablematerialsforeachgroup:3-cupplasticcontainer,spoon,100

mLgraduatedcylinder,andraincup.o Havethefollowingconsumablematerialsforeachgroup:gravel(3oz.),rocks(3oz.),sand(3

oz.),clay(3oz.),“grass”(3pieces),andwater(~500mL).• Part2(DesigningLevees)

o Thereisnoprepforthispart.• Part3(BuildingLevees)

o Cutupmoneyforstudents.(Itishelpfultoprintthedifferentdenominationsondifferentcoloredpaper.)

o Maketheleveeboxesandraincupasdescribedabove.o Ineachleveebox,put~1inchofa3:2mixtureofsandandgravelinthebottom.o Label3oz.cupswithR,G,SandC.o Prepappropriatelylabeled3oz.cupswithrocks,gravel,sand,andclay.o Cutup5cmx5cmgrasspieces.o HaveLeveeEvaluationToolreadytodevelopwithstudents.o Havethefollowingmaterialtogivetoeachgroup:2spoons,1bowl,and1squirtbottle.

• Part4(LeveeTesting)o Pour100mLportionsofwater(1foreachgroup).o Havethefollowingtousefortesting:raincup,watercontainer,andtimers.

• Part4(DiscussionQuestion)o Havethevideoaboutthenegativeimpactsofleveesreadytoshow

https://projects.propublica.org/graphics/levees

LessonSequence: Part1:

45minutes

ReadingandQuestions1. Showstudentsthevideohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nFEdNmn5kIthat

showsaleveefailing.Whilestudentsarewatchingthevideo,havethemshareoutwhattheysee,think,andwonder.

o Itismostusefultoplaythefirst2minutesofthevideo.Youcanplayifforthemtwicebecausemostlikelythefirsttimethewillnotseethestartofthebreach.

2. Asaclass,read“Levees”togethero Whilereading,displaythecoloredpicturesforthestudents.o ThetwonearestleveestoSantaBarbaraaretheSantaMariaRiver

LeveeandtheVenturaRiverLevee.Thepictureonpage2ofthereadingistheVenturaRiverLevee.

3. Gooverquestions1-9asaclassandhavestudentsfillintheanswersintheirnotebooksasyoufillintheanswersinanexamplenotebookunderthedocumentcamera.

o Makesurethatstudentsknowthefollowingvocabularyterms:levee,breaching,andovertopping.

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Part2(a):45

minutes

MaterialExploration1. Separatethestudentsintogroups.Itissuggestedtohavenomorethan6

groupsinaclassroom.2. Explaintheproblemtostudents,“ThecityofLowlandiahascontactedseveral

engineeringfirmsandrequestedthateachfirmputtogetherabidandascalemodelofaleveethattheywouldconstructforthetown.Thefirmwiththe‘best’leveedesignwillbehiredtobuildthetown’snewlevee.”

3. Explainthatbeforebuildingalevee,studentswillneedtoexplorethematerialsthattheycanusetobuildtheirlevee.Showthemthesematerialsandtellthemthepurchaseprices:rocks($20),gravel($20),sand($20),clay($100),andgrass(apieceoftowel)($10per5cmx5cmpiece).

4. Tellthemthatwewilltestthematerialsinthefollowingways:o Pour50mLofwaterbehindtheleveeandletitsitfor30stoseehow

welltheleveeholdsuptoflooding.o Usetheraincup(seepictureabove)toallowwaterto“rain”ontheir

leveefor10s.5. Tellstudentsthattheywillrateeachmaterial(onascaleof1-5)onhowmuch

theyagreewiththestatement:thematerialheldbackfloodwater.Askstudentswhattheythinkthismeans.Makesurestudentsunderstandthatifwaterispouredbehindtheleveeandnowatergetsthrough,thematerialdidholdbackfloodwater.Thismeanstheyshouldratethestatementa5becausetheyshouldagreewithit.Ifthewatergetsthroughfreely,theyshouldratethestatementa1becausetheyshoulddisagreewithit.

