About This Lesson
Natural Disasters PBL
Standards:
SC.6.E.7.7 :Investigate how natural disasters have affected human life in Florida.
Objective:
The students will understand that there are various types of natural disasters, that include hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, earthquakes, and heat waves.
The students will be able to:
Create a model to demonstrate a natural disaster and show how it impacts life on Earth.
Describe various types of natural disasters in Florida.
10/30/19-11/1/19
Introduction and Modeling:
Students will conduct a discussion about types of natural disasters that occur in Florida and ways in which people are affected by them. Students will work in small groups to research their natural disaster and create a presentation that will include a model.
Guided Practice:
- Students will be given a sheet of paper or a white board with a marker per group. I will then ask the students to brainstorm and come up with a list of as many natural disasters as they can think of. I will then give them 1 minute.
- When the time is up, I will ask each group to go over their list. All of the other groups will cross-off any natural disaster that another group mentions. The teacher will then make a list on the board for students to work from in the independent practice section.
- Optional contest for students: The group that lists the most words not utilized by other groups is the winner.
Collaborative Learning:
Think-pair-share, Group problem solving
Independent Practice:
- Explain to students that they will be able to choose a natural disaster that has occurred in Florida and will have to investigate it and create a model. They must research a specific disaster and create an informational presentation that describes the event, it needs to include what the event was called, where and when it occurred, the kinds of weather it brought, damages it caused in the land, and how it affected human life.
- Additionally, a model of the disaster must be created to be a part of the presentation. The students will remain in the same group of 3. The winning group of the brainstorming activity may choose first. Once they have chosen a natural disaster, no other group may choose the same one. Then, students will begin researching and gathering information using technology. They can use the following websites as suggestions during research: www.weatherwizkid.com and www.weatherquestion.com
3. Students may choose how to present their research, as well as their type of model. For example, they can make a video clip to give a “News Flash” report, perform a skit, make an create a reenactment. For models, students can use animation, clay, displays or visual representations. Each group will be given a copy of the rubric. Groups will collaborate for 55-60 minutes of class time to conduct research and begin working on their presentation. Students will be given an additional day to finish the presentation.
Days 2-3
- Each group will present their completed project to the class.
- As each group presents, students will write notes in their notebooks, including each type of natural disaster presented, the definition of each disaster, and how it affects humans.
Formative Assessment:
- At the end of the first day, each student with be provided with an exit ticket. Students must draw a picture of at least one natural disaster. Then, they must write about how the natural disaster affects humans in Florida. Any clarification needed will be addressed on Day 2.
- At the end of Day 2, give the exit tickets back to the students so they can draw another picture of a different natural disaster on the second side of the paper and write about how it affects human in Florida. Collect the exit ticket and grade for accuracy.
