Earth and Space Sciences

Students connect the structure of an atom, how protons identify an element, and the nuclear fusion process/reaction to create an infographic on how changes in the nuclei of distant stars produce visible light and release energy. 

Students will determine the advantages of combining green and gray infrastructure to repair/rebuild old infrastructure in sustainable, cost efficient ways by designing a rainwater collection apparatus (barrel) that combines green and gray infrastructure to use in gardening. 

As students explore nature as inspiration for art and engineering, they will engage in a variety of activities that model and explain weathering and erosion. 

Students experiment with filtering various substances from water by making their own simple water filters to understand the importance of access o clean water. 

Students will investigate ways to clean up an oil spill and design a water filtration system to understand the issues of water pollution, the importance of access to clean water, and make informed decisions concerning environmental safety. 

Students will research plastic and post-consumer products to engineer a water filtration device. 

Students will collect and analyze data from USACE and use the engineering design process to determine the benefits of dredging to predict future usage based on past data. 

Students demonstrate how they can implement nature-based solutions, recycling, and upcycling to contribute to a sustainable future. 

Students experiment with filtering various substances from water by making their own simple water filters to understand the importance of access o clean water. 

Students investigate how different radioisotopes can be used as a source of alternative energy. 

Students develop a nature-based solution to help restore mangroves, coral reefs, and coastal dunes ecosystems. 

Students will determine which sorbents best absorb oil from fresh and saltwater, develop an algorithm that could be used on a boat drone to clean up an oil spill, and develop a sample program to monitor the water quality of different water sources. 

Students research and present information related to a hybrid power grid and produce a model of their idea of a hybrid power grid that can be used after a natural disaster has occurred. 

Students will collect and analyze data from USACE and use the engineering design process to determine the benefits of dredging to predict future usage based on past data. 

Students will describe actions that can be taken to reduce the impact of harmful algal blooms by calculating the rate of algal growth to predict how oxygen levels will decrease after a given time and determine the best algal species to use for biofuel. 

Students distinguish between casual and correlational relationships between human activity and the negative environmental impact of harmful algae blooms and use this data to monitor the human impact on water quality. 

Students will identify the criteria and constraints of their biodegradable plastic production and investigate the rate of decomposition between biodegradable and non-biodegradable plastic in different environments in order to study the environmental impact of petroleum-based plastic. 

Students will investigate ways to clean up an oil spill and design a water filtration system to understand the issues of water pollution, the importance of access to clean water, and make informed decisions concerning environmental safety.