Lesson Plan: Innovative Solutions to Global Challenges – The Story Behind the Watch Duty App

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Grade Level: Middle or High School
Subject: Social Studies, Technology, or Current Events
Theme: Innovative Solutions to Global Challenges

Objective

By the end of this lesson, students will:

  1. Understand the background, development, and impact of the Watch Duty app.
  2. Explore how technology and community involvement aid crisis management.
  3. Experience real-time tracking of a wildfire using the Watch Duty app.
  4. Design their own app concept to address a specific problem.

Paulette Lifton woke up on her 67th birthday on Tuesday morning in a panic to smoke pluming in the distance of her home in the Granada Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. The first person she called was her sister Annette.

“What’s going on?” Ms. Lifton asked.

“You have to download the Watch Duty app,” her sister responded.

Ms. Lifton did just that, tracking the spread of the fire through the app’s map and updates as she packed her car with her most prized possessions — her favorite sequin jacket; her dogs, King Charles spaniels, Elle and Sansa; and the two Emmys she won as a television and movie sound editor.

For Ms. Lifton and thousands of other Los Angeles residents, Watch Duty has become a lifeline in tracking the multiple wildfires blazing around the city. In a county of nearly 10 million people, the news of the app has spread by word of mouth and in online community groups. The New York Times

Lesson Structure

1. Introduction

  • Engage Students: Begin with a thought-provoking question: “How would you feel if your family faced a wildfire emergency? What tools or information might help you stay safe?”
  • Briefly explain the prevalence of wildfires in the U.S. and the challenges in delivering real-time emergency updates.
  • Introduce the Watch Duty app as an innovative response to these challenges.

2. The Story Behind the Watch Duty App

  • Highlight:
    • The team behind Watch Duty (firefighters, tech experts, and volunteers).
    • The app’s key features: real-time wildfire tracking, crowdsourced updates, and community involvement.
    • The importance of transitioning to a nonprofit to sustain its mission.
    • Impact: How the app saves lives by providing critical information to affected communities.
  • Discussion Questions:
    1. Why is real-time information critical during wildfires?
    2. What role does community involvement play in the app’s success?
    3. How does Watch Duty complement traditional emergency communication systems?

3. Activity: Using the Watch Duty App

  1. Log In and Explore:
    • Provide students with access to the Watch Duty web app: https://app.watchduty.org/.
    • Guide them to explore the interface and locate active wildfires.
  2. Track a Fire in Real Time:
    • Assign students to follow a current wildfire.
    • Ask them to note key details:
      • Location of the fire.
      • Updates from community reporters.
      • Any evacuation orders or emergency responses.
  3. Class Discussion:
    • What did students observe about how information is shared?
    • How might this real-time data help residents and emergency responders?

4. Brainstorming Session: Identifying Similar Stories

  • Prompt: “What other problems have been solved by small, innovative teams like Watch Duty?”
  • Examples to inspire students:
    • Apps tackling food waste (e.g., Too Good to Go).
    • Tools for disaster relief (e.g., social media platforms for fundraising or locating survivors).
  • Groups identify one example of innovation solving a societal challenge and share with the class.

4. Task: Designing a New App

  • Group Activity: In their groups, students brainstorm an app idea to address a different area of need. Provide guiding questions:
    1. What specific problem does your app address?
    2. Who would benefit from it?
    3. What features would make it effective?
    4. How would it involve community participation?
  • Presentations: Groups present their app concept to the class, explaining how it could make a significant impact.

Assessment

Students will be evaluated on:

  1. Participation in the Watch Duty tracking activity.
  2. Contributions to group discussions and brainstorming.
  3. Creativity and feasibility of their app concept.
  4. Clarity and depth of their group presentation.

Extension Activities

  • Research Project: Assign students to research another app or initiative that addresses a societal issue. They write a report on its impact and present findings to the class.
  • Debate: Organize a class debate on the question: “Can community-driven technology replace traditional emergency response systems?”

Reflection

End the lesson with a reflective question:
“What did you learn about the role of technology and community in addressing real-world challenges? How can you apply these lessons to problems you see in your own community?”

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