Natural Disasters Activity Guide

Transcription

1 Natural Disasters Activity Guide Guiding Questions 1. What type of technology is used to forecast natural disasters? 2. Why is it important to develop technology that can help forecast future natural disasters? Agenda Natural Disasters Game 40 Minutes Page 2 Complete the natural disasters game with a partner and analysis questions below. Make sure you are reading the information in the popup boxes Infographic Scavenger Hunt 30 Minutes Page 3 and 4 Using the inforgraphics around the room or online, complete the following questions Natural Disaster Notes 5 Minutes Pages 5 and 6 READ the natural disaster notes video Guiding Questions 5 Minutes Page 1 Answer the guiding questions above 1

2 Natural Disasters Game Instructions Go to Click Play Game (on the right side of the screen) Click Launch Game Click Instructions Read the Instructions Click Play Game Pick a scenario Select EASY READ EVERY BOX THAT POPS UP AND HOLDS INFO READ THE FOLLOWING Challenge Challenge Pick a partner and together complete the game two times. Try to perform the same tasks (building upgrades, environmental changes) between both Attempt 1 and Attempt 2. The main difference should be that Attempt 1 does NOT include any education or early warning systems while Attempt 2 does! Make sure you are working together to make sure that most of your tasks/changes were the same between both attempts. Buildings Destroyed Population Housed Population Sheltered Total Damages Population Died Population Injured Final Score Pass? / Fail? ATTEMPT 1 - No Warning Systems - No Education / Week Courses ATTEMPT 2 - Include warning systems - Includes seismic sensors/computer modeling - Include Education / Week Courses Analysis Questions: 1. How did adding a warning system / education plan change how many people became injured or died? If you think your data doesn t support what should ve happened, explain why. 2. Why is it important to continue developing technology that can forecast natural disasters / improve our houses / buildings? 2

3 Infographic Scavenger Hunt Look at the infographics around the room or on the website and answer the following questions. Infographic 1 - Tornado, Flood, Hurricanes, Earthquake, Fire 1. How many deaths did tornadoes cause in 2011? 2. How many deaths do floods cause in America each year? 3. On average, how many hurricanes hit the United States each year? 4. How many earthquakes occur every year in the United States? 5. How many buildings in California are not rated to withstand an earthquake? 6. On average, how many acres of land in the United States are consumed a year? 7. How many fires are in hospitals / hospices each year in the United States? Infographic 2 - Preparing Your Home for a Natural Disaster 8. Which type of natural disasters are most likely to occur in Illinois?,, 9. What is one myth about a natural disaster AND what is one fact that contradicts that myth? Myth: Fact: Infographic 3 - Are you ready for a natural disaster? 10. Which three disasters cause the most deaths?,, 11. Using the maps provided, complete the following chart Disaster Most Common Location 3

4 Blizzard Flood Hurricane Tornado Earthquake Wildfire 12. How much water is needed to carry away a car in a flood? 13. What percentage of hurricane deaths result from storm surges? 14. How fast can wildfires move? Infographic 4 - Hurricane Formation 15. What are 6 specific things Hurricanes must have? 16. What percent of hurricane activity occurs between August and October? Infographic 5 - Tsunami Science 17. What are the three main causes of tsunamis?,, Infographic 6 - When a tornado destroys everything 18. Describe an EF Describe an EF-4 Infographic 7 - The Terrifying Aftermath of Tornadoes 20. How many tornadoes hit the United States every year? 21. The area that most tornadoes occur within has a name, what is it called? 4

5 22. How much lead time do current tornado warnings have? 23. How many injuries are caused by tornadoes a year? 24. Which state has had the most deaths caused by tornadoes? Natural Disaster Notes Type of Disasters Formation / Cause Location / Time Rating / Rankings Forecasting Prediction Ability Hurricane Group of thunderstorms gain energy from the warm water underneath. The winds curve because of the coriolis effect Can also be called a cyclone or a typhoon depending on where its located Over Warm Oceans Normally occur between August and October Starts as a tropical storm (winds up to 74 mph) After 74mph it becomes a hurricane with categories 1-5 (depending on wind speed) Satellites and Doppler radar track storm movement and size Track/measure rain, wind speed, and direction Forecasters also gain data from planes, bouyes, and computer models Advanced Warning 2-5 Days Earthquak es Sudden and violent shaking of the ground Earths crust is suddenly broken or moved. This causes a release in energy which makes the ground shake Along fault lines / continental and oceanic plates Richter scale 1 10 Rating of the intensity Mercalli Scale I to XII rating of damages Areas of risk are predicted based on historical data and plate movement No warning 5

6 Tsunamis A large ocean wave that can reach heights of 100 feet Caused by an earthquake, landslide, volcano eruption or other large disturbance of water. In the ocean Most occur near the ring of fire (frequent earthquakes and volcanoes) Often rated based on the earthquake that caused it Seismic activity is monitored 3 minute to 12 hour warning depending on where earthquake occurred and the direction the tsunami is travelling Type of Disasters Formation / Cause Location / Time Rating / Rankings Forecasting Prediction Ability Tornados Rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground Warm moist air meets cold dry air and creates an instable atmosphere. Change in direction and increased wind creates strong updrafts Tornado Alley 75% occur in the United States Fujita Scale F0 F5 Based on wind speed and damage Monitor weather conditions using computer forecasting to determine if the conditions are right Use satellites, doppler radar, weather balloons, and weather stations Tornado Watch Conditions are right. There is potential for a tornado to occur Tornado Warning A tornado has formed or will occur Volcano Eruption Lava, ash and gases escape from the magma chamber of a volcano Lower density magma causes it to rise. As it rises gases dissolve and pressure increases Ring of Fire At plate boundaries Active Dormant Extinct Monitor gas production changes, ground changes, magma/fluid movement Use satellites Advanced Warning 6

7 Wild Fires Uncontrolled fire that often consumes houses and agricultural resources. Ignite and spread quickly Lightning or human carelessness during droughts or heat waves Mostly happen in forested areas. Needs a dry/hot climate X Areas that have a drought or a heat wave are closely monitored. Once started, winds are tracked to determine movement and direction They can provide an idea of when the conditions are right but not for when it will start. 7