6. Theywillalsorate(onascaleof1-5)onhowmuchtheyagreewiththestatement:thematerialerodedwithrain.Askstudentswhattheythinkthismeans.Makesurestudentsunderstandthatifitrainsontheleveeandthematerialmoves,thematerialerodedwithrain.Thatmeanstheyshouldratethestatementa5becausetheyshouldagreewithit.Ifitrainsontheleveeandthematerialdoesnotmove,theyshouldratethestatementa1becausetheyshoulddisagreewithit.

7. Tellstudentsthattheywillnotbeabletotouchthematerialswiththeirhandsatanypointduringthetestingandconstructionphases.

8. Assigneachstudentinthegroupanumber.9. Tellstudentseachofthemisgoingtohaveaspecificjobduringthematerial

testing.Theywillgettorotateintoalljobsduringthematerialstestingphasesonottoworryiftheylikesomeoneelse’sjobmorethantheirs.Explainthejobs.

o LeveeBuilder:Usethebackhoe(spoon)tomoldthematerialintoaleveeinthemiddleofthetestcontainer.

§ Whenintroducingthisjobtitleshowstudentsthebackhoe/spoonthattheycanusetomovethematerial.

o FloodMaker:Fillthegraduatedcylinderwith50mLofwaterandpouritbehindtheleveewhenthesitesupervisor(theteacher)givestheok.

o RainMaker:Pourwaterintotheraincup(1/4full)andletitrainontheleveewhenthesitesupervisor(theteacher)givestheok.

o Observer/Reporter:Observewhatithappeningandbereadytoreporttoyourgroupandtotheclasswhatyousaw.(Ifthereareonlythreepeopleinthegroup,havetheLeveeBuilderalsobetheObserver/Reporter.)

o MaterialHauler:Getthematerialsfromthequarry(frontoftheroom)anddrivethemtotheworksite(yourdesk).(Ifthereareonlythreeor

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fourpeopleinthegrouphavetheRainMakeralsobeMaterialsHauler.)

10. Assigneachnumberarole.o Itiseasiertokeeptrackoftherolesifyouwritethemontheboardand

putthenumberofthepersonthatisresponsibleforeachrolenexttothejobtitleforthattrial.

11. Passouta3-cupplasticcontainer,spoon,and100mLgraduatedcylindertoeachgroup.

12. HavetheMaterialHaulergetthefirstmaterial,rocks.Havestudentsdrawapictureofwhattherockslooklikeinquestion10.

13. HavetheLeveeBuilderbuildthelevee.Performthefloodandraintestsandanswerthequestionsin#10.

14. Havestudentsshareoutwhattheylearnedabouttherocksandrecorditontheboard.

ESR:Rocks Didnotpreventflooding

Doesnotmovewhenwaterispouredontop.15. Repeattheprocessforthegravel,sand,clay,andgrass,answeringquestions,

11-14.Forthegrass,givestudents2squares.Makesuretorotatethestudentsbetweenjobsforeachtrial.Examplesofwhatmightberecordedontheclasschartattheendofthematerialstestingareshownbelow. ESR:Gravel Heldbackalittlemorewaterthanrockbutdoesnotdoagood jobwithfloods. Staysinthesameplacewhenwaterispouredontop. ESR:Sand Keptwaterbacklongerthanrockorgravel. Thewatermadepitswhenpouredontop. ESR:Clay Heldbackallofthewater. Thewatermadepitswhenpouredontop. ESR:Grass Doesnotwithstandfloodsbutsoaksupwater. Didnotmovewhenwaterwaspouredonit.

