Throughout most of the earth’s history, shifts in the earth’s climate have occurred naturally over thousands of years. However, human activity such as burning fossil fuels has recently accelerated these changes, driving global temperatures upward at an unseen pace. Although climate change has the potential to cause widespread consequences such as increasing the frequency of extreme weather events and disrupting our food systems, water engineers are especially concerned with how it will impact the Earth’s water systems. Scientists predict that ocean and lake levels will rise as a result of climate change which can be attributed to two primary factors: (1) the melting of glaciers and ice sheets and (2) the process of thermal expansion. Rising water levels across the globe are recognized as a serious potential impact of climate change that could cause homes and businesses along our coasts to flood.
The student handout will be given to all students working on the design challenge. It gives a brief recap of the story, it helps the students identify what they are attempting to achieve, and it recaps the design process.
This Instructor’s Guide provides the instructor additional information on how to run the design challenge with alternatives for materials and test setups as well as information to help make the design challenge a good educational experience.
The Telling the Story Video conveys the societal impact of the student’s research that is the basis for the design challenge and will set the problem-solving context for students.
The Design Challenge Video leads students through the design process. It indicates materials available, states what the criteria are for success and any constraints. It also gives a second ‘level’ of the design challenge that allows ‘early completers’ to move on to a slightly more difficult challenge.