EXPERIMENTAL WORKSHOPS AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES - LIFE FRANCA - Flood Risk Anticipation and Communication in the Alps

LIFE FRANCA will develop new workshops and educational activities to introduce students aged 13 to 18 to topics covered by the project, such as natural hazards, hydrogeological hazards and flood hazards in particular, hydrology and climate change.

The activities have been offered for free to a limited number of classes from September 2017 to April 2018.
Experimentation with schools collected specific evaluation questionnaires from all participants.
The workshop Know your territory, is there any hazards? has been included in the MUSE’s educational offering.

To have further information, please write to info@lifefranca.eu

Below a descrtiption of the activities:

Know your territory: is there any hazard?

Find out about the hydrogeological hazards in an alpine valley and create the related flood hazard maps.

Length: 2.5 hours
Target: Secondary school students
Method: IBSE approach

BACKGROUND ON THE IBSE APPROACH
IBSE stands for Inquiry-Based Science Education.
During IBSE activities, students are actively engaged in a scientific analysis process that starts with an investigable question.
The students collect experimental data and evidence, formulate explanations based on the evidence gathered, evaluate and discuss proposed solutions.

To learn more, watch the video realised as part of the Inspiring Science Education project that describes the IBSE approach:
Watch the video

Flood: how to defend ourselves?

Discuss in small groups and choose the most efficient strategy to manage flood risk.

Length: 1.5 hours
Target: Secondary school students
Method: Play Decide workshop

BACKGROUND ON PLAY DECIDE
Play decide is a “debate game” in which participants discuss in a structured and informed manner controversial or current scientific topics that arouse significant interest.
The game was developed by the European project FUND with the objective of promoting participatory methods and stimulating public interest in the most controversial topics of scientific debate.

To learn more about play decide, visit this website:
http://www.playdecide.eu/

ArduRiver

Built and test a device to measure the river parameters useful to forecast floods.

Length:           4 lessons of 3.5 hours
Target:            Secondary school students
Method:         Arduino

BACKGROUND ON ARDUINO
Arduino is an open-source platform created as a tool to develop electronic and automation projects.
It is a hardware device for rapid prototyping for hobby, educational and professional projects.
Arduino can connect and integrate with other electronic tools like sensors, LEDs, motors, cameras and speakers to create interactive devices.

To learn more about Arduino, visit the website:
https://www.arduino.cc/

Science on a Sphere: Floods & co.

Learn more about hydrogeological risks, climatology, hydrology… in a virtual journey from global to local issues.

Length: 0.5 hours
Target: Secondary school students
Method: SOS Science On a Sphere

BACKGROUND ABOUT SOS
Science On a Sphere (SOS) is a display system developed by researchers at the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).
SOS is an educational tool that uses computers and video projectors to display planetary data onto 1.7 metre diameter sphere.

More information on the SOS website
https://sos.noaa.gov/What_is_SOS/