Natural Disasters

A WebQuery for 9th Grade

Sara Hanold
hanolds@cwu.edu

Tornado, Lightning

Introduction

Have you ever wondered where the most disasters are, in terms of lightning, tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes? Where do they happen the most? Least? Why is it that way? We are going to find out! It is now your job to answer these questions for the general public. We all want everyone in the U.S. to be safe, and live in safe areas, but are they? Let's help them out, and share our information on natural disasters!

Task

I will hand out United States map sheets to each of you. It is your job to use the resources given (and more if you want to over-achieve), plot latitude and longitude, and plot the places ranging in levels of having lightning, tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. On the back of your map, place what YOU think is the most dangerous natural disaster out of our list and why. In the end your map should look well enough to share with other people. You should want to share what you know when you are finished with this project.

Begin your map by:

Making sure your latitude and longitude are correct

Select 8 different pencil colors
Use your creativeness, in the end you'll want a map you can tell is personally yours!
Keep in mind, at the end you'll have to put on the back of which natural disaster you think is the most dangerous and why
Go to the sites listed below and use inductive and deductive reasoning to gather your information for the United States

The Process

You may want to begin with the hurricanes and move to earthquakes then lighting and tornadoes. Lightning Happens all over the world, but is concentrated denser along the equator. Because we are just focusing on the U. S., it may be easier to take the most focus on what is in danger to us here, even though it may seem irrelevant at the time.

You will need to use the sites provided, but most work for more than one disaster, even though it may initially link to something you may have already done
It is important to practice "weeding" out information you don't need. This task is made to help you navigate for information you are looking for, rather than information you'd look for to make a written report.
This task should be done individually! Both gathering information and making your map.
Have you checked the latitude and longitude of the boundaries?

In checking the boundaries it may be easier to use a ruler and protractor
Make everything to a scale, and place your scale on the front of your map. The scale will become helpful when finding boundaries for the disasters

When you use the coloring pencils, you should use two colors for varying degrees of one natural disaster

For example, you may use red for severe tornado areas, and yellow for less severe.
These just need to be two colors, somewhat different from each other so we can see the differences.
Remember to make a key on your map!

For extra credit you can search for our most dangerous natural disaster in Washington State during the dry season. You can also list out information that can be helpful in these situations and how to protect you and your family. This is intended to help you become more knowledgeable and successful when you reach the real world! (Worth up to five points)

Resources

Here are some resources that will help you get your project going. If you find another site, or use more, please site the website on the back of your map in APA format.

How Stuff Works Throughout this site it may help you make your informed decision about which natural disaster is the worst
Wikipedia This site will help you get your map going
National Geographic This site may be very beneficial in sorting out the differences and extremities of the disasters
Thinkquest This site may also help you make your decision about which natural disaster is the worst

Evaluation

Your performance will be evaluated upon appearance, validity, and your opinion.

Making A Map : Natural Disasters Map

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Map Legend/Key	Legend is easy-to-find and contains a complete set of symbols, including a compass rose.	Legend contains a complete set of symbols, including a compass rose.	Legend contains an almost complete set of symbols, including a compass rose.	Legend is absent or lacks several symbols.
Neatness of Color and Lines	All straight lines are ruler-drawn, all errors have been neatly corrected and all features are colored completely.	All straight lines are ruler-drawn, most errors have been neatly corrected and most features are colored completely.	Most straight lines are ruler-drawn, most errors have been neatly corrected and most features are colored completely.	Many lines, corrections of errors, and/or features are not neatly done.
Scale	All features on map are drawn to scale and the scale used is clearly indicated on the map.	Most features on map are drawn to scale and the scale used is clearly indicated on the map.	Many features of the map are NOT drawn to scale even though a scale is clearly indicated on the map.	Many features of the map are NOT drawn to scale AND/OR there is no scale marker on the map.
Color Choices	Student always uses color appropriate for features (e.g. two colors for each disaster) on map.	Student usually uses color appropriate for features (e.g. two colors for each disaster).	Student sometimes uses color appropriate for features (e.g. two colors for each disaster).	Student does not use color appropriately.
Knowledge Gained	The personal response for the most dangerous natural disaster is well defined and supported, and the student expresses their personality in the writing.	The personal response for the most dangerous natural disaster is well defined and supported, but lacks expressing personality in writing.	The personal response for the most dangerous natural disaster isn't well defined or supported, and lacks personality in writing.	The personal response for the most dangerous natural disaster isn't well defined and supported, and lacks personality in writing.

Conclusion

Now that you all have an idea about natural disasters, what do you think is the worst from our list of lightning, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes? Considering where we live in Washington State, there is one common natural disaster that was purposefully left out that we suffer from continually in the dry season. Do you know what it is? Now that you have practiced your "weeding" skills on sites, it may be beneficial to you (and your family) if you looked at how to prevent our popular summer disaster. Remember that these are topics that shouldn't be taken so lightly, and that it is important to know what to do if we are in a red zone! Don't forget about your extra credit option! Congratulations on becoming more knowledgable about natural disasters! I encourage you to share your map with your family

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