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Natural Disasters: A Resource Guide
Introduction.
- Avalanches and Landslides
- Earthquakes
- Avalanches, Landslides, and Mudslides
- Databases and Journal Articles
- Internet Resources
- Disaster Data
- Using the Library of Congress
Author: Nathan Smith, Reference and Research Specialist, Science, Technology & Business Division
Created: April 14, 2020.
Last Updated: June 7, 2022.
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Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Earthquakes. Floods. Avalanches. Wild fires. These events have been happening for millennia and have affected humans throughout every part of the globe. According to the International Journal of Disaster Risk and Reduction External , natural disasters are defined as "...catastrophic events with atmospheric, geological, and hydrological origins (e.g., droughts, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, landslides) that can cause fatalities, property damage and social environmental disruption."
Arguably the most famous earthquake in U.S. history is that of San Francisco in 1906. It occurred on April 18 and had an estimated magnitude of 7.9 (estimated because the Richter Scale, which is used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes, was not invented until 1935 by Charles F. Richter). Though it lasted less than a minute, the damage was extensive and the death toll, though uncertain, was up to 3,000. The earthquake and subsequent fires caused by ruptured gas mains, which lasted for four days, destroyed about 80% of city. The earthquake, one of many for this region, occurred due to the tectonic activity along the San Andreas Fault, which forms the boundary between the Pacific and North American plates.
In 1900, a hurricane made landfall near Galveston, Texas. Not only was it the deadliest hurricane in U.S. history, but it was the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history! This hurricane made landfall on the night of September 8 and was estimated as a category 4 with a storm surge of over 15 feet that devastated the city. There has been speculation on the total number of fatalities, but the most cited number is 8,000, which is a significant portion of the nearly 38,000 in total population at the time.
The 2019-2020 bushfire season in Australia was the worst on record; 46 million acres were burned by hundreds of fires which caused dozens of fatalities. The fires' effect on air quality was demonstrated by the Air Quality Index putting several parts of the country into the hazardous zone, including areas around Sydney. The toll of the fires could also be seen in the wildlife populations. It is estimated that over 1 billion animals died during the course of the fires, including many endangered species.
The resources in this guide provide information on how and why these events occur and what people can do to better prepare for the next occurrence.
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EL Education Curriculum
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- ELA G5:M4:U1:L2
Launching Research of Natural Disasters
In this lesson, daily learning targets, ongoing assessment.
- Technology and Multimedia
Supporting English Language Learners
Universal design for learning, closing & assessments, you are here:.
- ELA Grade 5
- ELA G5:M4:U1
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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:
- W.5.7: Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
- W.5.8: Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.
- I can cite evidence from a source to support answers to my research questions. ( W.5.7, W.5.8 )
- Natural Disasters Research Note-catcher ( W.5.7, W.5.8 )
- Expert Group Natural Disaster signs by writing the name of each expert group natural disaster on a piece of paper: earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanoes, and tsunamis. Post in separate areas of the room.
- Group the Infer the Topic Resources as follows and post by the Expert Group Natural Disaster signs:
- Earthquakes: Resources 4, 5, 6, 17,
- Hurricanes: Resources 1, 2, 3, 18
- Tornadoes: Resources 7, 8, 15, 19
- Volcanoes: Resources 9, 10, 14, 21
- Tsunamis: Resources 11, 12, 13, 20
- Technology necessary for students to access the links provided on the Natural Disaster Video Links sheet (see Materials).
- Review the Independent Reading: Sample Plans in preparation for launching independent reading in the Closing (see the Tools page ).
- Post: Learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials).
Tech and Multimedia
- Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout Modules 1-3 to create anchor charts to share with families, to record students as they participate in discussions and protocols to review with students later and to share with families, and for students to listen to and annotate text, record ideas on note-catchers, and word-process writing.
- Work Time C: Students use web research to answer research questions. There is a page of links (Natural Disaster Video Links) provided for them to quickly locate the videos.
- Consider that YouTube, social media video sites, and other website links may incorporate inappropriate content via comment banks and ads. Although some lessons include these links as the most efficient means to view content in preparation for the lesson, preview links and/or use a filter service, such as www.safeshare.tv , for viewing these links in the classroom.
- Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 5.I.C.10 Important points in the lesson itself
- The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by allowing them to choose which natural disaster they will research, develop their own research questions, and work closely with an expert group to conduct their research. The offering of choice and supportive group work will increase students' motivation and level of engagement as they research their natural disaster during this unit and across the module.
