Introduction
What is a Catastrophic Event?
A catastrophic event is caused by nature or the natural processes of the earth. The seriousness of a disaster is measured in lives lost, economic loss, and the ability of the population to rebuild. Events that occur in unpopulated areas are not considered disasters. So a flood on an uninhabited island would not count as a disaster, but a flood in a populated area is called a natural disaster.
All natural disasters cause loss in some way. Depending on the severity, lives can be lost in any number of disasters. Falling buildings or trees, freezing to death, being washed away, or heat stroke are just some of the deadly effects.
Natural disasters are large-scale geological or meteorological events that have the potential to cause loss of life or property. These types of disasters include:
- Tornadoes and Severe Storms
- Hurricanes and Tropical Storms
- Floods
- Wildfires
- Earthquakes
- Drought
- Tsunami
- Volcanic Eruption
- Avalanche
- Landslides
- Sinkholes
- Droughts
- Blizzards
Task
Students will create a poster that will highlight the impact on ecosystems of a catastrophic event. Be sure to write clearly and label any illustrations, so that others will be able to understand your posters. Make sure you use the information from your research. You may work in pairs only.
Process
Step 1: You will be assigned a partner.
Step 2: You and your partner will pick two catastrophic events.
Step 3: You and your partner will work together to research information about your topic.
Click on the hyperlink to find the different websites and videos. You and your partner will find your research information here.
Informational Websites
https://www.basicplanet.com/natural-disasters/
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters-weather/
https://www.livescience.com/topics/natural-disasters
Videos
Evaluation
Conclusion
You should have successfully completed your research and poster by now. This webquestshould have given you a better understanding of the types of catastrophic events. You should also better understand how catastrophic events impact the environment.
Teacher Page
Students may either print out pictures or draw them. I used the research cards on page 8. Each student in the pair is
responsible for a catastrophic event. These cards will help with the flow of the poster.