South Carolina ETV

South Carolina ETV
1101 George Rogers Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29201-4761
Phone: 803-737-3545

Living with Disaster: Mother Nature Rules (Grade K-1)

Master Teacher

Fran Doolittle

Time Allotment

One 90-minute block

Overview

Using video clips and the Internet, students will analyze various types of natural disasters and discover techniques man uses to live with nature and to control nature.

Subject Matter

Geography and Earth Science

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

Identify ways that man has learned to predict natural disasters;
Identify ways that man has attempted to control the destruction caused by natural disasters;
Discuss ways that natural disasters can be beneficial.

South Carolina Standards

Visit the SC Standards Web site

10.5.6 examine the ways in which physical and human regional systems are interconnected

10.5.7 analyze geographic issues using regions

10.8.4 describe how changes in the physical environment can diminish its capacity to support human activity

10.8.5 develop strategies to respond to constraints placed on human systems by the physical environment

10.8.6 analyze how humans perceive and react to natural hazards

Media Components

Video (optional)

Nova: "Deadly Shadow of Vesuvius." If time allows, show this fascinating program that looks at Vesuvius' deadly past and the threat that it poses to modern residents of this area of Italy.

To purchase a copy of this program,

Go to http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova.
Under the bar that runs across the top of the page, click Shop Nova.
Click WGBH Boston Video Store.
In the search box type Deadly Shadow of Vesuvius and hit go.

Web Sites

Knowitall is ETV's Web site of resources for parents, students and teachers.

PBS.org takes users into the Public Broadcasting Services' vast array of program and educational resources.

Materials

Per student:

Activity Sheet 1: Destruction after Hugo
Activity Sheet 2: Volcanoes
Activity Sheet 3: Floods

Equipment

Internet access for each student or group

Prep for Teachers

Prepare copies of Activity Sheets for use in computer lab.
When using media, provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction, a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites or other multimedia elements.

Introductory Activity

Step 1: Provide the students with an introduction to natural disasters within their own state by connecting to this Web site about Hurricane Hugo. Follow these directions to pictures to scroll through and discuss with your students:

Go to http://www.knowitall.org

click on Search ETV
click on the word "Science"
click on the words "Earth Science"
click on the words "Natural Disasters"
click on "view Hurricanes"

Step 2: Provide the students with a Focus for Media Interaction by asking them to answer the questions on Activity Sheet 1 concerning the destruction seen in the photos after Hugo. Point out to the students the various types of damage such as water under the roads, uprooted trees, debris in the roads, power lines down, etc.

Learning Activity

Step 1: Tell students to go to PBS.org (http://www.pbs.org). Highlight "Nature" in the "Explore" box. Under "Jump To," click on "Natural Phenomena." Under Nova, click on "Planning for Disaster" and have students read about Papua New Guinea and answer the questions on Activity Sheet 2. (These questions are their Focus for Media Interaction.) Students should recognize efforts to prepare for an eruption in Papua New Guinea.

Step 2: Also have students read "Can we predict eruptions?" and answer the questions on this topic on Activity Sheet 2. Students should identify how scientists were able to warn of the eruption.

Step 3: The third natural disaster to discuss with students is flooding. Tell students to return to http://www.pbs.org. In the "Explore" box highlight "Nature" and under "Jump To," click "Natural Phenomena." Then under Nova, click on "Flood!" Next, click on "Dealing with the Deluge." Lead students in a discussion of why people would want to control the flow of a river and have them answer the questions on Activity Sheet 3

Another online activity at this Web site is "The River's Gift." It is a very short activity that emphasizes the positive side of floods.

Culminating Activity

To further explore man's attempts to control nature, compare regions of the world where people have attempted to manage rivers. Have these efforts been successful? What have been the costs-both financial and ecological?

Assessment

Class participation grade or class work grade for the appropriate answers on the Activity Sheets.

Cross-Curricular Extensions

Political Science: Research the estimated costs of particular natural disasters. What did they cost the community in revenue, tourism, employee salaries, etc.?

Science: Reports on what causes these phenomena to occur.

Community Connections

Ask the representative for emergency preparedness to visit your classroom.
Have students report on natural disasters that have affected their community.