Coastal Roots High
Teacher’s Guide
Project Background and Rationale
Course/Students
This curriculum web is designed for High School Environmental Science.
The grade level expectations listed below are from the Louisiana Comprehensive
Curriculum – High School environmental Science Standards. The link to these can be
found below as well.
The lesson is designed for High School Students who have difficulty with traditional
lessons and who struggle with academics and reading comprehension. It can be
adapted for more advanced students.
Content
The lessons in this curriculum web are designed for students to work collaboratively
with teacher guidance in developing an understanding of the Louisiana Coastal
Wetlands, the habitats and biomes, the benefits of the wetlands, the threats to the
wetlands, and prevention and restoration.
The reason for creating this curriculum web is so that students in North Louisiana
can develop a deeper understanding of the situation concerning the coastal area of
Louisiana. Media coverage of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita typically focused on the
people that dispersed and the impact the hurricanes made on cities such as New
Orleans. The media coverage did not elaborate on the impact of the coastal
wetlands affected by the two hurricanes. This curriculum web will provide students
with information as well as opportunities for research, discovery, and a chance to
make an impact.
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It is hoped that this curriculum web will keep students motivated. The information
is organized for them. There are opportunities for students to collaborate, utilize
technology, uncover facts, and discover and create ideas to make a difference while
learning.
Collaborative Learning
It is recommended that the teacher assign students to collaborative learning groups.
Each group will be asked to research a different coastal region in Louisiana. They
will explore elements such as native animals, plants and geographical
characteristics. Students will then be given a chance to research the impact of
hurricanes that have made their way through each region. Coastal erosion will be
the next focus for each group, as they must be aware of those factors which have
caused coastal erosion and those which continue to impact the coast currently.
Students will also be working on a plant project to learn about rehabilitation for each
region’s wetland areas. Classes are encouraged to take a field trip near the end of
the unit to get a hands-on opportunity to demonstrate and further their knowledge
of the wetlands.
Group members may be assigned roles to help their groups function together well.
Some roles for the teacher to consider are: Facilitator/Moderator (to facilitate
discussion, encourage member participation, and keep group on task); Timekeeper
(watches the time, reminds group to move forward, leads clean up, fills in for other
members); Recorder (takes notes, records information); Runner (gets materials as
needed, goes to teacher or other groups for assistance). You may come up with
other roles for group members.
Curriculum Web Goals and Objectives
GLEs or Course Goals
High School Environment Science Standards
(http://www.louisianaschools.net/lde/saa/1842.html#EnvironmentalScience)
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Science and the Environment

#2 Describe the characteristics of major biomes on Earth (SE-H-A1)

#5 Examine and discuss the major stages of succession, describing the
generalized sequential order of the types of plant species (SE-H-A4)

#7 Illustrate the flow of carbon, water, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus
through an ecosystem (SE-H-A6) (LS-H-D1)

#8 Explain how species in an ecosystem interact and link in a complex web
(SE-H-A7) (SE-H-A10)

#10 Analyze the effect of an invasive species on the biodiversity within
ecosystems (SE-H-A9)

#12 Give examples and describe the effect of pollutants on selected
populations (SE-H-A11)

#19 Determine the interrelationships of clean water, land, and air to the
success of organisms in a given population (SE-H-C1)

#22 Analyze the risk-benefit ratio for selected environmental situations (SEH-C4)
High School World Geography Standards
http://www.louisianaschools.net/lde/uploads/4017.doc
World Geography

#9 Identify and analyze the distinguishing physical or human characteristics
of a given place (e.g., landforms, precipitation, ecosystems, settlement
patterns, economic activities) (G-1B-H1)

#11 Draw conclusions about a place or area from its geographic or physical
features (G-1B-H1)

#21 Characterize areas or regions in terms of the physical processes that
affect them (e.g., Pacific Ocean “Rim of Fire,” San Andreas fault) (G-1C-H1)

#24 Examine the effects of a physical process (e.g., erosion and depository
processes, global warming, El Niño) on the natural environment and societies
of an area and draw conclusions from that information (G-1C-H1)

#38 Identify technological advances that expanded human capacity to modify
the environment (e.g., steam, coal, electric, nuclear power, levees) (G-1D-H1)
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
#40 Analyze or evaluate strategies for dealing with environmental challenges
(e.g., dams or dikes to control floods, fertilizer to improve crop production)
(G-1D-H2)

#46 Assess the role of government in preserving natural resources and
protecting the physical environment (G-1D-H4)

#47 Evaluate the effectiveness of policies and programs related to
conservation and use of natural resources (G-1D-H4)

#49 Debate a position on an environmental issue involving conservation or
use of natural resources (e.g., private vs. public interest) (G-1D-H5)

#50 Evaluate options for solving a local or regional problem involving physical
processes or environmental challenges (e.g., government disaster aid,
environmental clean-up cost responsibility) (G-1D-H5)
Specific Objectives
TLW:

Conduct research on the various regions within the Louisiana Coastal Roots
area.

Create a PowerPoint presentation by working in collaborative groups.

Utilize technology to understand the importance of Louisiana’s wetlands and
coastal regions.

Evaluate the effects of certain environmental factors.

