Coastal Fellow, Kristen Daly, describes the lesson to an educator at the local SciREN event in Pine Knoll Shores.
A new lesson plan on living shorelines and coastal erosion is now available for educators. The lesson allows students to explore how various shoreline stabilization methods influence coastal erosion and the surrounding habitat. Students rotate through four stations of the following shoreline models:
- Bare sand shoreline
- Hard structure protection method
- Living shoreline with planted marsh grasses
- Living shoreline with both planted marsh grasses and a constructed oyster reef
While rotating through the stations, students simulate wave energy and observe which method works best to protect estuarine shores.
Check out the lesson plan.
Though the activity is adaptable to use with various ages, it is designed specifically for 4th grade, and meets NC Essential and Common Core Curriculum standards for that grade level. Teachers can contact our central education coordinator, Rachel Bisesi, at rachelb@nccoast.org or (252) 393-8185 to check out the lesson materials or use the lesson plan to create the shorelines on their own.