Students research the effects of living in a hurricane zone. In this hurricane zone instructional activity, students research the impact of natural disasters on humans and the environment, and write a press release describing the...

Students share their thoughts about natural disasters, then read a news article about how life at an elementary school was changed after Hurricane Katrina. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a...

Redecorate a classroom on a budget. Middle schoolers rebuild a classroom after a disaster. They conduct Internet research to determine construction supplies needed and the most cost effective way to reach the predetermined results. They...

Did you know that flooding is the most common natural disaster in the United States? Prepare your learners with the facts about floods and offer them the proper knowledge and tools for dealing with this type of emergency.

Students are introduced to news writing being a concise, factual, and informative type of writing. They assess that publishing an article in a newspaper style utilizes a word processing program. Each student researches the Titanic and...

Students explore how a nuclear accident can affect biological systems. They examine the case of the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown in 1986.

Students share opinions about prescription drugs and prepare public service campaigns to inform peers and adults about the dangers of prescription drug abuse. Their ads also offer prevention techniques and possible methods of treatment.

Students investigate natural disasters by participating in an experiment. In this water formation lesson, students define the dangers associated with avalanches and landslides. Students utilize a bag of sand, meter-stick and a wood board...

Young scholars examine the challenges faced by relief workers. In this earth science lesson, students brainstorm on things they want to find out about relief agencies. They research the answer to these questions and write a reflection...

Equip learners with safety knowledge in the case of an earthquake. After coloring the places to go to get help after a quake, and label places that wouldn't be safe to go after a quake, young geologists simulate three levels of...

Students examine how oil spills are cleaned through an interactive program. They review the facts of oil spills and how the oil spreads. They discuss the short and long term effects of a spill and how they can be avoided.

Students simulate the impact of fluctuating river volumes on structures and landforms. They experiment with table top-sized riverbed models and water. Students consider how human design can help mitigate the effects of a flood.

Learners Examine how earthquakes work and what plate tectonics and fault lines are.  In this earthquake lesson students complete an earthquake scavenger hunt.

What is theme, and how can you find themes in literary works? These and other questions are answered by a colorful and engaging presentation that not only defines the term but also provides easy to understand examples. The slides...

The threat posed by super volcanoes is explored in a short video that reviews the destruction caused by Mount Tambora in 1815 and by Peru's Huaynaputina in 1600. Think it can't happen again? The narrator contends that the explosive...

More planning goes into a budget than a high schooler thinks. Here, they learn about the expected expenses and incomes, along with outside factors such as natural disasters. Learners prepare their own budget and adjust it based on...

What caused the dust bowl, and should we worry about it happening again? Scholars look at various data to come up with their hypotheses. Then, they experiment to find some of the factors that contributed. Finally, the video has them look...

Students observe the impact of natural disasters on humans, and become aware of the dangers of environmental hazards such as flash floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes.

Political cartoons are a poignant way to examine energy sources. This analysis handout has scholars examining a cartoon by Joe Heller (a link to his gallery is included for possible extensions). Background information reminds pupils of...

When a levee fails, it means disaster. Introduce your class to hurricanes and the technologies used to help protect against them. The included presentation provides background information using Hurricane Katrina as a reference. 

Have your class engage in lessons on earthquakes. Learners explore the science behind earthquakes using interactive websites and video clips. Then, they review the layers and parts of the Earth before delving into the causes of...

Over a period of 35 years, earthquakes and volcanoes combined only accounted for 1.5 percent of the deaths from natural disasters in the United States. The 15th lesson in a 20-part series connects the locations of earthquakes and...