Students will launch the Delta search challenge by examining a simulated lost-phone scene, asking investigable questions, and identifying the project’s safety and environmental expectations. They will then build foundational knowledge about light-material interactions and revise initial criteria for an underwater scope.

Students will investigate light-material interactions, define measurable underwater-scope requirements, generate three distinct concepts, and complete a peer-reviewed controlled test plan before advancing to prototype construction.

Students will evaluate individual underwater-scope concepts, combine evidence-supported features, and construct a safe team prototype that is ready for controlled testing in simulated murky delta water.

Students will test underwater-scope prototypes through repeated detection trials, analyze quantitative evidence, critique proposed improvements, and revise and retest their designs. They will document performance against visibility, reliability, safety, usability, and ecosystem-protection criteria before completing an individual light-wave assessment and reflection.

Students will demonstrate their understanding of light waves, refine their engineering arguments through peer critique, and present a tested underwater-scope prototype to district staff. They will use quantitative evidence to explain design decisions, safely locate a model phone in simulated murky water, and reflect on how light-material interactions influenced their work.