Curated OER
Natural Disasters
Students, in groups, research the problems that occurred in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and how the government could have been better prepared. They develop a useable plan for how the government could better prepare for such...
Curated OER
The Interview of a Lifetime
Students study the process of creating an interview by role playing as a reporter who has the opportunity to interview one of the survivors of the Titanic disaster. They ask only five questions in this interview of a lifetime therefore...
Curated OER
Stable and Unstable Structures
Students research three major bridge collapses. For this Physical Science lesson plan, students will sketch a bridge design for their area after their research. All bridge designs will be presented to the class to discuss strengths and...
Curated OER
Hurricane Katrina
Learners examine emergency response systems. In this Hurricane Katrina lesson, students determine how government and emergency aid providers dealt with the aftermath of the hurricane. Learners consider personal stories and actual events...
Curated OER
Raising the Titanic
Ninth graders research the history of a person who was aboard the Titanic and write about the part he/she played in the world's greatest maritime disaster.
Curated OER
Wonders of Weather
Students investigate weather disasters by creating a virtual tornado. In this wild weather lesson, students define a vortex and describe how a vortex keeps a tornado moving and causing damage. Students utilize salt, detergent, water,...
Teach Engineering
How Big? Necessary Area and Volume for Shelter
Teams must determine the size of cavern needed to house the citizens of Alabraska to protect them from the asteroid impact. Using scaling properties, teams first determining the number of people that could sleep in a classroom and then...
Teach Engineering
Incoming Asteroid! What's the Problem?
Oh, no! An asteroid is on a collision course with Earth!. Class members must rise to the challenge of designing a shelter that will protect people from the impact and permit them to live in this shelter for one year. In this first lesson...
Michigan State University
Bug Lyphe!
Introduce ecology classes to biodiversity and interdependence in ecosystems with a PowerPoint presentation. Then, they get up-close and personal with the invertebrate world by collecting insects, classifying them, and graphing their...
Newseum
Covering a Catastrophe: Press Conference Simulation
Young journalists have an opportunity to experience the challenges of covering a catastrophe by staging a mock press conference. Half the class acts as reporters while the others act as officials from the mayor's office.
Curated OER
Floods and Flash Floods
Junior geologists, hydrologists, or meteorologists simulate what happens during the flooding of a river and demonstrate factors that contribute to flash flooding. This outstanding resource provides a vocabulary list, online resources,...
Curated OER
Trembling, Spewing Earth: Impacts on Human Activity
Seventh graders study to identify patterns in earthquake activity and impacts on human behavior. They also develop plans to cope with such natural disasters.
Curated OER
Checking the Surf
Students read and discuss waves and their wavelengths and amplitudes. In this waves lesson plan, students draw the wavelength and amplitude of a wave and discuss tsunamis and storms.
Curated OER
Tsunami
Students examine what causes tsunamis and why they all behave differently. For this tsunami lesson students complete a group activity after viewing a video.
Curated OER
Modern Japan: Tsunami Relief
Students participate in a lesson that is concerned with modern day tsunami relief in Japan. They conduct research and chart the regional alert centers. Students also note the worldwide effort to help those in need.
Curated OER
Images of Katrina
Students use maps and online data to find specific geographic areas. In hurricane Katrina lesson students use aerial photographic imagery to see some impacts of hurricane Katrina.
Curated OER
Clara Barton
Young scholars explore the social change during the nineteenth sand early twentieth centuries. The founding of the American Red Cross by Clara Barton and the role it played in organizing help for those in need is examined in this lesson.
Curated OER
Tornadoes
Students use the Internet to research tornadoes. They consider tornado formation, energy forms and sources, ways to predict tornadoes, tornado safety and attempt to predict tornadoes in real time.
Curated OER
World History: Why Civilizations Fall
Students examine factors leading to the demise of ancient civilizations. They list causes that led to the downfall of these societies. Students conduct Internet research and participate in online archaeological investigations.
Curated OER
Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure
Young scholars research the exploration of Antarctica by the explorer Sir Ernest Shackelton. In this Antarctic exploration lesson, students watch a movie about Sir Ernest Shackelton and his ship the Endurance. Young scholars study a map...
Curated OER
Volcano
Middle schoolers research major volcanic eruptions. In this Earth science lesson, students take on the role of vulcanologist writing reports to the President of the United States on how to respond to a volcanic disaster. This lesson...
Curated OER
How to Clean Up An Oil Spill
Students practice cleaning up an oil spill. In this good citizenship lesson, students experiment with different cleaning agents to see which ones clean oil off a soft toy. They compare this experiment with the volunteers helping with the...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan on Refugees
Pupils explore the issue of "human rights" and discuss world events/situations in which human rights are in question. They determine their own needs and wants and simulate the experience of being a refugee having to leave their home. ...
DiscoverE
Emergency Shelter
Save yourself! Groups create a sturdy emergency shelter out of bamboo. The shelter must be large enough to fit one person. Now the most important question: Which member of the group gets to use the shelter in an emergency?