Weather and Climate
Lesson # 10: Li Bing and the Flooding
Teacher Lesson
Essential Question: How does weather affect our lives?
What are the impacts of extreme weather
Standards:
RI.3.2
Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how
they support the main idea. (3-ESS2-2)
Vocabulary
Levee : an embankment built to prevent the overflow of a river
Materials:
Materials
Amount
“Li Bing and the Flooding” In appendix
Objective:
Students will be able to ..
1. Compare and contrast different design solutions to prevent flooding
2. Determine the main idea and details in the story
3.
Students will be able to evaluate the design of two different barriers to prevent
flooding.
Assessment: In journals students record how the solutions to the flooding in North
Adams and China the same? How are they different? What other ways can you think of to
solve the problem?
Activator: Have you seen these around North Adams? Show pictures of the flood control
chutes and ask students to make predictions about what these “concrete walls” are for.
Introduction: After students make their predictions give them this background
information:
Did you know that North Adams used to have a major problem with flooding? The Hoosac
River was polluted, filled with toxic waste and smelled terrible. In the early part of the
1900s, the river often overflowed its banks posing a threat to city infrastructure and to its
residents. In response to the serious damage that occurred during these floods, the US
Corps of Engineers constructed 45 foot wide/ 10-15 foot high concrete flood control chutes
in the 1950s.
North Adams had a problem with flooding and designed the chutes to protect the city. Other
places around the world face the same problem and have chosen a different solution. Point
to China on a map and tell children that they will read a passage about a similar problem in
this part of the world.
This passage explains that the Min River in China used to overflow and flood the homes of
the people who lived along the river. Li Bing, the governor of the people, ultimately came up
with the idea to build a levee that would move the extra water of the river away from the
people’s homes and to a flat plain of land that needed water to grow plants. When the levee
was done, not only did the water stop flooding the homes of the people but it also helped the
plants grow in the flat land.
Before you read this story you will need to know some vocabulary. Introduce the word
Levee. Write Levee on the board and create a vocabulary 4 square for the word.
While reading think of ways that climate and weather affect our lives and our homes. Pay
attention to how Li Bing solves the problem. What other ways can you think of to solve the
problem of flooding?
After reading, have students respond to the questions. Go over the answers as a class.
Closure: Many places face problems due to weather and climate but we can solve these
problems using resources and tools.