Rising sea levels - how do we stay safe as sea levels rise?

Introduction

Begin by watching the video (2:30mins)

Mr Anote Tong served as President of Kiribati from 2003 to 2016 and is well known for his efforts to raise global awareness on the threat posed by climate change. Two small Kiribati islets are reported to have disappeared underwater in 1999 and the predicted sea level rise of 50cm by 2100 suggests that within a century much of the land will be submerged. 

Main Activities

Choose from one of the three activities in the teacher guidance. A short summary of each activity is given below:

1. How much flooding occurs near you?: This activity asks students to research and investigate how much flooding occurs in their local area and determine whether this is likely to change or increase in the future. Students could research the issues online as well as ask questions. They could also share their findings with schools in other countries.
2. What happens when water temperature rises?: In this activity, students will investigate how water expands as it heats up. This has been adapted from a number of resources by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
3. Defend your town from the sea: In this activity, students will design defences that could be constructed around a town or village to protect it against flooding.