Unit Guide

Natural Disasters’ Impact on Earth

Matthew Robinson

This two week, 80 minute curriculum unit is designed around Natural Disasters. It is designed to be taught in the block class format due to the extensiveness of the activities. Focusing on earthquakes, volcanoes, and hurricanes this unit incorporates hands on activities with technical scientific writing. Students will be expected to follow procedures meticulously and design models to test natural phenomena. The ability of students to work collaboratively with their peers is key concept in this unit because all of the hands on activities call for students to work in a group setting. Students will construct a model building and see the effects of an earthquake on that building. They will also explore the force that wind can generate on objects, and finally will construct a working volcano. Assessments for this unit consist of written conclusions that require experimental evidence be cited and final models that follow precise building procedures. Students will be expected to be able to explain the Earth’s processes that cause these natural disasters to occur and the possible effect on the environment where they occur.