Description | Students learn about unpredictable acts of nature, where they are likely to occur and how natural meteorological and geological processes can lead to potential disasters as they conduct hands-on activities and experiments to simulate these forces.
LAB SCHEDULE:
EARTHQUAKES -
Students learn about plate tectonics, fault lines, and seismographs, and engineer a structure that can withstand a simulated earthquake.
VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS -
We explore the geological process of volcanoes, examine how and where they are formed, and investigate how the Earth’s core and composition contribute to the eruption.
LAND AND MUDSLIDES -
This week, we investigate the causes of landslides and where they are most likely to occur. We simulate a landslide to determine which materials cause the most damage and use engineering skills to minimize the destruction.
TSUNAMIS -
Students explore the mechanics of a tsunami, how they are formed, how often they occur, and the geological factors that help produce these giant ocean waves.
TORNADOES -
We study the weather patterns that cause tornadoes as we consider the factors of how they are formed and the destruction they leave in their wake.
HURRICANES -
Students investigate how and where hurricanes form, why they have an eye, how they create storm surge, and their effect on our landscapes.
BLIZZARDS -
Students learn about the differences between frozen weather types like sleet, freezing rain, and thundersnow, and discuss where blizzards and nor’easters are most likely to occur.
WILDFIRES -
We discover the causes and effects of wildfires, where they happen, how environmental conditions contribute to their spread, and the techniques firefighters use to control the fires.
SINKHOLES -
Students learn the science behind sinkholes and the geological processes involved in creating them as we make a model of our own.
AVALANCHES -
Today, we explore the conditions that result in an avalanche, including different types of snow and weather patterns. We conduct our own avalanche experiment to document the effects of slope.
LIGHTNING -
Students learn about the formation of lightning and the science of electricity while we try to create electrical sparks.
FLOODS -
Students discover how floods affect local communities and the ways people help each other in the wake of a disaster. |