Lighthouses and Extreme Weather Lesson
Lesson Plan
45 minutesGrades4Social Studies
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Written by Diane Gavin, Sustainable Jersey for Schools
About this lesson
Students investigate how storms and rising sea levels have changed New Jersey’s coast.
Inquire: Students examine the impact of coastal storms on lighthouses on the New Jersey shore.
Investigate: Students compare differences in coastline edges due to erosion and sea level rise.
Inspire: Students evaluate different strategies to deal with changes in the coastline caused by erosion.
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Suggestions
- This lesson investigates scenarios of coastal flooding due to sea level rise.
- Students may use the Sea Level Rise tool to investigate the impact of rising sea levels on any location, including their own community.
- This lesson can be adjusted based on class or student reading levels. The Investigate section could be a guided teacher read aloud, small reading groups, or paired partner reading.
- This discussion may bring up anxiety for some students. Consider using resources from the Climate Anxiety: SEL Resource for Teachers including a template to inform caregivers of the topics in the unit and sentence frames for discussions.
- This lesson includes opportunities for SEL, as students are invited to share their personal experiences of storms. Teachers should be aware of their classroom and student context and make adjustments as needed.
Prerequisites
- This is lesson 2 of 3 in our 4th grade Social Studies Unit Plan: Lighthouses.
- Computers are needed to access the online map tools.
- Teacher should determine if the Investigate section should be done as a teacher-guided reading, small group, or paired partner reading.
Differentiation
- Teacher may lead the lesson by projecting and manipulating the interactive map site Coastal Erosion of NJ.
- Students may work in pairs or leveled reading groups to navigate the interactive map site, Coastal Erosion of NJ.
- To extend the lesson, the East Point Lighthouse is currently in danger of being destroyed by rising seas, read about it on NJ.com
- Students could look further at sea level rise in the USA or worldwide to extend their learning.
From the scientist review
Students can learn about the effects of erosion and other natural landform processes on the coastal communities of New Jersey. They will also learn about the role of a lighthouse, how it can aid in collecting climatic data to enable them to analyze and predict the natural changes in New Jersey's coastlines and communities. We reviewed this lesson thoroughly and it passed our science credibility process.
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About the teacher writers
Diane Gavin
Diane has been a New Jersey middle school educator for 25 years. A graduate of Rutgers University and The College of New Jersey, she has taught science and is passionate about the middle school educational philosophy that focuses on developing student learning along with social and emotional skills. Diane likes exploring nature by hiking or biking and loves New Jersey and all it has to offer.
Sustainable Jersey for Schools
Sustainable Jersey is a network and movement of municipalities, schools and school districts working collectively to bring about a sustainable New Jersey. Acting with state agencies, non-profit organizations, foundations, academia and industry, Sustainable Jersey researches best practices for what communities could and should do to contribute to a sustainable future.
