This interactive mapping tool allows students to view a wide variety of environmental, demographic, and risk mitigation data for the New Jersey shoreline.
Students can view the map using a number of tools, including "Marsh Explorer," "Living Shorelines," "Regional Planning", and "Risk Explorer."
A range of layers and limiters allow students to focus the map data on specific areas and/or types of risk.
Teaching Tips
Positives
There is a feature under "Regional Planning" that allows you to see the extent of flooding from Hurricane Sandy, as well as projected amounts of flooding from hurricanes of various strengths.
Clicking on the wrench icon on the right-hand side of the screen will allow students to measure an area, zoom, bookmark a map, or create a map.
Additional Prerequisites
Clicking on the word "Tour" located at the bottom left-hand corner of the screen will launch an overview of the mapping applications.
This resource can be a little tricky to navigate so teachers should spend time familiarizing themselves with the many mapping options available in order to find the ones that fit best with the lesson.
The "Living Shoreline" tool has a user's guide which can be accessed from the tool's three-lines (hamburger) menu button.
This 36-page Community Resource Guide provides background material about planning a "living shorelines" project that may help students better understand the purpose of the resource.
Differentiation
Earth science classes could use the "Regional Planning" tool to discuss what will happen to New Jersey if the sea level increases. Students can locate the data by selecting "Coastal Resilience" then "Coastal Hazards".
Social studies classes could layer the demographics data in the "Coastal Resilience" section of the "Regional Planning" tool with hurricane storm surge data in order to understand how vulnerable populations are affected by storm surge.
Other resources on this topic include this interactive mapping portal that will allow students to look at data for coastal regions around the world, this Vox video on chronic flooding in New Jersey, and this article on solutions for protecting coastal communities.
Scientist Notes
The map explores coastal areas at risk of erosion and sea level rise and provides evidence-based information on reforestation needs, ecological disturbances, and coastal resilience in New Jersey counties. Variables adopted to calculate the vulnerability index and risk are appropriate. Thus, this resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
Dimension 2: Geography
D2.Geo.1.6-8 Construct maps to represent and explain the spatial patterns of cultural and environmental characteristics.
D2.Geo.1.9-12 Use geospatial and related technologies to create maps to display and explain the spatial patterns of cultural and environmental characteristics.
D2.Geo.12.9-12 Evaluate the consequences of human-made and natural catastrophes on global trade, politics, and human migration.
D2.Geo.3.9-12 Use geographic data to analyze variations in the spatial patterns of cultural and environmental characteristics at multiple scales.
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS2: Earth's Systems
HS-ESS2-2 Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.
ETS1: Engineering Design
HS-ETS1-2 Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.
