NATURAL DISASTERS
Mr. Steven Mann
PS171 | 4th Grade | Class 308
INTRODUCTION:
Natural disasters can strike major cities and affect the lives of the population. This has happened in ancient times, such as when Mount Vesuvius erupted and destroyed Pompeii, and it has affected New York City more recently with uncontrolled wildfires in Canada affecting air quality in NYC.
The City of New York’s office of Emergency Management has hired your team of consultants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to help better understand what causes natural disasters, and to explain safety information and solutions to the problems these natural disasters can cause
TASK:
WEEK 1:
You will read an introductory article and take notes on a specific natural disaster to gain general familiarity with the effects they can have on a major city.
WEEK 2:
You will conduct additional research from a variety of media sources by accessing the natural disaster padlet and choosing information about your specific natural disaster.
WEEK 3:
You will create a Google Slide presentation that explains the causes of your natural disaster, warns people about the dangers of the natural disaster, and informs them of safety precautions they can take in the event of an emergency.
WEEK 4:
You will design a workable solution to help protect people from the natural disaster and save lives by creating a poster that explains your solution.
PROCESS:
You will be assigned groups based on a specific natural disaster. You will conduct research on your own, then meet together as a group to collate research and create the presentation and solution.
1. Define the Problem
You will research how a natural disaster can affect a major population center like NYC. You will do this by reading a scientific article about your natural disaster and taking notes about the article.
2. Gather the Evidence
You will research past and recent occurrences of this natural disaster over major population centers and the destruction it caused. You will do this via a web search and referencing a historical fiction novel.
3. Identify the Causes
You will research what causes this natural disaster. You will do this via a Padlet that provides videos and webpages that explain the causes of your natural disaster and show your research in a Google Slides presentation.
4. Evaluate an Existing Policy
You will research solutions that are currently in place to prevent the disaster or minimize damage using the above padlet.
5. Develop Solutions
You will decide on possible solutions that could help NYC in the event of your natural disaster.
6. Select the Best Solution (Feasibility vs. Effectiveness)
You will choose a solution (new or researched) to present to the city by creating a public service announcement style poster.
EVALUATION
1. Research Rubric
2. Presentation Rubric
3. Solution Rubric
CONCLUSION:
In this project you will know the causes of your natural disaster, the effects it can have on a major city, and solutions to minimize the danger or destruction of the natural disaster. Your group will show this through its research, presentation, and solution idea which it will present to the city on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). As a result, you will help people learn to take natural disaster preparedness seriously and develop a plan to stay safe.
STANDARDS:
Science (NY State P-12 Science Learning Standards)
● 4-ESS3-2. Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth processes on humans.
● Science and Engineering Practices: Defining problems, gathering evidence, evaluating solutions, and designing workable solutions are all key practices outlined in the standards.
English Language Arts (ELA)
● Reading Informational Text (RI.4.3, RI.4.5, RI.4.7): Explaining events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a text, using information from diagrams and other text features, and integrating information from several texts on the same topic.
● Writing (W.4.7, W.4.8, W.4.2): Conducting short research projects, gathering and categorizing information from multiple sources, and developing informative/explanatory texts with supporting details.
● Speaking and Listening: Engaging in collaborative discussions, presenting information clearly, and building on others’ ideas.
● Technology Use (W.4.6): Using technology to produce and publish writing and to collaborate with others.
Social Studies
● Gathering, Interpreting, and Using Evidence: Developing questions, conducting research, and presenting findings about the impact of natural disasters on communities.