Part2(b):45

minutes

DesigningLevees1. Tellstudentsthattheywillnowdesignaleveeintheirgroups.Oncetheir

leveesarebuilt,theywillbetestedinthefollowingways:o Test1:100mLofrainwillfallonthelevee.o Test2:Thefloodwaterwillrisetohalfthemaximumpredictedflood

heightandwillsitfor30seconds.o Test3:Thefloodwaterswillrisetothemaximumpredictedflood

heightandwillsitfor30seconds.2. Remindstudentsthattheyareactinglikeengineersandengineerscareabout

twothings:performanceandcost.Tellstudentsthattheirleveewillbeevaluatedonbothofthesethings.Theywillbegiven$400dollarstobuildtheirleveeanditwilltake~10cupsofmaterialstoconstruct.Remindstudentsofthematerialsthattheycanuseandtheircosts:rock($20),gravel($20),sand($20),clay($100),andgrass($10).Theywillalsohaveaccesstothefollowingtools:awatertruck(squirtbottle),twobackhoes(spoons),andadumptruck(bowl).

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3. Gooverthevocabularywithstudentsinthepictureatthebottomofpage4(shownbelow).

4. In their groups, have students go through and answer questions 15-20, which help students determine what materials they will use and where they will put them in their levee.

5. Usethepictureontopofpage7(question21)toshowstudentsthesymbolsthattheyaregoingtouseforeachmaterialandhowtodrawthemintotheappropriatearea.Showthemthatiftheyplantomixmaterials,howtheywilldrawthemintheirpicture.Itissuggestedyoudrawmaterialsinlocationsthatare“notgood”inyourexamplesothatstudentsdonotcopyyours.Forexample,drawgrassinthelowerinsideorsandonthelowersurfacesincethesearelocationsinwhicheachmaterialwouldnotbeuseful.Anexampleofwhatyoumightdrawforstudentsisshownbelow.Remindstudentsthatwithintheirgrouptheyshouldallhavethesamepicturebecausetheyarebuildingthesamelevee.Therefore,theywillneedtotalktoeachotherbeforetheydrawtheirpicture.Tellthemtheywillalsoneedtodecideiftheycanaffordtheirlevee.Remindthemthattheywillonlyget$400total,andclayalonecosts$100percup.Askthemiftheycouldfilltheentirelowerinsidewithclay.ExpectedStudentResponse:Nobecausethelowerinsideneeds~4cupsandthatwouldusealloftheirmoney.Havestudentsfilloutquestions21and22.Tellthemthatifneededtheycangobackandrevisequestions15-21.

Part3:45

minutes

BuildingLevees1. Tellstudentsthatleveeswillbeevaluatedonhowwelltheyperformand

ontheircost.Asaclass,usetheLeveeEvaluationTooltodeveloparubricforevaluatingtheleveeswhentheyaretested.Onepossibleexampleisshownbelow.Whendevelopingthetoolwithyourclass,usestudentsuggestionswhichmaydifferfromtheexamplebelow.

Upper Inside

Lower Inside

Upper Surface

Lower Surface

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2. Showstudentsthetoolsthattheywillhave.Theywillhavetwobackhoes

(spoons),onedumptruck(bowl),andonewatertrack(squirtbottle).3. Tell students the union rules for building their levee and inform them that the

union rep (you) will fine them $10 each time they break a rule.o Workers(they)cannottouchthesoilwiththeirhands.o Workerscanonlyuseonetoolatatime.(Forexample,theycannotbe

touchingboththebackhoeandthedumptruck.Onestudentmustholdthedumptruckandtheothermustoperatethebackhoe.)

4. Tellstudentthatwhentheywanttopurchasematerials,theycansendonegroupmemberwiththeappropriateamountofmoneytothestore.Theyshouldsavethecupsthatthematerialscomeinsothattheycanrecordhowmanycupsofeachmaterialtheyusedaftertheyfinishbuildingtheirlevee.Theywillbeallowedtoreturnmaterialstothestoreforcreditaslongasthematerialsareunusedandunmixedwithothermaterials.

5. Havestudentsconstructtheirlevee.Makesurethatstudentskeepthematerialscupssothattheyknowwhattheirleveewasbuiltfrom.Ifstudentswanta½cupofmaterial,dumpout½ofthematerialsanduseaSharpietomarkthecupwith“½.”

6. Oncegroupsarefinishedbuildingtheirlevee,havethemfillouttheLeveeStatisticsbycountingthenumberofcupsofeachmaterialtheyhaveandrecordingitonthetable.Inaddition,havethemdeterminethecostoftheirleveebysubtractingtheamountofmoneythattheyhaveleftfrom$400.