Create a plan as to how to improve those areas.
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Curriculum Web Format and Content Structure
Theme and Type of Curriculum
This project is primarily a subject-centered focused unit. While it is established for
an Environment Science class, content and activities are interdisciplinary and will
cross-over into math, social studies, and English language arts. Students will
receive the benefit of the reinforcement of some structural constructs from other
subject areas. Often, especially with science, students are intimidated by scientific
theory and processes. This unit incorporates activities, hands-on projects, writing,
and problem solving that often is typical to other subject areas as well.
We will be looking at the Louisiana coastal wetlands from a variety of viewpoints,
allowing students to bring strengths they may have in other content areas and
successfully apply them in this unit. This curriculum web will offer a variety of
learning experiences to encompass a variety of learning styles.
What impact does all of this have on Northern Louisiana?
For North Louisiana students this unit will provide an opportunity to learn about
their home state and benefits the Louisiana wetlands provide to the area, the state,
and the nation. Students will also learn about current events, ecological issues,
problems and solutions. Student will learn about themselves and services they can
provide from their hometown that can have an effect on the future of Louisiana and
its coastal wetlands.
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Content Map
2. Hurricanes
and
Levees
1. Wetlands
4. Coastal
Restoration
3. Coastal
Erosion
Interesting Sites and
Links
Teacher’s
Guide
Student
Showcase
Rubrics and
Evaluations
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Suggested Learning Activities and Resources
Learning Activities
1. Introduction: Wetlands 101
Estimated Time (2- 50 minute class lessons)
a. Pretest
b. Teacher selected video or power point (LINK) and lecture
c. Class collaborative groups: Each group will be assigned a coastal
region/wetland. They will then be charged to research their region
and be able to identify the area on a map. Background information
on each region will be presented as a small group oral presentation.
These groups will be maintained throughout the project.
d. Blog page for each group to record progress and resources that they
use throughout the project. (If technology permits in your school).
e. PowerPoint: Students will begin working on a PowerPoint project that
will be used as a comprehensive measure/final project.
2. Hurricanes and Levees
(Estimated time 2-3 50 minute lessons)
a. Hurricane research and discussion
b. Students will visit the National Hurricane Center site to research
hurricanes that have hit their region within the last 100 years.
c. Students will identify impacts of the hurricanes on their region’s
animal and plant life.
d. Students will use hurricane tracking maps to track the hurricanes that
have impacted their region.
e. Blog and PowerPoint will continue to be updated.
3. Coastal Erosion
(Estimated time 2 50 minute lessons)
a. Students will utilize internet sites to follow the timely progression of
coastal erosion.
b. Video and discussion on erosion.
c. Students will be charged in developing a future expectation of
coastal erosion without any form of preservation or rehabilitation to
the coastal region.
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d. Blog and PowerPoint will continue to be updated.
4. Coastal Restoration (How can we rehabilitate our wetlands?)
(Estimated Time 4-6 50 minute class periods and on-going plant
activities).
a. Students will research plants indigenous to each region, how to grow
and maintain them, and what types of things are hazardous to the
plants’ development.
b. Students will research the possibility of including other plants within
their region (those that may not be indigenous.)
c. Plant yard: Each group will create a real-time garden of native
Louisiana plants that can later be transplanted to areas where plant
life is needed.
d. Blog and PowerPoint will continue to be updated.
5. Field trip: Students will be provided a chance to personally attend a small
group gathering that will give them more hands-on experience with the
real problems facing Louisiana coastlines.
Instructor Lesson Plans
Lesson Plan 1: Wetlands 101
Lesson Plan 2: Hurricanes & Levees
Lesson Plan 3: Coastal Erosion
Lesson Plan 4: Coastal Restoration
Resources
1. http://www.lacoast.gov/education/FragileFringe/index.htm
a. The site has a wide variety of information concerning teaching about the
coastal wetlands including activities within each area. Each activity
discussed also has a suggestion concerning the appropriate age group.
2. http://dnr.louisiana.gov/teach.ssi
a. From the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, this site has
information concerning the natural resources within the state.
3. http://www.americaswetland.org/
a. Provided the foundation of the same name, various resources are here
concerning the newest information about the impact of our wetlands.
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4. http://www.wlf.state.la.us/
a. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries can provide
information concerning animals around the coastal region.
5. http://www.lumcon.edu/education/StudentDatabase/
a. This site provides information concerning how students can learn about
science and watersheds to the Gulf.
6. http://mywonderfulworld.org/
a. This site was created to raise awareness for geography and global
issues.
Assessment and Evaluation
Students will be assessed using a series of rubrics for the activities, the culminating
product, and their group collaboration. The students will be provided each rubric so
that they will be aware of each area that they will be graded on. Students will also
be asked to evaluate activities and components of the curriculum web as they
progress through the unit..
Significance of your Project
It is the hope of the creators of the Coastal Roots High curriculum web that this unit
provides students within North Louisiana an awareness of the importance of
protecting and improving the State’s coastal areas. We hope that this curriculum
web will eventually be used by more environmental science instructors and provide a
gateway to resources that high school environmental science instructors can use
within their classroom. We hope that in the future, this could become part of the
comprehensive curriculum for Environmental Science.
Feedback and Evaluation

We want to encourage teachers to contact the creators of the Coastal Roots High
curriculum web with feedback and suggestions for improvement. Please share how
you adapted the web to fit the needs of your students and your school as well as
ways that we can adapt the web to better suit students, environmental science, and
teaching in general.
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Please complete the student and teacher evaluation forms and e-mail them to us.
This feedback is critical to making this curriculum web a success.
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