The Mississippi is the largest river in North America and the most destructive of human works, presenting an epic challenge for the Army Corps of Engineers around New Orleans.

Learning Objective

Students will learn about the largest river in North America, the Mississippi River.

Social Studies Standards

Civic Ideals and Practices: C, I

Discussion Prompts

• Reflect on the different economic features of the Mississippi River. Rank order the economic features from the most to the least important and explain your reasoning.
• Why is the Mississippi River considered extremely important and a culture treasure? Discuss the culture treasures that surround the river and its importance to the region.
• Discuss some of the projects aimed at combatting erosion and rising sea levels including the weakness of at least one of the projects.
• Explore how humans have controlled and modified the river with levees and spillways. How might humans cause more harm by engineering solutions? Do you agree or disagree with these methods? Support your response with evidence.

Lesson Activities

• Explore how the Mississippi river creates and sustains wetlands around New Orleans. Imagine you are a landscape architect, and you were tasked to create a visual of the wetlands. Include their role protecting the city from natural disasters while at the same time supporting biodiversity.
• Create a diorama highlighting the diverse species that live in and around the river, including alligators, herons, and fish.
• New Orleans has a very rich and multicultural influence. Create an artistic symbol to represent all of the cultures that are infused in that region. The symbol can be culinary art, visual, 3-D piece, storytelling, etc.
• Climate change, urban development, and conservation might reshape the Mississippi River and its role in New Orleans. Write a letter to the mayor of New Orleans on how the city could start collecting stories, videos, etc. to help preserve the great multicultural influence. Create a model of your vision to share along with the letter.

Vocabulary

• barge
• channeled
• collapsing
• commerce
• dredged
• delusions
• heartland
• levee
• monumental
• whims

Download

In the Americas Season 11 Lesson Episode 9