Part4(a):30

minutes

LeveeTesting1. Studentswillbeevaluatingtheirleveeandtwootherfirms’(groups)levees.2. Giveeachgroupanumber.Tellstudentsthatiftheirfirmisanoddnumber

theywillbeevaluatingfirmswithoddnumbers(1,3,5)andiftheirfirmsisanevennumbertheywillbeevaluatingfirmswithevennumbers(2,4,6).Remindstudentsthatifaleveeisinafirmthattheyarenotevaluatingtheycanjustwatchthetestinganddonotneedtowriteanythingdown.

3. Puttheleveeevaluationcriteriaupinfrontoftheclassforallstudentstosee.

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4. Bringthefirm1’sleveeuptothefrontoftheclassandputitunderthedocumentcamera.

5. Havestudentsthatwillbeevaluatingthatleveeraisetheirhands.6. Havethegroupwhobuilttheleveetelltheclasshowmuchtheleveecostand

whatmaterialstheybuiltitoutof.7. Havestudentsthatareevaluatingtheleveewritedownthecostaswellasthe

scorebasedoffoftheLeveeEvaluationToolonthechartonpage8.8. PerformTest1.Underthedocumentcamera,pour100mLofwaterintoarain

cupandhaveitrainontothecrownandsideofthelevee.a. Note:Only~75mLwillcomeoutasrain.Tellstudentsthatthelast

~25mLisaheavyrainandpouritonthecrownofthelevee.9. Havestudentsthatareevaluatingtheleveemarkiftheleveepassedtherain

testandrecordanyobservationsintheirnotebooks.10. PerformTest2.Underthedocumentcamera,addwatertothe½predicted

floodheight(oneinchabovethegroundlevel.)Then,usethetimertowaitfor30s.

11. Havestudentsthatareevaluatingtheleveemarkiftheleveepassedthe½floodtestandrecordanyobservationsintheirnotebooks.

12. PerformTest3.Underthedocumentcamera,addwatertothemaximumpredictedfloodheight(twoinchesabovethegroundlevel).Then,usethetimertowaitfor30s.

13. Havestudentsthatareevaluatingtheleveemarkiftheleveepassedthemaxfloodtestandrecordanyobservationsintheirnotebooks.ThenusetheLeveeEvaluationTooltoscoretheperformanceofthelevee.

14. Repeattheprocesswiththenextgroup(firm2)andcontinueinorderuntilallleveeshavebeentested.

a. Thiswillresultinstudentsrecordeddatafromeveryotherlevee.15. Asagroup,discusswhatgeneralpatternstheysawbetweentheleveeswhen

theyweretested.Part4(b):45

minutes

DiscussionQuestions1. Havegroupstalkabouthowtheirleveehelduptorainandnormalerosion

(test1)andthenhavethemshareoutandfilloutquestion23.2. Havegroupstalkabouthowtheirleveehelduptoflooding(test2and3)and

thenhavethemshareoutandfilloutquestion24.3. Discussiftheythinkthatleveecostandleveeperformanceareequally

importantandiftheythinkallpeoplewillagreewiththem.Thenhavethemfilloutquestions25-26.

4. Havestudentsindividuallyfilloutquestion27andthenshareoutwhichleveetheythinkshouldgetthecontractandwhy.

5. Asaclass,gooverquestions28-37,whichhavestudentslookatstructuraldifferencesbetweentwolevees,identifythepurposeofthestructure,anddeterminethebetterdesign.Havestudentsshareouttheirthoughts,andonceaclassconsensushasbeenreached,writetheanswerinanexamplestudentnotebookunderadocumentcamera.Havestudentscopyitintotheirworksheet.

6. Showstudentsthevideohttps://projects.propublica.org/graphics/leveesthatdiscussesthenegativeimpactsoflevees,thenhavethemfilloutquestion38.

7. Asaclassdiscusswhattheysawandiftheythinkleveesarepositiveornegativeandwhy.

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ExampleStudentWork

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