What is a coastal environment and how do we manage it? Your students will be able to explore the issue of coastal erosion – through natural processes and human interference. With the Coastal Park Rangers, your students will have fun building their own beach profile and then discover different coastal management techniques used locally and nationally. They will also have the chance to debate the current issue of the future of our sand dunes and find out up to date information on the hot debate.
Age/level: Year 11-13 |
Availability: Available all year around |
Length: From 2 ½ hours |
Site: Anywhere between the Waimakariri river mouth and South Brighton Spit. |
Cost: free |
Number of Classes: One at a time
(one class = 35 students) |
Programme outline
Key concepts
Coastal management techniques (sand fencing, vegetation, gabions, groynes, sea and rock walls), erosion, values positions over the height of the sand dunes, human impacts along the Pegasus Bay Coast.
Lesson description/intentions
This programme takes on a practical approach where your students will be able to build a mini-dune system and beach profile. They will work with coastal park rangers to manage their beach area by constructing their own sand fences, put vegetation in place and build groynes, gabions and sea walls. Then students will have a chance to enter a debate considering the future of the sand dunes taking on the perspective of a wide range of community members.
Students will consider the impact we have on a coastal area (past and present) and look at ways that they can minimise their impact on that environment. They will also have a chance to make their own mark in protecting and enhancing the environment, by participating in a beach clean-up or dune planting exercise depending on the time of the year.
Possible success criteria
Students may be able to:
- Identify key reasons why coastal environments are special places.
- Make a dune system.
- Name at least three influences that might negatively impact on the beach.
- Describe methods of coastal management.
- Provide positive and negative feedback for at least one of the management techniques described.
- Explain how people have used the coast and how the coast has changed from past to present.
- Identify at least three interest groups related to dune management in the coastal region and name at least one of their interests or concerns with how the dunes are managed.
- Identify one management technique they consider to be most appropriate for the Pegasus Bay Coastal area and justify their decision.
- Identify an action that they can take to reduce dune erosion.
- Name flora and fauna living in a coastal environment.
Feedback
"I was really impressed with the interactive nature of the unit and the way students discussed with their peers each structure they had built. Judging by the feedback we had from them they appreciated the lesson too."
Teacher, Year 13
"The coast is constantly changing due to natural processes but these processes can be altered and managed to a degree."
Student, Year 13
Learning areas
| NCEA Geography 1.6 (90207) | Describe a Contemporary geographic issue |
| NCEA Geography 3.1 (90701) | Analyse a geographic environment, focusing on the interacting natural processes |
| NCEA Geography 3.6 (90706) | Analyse a contemporary geographic issue and evaluate courses of action |
