Natural

Disasters

By: Nicole Thurzo,

Amanda Bannach, &

Sarah Menich

LESSON

DESIGNED

FOR 6th GRADE

Illinois State StandardIllinois State Standard

12. E. 3a.- Analyze and 12. E. 3a.- Analyze and explain large-scale explain large-scale dynamic forces, dynamic forces, events and processes events and processes that affect the Earth’s that affect the Earth’s Land, water, and Land, water, and atmospheric systems atmospheric systems (e.g. hurricanes, (e.g. hurricanes, tornados)tornados)

ObjectivesObjectives Name the types of Name the types of

natural disasters. natural disasters.

Explain the Explain the characteristics of each characteristics of each type of natural type of natural disaster.disaster.

Explain some natural disasters of the past.

Use the vocabulary given in a paper about natural disasters.

Objectives ContinuedObjectives Continued Explain how natural

disasters affect the people and their community.

Explain how we know a natural disaster is coming.

Describe the importance Describe the importance of weather tools.of weather tools.

List the consequences of List the consequences of a natural disaster.a natural disaster.

VocabularyVocabulary Natural Disaster-Natural Disaster- An act of An act of

nature that can cause terrible nature that can cause terrible consequences for living things.consequences for living things.

Funnel Cloud-Funnel Cloud- A cloud that is A cloud that is triangular in shape and spins triangular in shape and spins very fast. very fast.

Tidal Wave-Tidal Wave- a huge destructive a huge destructive wave, that is caused by wave, that is caused by something, (i.e. earthquake)something, (i.e. earthquake)

Advisory- Advisory- A statement that is A statement that is issued by the National Weather issued by the National Weather Service to deliver the message Service to deliver the message of probable weather, i.e. a of probable weather, i.e. a snowstorm.snowstorm.

Vocabulary Vocabulary ContinuedContinued

Wind-chill-Wind-chill- a measurement of a measurement of how cold the air feels because how cold the air feels because of the wind.of the wind.

EarthquakeEarthquake- a trembling or - a trembling or shaking movement of the earth. shaking movement of the earth. In severe earthquakes, the In severe earthquakes, the ground can crake open.ground can crake open.

HurricaneHurricane- a spiral-shaped - a spiral-shaped windstorm that comes from the windstorm that comes from the tropics, (i.e. anywhere near an tropics, (i.e. anywhere near an ocean)ocean)

Air Pressure-Air Pressure- the force the force produced by the weight of the produced by the weight of the air pressing down on the earth.air pressing down on the earth.

AccommodationsAccommodations Mnemonic training

for students Organizational skills Pre-teach vocabulary

and other important information in new unit.

Have tests read aloud Alternative settings

when needed

Accommodations Accommodations ContinuedContinued

Peer tutorPeer tutor Graphic organizersGraphic organizers Extended time for Extended time for

assignments/testsassignments/tests Highlight important Highlight important

parts of textparts of text Give students visual Give students visual

examples of the examples of the consequences of consequences of natural disastersnatural disasters

ModificationsModifications

Reduce the vocabulary list.Reduce the vocabulary list. Reduce the number of choices on Reduce the number of choices on

the multiple choice test.the multiple choice test. Provide different text that is Provide different text that is

easier for the student to easier for the student to understand.understand.

Require the student to explain Require the student to explain one cause and one consequence one cause and one consequence for only three of the natural for only three of the natural disasters discussed in class.disasters discussed in class.

Have students use the vocabulary Have students use the vocabulary in a fill in the blank worksheet or in a fill in the blank worksheet or write a sentence rather than write a sentence rather than write a paper.write a paper.

Assistive TechnologyAssistive Technology

Videos that show Videos that show how to examples of how to examples of projects that are projects that are assigned.assigned.

Adaptive computer Adaptive computer equipmentequipment

Books that are on Books that are on tapetape

Computer programs Computer programs to help with writing to help with writing papers (Co-papers (Co-Writer2000Writer2000))

Tips For ParentsTips For Parents

Watch the Weather Channel with your child.Watch the Weather Channel with your child. When reading or looking at the weather be When reading or looking at the weather be

sure to look at the weather all over the country sure to look at the weather all over the country and discuss the natural disasters that are likely and discuss the natural disasters that are likely to occur in each area.to occur in each area.

Discuss potential natural disasters in your community Discuss potential natural disasters in your community and brainstorm what you would do in each scenario.and brainstorm what you would do in each scenario.

Tips for Parents Continued…Tips for Parents Continued…

Practice where you would go in Practice where you would go in the case of a natural disaster.the case of a natural disaster.

Complete the FEMA checklist Complete the FEMA checklist of safety items in the home.of safety items in the home.

When a storm is happening When a storm is happening watch for the lighting and count watch for the lighting and count to see how long it takes for to see how long it takes for thunder to strike and explain thunder to strike and explain the shorter the time the closer the shorter the time the closer the lightening is.the lightening is.

Watch movies that contain Watch movies that contain natural disasters, i.e. The Day natural disasters, i.e. The Day After Tomorrow, and discuss After Tomorrow, and discuss the myths to the movie and the myths to the movie and answer questions that your answer questions that your child might have or if you don’t child might have or if you don’t know look them up together. know look them up together.

