Title:  Are Natural Disasters Getting Worse in Texas?

 

Grade Level: Middle School or High School Earth Science

 

Concepts:

-         Natural Disasters are occurring and changing.

-         How they are changing can be studied and simulated.

 

TEKS:

6.2.A, 7.2.A, 8.2.A

Geology, Meteorology, and Oceanography

            2.A

 

Objectives: SWBAT

  1. Describe what natural disasters are.
  2. Describe the environmental, economic and social importance of natural disasters.
  3. Discuss why their work could be beneficial outside the classroom.

 

Materials: Handout

 

Student does

Teacher says

Possible Student Answers

Engage:

Introduce driving question with Anchor video.

 

 

Explore:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have students look-up a few details about how many people are effected by natural disasters each year.

What are some examples of Natural Disasters you have seen in Texas?

What about around the world?

How many people are injured or killed by natural disasters each year?

Hurricanes, Flooding, Tornadoes, Drought

 

Tsunamis,  Earthquakes, Volcanoes

Explain:

Teacher explains the components of the project:

  1. They will work in groups and pick one disaster.
  2. Research how their disaster forms and if it is getting better or worse.
  3. Make a model that simulates their disaster.
  4. Present information to the class.
  5. Write a scientific group paper that answers the driving question.
  6. Debate which natural disaster is causing the most problems and the best solutions to solve these problems.

Teacher shows examples of past projects.

 

 

 

What are some disasters we can study?

 

What do you predict about your disaster?

 

 

 

 

 

How many people in the group do you think will have to present?

What questions should you be addressing?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Flooding, etc.

 

They are getting worse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone.

 

 

How is it formed?  Is it getting worse? How can we possible change the effects or causes of natural disasters?

Elaborate:

Show students examples of past projects to give them an idea of what to do and what not do to.

 

 

Evaluate:

Give students a mini-quiz on what they are suppose to be doing.

 

What is the main question we are trying to be answers?

List two other questions you should be answering?

 

 

 

What is the simulation you have to make of?

Do you have to write a paper for this project?

 

Are natural disasters getting better or worse in Texas?

 

What can be done to change how frequent natural disasters are?

How is my natural disaster formed?

The natural disaster I choose.

Yes.