RISING SEAS WATCHERS - Resource Bundle

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RISING SEAS WATCHERS

The topic “RISING SEAS WATCHERS ” was inspired by the Time’s video and article showing the Salomon islands archipelago ’s inhabitant fears about the rising sea levels (https://time.com/4324321/solomon-islands-pacific-ocean-sea-levels/ ) , so I proposed them to expand their knowledge of the forced migration due to lands washed into the sea by analyzing other authentic life –stories (e.g. the videos Pacific Voices in Unison: Stories from the Solomon Islands https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7Eeora-ius , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Omn4dno-Ogw ). After having created a projection of the possible risk zones in the Bay of Bengal with the support of QGIS software, I asked pupils to collect from the web the stories of migration from this area, in order to create a StoryMap with StoryMapJS that tells the story of a community/people affected by rising sea levels and forced migration in this geographic zone: students, divided in groups of 4-5, had include relevant data and visualizations gathered using QGIS, but also other maps, charts, and images, they could find to support their narrative. I choose StoryMapJS because it is a free online tool that my students are already familiar with: they use it for history’s tasks, as well. The second step of the implementation consisted in expanding students’ interest for rising seas to Europe by employing a user-friendly interactive online tool, the European Atlas of the seas, an initiative of the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) of the European Commission: students selected a combination of four map layers (Sea Level Change, Relative Sea level trends, Coastline, and Sea Level anomalies) available on the Atlas, to create their own map based on information they were looking for in order to investigate how different regions in Italy, the country where we live, will be affected by rising sea. For each map layer, a description was provided with further details on its content and indication of who the data provider is: this allowed students to clearly identify the source of the data and obtain more information on them. This is the map created collaboratively by students: A deep analysis of this map in order to identify areas that may require additional planning and preparation, consented students to locate in Naples, the closest urban region, a zone particularly vulnerable to sea level rise due to its location at or below sea level in some parts. The city is also built on a volcanic plateau that is prone to erosion and landslides. Using the map they created and the indicators of coastal vulnerability, students wrote an essay on how rising sea levels will increase the risk of flooding and erosion in Naples and its surroundings, which could impact the local economy and infrastructure. Thirdly, as CLIL teacher, I organized a debate in English to boost my students competence in L2: I assigned students roles as stakeholders in a coastal community and had them participate in a role-playing activity related to sea level rise in our geographical area using data emerged from the previous activity. Learners were asked to discuss the potential impacts of sea level rise on their community and propose strategies for adaptation or mitigation; for preparation and source of inspiration for this class discussion they cheeked EU Nature based solution by looking at NBS case studies’ repositories, such as NetworkNature, Oppla and Urban Nature Atlas). This activity was assessed based on the quality of the student's contributions to the discussion and their ability to apply their knowledge of the topic acquired by the aforementioned tools. At school we have available an immersive room for VR educational experiences and I used the VR App TheBlu to engage students and showcase the impact of rising sea levels in an interactive and engaging way. While this app is not specifically related to rising sea levels, it does provide an immersive underwater experience that can help students understand the beauty and fragility of our oceans. This can help to underscore the importance of protecting our oceans and addressing issues such as rising sea levels. TheBlu was employed to let students explore the different layers of the ocean and showcase how each ecosystem is connected to one another. I highlighted the impact of rising sea levels on coral reefs, fish populations, and other marine organisms. Currently, the implementation of the Learning scenario is going on: the next step is to create 3-D maps of Italian coastlines prone to erosion risk using QGIS and Blender. We are still working on this: QGIS is a powerful software that offers a wide array of classroom activities. The activities on rising seas had a positive impact on students' skills, including their GIS mapping skills, critical thinking skills, collaboration and communication skills, and environmental awareness. By manipulating map data to visualize areas at risk of flooding due to rising sea levels and the extent of forced migration, students learned how to analyse and interpret map data, as well as create their own maps. They also improved their competence in data visualization and interpretation, as well as critical thinking and problem-solving. The implementation of the activity on this topic, also gave the chance to work on learners’ narrative and digital storytelling skills: the use of StoryMapJS combined with the analysis of map data using QGIS, allowed students to create interactive multimedia stories that combined text, images, and maps. The narrative approach supplemented the lesson by enabling them to create engaging and informative stories that converted the data emerging from QGIS’s practice into real world scenarios narrated from the people who in these scenarios live. In this way the connection between rising sea levels and forced migration was even clearer and impacting for them. The combined employment of QGIS and the European Atlas of the sea helped students develop a greater awareness of environmental issues and their impact on our community. This allowed students to not see this issue as something distant from their world but, on the contrary, as a problem already present in the area where we live; thus, they became more informed and engaged global citizens, and were inspired to take action to address environmental challenges. I would recommend to other teachers to take time to familiarize themselves with QGIS, it's also important to introduce students to the software’s terminology before diving into the given activity. I also suggest incorporating collaboration and creativity encouraging students to work in groups and collaborate on the activities, especially during class discussions. I highlight that It's important to assess student learning throughout the activities to ensure that they are achieving the desired outcomes. I used a variety of assessment methods, such as quizzes, group presentations, or individual assignments.