How can you save a town from a hurricane?

How can you save a town from a hurricane?

Lesson narration:
Scroll for prep
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DISCUSS (1 of 2):

Where does the water in a hurricane come from?

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DISCUSS (2 of 2):

Why is there so much rain from a hurricane?

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DISCUSS:

Why do you think some areas of New Orleans flooded while others did not?

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# Extensions
Below are ideas for extending this topic beyond the activity and exploration you just completed.
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# Activity Extension

Tell your students that the people of Beachtown had a meeting to discuss the proposals your class came up with. Ask your students how they would answer their questions or address their issues.

Remember: There are no right answers and it may be difficult to make everyone happy.

  • Mrs. Green doesn’t like the plans that include wetlands because she thinks wetlands have lots of mosquitoes. What would you say to convince Mrs. Green that wetlands are a good idea?
  • Mr. Crawford's great-great-grandfather owned the historic general store on Ocean Avenue. He says that stilts are not historically accurate. Can you protect that building without using stilts and stay within budget?
  • Mr. Hunter is a bird watcher. He thinks you should make a nature trail through the wetlands for bird watchers. Do you have the budget for that?
  • Suppose the town council got a federal grant to help. Now they have another $200,000 to spend and they want to protect as many ordinary (non-historic buildings) as possible. How would you revise your plan?
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# Readings

Exciting stories about hurricanes extend students’ knowledge of these powerful storms. The readings from Newsela are free with registration.

  • Hurricane Florence demonstrated the destructive power of wind and rain. (Newsela, Grade 5)

  • Fuel for the Storm reveals how hurricanes get their strength. (Ocean Today, a site created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

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# Video Discussion

This time-lapse movie shows a satellite view of the 2012 hurricane season — from June 1 to November 29 — in less than 5 minutes. The excitement starts with hurricane Chris at 0:22, followed by Debbie at 0:30, Ernesto at 1:27, and more.

As you watch, try to answer these questions:

  • Which way does each hurricane spin? Do they all spin the same way?
  • If you were worried about hurricanes, where wouldn't you want to live?
  • What do you notice about the names for hurricanes?
  • What happens to Sandy (a superstorm) after it moves onto the land?

You’ll find more satellite views of hurricanes here.

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# Activity
  • If you want a more hands-on experience (and you’re willing to take on a messy experiment), check out this Teach Engineering activity, in which students make a model of a river and learn first-hand what happens when it floods.
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Lesson narration:

Activity Prep

Print Prep

In this lesson, students examine the causes of flooding using the real-world example of Hurricane Katrina. In the activity, Save Beachtown, students propose plans to prevent flooding and save historic buildings in a coastal town–all while staying within budget!

Preview activity
COVID-19 Adaptations
Students can work solo
Digital worksheets available
See our advice below
Students need a printout

Students at home
Do this activity as a whole class (instead of in small groups). There are 4 engineer types, so divide the class into 4 groups. Assign one engineer type to each group, and give students the worksheet (printed) for their engineer type. Then work as a class over video conference on the Beachtown Budget and the Beachtown Final Plan worksheet, utilizing the expertise of the different engineer types.
Students at school
Do this activity as a whole class (instead of in small groups). There are 4 engineer types, so divide the class into 4 groups. Assign one engineer type to each group, and give each student the worksheet for their engineer type. Then work as a class on the Beachtown Budget and the Beachtown Final Plan worksheets, utilizing the expertise of the different engineer types.

Exploration

15 mins

Wrap-Up

5 mins

Extend this lesson

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