Natural Disaster Natural Disaster WebQuestWebQuest

Mr. ColeMr. Cole

77thth Grade Grade

IntroductionIntroduction► Natural Disasters are catastrophic events that are extreme Natural Disasters are catastrophic events that are extreme

and usually sudden. They not only can cause millions of and usually sudden. They not only can cause millions of dollars in damage, but they can also cause a lot of death and dollars in damage, but they can also cause a lot of death and devastation. Your states has recently come under “attack” devastation. Your states has recently come under “attack” from several different natural disasters. The Federal and from several different natural disasters. The Federal and Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), recently received Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), recently received $50 million from the federal government to spend on $50 million from the federal government to spend on educating people on the worst disaster to hit that area. But, educating people on the worst disaster to hit that area. But, there is a big problem; no one could decide which disaster is there is a big problem; no one could decide which disaster is the worst. Is it hurricane, flood, thunderstorms, lightning, the worst. Is it hurricane, flood, thunderstorms, lightning, tornado, or a blizzard?tornado, or a blizzard?

► You are part of a research team that will investigate and You are part of a research team that will investigate and decide which one is the worst. You will then present your decide which one is the worst. You will then present your information to the directors of FEMA. You will create a information to the directors of FEMA. You will create a newsletter to inform the public of your findings.newsletter to inform the public of your findings.

TaskTask

► Your task is to decide which disaster is the worst to Your task is to decide which disaster is the worst to hit the Gulf region of the United States. You will hit the Gulf region of the United States. You will compare and contrast the disasters in terms of the compare and contrast the disasters in terms of the amount of deaths, injuries, environmental damage amount of deaths, injuries, environmental damage and property damages caused. You will be working in and property damages caused. You will be working in groups of four to investigate the possible disasters. groups of four to investigate the possible disasters. Each group must investigate at least three different Each group must investigate at least three different disasters using the Disaster Worksheet before disasters using the Disaster Worksheet before deciding which is the worst.deciding which is the worst.

► You will answer the questions related to your specific You will answer the questions related to your specific job.job.

► You will present your newsletter to the Directors of You will present your newsletter to the Directors of FEMA explaining which disaster is best to invest the FEMA explaining which disaster is best to invest the money.money.

ProcessProcess

►You will be assigned to a team of four You will be assigned to a team of four members. You will decide within their members. You will decide within their group, what roles you would have. group, what roles you would have. These roles are:These roles are:

►Science SpecialistScience Specialist►Safety SpecialistSafety Specialist►Geographic ResearcherGeographic Researcher►Disaster AnalystDisaster Analyst

Science Specialist Science Specialist QuestionnaireQuestionnaire

► What is your disaster?What is your disaster?► How does your disaster form? How does it How does your disaster form? How does it

work and/or why does it happen?work and/or why does it happen?► Identify some general characteristics of the Identify some general characteristics of the

disaster.disaster.► Where your disaster does takes place?Where your disaster does takes place?► What time of the year is it most likely to What time of the year is it most likely to

occur?occur?► Identify an intensity scale or a classification Identify an intensity scale or a classification

system for your disaster.system for your disaster.

Safety Specialist Safety Specialist QuestionnaireQuestionnaire

► Find as much evidence as possible supporting Find as much evidence as possible supporting that your disaster is the damaging to that your disaster is the damaging to property, environment and people. Your property, environment and people. Your evidence should contain statistics about evidence should contain statistics about property damage, lives lost, injuries, property damage, lives lost, injuries, occurrences, and environmental damage.occurrences, and environmental damage.

► Compile a list of safety tips and precautions Compile a list of safety tips and precautions that could be used to prevent or reduce the that could be used to prevent or reduce the number of deaths, injuries and the amount of number of deaths, injuries and the amount of property damage.property damage.

Geographic Researcher Geographic Researcher QuestionnaireQuestionnaire

►On a map of the world, show all the On a map of the world, show all the areas that are affected by the disaster.areas that are affected by the disaster.

►On a map of North America and On a map of North America and Central America, show the areas that Central America, show the areas that experienced your storm this year to experienced your storm this year to date. date.

► If your disaster has developmental If your disaster has developmental stages, find pictures of each stage.stages, find pictures of each stage.

Disaster Analyst Disaster Analyst QuestionnaireQuestionnaire

► Find a personal story that gives firsthand Find a personal story that gives firsthand account of the disaster. Find account of the disaster. Find 1 picture1 picture of of the effects of the disaster.the effects of the disaster.

► Find examples of the disasters for the last Find examples of the disasters for the last 25 years in the United States.25 years in the United States.

►Make a bar graph of all the disasters that Make a bar graph of all the disasters that occurred last year and record the number occurred last year and record the number per month.per month.

► Find examples of the worst documented Find examples of the worst documented occurance of the disaster.occurance of the disaster.

