Natural Disasters A Webquest for grades 3 -5

Introduction

Imagine that you are part of a national emergency

response team. Your job is to work together with

your group members to develop a weather

forecast which will prepare viewers and listeners

for an impending natural disaster.

Each group will present a different forecast by

exploring a different disaster. The natural

disasters to choose from include floods,

hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, thunderstorms,

winter storms, volcanoes, earthquakes, wildfires,

and heat/drought.

Introduction

When we study natural disasters, there are many

aspects we must consider.

In the following WebQuest, you will use the

power of teamwork to learn all about natural

disasters and emergency safety.

Then you will come together at the end to share

your forecasts and get a better understanding

of all natural disasters.

FINDS - Focus

http://www.blvdheights.com/finds_wq/ddroG.pdfhttp://www.blvdheights.com/finds_wq/ddroG.pdfhttp://www.blvdheights.com/finds_wq/ddroG.pdf

Task

Your team has chosen a specific natural

disaster. You will use the links provided,

as well as any other resources you feel

are necessary, to become experts on your

disaster. You and your team will work

together to create a 3-5 minute video

weather forecast, using Photo Booth or if

available digital video cameras, that will

prepare your classmates for when the

disaster occurs. By completing this

WebQuest, you should achieve the

following goals:

Goals

1. develop an interest in the study of weather safety and natural disasters

2. use the power of the Internet and online library database's for advanced exploration

3. learn information about key aspects of natural disasters and emergency preparedness

4. expand and share knowledge of natural disasters and production of video clips

5. work with teammates to prepare others for a variety of potential natural disasters.

FINDS - Note

Fact Fragment Frenzy

Fact Fragment Frenzy, included in an extended research skills unit

which also employs the Hints about Print interactive, aids students in

learning the importance of finding the words in sentences and

paragraphs that contain the facts they need for compiling their

research. They practice by pulling important words from a text over to

a virtual notebook (shown at left).

Click here for

tutorial

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/factfrenzy/opening.html

Hints About Print

Hints about Print, included in an extended

research skills unit which also employs the

Fact Fragment Frenzy interactive, aids

students in evaluating print resources that

contain the facts they need for compiling

their research.

Click here for tutorial

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/hints-on-print/

FINDS - Develop

Process

Explore the websites for your groups specific disaster to determine the answers to all questions on the

NATURAL DISASTER WEBQUEST WORKSHEET.

(click back button to return to slide 11)

Be sure to properly cite ALL sources of information.

Now, as a group, prepare a 3-5 minute weather forecast highlighting important information discovered during your WebQuest exploration and focusing specifically on safety.

FINDS -Investigate

Phase 3

Phase 3 - Reaching Consensus

You have all learned about different aspects of

natural disasters through the Weather WebQuest.

You must now complete the Task as a group. Each of

you will bring a certain viewpoint to the answer: some

of you will agree and others disagree. Use

information, pictures, movies, facts, opinions, etc.

from the web sites you explored to convince your

teammates that your viewpoint is important and

should be part of your team's response. Your

WebQuest team should write out an answer

(forecast) that everyone on the team can live with.

Process

Use maps, other graphics, and/or audio to

enhance your forecast.

The forecast must be videotaped using

classroom computers and applications.

Photo Booth

Process

OVERVIEW:

1. Form groups of 2 -3 students each.

2. natural disasters.

3. Each group must then choose a different natural disaster to research.

You may choose from the following floods hurricanes tornadoes tsunamis thunder/lightning storms winter storms volcanoes earthquakes wildfires heat/drought

Process

The final days of the project will be spent viewing

the videos from each group. While viewing the

other groups videos, you will evaluate and

provide feedback according to the VIDEO

PRESENTATION RUBRIC.

Finally, you will submit a short (1/2-page)

reflection on your WebQuest experience using

the WEBQUEST REFLECTION.

Process Phase 1

Phase 1 - Background Information

These sites are important because they will

provide basic information about natural disasters

as a whole. Everyone should explore Destiny

Quest before starting your specific Task.

Find a book using Destiny

Log into Destiny Quest

use One Search to find

background information

http://destiny.browardschools.com/vopac/servlet/presentsearchform.do?site=212

Process Phase 1

Phase 1 - Background Information

These sites are important because they will provide

basic information about natural disasters as a whole.

Everyone should explore these sites before starting

your specific Task.

Department of Homeland Security-Emergency!

Weather Wiz Kids

FEMA for Kids

National Geographic/Natural Disasters

http://www.ready.gov/kids/home.htmlhttp://www.ready.gov/kids/home.htmlhttp://www.ready.gov/kids/home.htmlhttp://www.weatherwizkids.com/http://www.fema.gov/kids/http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/

Process - Phase 2

Phase 2 Roles

These natural disaster categories were chosen because they each require swift and specific action from the National Emergency Response Team. Each of you has been assigned a particular disaster with links and instructions below. Here are the general instructions for all groups.

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. All members from each WebQuest team will explore one of the natural disasters below. 2. Read through the files designated for your group. You can print out pages and underline the parts that you feel are important or cut and paste from the webpage into a word processor. 3. Remember to include the URL of the page you take information from so you can return to it and use it as a citation. 4. Focus what you've learned into one concise meteorological report to fulfill the Task.

