The STEM Central Context on Water allows practitioners and learners to explore flood planning and flood management. The microgeneration learning journey has a Sciences focus aimed at third level. Lessons give learners experiences and the opportunity to develop their understanding of a renewable source of energy through practical investigation. This context would lend itself well to an interdisciplinary learning planned in partnership with technologies.

The flood planning learning journey is aimed at third level Social Studies and begins by engaging learners with the topic of flooding through discussion of local flooding issues in Scotland. Learners are given opportunities to understand the social and financial impact of flooding and possible flood prevention methods both natural and manmade. They also consider the effect of flooding on both developed and developing countries and how aid may impact on this.

The flood management learning journey is aimed at fourth level Technologies and begins by engaging learners with the topic of flooding to immerse themselves in some of the issues and problems of the people affected by flooding. Learners are given opportunities to research existing products and systems, to analyse case studies and to design, model and apply the basic principles of control technology. They also consider the possible negative impacts of engineered solutions and whether sometimes ‘low tech’, or non-engineered solutions can be appropriate by looking at practice in this country and elsewhere in the world.

There are various videos available through Glow Science (Glow log in required) that you could use to support these learning journeys:

• Hurricane Katrina: Part 1: In 2005, New Orleans was struck by Hurricane Katrina. What defences did the city have to protect it?
• Hurricane Katrina: Part 2: In 2005, New Orleans was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The city had flood defences which were meant to protect it. Why did these fail and could this happen again?
• Storm Surges: Storm surges are huge domes of water sucked upwards by the eye of a hurricane. What happens if they hit the shore, or worse, a city?