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Middle and High School Natural Hazards

Teaching Resources for Middle and High School – Natural Hazards

Lessons

2018 Anchorage Earthquake -- Overflight Photo 3 - 12/03/18
Learn about Earthquake Hazards

About: Seismic hazard maps and related lessons about hazards.
Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park
Wildland Fire School

About: Wildland Fires are a natural part of ecosystems and are increasing in size and frequency due to climate change. This lesson introduces fire basics and explores how wildland fire affects different types of ecosystems. This lesson is intended for grades 6-12 and is aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Grades: 6 to 12

Topics: Fire basics, fire impacts and ecology, fire management and climate change

Length: Varies (see lessons for more details)
Outline of deer swimming in Chesapeake Bay during sunset
Our Water, Our Lives: The Chesapeake Bay Watershed

About: This Teacher Guide includes background information, lesson plans, and examples of student answers for three lessons about the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Student Worksheet includes student activities and questions.

Grades: 5th to align with NGSS, but adaptable to 4th-6th grades 

Topics: Water quality, water availability 

Length: Three lessons; one lesson per week (teacher determines the correct pace for their students)

 

 

Activities

view of harbor with coastal buildings and haze
Tabletop Earthquakes

About: Construct a simple earthquake machine to demonstrate the principles of seismology. Includes supporting instructional material. 
A campsite, made up of a picnic table and metal fire pit surrounded by green vegetation, is under about a foot of water.
Size and Occurrence of Floods

About: Students use macaroni or beans to calculate the statistics of floor recurrence (see back side of poster).

Topics: Floods, watersheds

Length: One class period