Green Engineering for Stormwater Solutions (Distance Learning) 

Grade: Fifth

Lesson Series Overview
Water can land on any surface on earth (hydrosphere, biosphere, geosphere). Depending upon the surface, water behaves differently. Humans influence this natural water cycle with the introduction of impermeable surfaces and pollutants. When water hits an impermeable surface, water will pick up the pollutants and carry the water into the biosphere, geosphere, or hydrosphere. This is stormwater runoff. Students will investigate permeable and impermeable surfaces around their neighborhood and create maps based on how water interacts with the different earth systems present in their neighborhood. Students will test out how the biosphere and hydrosphere can be used to reduce stormwater runoff and obtain information about green engineering practices that manages stormwater runoff. Applying what they have learned, students will choose an action project to help reduce stormwater runoff by applying all that they have learned.

Supports Content Standards
NGSS:  5-ESS2-1, 5-ESS3-1
Reading Informational Text:  CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.2, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.4
Writing: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.7
Speaking and Listening: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.4

Complements FOSS Kit
Grade 5: Earth and Sun & Grade 5: Living Systems

Lesson Series Materials
Students will be guided through a variety of hands-on activities, observations, writing and drawing assignments, and gain content knowledge by watching brief videos. Lesson activities are shared in hyperdocs which are documents that include instructions and links to the activities. Each of the seven lessons has their own individual hyperdoc which can be accessed from the below Teacher Lesson Overview Hyperdoc. You will also find supporting documents below as well.

Teacher Guide
Student Journal
Biosphere Experiment Data Sheet
Geosphere Experiment Data Sheet
Green Engineering Practices Student Reader
Example Neighborhood Map (Phase 1)
Example Neighborhood Map (Phase 2)
Example Neighborhood Map (Phase 3)
Green Engineering Locations Santa Cruz County
Earth Systems Map Template

Schedule “Green Engineering for Stormwater Solutions”
If you are interested in scheduling the “Green Engineering for Stormwater Solutions” lesson series, please use the below registration form. Please contact Mollie Behn, Education Coordinator, with any questions at mbehn@coastal-watershed.org.