Guadalupe River Park Conservancy

Student: Katherine Cooke

Advisor: Shoba Krishnan

The student designed curriculum and a table-top demonstration unit to supplement a course on flood control engineering being taught by the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy homeschool program.  The project goals were to make the activities hands-on, engaging, and connected to the natural world. To get ideas for age-appropriate curriculum, the student visited the Children’s Discovery Museum in San Jose to get ideas.  The curriculum covers the hydrologic cycle, flooding and runoff, and soil erosion, and flood control techniques. The demonstration unit was designed to function and look like the actual culverts constructed for flood control of the Guadalupe River.  It was made from Styrofoam, cut into shape and then covered with moss and included other features to make it look realistic.