This natural disasters and natural hazards reading introduces students to NGSS MS-ESS3-2: Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects.
Includes both print and digital Google Slides options to assign.
In this activity, students will:
- READ the article Natural Hazards. (3 pages)
- DEFINE key vocabulary terms.
- ANSWER text-dependent questions. All answers come directly from the text, so no prior knowledge is needed.
Topics Introduced in this Article:
- Natural hazards vs. natural disasters
- Types of natural hazards (floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, etc.)
- Forecasting methods/tools for different hazards
- Definition of meteorologists, seismologists, and volcanologists
- Predictability varies by hazard type (weather: days/weeks; volcanoes: days/weeks; earthquakes: months/years)
- Mitigation strategies to reduce hazard impacts
- Early warning systems (tsunami, earthquake, weather alerts)
- Engineering solutions (earthquake-resistant buildings, seawalls, fire-resistant materials)
- Community preparedness (emergency plans, drills, supplies)
Teacher Notes:
- Answer keys are always included!
- Please note that this natural hazards reading is not editable.
- Related NGSS Standard: MS-ESS3-2
- GO PAPERLESS! Use the included Google Slides version!
- You can also shop my TPT store!