Teacher ResourcesTeacher Resources

National Oceanic and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Atmospheric Administration Education ResourcesEducation Resources http://http://www.education.noaa.govwww.education.noaa.gov//

FEMA for KidsFEMA for Kidshttp://http://www.fema.gov/kids/index.htmwww.fema.gov/kids/index.htm

Risk WatchRisk Watchhttp://http://www.nfpa.org/riskwatch/home.www.nfpa.org/riskwatch/home.htmlhtml

Teacher Resources ContinuedTeacher Resources Continued

Do Tornadoes Really Do Tornadoes Really Twist? Questions and Twist? Questions and Answers about Tornadoes Answers about Tornadoes and Hurricanes.and Hurricanes. Written by: Melvin Berger Written by: Melvin Berger

and Higgins Bondand Higgins Bond

EarthquakesEarthquakes Written by: Franklyn Written by: Franklyn

Mansfield Branley and Mansfield Branley and Megan LloydMegan Lloyd

CritiquesCritiques National Oceanic and Atmospheric National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration Education Administration Education ResourcesResources http://http://www.education.noaa.govwww.education.noaa.gov//

FEMA for KidsFEMA for Kids

http://www.fema.gov/kids/index.htmhttp://www.fema.gov/kids/index.htm

Risk WatchRisk Watch

http://www.nfpa.org/riskwatch/http://www.nfpa.org/riskwatch/home.htmlhome.html

http://www.education.noaa.gov/http://www.education.noaa.gov/

Great information for Great information for teachersteachers

Lesson plan ideas for Lesson plan ideas for teachersteachers

Great for all types of Great for all types of learnerslearners

Weather games for Weather games for students to playstudents to play

Geared toward students of Geared toward students of all agesall ages

Kid friendly languageKid friendly language Many pictures for the Many pictures for the

studentsstudents Reliable informationReliable information

http://www.nfpa.org/riskwatch/http://www.nfpa.org/riskwatch/home.htmlhome.html

Geared toward all ages of students.Geared toward all ages of students. Very academic basedVery academic based Gives listings of previous natural Gives listings of previous natural

disasters and shows picturesdisasters and shows pictures Great factual information on Great factual information on

different natural disastersdifferent natural disasters Awesome visual picturesAwesome visual pictures Section for kids, and different Section for kids, and different

sections for parents and teacherssections for parents and teachers Kid friendly languageKid friendly language Gives what to do information for Gives what to do information for

each type of natural disastereach type of natural disaster

http://www.fema.gov/kids/http://www.fema.gov/kids/

Designed to provide Designed to provide students, parents, and students, parents, and teachers with information teachers with information on natural disasters.on natural disasters.

The parent and teacher The parent and teacher page has activities and page has activities and curriculum information curriculum information that can be used in the that can be used in the classroom.classroom.

Gives extensive lists of Gives extensive lists of disaster resources.disaster resources.

Research FindingsResearch Findings

Tsuchida, Mikinori. (2003). Providing Weather Satellite Tsuchida, Mikinori. (2003). Providing Weather Satellite Images to a Classroom Using the World Wide Web Images to a Classroom Using the World Wide Web (WWW). (WWW). The Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science The Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching.Teaching. v. 22 no2, 141-150. v. 22 no2, 141-150.

This article is designed around bringing weather into the This article is designed around bringing weather into the classroom. It provides information based around the project of classroom. It provides information based around the project of bringing satellite images into lessons to teach students about bringing satellite images into lessons to teach students about weather around the world in a visual way. The results of seeing weather around the world in a visual way. The results of seeing this information hands on bring a higher level of this information hands on bring a higher level of comprehension.comprehension.

Research FindingsResearch Findings

Shreve, Roberta; Danbom, Karen Hanhan, Sara Shreve, Roberta; Danbom, Karen Hanhan, Sara Carpenter, Marilyn. (2002) Children's Understandings of Carpenter, Marilyn. (2002) Children's Understandings of Disaster. Disaster. Language Arts.Language Arts. 80, no. 2. p. 100-108 80, no. 2. p. 100-108

This article talks about how the student portrays a natural This article talks about how the student portrays a natural disaster. It talks about the psychological thought processes that disaster. It talks about the psychological thought processes that the student goes through when dealing with the term Natural the student goes through when dealing with the term Natural Disaster. It also gives ways to change the misconception of the Disaster. It also gives ways to change the misconception of the student.student.

Research FindingsResearch Findings

Franks, Leslie. (2001). Charcoal Clouds and Weather Franks, Leslie. (2001). Charcoal Clouds and Weather Writing: Inviting science to a Middle School Language Arts Writing: Inviting science to a Middle School Language Arts Classroom. Classroom. National Council of Teachers of English Conference National Council of Teachers of English Conference on College Composition and Communicationon College Composition and Communication. p. 319-324. p. 319-324

This article talks about presenting a lesson on weather by This article talks about presenting a lesson on weather by incorporating the content areas of science, writing, and art. The incorporating the content areas of science, writing, and art. The article gives reasons and facts to why introducing new learning article gives reasons and facts to why introducing new learning styles tend to help students grasp big concepts and ideas. The styles tend to help students grasp big concepts and ideas. The unit in the article is a person-centered, thematic unit and uses a unit in the article is a person-centered, thematic unit and uses a constructivist curriculum and guides us through the lesson constructivist curriculum and guides us through the lesson presented by the teacher and then gives the feedback of how the presented by the teacher and then gives the feedback of how the students responded.students responded.

AgenciesAgencies

FEMA-FEMA- Federal Emergency Management Federal Emergency Management AgencyAgency

NOAA-NOAA- National Oceanic and Atmospheric National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (National Weather Service)Administration (National Weather Service)