Coastal Flooding Design Project

thingiverse

This was a 7th grade project in a computers / writing class, with learning goals focused on STEM skills, communication, and creative problem-solving. Our school is located on a barrier island where flooding has been a major issue, especially during storms like Hurricane Sandy, which highlights the importance of community protection. The students investigated ways homeowners and communities can safeguard themselves from flooding by gathering information and ideas online. The next step was to utilize Tinkercad to design and print a structure that would be helpful in a flood situation. This hands-on activity helped the students apply their knowledge to real-world problems and understand the potential solutions to protect their community. One notable example of student work is showcased here. This demonstrates how the skills acquired in this project can lead to innovative designs and creative solutions for complex problems like coastal flooding. Standards NGSS Overview and Background This 7th grade project integrated STEM learning with writing, focusing on problem-solving and creative thinking in a real-world context. The students researched ways to safeguard homes and communities from flooding, especially during storms like Hurricane Sandy. Their next challenge was using Tinkercad to design a structure that could help mitigate flood damage. The resulting prints were then written about by the students, explaining how their designs could protect the community from future flood-related threats. Lesson Plan and Activity To tackle coastal flooding head-on, students started researching various strategies communities use to prepare for potential floods online. Then, using Tinkercad, they created models of structures that might help in a flood situation. These were printed out for analysis. Key steps involved: 1. **Research**: Investigate ways people prevent coastal flooding online. 2. **Design**: Use Tinkercad to design a structure. 3. **Printing**: Print the designs for study. 4. **Write-up**: Explain the functionality of your design and how it can protect against future floods. Project: Coastal Flooding Design Objective Imagine a community severely affected by a storm worse than Hurricane Sandy, leaving it in need of a system or building to restore the community and prevent future flood damage. The task is to design this restoration project. Audience This 7th grade project could be adapted for grades 5 through 9. Preparation The students had explored different ways communities handle flooding threats before beginning their designs. Their experience with Tinkercad.com was limited, but it allowed them to express their creativity. Steps 1. **Research**: Learn from the web how people prevent coastal flooding. 2. **Design**: Design a system or building for protection against future floods using Tinkercad. 3. **Printing**: Print out your designs for study. 4. **Write-up**: Write about your design's function and its ability to protect communities. Results The students successfully created structures including dams, drains, sea walls, and raised buildings as part of their project on coastal flooding mitigation using Tinkercad designs.