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Overview:
This lesson introduces U.S. students to natural hazards that occur across their country and in their home region. Students will learn where tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, or severe thunderstorms are likely to occur and will find out which type of event is most likely to happen near their home. They will practice some safety steps and will make signs to educate other kids and adults about these precautions.
Before beginning the lesson, determine which natural disaster is most likely to occur in your area: tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, or severe thunderstorms. Then locate a list of prevention and safety steps for this type of disaster. FEMA for Kids will be helpful.
Connections to the Curriculum:
Geography, earth science
Connections to the National Geography Standards:
Standard 7: "The physical processes that shape the patterns of Earth's surface"
Time:
One to two hours
Materials Required:
- Computer with Internet access
- Wall map of the United States
- Large pieces of paper
- Drawing materials
Objectives:
Students will
- view pictures of and discuss tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, and severe thunderstorms;
- see where these natural events are most likely to occur in the United States;
- discuss why certain natural disasters occur more in some parts of the country than in others;
- act out safety steps for the natural disaster that is most likely to occur in their area;
- discuss how to minimize feelings of fear about this type of natural disaster; and
- create signs to educate other people about safety tips.
Geographic Skills:
Acquiring Geographic Information
Organizing Geographic Information
Analyzing Geographic Information
S u g g e s t e d P r o c e d u r e
Opening:
Development:
Show students a United States map, and point out some of the areas where the natural disasters listed above are most likely to occur (e.g., tornadoes in the Midwest; hurricanes in the Southeast; earthquakes along the Pacific coast; and volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest; severe thunderstorms in the Southeast, Midwest, Plains states, and Rocky Mountain region).
Discuss why one type of natural event is more likely to occur in their area than in other areas. If you are in earthquake country, explain that there are cracks on the Earth's surface that make the ground move from time to time. If you live in the "hurricane alley" of the Southeast, explain that most of these large storms begin off the west coast of Africa and make their way across the Atlantic, gathering force along the way.
Ask students if they have ever experienced the type of natural disaster that's most common in their area. What was it like? What did they do to protect themselves? Was it scary? What did their parents do?
Read some or all of the safety steps to the class (see the overview above for helpful Web sites). As you read the steps, have students act them out, either at their desks or standing up. For example, if the safety step asks them to duck underneath their desks during an earthquake, they can do that in the classroom.
Closing:
Discuss with students what they think would be the scariest parts of being in this type of disaster. How can they keep themselves from feeling afraid? Inform them that, in general, the more prepared they are for something to happen, the less they need to worry about it.
Suggested Student Assessment:
Divide the class into small groups of approximately three students each. Assign each group to one of the safety steps you've read. Give groups large pieces of paper and ask them to create signs to educate other students and adults about the importance of that step.
Extending the Lesson:
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