Geography: Amazing Natural Disaster of the 20th Century

What a fun and exciting way to get student interested in the forces of nature!!!! They will love this interactive, group cooperation activity.

Check out Geography & Math Made Easy for more resources: 

NOTE: ADJUST MARGINS UNDER PAGE SETUP BEFORE PRINTING or SCALE TO FIT TO AVOID
GRAPHICS FROM BEING CUT OFF.

OBJECTIVE:
o Students will understand the devastating effect natural disasters have on people and the country economically in the 21st Century.
o Students will be able to identify the cause and effect of various natural disasters during the 20st Century.

MATERIALS:
o Introduction video: (4 videos to choose from below)
o Cards duplication for research on a natural disaster
o Graphic organizer
o Laminated spinner (You may use the one provided or purchase spinners at a teacher’s store.)
o Metal brads, 1 per group
o Laminated game board, 1 per group
o One die per group for the enrichment game.
o Tape—to tape down the board game to the desk or table for stabilization.
o Computers, library books, and other resources for research.
o Forces of Nature Thinking Chart for taking notes during presentations.

PREPARATION:
Set up the classroom desks or tables so that students are sitting in groups of threes or fours.

On the board, write the following in preparation for the game, providing lots of room below each category to place index cards.

Category Category Category Category Category
5 4 3 2 1

5=Results in the most damage, costs the most amount of funds for restoration and has a high death rate.

1=Results in the least damage, costs the least amount of funds for restoration, and has a low death rate.


INTRODUCTION:

Ask:
What is considered a natural disaster?
Answer: floods, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, blizzard, droughts, avalanches, mudslides, sinkholes, hailstorms, heat waves, tornados, fire tornados.

What effects or leads to natural disasters?
Answer: movement of plate tectonics, rotation of wind and water, weather
patterns, too much rain, not enough rain, bacterium, etc.
More with purchase

INTRODUCTORY VIDEO: CHOOSE THE VIDEO YOU WISH YOUR STUDENTS TO VIEW TO INTRODUCE THEM TO NATURAL DISASTERS:

Video links included with purchase.

PROCEDURE:

Students will begin by spinning the wheel on the Forces of Nature game. They will take turns spinning; yet the group will only spin five times to acquire five different natural disasters to research. Each group will receive five cards (See duplicate cards below) which asks them to name the natural disaster, provide the location, describe the physical damage, explain the cause and effect, and give a total of the estimated cost of damage and death toll. Allow students 10 minutes to research and complete a card for each natural disaster.

Students may need to use problem-solving skills to determine how they are going to get all five completed in 50 minutes, meaning they may have to divide them up between group members and then come back and share their information.

CLOSURE / EVALUATION:

On the top of the board list the categories below, leaving room for students to place their natural disaster cards underneath the numbering system.

(Included with purchase)

4=Results in the most physical damage, costs the most amount of funds for restoration and has a high death rate.

1=Results in the least physical damage, costs the least amount of funds for restoration, and has a low death rate.

Provide students with a Forces of Nature Thinking Chart to take notes on while classmates give presentations.

Using their cards, allow students, one team at a time, to present each of their natural disasters cards to the class. Direct them to place their card under one of the four categories ratings on the board. Be sure to have tape available. Painter’s tape may be best.

Once the class has finished presentations and all cards are categorized on the board, allow the class to discuss what are the 10 Worst Natural Disasters of the 21st Century, from their lists on the board. This may require that cards be moved around from one category to another in order to determine the 10 Worst Natural Disasters. The discussion will be centered on physical damage, cost of restoration, and death rate. If students wish to move a natural disaster to another category, they must support their decision with facts. At the end, you should have 10 natural disasters listed under Category 4. This will be what the class as a whole has decided is the !0 Worst Natural Disasters of the 21st Century.

ENRICHMENT REVIEW ACTIVITY:

Continue to play Forces of Nature:

(Game included with purchase.)


LIST OF NATURAL DISASTERS

BEFORE THE 20th CENTURY
The Black Death (1348)
The Great White Plaque (1600s)
North American Smallpox Epidemic (1775)
Antioch Earthquake (526)
Aleppo Earthquake (1138)

20TH CENTURY
Hurricane Andrew (1993)
Nevado del Ruiz Volcano Eruption (1985)
Tangshan Earthquake in China (1976)
Haiyuan Earthquake (1920)

(More listed with purchase.)
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Permissions are given to the purchaser to made modifications to the game board using the Word document provided in the zip fie. No other modifications may be made to this document.
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