1)

PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
Name
Angelica Rinebarger
Date
November 6, 2015
Title of Lesson
The Impact of Earthquakes, Floods, and Volcanoes
Subjects
Social Studies and Science
Grade level
4th
Time frame for lesson
1 hour
Objectives

The learner will be able to describe the impact of earthquakes,

floods, and volcanoes on human and physical environments by the
end of class (as an exit ticket) with 80% accuracy.

Citations

http://eqseis.geosc.psu.edu/~cammon/HTML/Classes/IntroQuakes/
Notes/earthquake_effects.html
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/world/events/
1960_05_22.php
http://www.jaha.org/FloodMuseum/facts.html
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/st_helens/st_helens_geo_
hist_99.html
http://www.livescience.com/27553-mount-st-helens-eruption.html

2)

3)

STATE STANDARDS
SS04S4C05PO02
Describe the impact of extreme natural events on human
and physical environments.
SCI04S2C01PO02

Describe science-related career opportunities.

SCI04S3C01PO01

Describe how natural events and human activities have

positive and negative impacts on environments.

SCI04S3C02PO01

Describe how science and technology have improved the

lives of many people.

SCI04S6C02PO04

Compare rapid and slow processes that change the Earths

surface (earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, wind, weathering).

LESSON ACCOMMODATIONS
3.1 Lesson Content
The teacher must know the difference between human and physical environments.
Human: Man-made (buildings, structures, dams, etc.)
Physical: Occur naturally on Earth (living things, air, land, water, etc.)

The teacher must also know the impacts of earthquakes, floods, and volcanoes on
human and physical environments (see PowerPoint).
3.2 Multiculturalism and Diversity
Scenario 1: Cole has difficulty paying attention during group instruction. He will
sit directly in front of the teacher for the lesson to help him focus.
Scenario 2: Dylan is being reviewed to see if he has dyslexia because of his
problems with language processing. He needs constant repetition of instructions
in order for him to understand. All instructions must be repeated at least twice in
order to help him comprehend completely.
4)

LESSON FORMAT
Set/Statement of Objective
Open up the PowerPoint presentation and show slide 2. The purposes of these
slides are to get students to observe, predict, and think.
SLIDE 2: Ask students: What do you see in this picture? Continue asking
questions in order for students to keep making observations. Ask questions like:
How do you know its a woman? What is she doing? What is that stuff around
her? What do you think happened?
SLIDE 3: Continue asking questions. Ask questions like: Where do you think this
is? What do you think happened now? Why do you think that?
SLIDE 4: Continue asking questions. Ask questions like: Who is that other
person? How do you know? What do you think happened? What are they doing?
Once students have run out of things to observe, say: This photo was taken in
1960 after an earthquake in the country of Chile. This is a mother and her
daughter standing where their house used to be looking for any of their
belongings that survived. This earthquake was the largest earthquake ever
recorded and caused severe damage and impacted a lot of people.
SLIDE 5: Say: Today youre going to be learning about the impacts of
earthquakes, floods, and volcanoes.
SLIDE 6: Say: By the end of this lesson you will be able to describe the impact
of earthquakes, volcanoes, and floods on us and our environment.
Input
1. Continue with the PowerPoint presentation:
SLIDE 7: Say: Lets set-up the flipbook youre going to be writing in. Its okay if
your colors dont match the colors of this one; everyones flipbooks are different.
Start by writing THE IMPACTS OF at the top of your flipbook. Write your
name underneath.
SLIDE 8: Say: Next, write EARTHQUAKES on the top flap.
SLIDE 9: Say: Write FLOODS on the middle flap.
SLIDE 10: Say: Write VOLCANOES on the last flap. Hold up your flipbook
when youve finished writing so I know when we can move on.

SLIDE 11: Say: Our essential question is: What impacts do earthquakes, floods,
and volcanoes have on us and our environment? Youll be able to answer this
question by the end of this lesson.
SLIDE 12: Say: In 1960, the country of Chile had the worst earthquake ever
recorded (9.5 magnitude=VERY BIG!). Buildings collapsed and fires started. The
resulting damage cost almost $800 million to repair. 3,000 deaths and 20,000
injuries were reported. The earthquake caused tsunamis in both Hawaii and
Japan.
SLIDE 13: Say: This is a photo of a theater in Chile before an earthquake. Think
in your head what you think its going to look like after an earthquake.
SLIDE 14: Say: Were you picturing something similar to this? Does this look
better or worse than you were imagining? Talk to your shoulder partner about
your thoughts briefly. Walk around the room and listen to make sure students are
on track. Say: I heard some really great conversations going on, so were going to
go ahead move on to our activity.
SLIDE 15: Say: In just the United States, the estimated cost to repair earthquake
damage is $4.4 billion per year. Why do you think earthquakes cost so much?
What kind of damage could earthquakes cause? Try to think of something no one
else will think of. Write your thoughts in your flipbook and be prepared to share.
This is going to be written in your flipbook under EARTHQUAKES. When
youre finished writing, briefly talk to your shoulder partner about what you
wrote. Give me a thumbs up if you understand what youre supposed to be doing
or a thumbs down if you dont. Walk around the room to make sure students are
staying on track. Choose one student to share his or her thoughts with the class.
SLIDE 16: Say: Now were moving on to floods. In 1881, the South Fork Dam on
the Little Conemaugh River was rebuilt upstream of Johnstown, Pennsylvania by
the South Fork Fishing Club in order to create a lake for their wealthy associates.
The South Fork Fishing Club cut corners when rebuilding the dam because they
wanted to begin making money right away. In 1889, Pennsylvania received
several days of extremely heavy rainfall which overflowed the South Fork Dam
and unleashed 20 million tons of water! The water flowed downstream towards
Johnstown and other towns, picking up debris such as houses, trees, and animals,
and growing larger and larger as it roared downhill. Over 2,000 deaths were
recorded as a result of the flood.
SLIDE 17: Say: This is a home before the Johnstown flood. Think in your head
what you think the house is going to look like after the flood.
SLIDE 18: Say: Were you picturing something similar to this? Does this look
better or worse than you were imagining? Talk to your shoulder partner about
your thoughts briefly. Walk around the room to make sure students are staying on
track. Say: I heard some really great conversations going on, so were going to go
ahead move on to our activity.
SLIDE 19: Say: Imagine you were on the committee of the South Fork Fishing
Club when the South Fork Dam was being built. All of your fellow members agree
that it would cost too much money to repair the dam completely and theres no
need to repair the dam because it should be fine as it is. There must be a
unanimous vote in order to proceed. You know that you shouldnt be cutting

