Designing a Structure for Weather Related Hazards Lesson Plan
By Melissa Rakovitis and Cody Schiller
Performance Expectation: 3-ESS3-1: Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather related hazard
(clarification statement: Examples of design solutions to weather related hazards include barriers to prevent flooding, wind resistant roofs and lightning rods
Lesson Overview and Materials:
-Lesson Overview:After the lesson plan, students will understand that hazards exist from natural processes, and that although these hazards are unavoidable humans can take action to reduce the impacts of these natural processes.
-various construction materials including cardboard, popsicle sticks, straws, zip ties, scissors, tape, pan/container (for the water), clay and a blow dryer to act as the wind
Engage:
-Students will watch the following clip of the “Three Little Pigs”
-After watching the video, the teacher will prompt the students by asking inquiring questions
-What was the hazard?
- Why do you think the brick house stayed together while the stick and straw houses did not?
Explore:
-Students will work in small groups and design a structure/barrier as a solution to hazards to withstand a tornado (high wind), a hurricane (surge) or flooding (water)
-The teacher will explain each of the hazards and the expectations for the structure
-For the tornado we expect students to create a roof that can withstand high winds by maintaining its structure
-For hurricanes we expect students to create a structure that minimizes the storm surge’s effect on the house
-For flooding we expect students to create a structure that minimizes water damage from getting into the house
Explain:
-Each group will present their structure to the rest of the class and explain effectiveness/efficiency and what improvements could be made if the structure
-Following students presentations the teacher will show real world examples of solutions to hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding
-Flooding: dams, berms, levees, sump pump’s (usually in the basement)
-Hurricane: floodgates, levy’s, elevated homes, (new Orleans) exterior shutters (doors & windows)
-Tornado: exterior shutters (doors & windows foe high winds), aerodynamic roof, secure tie downs for roofs, tornado shelters
-Thunderstorms: lightning rods
-The teacher can ask each group one improvement that could be made to better their structure
Elaborate:
-Each student will be responsible for researching a weather related hazard and provide pictures/explanations for design solutions to that particular weather hazard. Students will turn in a paper about their topic at a later date provided.
-Topics could include:
-tornadoes
-thunderstorms
-flooding
-winter storms
-hurricanes
-earthquakes
Evaluate:
-Students will be evaluated on participation during the class activity.
-Students will also be evaluated on their research paper with a rubric
Sources:
Picture example:
-Picture #1 in the upper left hand corner is of a sump pump usually found in the home of a basement
-Picture #2 in the upper right hand corner is of a hurricane levee
-Picture #3 in the bottom left hand corner is of a lightning rod at the top of a building in New York
-Picture #4 in the bottom right hand corner is of a concrete above ground tornado shelter