- ELLs may find it challenging to generate research questions before they have chosen a natural disaster to research. Remind them of the research they conducted in Module 2, and guide the process for developing questions for this module as much as possible. Additionally, ELLs may find it challenging to identify relevant information in their expert group video to answer the research questions (see Levels of Support and the Meeting Students' Needs column)
Levels of support
For lighter support:
- After adding unfamiliar vocabulary words to the Academic Word Wall during Work Time A, invite students to use each word in a sentence with context. This will support their understanding of each word, as well as provide additional context for each word for students who need heavier support.
For heavier support:
- Consider introducing students to the natural disasters and allowing them to decide which one to research prior to the lesson. Allow students to view the videos and review their notes before deciding. Invite them to prioritize two natural disasters to allow for flexibility when strategically grouping students during Work Time B.
- Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In order to facilitate effective learning during this lesson, ensure that all students have access to the directions in each activity, and feel comfortable with the expectations. Vary the ways in which you convey expectations for each activity or task. Consider engaging in a clarifying discussion about the directions, or creating an outline of the steps for each activity.
- Multiple Means of Action & Expression (MMAE): Continue to support a range of fine motor abilities and writing need by offering students options for writing utensils. Alternatively, consider supporting students' expressive skills by offering partial dictation of student responses. Recall that varying tools for construction and composition supports students' ability to express information gathered from the text.
- Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Throughout this lesson, students have opportunities to share ideas and thinking with classmates. Some students may need support for engagement during these activities, so encourage self-regulatory skills by helping them anticipate and manage frustration by modeling what to do if they need help from their partners. Consider offering sentence frames to strategically selected peer models. Recall that offering these supports for engagement promotes a safe learning space for all students
Key: Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T); Vocabulary Used in Writing (W)
credible, affect, experience, relevant (L)
- Module Guiding Questions anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1)
- Working to Become Ethical People anchor chart (begin Module 1)
- Performance Task anchor chart (begun in Lesson 1)
- Natural Disasters Research note-catcher (one per student and one to display)
- Natural Disasters Research note-catcher (example, for teacher reference)
- Academic Word Wall (begun in Module 1)
- Domain-Specific Word Wall (begun in Lesson 1)
- Vocabulary log (from Module 1; one per student)
- Expert Group Natural Disaster signs (to display; see Teaching Notes)
- Infer the Topic resources (from Lesson 1; to display)
- Natural Disaster video links (one per student and one to display)
- Independent Reading: Sample Plans (for teacher reference; see the Tools page )
Materials from Previous Lessons
New materials.
Each unit in the 3-5 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize their understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.
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Tsunami PowerPoint Natural Disaster (Quiz, Activity and Research Task Included)
Also included in: Tsunami Unit Bundle: PowerPoint, Worksheets, Flipbook, Stem Activity
Earthquake PowerPoint Natural Disaster (Worksheets and Research Task Included)
Also included in: Earthquake Bundle (PowerPoint Worksheets Flipbook Stem Challenge Activity)
Volcanoes PowerPoint Natural Disaster (Quiz, Activity & Research Task Included)
ELA Performance Tasks Writing Prompts - Google Slides™ Distance Learning BUNDLE
Natural Disasters Project Editable Nonfiction Writing Task
ELA Performance Task Writing Natural Disasters - Distance Learning
Also included in: ELA Performance Tasks Writing Prompts - Google Slides™ Distance Learning BUNDLE
Natural Disasters News Report Project
PARCC Like Assessment: Research Simulation Task
- Word Document File
Natural Disasters Bundle - for Special Education
Enrichment Task Cards | Natural Disasters | Gifted Independent Activities
Also included in: Enrichment Task Cards BUNDLE | Curiosities | Gifted Independent Activities
Sticky Note Research Planning Pages: Natural Disasters
Environmental factors & Human Wellbeing - NATURAL DISASTERS (distance learning)
Natural Disaster Research Project Assessment
Habitat Changes Research Unit (Natural Disasters)
Wildfires: Earth Changes and Natural Disasters Boom Learning Digital Task Cards
- Internet Activities
Also included in: Earth Changes Bundle Boom Learning Digital Task Cards
Natural Disasters Unit - Reading Comprehension, Activities, Posters, Task Cards
Also included in: Science Bundle
Natural Disasters Reading Comprehension Passages | Natural Disasters Activities
Catastrophic Events and Natural Disasters Station Lab
Also included in: Complete MS Science Student-led Station Labs Bundle - Differentiated Labs
Hurricane Natural Disaster Research Unit with PowerPoint
Also included in: Extreme Weather & Natural Disasters [MEGA] Unit bundle with 6 PowerPoints
Natural Disaster Activities - Severe Weather Unit - Informational Text
Also included in: 5th Grade Science Bundle - Units - Experiments - Lesson Plans - Activities
Natural Disasters and Weather - Grade 5-7 Reading Comprehension Mini Bundle
Natural Disaster Lesson Plans | Green Screen STEM Project
- Microsoft OneDrive
Also included in: STEM Challenges for 2nd Grade | Growing Year Long Bundle
Natural Disasters Assignment - Humanities, Geography, Science.
