Natural Disaster Natural Disaster WebQuestWebQuest

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 death and dollars in damage, but they can also cause death and devastation. devastation.

► People throughout the United States become victims of People throughout the United States become victims of natural disasters each year.natural disasters each year.

► The Federal and Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is The Federal and Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is tasked with handling all possible disasters. This includes both tasked with handling all possible disasters. This includes both natural disasters, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, and natural disasters, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, and man-made ones, such as hazardous substance spills, man-made ones, such as hazardous substance spills, bombings and war. Although most people associate FEMA with bombings and war. Although most people associate FEMA with disaster response, the agency has also put a great deal of disaster response, the agency has also put a great deal of effort into disaster preparation.effort into disaster preparation.

TaskTask

► You are part of a research team that will investigate You are part of a research team that will investigate one particular natural disaster.one particular natural disaster.

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

► You will then prepare a Powerpoint presentation to You will then prepare a Powerpoint presentation to present your information to the directors of FEMA.present your information to the directors of FEMA.

► You will create a newsletter to inform the public of You will create a newsletter to inform the public of what to do in case of a natural disaster.what to do in case of a natural disaster.

ProcessProcess

►You will be assigned to a team of four You will be assigned to a team of four members. You will decide within your members. You will decide within your group, what role(s) you will have. group, what role(s) you will 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

► What is the economic effect of your natural What is the economic effect of your natural disaster? (How much does the natural disaster disaster? (How much does the natural disaster cost individuals, insurance companies, and/or cost individuals, insurance companies, and/or the government? Your evidence should the government? Your evidence should contain statistics about property damage, contain statistics about property damage, lives lost, injuries, occurrences, and lives lost, injuries, occurrences, and environmental damage.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_Modules/disasters2/web.htm

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

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

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

m► http://www.infoplease.com/spot/hurricanes.html

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

HurricanesHurricanes

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

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

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

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

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

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

FloodsFloods

►http://www.fema.gov/hazard/flood/index.shtm

►http://www.weather.com/ready/flood/index.html

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

encymanagement/floodawareness/floodfacts.htm

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

EarthquakesEarthquakes

►http://www.seismo.unr.edu/ftp/pub/louie/class/100/plate-tectonics.html

►http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/Seismicity/what_causes_earthquakes.html

►http://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/earthquakes/earthquakedamage.shtml

►http://quake.usgs.gov/prepare/future/reduce/index.html

►http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eqlists/eqstats.html

VolcanoesVolcanoes

►http://www.geology.sdsu.edu/how_volcanoes_work/Home.html

►http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/632130/volcano/253597/Secondary-damage

►http://www.statefarm.com/learning/disasters/ins_learning_volcano.asp

►http://www.emergencydude.com/volcano.shtml

TornadoesTornadoes

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

►http://www.fema.gov/hazard/tornado/index.shtm

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

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

ml►http://green.nationalgeographic.com/environ

ment/natural-disasters/tornado-safety-tips.html

AvalancheAvalanche

►http://www.avalanche.org/accidents.php

►http://www.avalanche.org/tutorial/tutorial.html

►http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/00477/NatDisasterPages/Thinkquest%20G.S.P./Thinkquest/avalanche_causes.htm

►http://www.abc-of-snowboarding.com/info/avalanche-causes.asp

Avalanche Con’tAvalanche Con’t

►http://planning.utah.gov/CriticalLands/Critical%20Lands%20PDFs/avalanches.pdf

►http://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/http://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/avalanches/casestudies.shtmlenglish/avalanches/casestudies.shtml

►

TsunamisTsunamis

►http://www.tsunami.noaa.gov/http://www.tsunami.noaa.gov/►http://www.pbs.org/wnet/http://www.pbs.org/wnet/

savageearth/tsunami/index.htmlsavageearth/tsunami/index.html►http://www.carinsurance.com/http://www.carinsurance.com/

Articles/content65.aspxArticles/content65.aspx►http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/

00758/en/disaster/tsunami/00758/en/disaster/tsunami/damage.htmldamage.html