New York Is Building a Wall to Hold Back the Ocean
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Provided by: Vox|Published on: April 27, 2021
Videos
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Synopsis
- This video is a collaboration between Vox and Curbed that discusses infrastructure adaptations taking place in some coastal areas that attempt to address sea level rise and coastal erosion from storms and strong waves.
- The video highlights Staten Island, which has received funding to build a sea wall to prevent coastal erosion along a portion of its shore.

Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences, Engineering
Authors: Vox
Region: New York City
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This video introduces students to several topics: climate adaptation, climate resilience, coastal erosion, sea walls, sea level rise, and flooding.
- The description below the video provides links to additional research and climate-related content.
Prerequisites
- There may be an ad at the beginning of the video.
- Students should understand climate change and that increased extreme weather and flooding are a result of it.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Teachers can use this resource when discussing the relationship between ocean warming, sea level rise, flooding, and storms.
- Advanced students can work in groups and create a protection plan for this island, which could include resilient infrastructure, walls, or other new ideas.
- Other related resources include Youth Climate Story: Sea Level Rise In Massachusetts and Sea Level Rise: Climate Change Impacts.
This resource explains how Staten Island wants to build a 5-mile-long sea wall to protect itself from rising sea levels. Please note as of 2021, the project has been delayed, and it does not appear that construction has yet begun. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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