Water Cycle | Water Research Report
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Natural disasters inquiry task - researching.
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Science 3.7(B)
Investigate rapid changes in Earth's surface such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and landslides; and
Science 4.7
Earth and space. The students know that Earth consists of useful resources and its surface is constantly changing. The student is expected to: (1) examine properties of soils, including color and texture, capacity to retain water, and abili...
Science 5.7
Earth and space. The student knows Earth's surface is constantly changing and consists of useful resources. The student is expected to: (1) explore the processes that led to the formation of sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels; and (A) recog...
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EMERGENCY RESPONSE RESOURCES
Natural Disasters and Extreme Weather Topics
Natural disasters can cause great damage on the environment, property, wildlife and human health. These events may include earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, landslides, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and extreme temperatures. Natural disasters generally constitute an emergency since they require immediate intervention due to their high impact on human health and safety; they affect the normal functioning of working infrastructure, interrupting normal day activities and representing a risk for residents and workers in affected areas.
Emergency response and recovery workers may be at risk of exposure to multiple health hazards associated with the occurrence of an event. These hazards can include physical, chemical, ergonomic, biologic, radiologic, psychological, and behavioral health hazards. Therefore, it is imperative to implement appropriate measures to assure the health and safety of emergency responders, including the implementation of a disaster management plan that prepares responders before an emergency, informs them about how to act during an emergency and provides guidance on how to perform the necessary activities after a particular event.
This webpage provides information and recommendations for emergency response and recovery workers regarding safety and health hazards associated with natural disasters. The information provided guides workers through disaster and safety management resources aiming to inform involved personnel about potential hazards and situations they may face during a response
Management of activities before, during and after an emergency is a difficult task. Different components must be considered to account for all the potential hazards that can be faced. The preparation of a comprehensive plan is vital to ensure the correct management of resources, consecution of activities and protection of responders. During the elaboration of a disaster management plan, potential hazards can be identified which helps to establish the necessary measures to prevent, control and mitigate those hazards. Such measures can include but are not limited to the establishment of a system to manage personnel during an emergency, provide training to face a particular hazard, define the use of personal protective equipment, and install guidelines and mechanisms to be used in case of an emergency, among others.
The following link redirects to the disaster site management topic page which includes general information on Disaster Site Management. The site provides a series of reports on emergency responders’ safety management in disaster and terrorism response. The different reports cover topics such as rubble and debris, dust and smoke, heat, anthrax, stress, types and use of protective equipment, hazard assessment, risk communications, site management, structural collapse, fire, and explosions. The disaster management page also offers information on other hazards such as asbestos, carbon monoxide, confined spaces chemical and structural hazards and provides guidance on identifying and handling human remains. Other possible hazardous substances and situations such as chemical and structural hazards are also included in the website to ensure the health and safety of workers.
NIOSH Emergency Response Disaster Site Management
A main component of disaster management is safety. Safety management makes reference to all the possible strategies that can be implemented to assure the safety of workers while performing their jobs. The purpose of safety management is to prevent hazards and reduce potential harmful incidents that can occur in the workplace. The strategies implemented can include safety prevention measures such as the use of personal protective equipment or the establishment of health and safety policies. NIOSH and RAND produced four reports in a series detailing previous emergency responses associated to terrorist attacks.
The first three reports provide recommendations and the need for research, training and other strategic approaches to help protect emergency responders in terrorist attacks. These reports describe the lessons learned from previous terrorist attacks, while making an emphasis in preparedness, suggesting the implementation of training and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
The fourth report is a technical source for emergency response following large structural collapse events. From the experience with collapsed buildings, the report provides examples of documented health effects, varying from evidence of respiratory and biological hazards to chemical and physical hazards. The report explains the need of establishing PPE guidelines and offers advice for its use and compatibility, and provides guidance on how to set safe exposure limits. Each individual report can be accessed using the following links:
Protecting Emergency Responders Safety Management in Disaster and Terrorism Response
- Volume 1 Protecting Emergency Responders: Lessons Learned from Terrorist Attacks
- Volume 2 Protecting Emergency Responders, Volume 2: Community Views of Safety and Health Risks and Personal Protection Needs
- Protecting Emergency Responders, Volume 3: Safety Management in Disaster and Terrorism Response (DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2004-144)
- Personal Protective Equipment Guidelines for Structural Collapse Events, Rand Volume 4
Natural disasters such as Tornado, Hurricanes, Earthquakes, Wildfires and extreme cold occur with a higher frequency and have the potential to affect emergency response and recovery workers. NIOSH has a specific topic page for each of these emergencies.