Internet Links

Floods:

FEMA Floods Weather Wiz Kids-Rain/FloodsNational Geographic Floods

Tsunamis:

FEMA Tsunamis TIME for Kids Tsunamis NOAA Tsunamis

Hurricanes: FEMA Hurricanes Weather Channel Kids Hurricane Safety Weather Wiz Kids-Hurricanes

Tornadoes:

NOAA Tornado Safety National Geographic Tornadoes FEMA Tornadoes

Thunderstorms: NOAA Lightning Wiz Kids Thunderstorms National Geographic Lightning

http://www.fema.gov/kids/floods.htmhttp://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-rain.htmhttp://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-rain.htmhttp://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-rain.htmhttp://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/floods-profile.htmlhttp://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/floods-profile.htmlhttp://www.fema.gov/kids/tsunami.htmhttp://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/tsunamihttp://www.tsunami.noaa.gov/kids.htmlhttp://www.fema.gov/kids/hurr.htmhttp://www.theweatherchannelkids.com/images/hurricane_one_sheet.pdfhttp://www.theweatherchannelkids.com/images/hurricane_one_sheet.pdfhttp://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-hurricane.htmhttp://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-hurricane.htmhttp://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-hurricane.htmhttp://www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu/safety/tornadoguide.htmlhttp://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/tornado-profile.htmlhttp://www.fema.gov/kids/tornado.htmhttp://www.fema.gov/kids/tornado.htmhttp://www.srh.noaa.gov/srh/jetstream/lightning/lightning_intro.htmhttp://www.weatherwizkids.com/thunderstorm.htmhttp://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/lightning-profile.html

Internet Links

Winter Storms:

Scholastic Winter Storms National Geographic Avalanche Weather Wiz Kids-Winter Storms

Volcanoes: Scholastic Volcano National Geographic Volcano FEMA Volcano

Wildfires: US Fire Administration for Kids FEMA Wildfires Wiz Kids-Wildfires

Heat & Drought:

Univ. of Nebraska Lincoln Drought NOAA Heat San Diego State Univ. Drought

Earthquakes: USGS Earthquake Scholastic Earthquakes National Geographic Earthquakes

Use these links to answer the questions on the Natural Disasters WebQuest Worksheet.

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/winter_storms/http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/avalanche-profile.htmlhttp://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-winter-storms.htmhttp://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-winter-storms.htmhttp://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-winter-storms.htmhttp://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-winter-storms.htmhttp://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/volcanoes/http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/volcano-profile.htmlhttp://www.fema.gov/kids/volcano.htmhttp://www.fema.gov/kids/volcano.htmhttp://www.usfa.dhs.gov/kids/flash.shtmhttp://www.fema.gov/kids/wldfire.htmhttp://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-wildfire.htmhttp://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-wildfire.htmhttp://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-wildfire.htmhttp://drought.unl.edu/kids/http://www.noaawatch.gov/themes/heat.phphttp://threeissues.sdsu.edu/three_issues_droughtfacts0.htmlhttp://threeissues.sdsu.edu/three_issues_droughtfacts0.htmlhttp://earthquake.usgs.gov/learning/kids/http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/earthquakes/http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/earthquake-profile.htmlhttp://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/earthquake-profile.html

Evaluation

Evaluation Rubric

Conclusion

So, are there more similarities or differences between each group's forecast? Well, when you're only looking at one aspect, it's easy to miss the big picture--especially when trying to understand a topic as broad and complex as natural disasters and emergency safety. Now you all know a lot more about all types of natural disasters. Nice work. You should be proud of yourselves! How can you use what you've learned to see beyond the black and white of other topics and into the grayer areas? What other parts of the Natural Disasters WebQuest could still be explored? Remember, learning never stops.

Extentions

Projects suggested by students:

Environmental Disasters:

Meteors

Oil Spills

NATURAL DISASTER WEBQUEST

WORKSHEET

click on

image to

download

workshee

t

Click here to return to slide 11

http://www.blvdheights.com/finds_wq/natural_disaster_webquest_worksheet.doc

Graphic Organizer

Create a graphic organizer about your topic.

http://interactives.mped.org/view_interactive.aspx?id=127&title=

Essay Interactive

NATURAL DISASTER

WEBQUEST WORKSHEET

This interactive graphic organizer helps

students develop an outline that includes an

introductory statement, main ideas they want

to discuss or describe, supporting details,

and a conclusion that summarizes the main

ideas.

Complete the worksheet

before using the Essay

Map

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/essay-30063.html

FINDS - Score

http://www.blvdheights.com/finds_wq/nd_rubric.xlsx

Reflection

WebQuest Reflection

What elements did you like best? What parts did

you like least? What would you want to do

differently the next time you do a WebQuest?

Overall, did you enjoy your WebQuest

experience or did you dislike it?

Copy above paragraph to your team notebook

Write your refection in AppleWorks of MS Word

Credits

Adapted from: Zunal Webquest

For FINDS Model of research and Destiny Quest

The Public URL for this WebQuest:

www.zunal.com/webquest.php?w=37658

http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=37658