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According to Wild Texas, Pedernales Falls State Park is located in Johnson City, Texas. It provides one of the largest walking, hiking, biking, and equestrian "trails" in Texas, with over 5,000 acres of land and 6 miles of the Perdernales River. The flow of the Pedernales River has created a beautiful limestone gorge, filled with pools, rapids, beaches, and waterfalls. Visitors flock to this area to enjoy the views and wildlife, including over 150 species of birds!
The most unique feature of this area, is the "gorge"ous limestone gorge! Visitors are welcome to view this area from an outlook or if they are able, climb down into the gorge for some exploration, however, strong currents, slick rocks, and the potential for flash flooding restrict exploration of the limestone gorge.
The restrictions mentioned above, make it very difficult for young children, the elderly, or physically handicapped to fully enjoy the gorge created by the Pedernales River. As a naturalist, you believe in preserving nature while educating the public and teaching them to appreciate their natural surroundings.
The Texas Park and Wildlife Commission has contacted you for some help. They would like to design a walkway that would allow everyone to enjoy the gorge without distracting from the natural beauty of the area or disturbing the natural balance. You and your team will be collaborating together on this project. Keep in mind that this area is continually being reshaped, due weathering, erosion, and deposition!
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1. Read and analyze the scenario and situation.
Check your understanding of the scenario. Don't be tempted to start thinking about potential solutions or to start looking for information.
2. List your personal understanding, ideas or hunches.
Now that you are familiar with weathering, erosion, and deposition you will write everything you know about weathering, erosion, and deposition. Describe your thoughts or ideas about how to solve the problem. There are not incorrect answers in this step, just feel free to brainstorm your ideas.
3. List what is known.
With your team use all the information available in the scenario to list everything that you know about weathering, erosion, and deposition. You do not have to conduct any research yet. Just use the information given and write the facts that you already know about weathering, erosion, and deposition.
4. List what is unknown.
With your team, make a list about what you do not know and would like to learn. List all the questions you will need to answer to solve the problem.
5. List what needs to be done.
"What should we do?" List actions to be taken, e.g., question an expert, conduct research, go to a board meeting about topic. List possible actions.
6. Develop a problem statement.
You will be responsible for thinking and choosing one of the questions to solve the problem. A problem statement should come from your analysis of what you know. In one or two sentences, you should be able to describe what it is that your group is trying to solve, produce, respond to, or find out. The problem statement may have to be revised as new information is discovered and brought to bear on the situation.
7. Gather information
Use all the resources available (Internet, library, etc) to research about the problem/topic and find a solution.
8. Present Findings
Create a 3-dimensional scaled model of the gorge area of Pedernales Falls State Park, including a proposal for a walkway that would allow all visitors to enjoy the beauty of the area.
Create a 3 minute presentation using any Web 2.0 tool, explaining your proposed walkway.
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5.7 Solving problems. The student uses appropriate computer-based productivity tools to create and modify solutions to problems. The student is expected to:
(A) use software programs with audio, video, and graphics to enhance learning experiences;
(B) use appropriate software to express ideas and solve problems including the use of word processing, graphics, databases, spreadsheets, simulations, and multimedia; and
(C) use a variety of data types including text, graphics, digital audio, and video.
5.8 Solving problems. The student uses research skills and electronic communication, with appropriate supervision, to create new knowledge. The student is expected to:
(A) use communication tools to participate in group projects;
(B) use interactive technology environments, such as simulations, electronic science or mathematics laboratories, virtual museum field trips, or on-line interactive lessons, to manipulate information; and
(C) participate with electronic communities as a learner, initiator, contributor, or mentor.
5.9 Solving problems. The student uses technology applications to facilitate evaluation of work, both process and product. The student is expected to:
(A) use software features, such as on-line help, to evaluate work progress; and
(B) use software features, such as slide show previews, to evaluate final product.
5.10 Communication. The student formats digital information for appropriate and effective communication. The student is expected to:
(A) use font attributes, color, white space, and graphics to ensure that products are appropriate for the defined audience;
(B) use font attributes, color, white space, and graphics to ensure that products are appropriate for the communication media including multimedia screen displays, Internet documents, and printed materials; and
(C) use appropriate applications including, but not limited to, spreadsheets and databases to develop charts and graphs by using data from various sources.
5.11 Communication. The student delivers the product electronically in a variety of media, with appropriate supervision. The student is expected to:
(A) publish information in a variety of media including, but not limited to, printed copy, monitor display, Internet documents, and video; and
(B) use presentation software to communicate with specific audiences.
5.12 Communication. The student uses technology applications to facilitate evaluation of communication, both process and product. The student is expected to:
(A) select representative products to be collected and stored in an electronic evaluation tool;
(B) evaluate the product for relevance to the assignment or task; and
(C) create technology assessment tools to monitor progress of project such as checklists, timelines, or rubrics.
4.2 Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific inquiry methods during laboratory and outdoor investigations. The student is expected to:
(A) plan and implement descriptive investigations, including asking well-defined questions, making inferences, and selecting and using appropriate equipment or technology to answer his/her questions;
(B) collect and record data by observing and measuring, using the metric system, and using descriptive words and numerals such as labeled drawings, writing, and concept maps;
4.7 Earth and space. The students know that Earth consists of useful resources and its surface is constantly changing. The student is expected to:
(B) observe and identify slow changes to Earth's surface caused by weathering, erosion, and deposition from water, wind, and ice; and
5.26 Social studies skills. The student uses problem-solving and decision-making skills, working independently and with others, in a variety of settings. The student is expected to:
(A) use a problem-solving process to identify a problem, gather information, list and consider options, consider advantages and disadvantages, choose and implement a solution, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution; and
(B) use a decision-making process to identify a situation that requires a decision, gather information, identify options, predict consequences, and take action to implement a decision.
5.10 Measurement. The student applies measurement concepts involving length (including perimeter), area, capacity/volume, and weight/mass to solve problems. The student is expected to:
(B) connect models for perimeter, area, and volume with their respective formulas; and
(C) select and use appropriate units and formulas to measure length, perimeter, area, and volume.
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