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Each of the 5 Climates on Earth have different challenges for organisms to overcome. Animals have developed strength, speed, and agility to survive. Humans run slower, are weaker, and have slower reactions than many of the animals we live around. So how do humans survive? We use culture, tools, and engineering! In this lab, students will learn how tool usage helps humans survive and navigate in the harshest environments!

-Release Date - Fall 2025

Environmental Survival Engineering Lab

Lesson Centers

Lesson Centers

  • This lab introduces students to environmental anthropology. Students will learn about the environment alongside some of the many animal and human adaptations that allow us to survive. These include an animals camouflage and speed, as well as human culture and engineering skills.

  • If a tree falls and no one hears it, does it make a sound? Who knows, but students will be able to build shelters out of what is left! They’ll Use a mix of natural and lightly processed resources to make a wildland shelter!

  • Modern shelter requires electricity for cooking, climate control, and lighting. Students will design and wire homes with efficient LED lights as their groupmates take turns operating a mini power station!

  • Cities have aided human survival for centuries, ensuring access too food, water, and shelter. Students will work with their groups to plan and simulate a modern city. They will need to provide water, electricity, and shelter to succeed in this PC based simulation.

  • Aqueducts have provided cities with water for thousands of years. Students will work together to supply their desert city with water from far away lands to grasp the importance of water use in city survival.

    1. Student time -Approximately 3 hours, this is perfect for 3 separate groups of ~24 students, or an after school program.

      Set up time - 1 Hour is needed prior to first students’/ class arrival.

    2. CA NGSS Standards

      1- PS4-1 through 3: Cause and Effect

      2.-ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems (ETS1 -1,2,3)

      5-ESS3.B: Natural Hazards

    3. Lab Timing - Approx. 55 minutes. Each Center is around 10 minutes. A 5 minute opening and a 10 minute closing/clean up time are required.

    4. Supervision School/Campus shall provide supervision via valued teachers or proctors.

    5. Lab Centers are best suited for groups of 24-30 students at a time for grade levels 2-6.

      **Fewer students may be sent, (Admin discretion)

      **Custom class sizes, grade level combinations, or other participants are per Admin’s Discretion.

    6. Lab centers:

      • Wildland Shelter Building Uses natural materials, may incur small, light scratches

      • Age of Electricity **Uses 3d Printed homes and fixtures.

      • City Planning PC Simulation

      • Aqueduct Construction uses plastic balls to simulate water molecules.

    7. Location - A classroom sized indoor area is preferred, electricity is required. Chairs and Tables are required.

    8. Fire lane/ vehicle access near classroom is required to expedite set up.

Fall 2025
Fall 2025