The following resources were shared during the May 2014 Field Trip for Educators about sea level rise in San Francisco Bay. Please contact the education coordinator for more information or assistance in adapting the lesson plans.
AAAS What We Know Campaign – explore and be inspired to teach about climate science with confidence!
Shoreline Mapping and Adaptation Planning:
Emery Rod Profiling: (1) Download word files for the Emery Rod Beach Profiling directions and data sheet used during the field trip (developed by Matt and Sarah Ferner): Emery Rod Datasheet and Instructions, (2) link to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s primer on beach and dune profiling, note that this method is slightly different from the one used during the Field Trip.
Waquoit Bay NERR’s Bringing Wetlands to Market lesson plan that uses topographical maps to demonstrate impacts of rising sea levels.
NOAA’s Digital Coast is one of several online tools that allow people to easily visualize flooding due to sea level rise. It can be used by students as a more detailed, technical follow-up to hands-on shoreline mapping or on its’ own.
Several NERRs created a town hall-style lesson plan about communities adapting and preparing for climate change that are available through Harvard’s Program on Negotiations clearinghouse. The link takes you to the lesson plan focused on Launton, Maine; contact Sarah Ferner if you would like her to help customize the scripts for San Francisco Bay.
Climate Change Impacts on San Francisco Bay
National Academy of Sciences, “Sea Level Rise for Coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington” a trusted source for sea level rise estimates and excellent background information. You can read it online, or download it for free, from here: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13389
Kimmerer and Weaver 2010, Appendix 2-2 of Subtidal Habitat Goals Report, “Report on Climate and Other Long-term Changes Likely to Affect the Future of Subtidal Habitats”
Cloern et. al. 2011, “Projected Evolution of San Francisco Bay-Delta-River System in a Century of Climate Change”, PLOS ONE. Check out Figure 3, especially. Highly recommended.
Marsh Response to Sea Level Rise:
A description of the online Marsh Equilibrium Model that can be used to predict how a given marsh will respond to changes can be read here: http://coastalscience.noaa.gov/news/?p=3243 . Click here to access the MEM directly.