Stacy Ukishima – Web Drop in #4

July 2, 2003

 

IT’S A DISASTER!

 

Watch out!  Trouble is about to strike in Hawaii, but I need your help to figure out the difference between the four major types of natural disasters that occur on the Islands so we can figure out how to protect ourselves and our property.

 

 

FOUR TYPES OF NATURAL DISASTERS   TSUNAMIS        VOLCANOES        HURRICANES          EARTHQUAKES

 

Our first job is to find out what disasters we should be on the look out for.  Go to the web site below to read about Volcanoes, Tsunamis, Hurricanes and Earthquakes.  Click on the link for each of the disasters to read about each one.

 

http://library.thinkquest.org/J003007/Disasters2/menu/menu1.htm

 

Then go to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) web site to read more about these natural disasters (and others!)

 

http://www.fema.gov/kids/dizarea.htm

 

 

ACTIVITY

 

1.  Of the four natural disasters that you have read about, choose two that you would like to write about.  Take out two sheets of paper.  On the top of each sheet, write the name of one of the two natural disasters that you have chosen.  

 

·        Write a brief description of each natural disaster and when it is most likely to occur (time of year, weather conditions, etc.,)

·        Write a sentence or two about the damage each type of natural disaster may cause.

·        If there is a method to predict that this type of natural disaster is on the way, write a brief description about how scientists do this.

·        Write at least three interesting facts about each type of natural disaster.

 

You may choose to copy the chart below onto a separate page for each disaster, design your own chart, or simply write in paragraph form.  If you have extra time, you may want to draw a picture of each type of disaster, or search in www.yahooligans.com for photographs of the damage done by past disasters.

 

TYPE OF DISASTER _____________________________________

 

Description of Disaster

Damage Caused by Disaster

Ways to Predict Disaster

Interesting Facts about Disaster

 

 

 

 

 

  1. When you have completed your assignment, compare and contrast the two disasters that you have included in your chart.  Are there similarities between these two types of disasters?  Are there differences?  In your opinion, which of the two types of natural disasters that you have chosen seems to be the most deadly?  Write the answers to these questions on another separate sheet of paper (not on the papers where you have your chart/paragraph).

 

  1. Choose one of the types of natural disasters and write a list of items for your “disaster survival kit.”  You may use FEMA’s web site to help you: http://www.fema.gov/kids/dizkit.htm or go to one of the American Red Cross links below:

 

http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/keepsafe/readyhurricane.html#Kit    (Hurricanes)

http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/keepsafe/readyearth.html                 (Earthquakes)

http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/keepsafe/readyvolcano.html              (Volcanoes)

http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/keepsafe/tsunami.html                      (Tsunamis – list what you would do to prepare)

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

Thanks for your help preparing for these possible disasters.  Hopefully none of us will ever have to use our survival kits, but you know the old saying, “better safe than sorry!”  Below you will find links to find out more about natural disasters.  Until next time, stay safe!

 

 

ON YOUR OWN TIME

 

Although natural disasters can be pretty scary, they are interesting for us to learn about.  Both web sites above also offer some interesting games, facts and interviews with disaster survivors.  Click on the links below to find out what happens when Mother Nature loses her temper!

 

Go on an adventure and test your knowledge of natural disasters.

http://library.thinkquest.org/J003007/themepark/InteractiveG/frame.html

 

Do a volcano word search

http://library.thinkquest.org/J003007/themepark/wordsearch/wordsearch.htm

 

Try an experiment or two at home – here are links to volcano and tsunami experiments.

http://library.thinkquest.org/J003007/themepark/volcanoexperiment/experiment.htm

http://library.thinkquest.org/J003007/themepark/tsunamiex/texp.html

 

Play a tsunami game

http://www.fema.gov/kids/games/tsunami/

 

See some video footage of a hurricane

http://www.fema.gov/kids/v_lib.htm

 

Check out FEMA’s list of the 15 worst hurricanes

http://www.fema.gov/kids/hurr_big.htm

 

Are you a math wiz?  See how you do on this hurricane math test.

http://www.app1.fema.gov//cgi-shl/kids/quizbuilder.cfm?quiz=math_hurr&prize=1

 

Play the water, wind and earth game

http://www.fema.gov/kids/wwe.htm

 

Would your house survive an earthquake? Look at this list of hazards and see how your house stands up!

http://www.fema.gov/kids/eqhunt.htm

 

Read about Pele, Goddess of fire

http://www.fema.gov/kids/volpele.htm

 

Check out the “Ring of Fire” and see why Hawaii is a hot spot for volcanic activity

http://www.fema.gov/kids/volfacts.htm