Tornados are columns of air that extend from the sky to the ground rotating with great speed and power. These extreme winds create different physical hazards during and after the event. Clean up activities might present a major challenge for responders who might be in risk of injury due to the alterations the tornado may have left. The tornado topic page informs emergency response and recovery workers on the hazards they may face during and after a tornado and provides advice on how to prevent injury and protect themselves from potential hazards.
Hurricanes and storms involve the presence of high winds and heavy rain that may lead to flooding. These phenomena bring with themselves a lot of hazards that may include but are not limited to infectious diseases, electrocution, falls, chemical exposures, physical hazards, poisoning, stress, and biological hazards. This Topic page provides resources for emergency response and recovery workers on how to prevent and protect themselves from hazards associated to storm, flood and hurricane response.
Emergency response and recovery workers may be exposed to extreme cold due to the weather, the nature of their jobs or the characteristics proper of a particular location. Extreme cold is a hazard that may lead to adverse health effects. The cold stress topic page describes the types of illnesses that may result from exposure to extreme cold, and provides recommendations for employers and workers on how to protect themselves, avoid and prevent cold stress.
Earthquakes are associated to multiple hazards that represent a risk for emergency responders and recovery workers. During cleanup activities hazards may include physical, chemical and biological hazards. Challenges faced by responders include how to manage the disaster, how to protect themselves from insects, poisoning, contaminated water and food, injury, animals, how to handle human remains, and which protective equipment is available and should be used, among others. This topic page offers resources to inform workers on disaster management, use of protective equipment, management of traumatic incident stress and provides health and safety recommendations to protect themselves in case of an earthquake.
During and after wildfires, emergency response and recovery workers are in risk of exposure to hazards such as smoke inhalation, extreme heat, falls, burns, injury, irritation, and death. This topic page contains publications and reports, that are part of the fire fighter fatality investigation and prevention program (FFFIPP), addressing common adverse health consequences for workers during and after fires, including rhabdomyolysis, hyperthermia, sudden cardiac death, and injuries. The page also provides advice on related topics such as carbon monoxide, heat stress, and respirators.
The following web page from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contains general information on preparedness, response and recovery after hurricanes, flooding, drought, extreme heat, tornados, snow and ice, volcanoes, and wildfires. The recommendations cover general preparedness and response tips for homeowners, communities, schools, and facilities.
EPA Natural Disasters and Weather Emergencies
Related Topics
- Emergency Response Health Monitoring & Surveillance
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IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
According to the International Journal of Disaster Risk and Reduction , natural disasters are defined as "...catastrophic events with atmospheric, geological, and hydrological origins (e.g., droughts, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, landslides) that can cause fatalities, property damage and social environmental disruption."
In this lesson, students consider the focus question for the unit and brainstorm specific research questions to guide their research. Students then watch videos in small groups about a natural disaster and take notes using those categories ( W.5.7, W.5.8 ). The lesson begins with students reflecting on the module guiding questions.
This Natural Disaster Research Project allows students to CHOOSE their own way of sharing their knowledge about a disaster they have researched. Students become agents for the Federal Natural Disaster Relief Agency and are appointed by the President to research natural disasters.
Earthquake PowerPoint Natural Disaster (Worksheets and Research Task Included) by Rayas Store 4.8 (3) $3.25 Zip Use these 25 slides of Earthquake PowerPoint as a complete lesson on one of the natural disasters topics you are teaching. Also included are a quiz and 4 Activity Worksheets to use after the use of this PowerPoint.
3 Geological Natural Disasters 4 Shake, Rattle and Fall Experiment 5 Meteorological and Other Natural Disasters 6 Flood Simulation Experiment 7 Natural Disaster Effects and Management 8 Natural Disasters Safety Poster Task 9 Natural Disasters Inquiry Task - Introduction 10 Natural Disasters Inquiry Task - Researching
Natural disasters can cause great damage on the environment, property, wildlife and human health. These events may include earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, landslides, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and extreme temperatures.