Abstract
The Sea-Level Rise in the Classroom curriculum enhances scientific, environmental, and civics literacy of high school students through four modules on understanding and addressing sea-level rise impacts. Students that understand the risks and are prepared to undertake potential solutions generate an empowered coastal citizenry able to support resilient communities, ecosystems, and economies. However, school structure during COVID-19 presents different learning settings and hands-on explorations are not always possible. This presentation will share the adaptations we have made to continue reaching high school students in their classrooms or homes. As part of our curriculum we developed a guide for classes to visit 12 high water marks along the Mississippi coast. High water marks are a visible representation of prior floods and are placed as an educational tool to inform residents about risks from floods and consider actions to be more resilient. In collaboration with other departments at Mississippi State University including the Geosystems Research Institute and Northern Gulf Institute we have developed a virtual reality version of this field trip. Using an app, students can visualize water levels from Hurricane Katrina along with models of what Katrina would look like with future sea-level rise. Distance learning also restricted access of guest speakers. To connect local resilience professionals with high school classes we recorded interviews saved as a digital resource. Adapting in-person lessons to virtual learning helps reach students where they are and increases usability of our curriculum.
