Hope for History at George Washington Birthplace Monument
Videos
Grades3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8Biology, Earth and Space Sciences, History
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Provided by National Park Service
What it is
- This video shows how the National Park Service is collecting data on how sea level rise and erosion are affecting the shoreline of the George Washington Birthplace National Monument.
- Students will learn that two cultural sites at the George Washington Birthplace National Monument have been lost due to climate change-related erosion.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This video shows how data can educate people about the damage that climate change causes to historical and cultural landmarks.
- The video description contains a link to an audio-described version of the video.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students may want to locate George Washington Birthplace National Monument on a map to see why the monument is vulnerable to sea level rise and coastal erosion.
Differentiation
- Geography classes could use a map to locate other important sites that could be affected by climate change.
- History classes could discuss the role of monuments in culture. Students could consider the following questions:
- Why do we preserve certain historical sites?
- Can you think of a historical monument that has been lost? How does that affect your perception of the place?
- Who is in charge of preventing climate change from destroying important sites? Why?
- Other resources on this topic include this video on how to slow coastal erosion, this interactive map of coastal flood risk areas, and this National Park Service video on the importance of environmental education.
From the scientist review
This video presents a case on the importance of collecting climatic data to measure the effects of climate change on natural ecosystems such as parks and to inform effective disaster risk management and climate resilience. This is insightful, inspiring, and recommended for teaching.
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