Sandcastle Investigations
Posted on August 3rd, 2022 by Mary Lord
In this NGSS-aligned activity, 2nd graders draw on their knowledge of Earth science to follow the engineering design process and investigate solutions for protecting sandcastles from wind and water damage. They make hypotheses, measure and record changes, and support their results using evidence. Suitable for students in grades 1-3.
Filed under: Class Activities, Grades K-5, Grades K-5, Lesson Plans | Comments Off on Sandcastle Investigations
Tags: construction, data, Earth Science, Engineering Design, erosion, materials, measurement, NGSS, sandcastle construction, sandcastle engineering, structural and civil engineering
Hurricanes, earthquakes, and other destructive events offer timely “teachable moments” about the role of engineers in improving weather forecasts and reducing the toll from natural disasters. eGFI Teachers’s collection of activities, feature articles, and other resources can help you integrate engineering into your classes – and inspire the next generation of “crisis” engineers.
Cloud classification, coastal environments, and sea turtles and their quest to nest are among the interactive online games highlighting environmental science and stewardship on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Planet Arcade portal.
High school students working in groups of three to four learn about the primary causes and impacts of coastal erosion, and use elevation data to construct profiles of a beach over time or to compare several beaches, make inferences about the erosion process, and discuss how humans should respond.
Students in grades 3 to 8 study coastal erosion and the apply the engineering design process to devise structures and policies to protect shorelines, taking public concerns into account.
If you’re fortunate enough to live near a beach or sandy banks or dunes, this sand-castle construction lesson from the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve will both instruct and entertain, helping your students understand the cohesive force of water tension and the adhesive force of capillary action.
