Planning—Coastal Decision-Making

Summary: How and why should different perspectives be considered when deciding how to use and protect coastal resources? In the NOAA lesson “I'll Stay Here If It Kills Me,” students use role-playing to explore the human dimensions of coastal decision-making. In most of the role-playing exercises, each student assumes the role of a person, organism, or process affected by a particular issue and studies the impacts of this issue on human life and human activities from the perspective of that stakeholder. Students examine how obtaining public support (or “buy in”) influences outcomes, and they explore potential barriers to obtaining public support and action.

Concepts to teach:

• Crosscutting Concepts
  • Stability and Change
    
• Disciplinary Core Ideas
  • ESS3
• Science Practices
  • Constructing explanations and designing solutions

Goals:

1. Coastal resources are used and impacted by a variety of stakeholders
   
2. Stakeholders do not always agree on what constitutes the "best" use of these resources
3. It is important to achieve maximum public support (“buy-in”) for actions to protect coastal resources and control the ways in which these resources are used.

Standards: NGSS Performance Expectations

• HS-ESS3-4. Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.

Specific Objectives:
Students will be able to:

1. Identify and discuss four components of "human dimensions" involved in coastal decision-making
2. Describe a process to build public support for coast resource protection and will be able to explain why this support is important
3. Describe at least three perspectives that exist among different groups of stakeholders regarding a specific coastal resource issue.

Activity Links and Resources:

• I'll Stay Here If It Kills Me—This Gr. 9-12 lesson plan from NOAA ocean service education uses role playing to explore the human dimensions surrounding complex coastal issues. Choose a topic related to the impacts of and planning for coastal storm surges.
• Readings:
  • Incorporating Sea Level Change Scenarios at the Local Level—This publication from NOAA Office for Coastal Management outlines eight steps a community can take to develop site-appropriate planning for sea level change
  • Coastal Climate Change: Survey Results for Oregon 2012—This publication from Oregon Sea Grant assesses attitudes, barriers and needs for Oregon coastal climate change adaptation planning.
  • The Oregon Climate Change Adaptation Framework, 2010 - Assessment of Very Likely and Likely risks associated with climate change, and short-term Action Items for addressing these risks
    • Coastal erosion and flooding (p. 44-48)
    • Change in species distribution (p. 49-54)
    • Loss of wetland ecosystems (p. 62-69)

Assessment:

• Assessment questions are included in the “I'll Stay Here If It Kills Me” lesson plan.