Phenomena: Arid Landscapes and Moisture Farms
Students see the Landscape Photo and Moisture Harvesting Device Photo of Tatooine Moisture Farms from Star Wars and discuss why and how a community would farm for moisture as a class. Students will explore additional lesson-level phenomena such as real-life dew farmers in Chile and clean energy solutions in communities across the world.
Next Generation Science Standards
Next Generation Science Standards
| NGSS Performance Expectations | Where to find it |
| 5-LS2-1: Matter cycles between the air and soil and among plants, animals, and microbes as these organisms live and die. Organisms obtain gases, and water, from the environment, and release waste matter (gas, liquid, or solid) back into the environment. | L1, L5 |
| E-SS3-1: Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard | L2 |
| 5-ESS3-1: Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment | L2, L3, L4, L6 |
| 3-5- ETS1-2: Generate and compare multiple solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. | L5, L6 |
| 4-PS3-2: Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents | L2 |
| 4-ESS3-2: Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth processes on humans | L1, L3, L5 |
| 3-5-ETS1-1: Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost | L2 |
Lesson 1: Natural Resources
This lesson introduces students to natural resources and creates a foundational understanding of how people use natural resources. Students are introduced to a phenomenon of moisture harvesting. Students begin to explore and classify the different forms of energy and how human activity and use of resources can impact the environment.
Lesson 2: How Does Human Use of Resources Impact the Environment?
Students learn about how human use of natural resources can impact the environment. Students create a fog catcher to make sense of the phenomenon. Students assess the impact of their actions on the environment through an ecological footprint/handprint activity.
Lesson 3: What Are Current Energy Systems and Challenges?
Students will research and present different energy sources and challenges.
Lesson 4: Who is an Activist?
This lesson introduces students to youth environmental activists involved in the work in creating an awareness about climate change issues. Students will begin to consider how they can use critical thinking to identify issues and their voice to address issues in their communities.
Lesson 5: What are Some Possible Solutions to Current Energy Challenges?
Students explore innovative solutions to current energy challenges. Students explore how food waste can be transformed into methane in a renewable gas demonstration.
Lesson 6: Designing a City That Addresses Energy Needs
Students work collaboratively to apply what they have learned in the unit to design a sustainable city of the future with attention to water, energy, carbon footprint, waste, and layout of the city.