Indiana Science Grade 8

Unit 4: Earth and the Solar System

Interview – disaster plan

Project Career:
Introduce the topic to the class and work as a group to develop a list of career opportunities that involve protecting the citizens of a community during a natural disaster. Have the students break for 20 minutes and research the links provided below to gain more experience on the topic. Bring the class together again to further develop the career list. Break the class into smaller groups and assign each group one career. Have each group research their topic further and prepare a poster presentation to share with the class.

Introduction:
Hurricane season descends on the Gulf Coast and Eastern seaboard beginning June 1st and lasts through the end of October. The worst storms of the season often occur in the early fall. In the fall of 2004, Florida was hit by two category four storms (131-155mph winds) and one category three storm (111-130mph winds). Due to the unpredictable nature of a storm, it is important to have a plan and materials ready to weather a storm safely and deal with the storm's aftermath.

Student Task:
As a class:

  • Name various careers that focus on preparing a city for a natural disaster
  • How do these professionals prepare the citizens of a community for a natural disaster
  • How diverse are the career paths
  • Use the following links to find more information about the skills of professional in different career paths. If possible, ask a guest speaker to address the class about the preparing for a hurricane and how you can safely avoid any danger.
Working with a partner and a large piece of paper, choose one career from your list and explain in more detail how these professionals keep you safe during a natural disaster. Use the theme disaster plan as the focus of your presentation poster. Choose one career path and explain in more detail how this professional keeps you safe during a natural disaster.

Time:
It will take one class period to brainstorm ideas and one class period to design and construct a presentation poster.

Possible Resources:

National Hurricane Center - NOAA
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

FEMA
http://www.fema.gov/

American Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org/

Emergency Preparedness and Response - CDC
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/

Student Presentation Hints:

  • Plan the layout of your presentation poster before you begin working on it.
  • Colorfully label the different ideas represented in your presentation
  • Include your presentation title and your name on the poster.
  • Use pictures you find in magazines and on the internet to illustrate the points in your poster presentation.

Click here for a rubric to help you score this project. [Insert rubric from p. 145]
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