ResourcesResources

► http://www.cap.nsw.edu.au/bb_site_intro/stage3_Mohttp://www.cap.nsw.edu.au/bb_site_intro/stage3_Modules/disasters2/web.htmdules/disasters2/web.htm

► http://green.nationalgeographic.com/environment/nhttp://green.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/atural-disasters/

► http://www.illiniweather.com/pages/http://www.illiniweather.com/pages/kids_weather_links.htmkids_weather_links.htm

► http://www.weatherwizkids.com/index.htmhttp://www.weatherwizkids.com/index.htm► http://www.ready.gov/kids/step3/index.htmlhttp://www.ready.gov/kids/step3/index.html► http://www.easternct.edu/depts/amerst/http://www.easternct.edu/depts/amerst/

disasters.htmdisasters.htm► http://www.infoplease.com/spot/hurricanes.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/hurricanes.html

(See Great Weather Disasters)(See Great Weather Disasters)

HurricanesHurricanes

► http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngkids/0http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngkids/0308/hurricane/308/hurricane/

► http://www.albany.edu/~jd4226/project2/fachttp://www.albany.edu/~jd4226/project2/facts.htmlts.html

► http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/rhttp://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/readiness.aspeadiness.asp

► http://miami.about.com/od/weather/a/hur_fahttp://miami.about.com/od/weather/a/hur_facts.htmcts.htm

► http://science.howstuffworks.com/hurricane.http://science.howstuffworks.com/hurricane.htmhtm

► http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/hurricane/http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/hurricane/index.htmlindex.html

FloodsFloods

► http://www.fema.gov/hazard/flood/index.shthttp://www.fema.gov/hazard/flood/index.shtmm

► http://www.weather.com/ready/flood/index.hhttp://www.weather.com/ready/flood/index.htmltml

► http://mcswa.org/floodfacts.aspxhttp://mcswa.org/floodfacts.aspx► http://www.pbcgov.com/publicsafety/emerghttp://www.pbcgov.com/publicsafety/emerg

encymanagement/floodawareness/floodfactsencymanagement/floodawareness/floodfacts.htm.htm

► http://www.dola.state.co.us/dem/public_inforhttp://www.dola.state.co.us/dem/public_information/flash_flood.htmmation/flash_flood.htm

LightningLightning

► http://www.weather.com/ready/lightning/riskhttp://www.weather.com/ready/lightning/risk.html?from=wxready_severe.html?from=wxready_severe

► http://skydiary.com/kids/lightning.htmlhttp://skydiary.com/kids/lightning.html► http://www.fema.gov/hazard/thunderstorm/ihttp://www.fema.gov/hazard/thunderstorm/i

ndex.shtmndex.shtm► http://www.stormwise.com/striking.htmhttp://www.stormwise.com/striking.htm► http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=36http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=36

80888088► http://www.weatherimagery.com/blog/lightnihttp://www.weatherimagery.com/blog/lightni

ng-facts/ng-facts/

ThunderstormsThunderstorms

►http://www.fema.gov/hazard/thundersthttp://www.fema.gov/hazard/thunderstorm/index.shtmorm/index.shtm

►http://sky-fire.tv/index.cgi/thunderstorhttp://sky-fire.tv/index.cgi/thunderstorms.htmlms.html

►http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/linkhttp://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/Atmosphere/tstorm.html=/earth/Atmosphere/tstorm.html

►http://www.wtnzfox43.com/Global/storhttp://www.wtnzfox43.com/Global/story.asp?S=818756y.asp?S=818756

►http://www.ussartf.org/thunderstorms.http://www.ussartf.org/thunderstorms.htmhtm

TornadoesTornadoes

► http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu/safety/tornadhttp://www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu/safety/tornadoguide.htmloguide.html

► http://www.fema.gov/hazard/tornado/index.shttp://www.fema.gov/hazard/tornado/index.shtmhtm

► http://www.tornadofacts.net/http://www.tornadofacts.net/► http://www.livescience.com/environment/05http://www.livescience.com/environment/05

0322_tornado_season.html0322_tornado_season.html► http://www.infoplease.com/spot/tornado1.hthttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/tornado1.ht

mlml► http://green.nationalgeographic.com/environhttp://green.nationalgeographic.com/environ

ment/natural-disasters/tornado-safety-tips.hment/natural-disasters/tornado-safety-tips.htmltml

BlizzardBlizzard

►http://volweb.utk.edu/school/sumnercshttp://volweb.utk.edu/school/sumnercs/ellism/mel.htm/ellism/mel.htm

►http://www.infoplease.com/spot/http://www.infoplease.com/spot/blizzard1.htmlblizzard1.html

►http://www.ussartf.org/blizzards.htmhttp://www.ussartf.org/blizzards.htm►http://www.weather.com/http://www.weather.com/

encyclopedia/winter/blizzard.htmlencyclopedia/winter/blizzard.html►http://content.scholastic.com/browse/http://content.scholastic.com/browse/

article.jsp?id=4912article.jsp?id=4912

ConclusionConclusion

►So, which disaster is the worst? Did So, which disaster is the worst? Did you convince the director of you you convince the director of you choice? Congratulations! Because of choice? Congratulations! Because of your hard work, people will be better your hard work, people will be better prepared for the next disaster.prepared for the next disaster.