corners and putting peoples lives at risk, but you dont want to make the other
members upset by disagreeing with them. Its your turn to vote. The other
members stare at you and await your decision. What do you say? Do you vote yes
or no to repair the dam? Write in your flipbook and be prepared to share your
reasoning. This is going to be written in your flipbook under FLOODS. When
youre finished writing, briefly talk to your shoulder partner about what you
wrote. Give me a thumbs up if you understand what youre supposed to be doing
or a thumbs down if you dont. Walk around the room to make sure students are
staying on track. Choose one student to share his or her thoughts with the class.
SLIDE 20: Say: Because you all have been doing so well, you deserve a short
brain break before we move on to volcanoes. Click on the link to play the video.
SLIDE 21: Say: This is a picture of Mt. St. Helens during an eruption. Would you
want to live near this volcano? Do you think anyone does live near it? Briefly talk
to your shoulder partner. Walk around the room to make sure students are staying
on track. Say: I heard some really good conversations. This is actually a volcano
in the state of Washington and
SLIDE 22: Say: As you can see, lots of people live near it! Can you believe its
actually the same volcano in the background of this photo?
SLIDE 23: Say: In 1980, Mount St. Helens, located in the state of Washington,
erupted. Because of advanced technology, geologists and volcanologists had
known for a couple months that the eruption was coming, which gave them
enough time to warn and evacuate the public, although some chose to stay and
take their chances. A 5.1 earthquake caused the eruption on May 18th. 57 deaths
were reported and more than 200 homes were destroyed. 230 square miles of
forest was turned into a wasteland.
SLIDE 24: Say: This is a photo of the mountain area near Mt. St. Helens before
the eruption. As you can see, theres lots of green and life. Its really pretty, isnt
it?
SLIDE 25: Say: And this is a picture of the mountain area after Mt. St. Helens
erupted. Its a lot different, right? The eruption really impacted the vegetation
and wildlife in that area. It turned tall, strong trees into toothpicks and killed
thousands of animals in the area. Theres also no filter to make this photo look
darker. Thats how it actually looked. It was dark and gray because of the smoke
and ash from the eruption. Crazy, right?
SLIDE 26: Say: The eruption also impacted humans. This is a photo a
photographer took of his car after the eruption.
SLIDE 27: Say: Many people around the world live near volcanoes. There are
both advantages and disadvantages to living next to a volcano. Inside the
envelope at your desk you will find seven strips of paper. On each strip of paper is
an example of either a pro or con to living near a volcano. With a shoulder
partner, sort these strips of paper into pros and cons. Once youve finished
sorting the strips, choose one pro and one con to write in your flipbook. Lets do
the example together: Im from Japan. The Mount Fuji volcano is so beautiful,
especially during springtime. The sakura blossoms (Japanese flowers) around the
volcano attract many tourists and photographers. Is this a pro or a con to living
next to a volcano? (Pro: beautiful, attracts tourists, economy, etc.) Say: This is

going to be written in your flipbook under VOLCANOES. Give me a thumbs up

if you understand what youre supposed to be doing or a thumbs down if you
dont. Walk around the room to make sure students stay on track.
SLIDE 28: Say: Lets go ahead and go over the answers. Use the slide to read the
pros and cons. Ask: Did anyone have any different answers?
SLIDE 29: Say: Okay, after all of this information, who is just a little bit freaked
out by these natural events? I know I am. Theres actually no need to be scared.
Yes, these are very scary things, but luckily we have adapted to these natural
events in many different ways.
SLIDE 30: Say: Although earthquakes cannot be predicted, geologists and
seismologists understand where most earthquakes occur and are able to assist in
creating emergency plans for those areas. Architects and engineers are able to
design large buildings, structures, and houses so they are able to withstand
earthquakes almost completely. Geologists and Seismologists are able to use
advanced technology to determine if an earthquake will cause tsunamis in other
areas and are usually able to warn those areas long before the tsunami hits.
SLIDE 31: Say: Although humans cannot stop the rains from falling or stop
flowing surface water from bursting its banks, we can do something to prevent
them from having a great impact. Levees, lakes, dams, reservoirs, or retention
ponds are constructed to hold extra water during times of flooding. Trees, shrubs,
and grass protect the land from erosion by moving water and help break the
power of moving floodwater. Canals and terraces help prevent flooding by
directing water away from its original river flow. Covered drainage systems allow
water to move through them.
SLIDE 32: Say: Geologists and volcanologists are usually able to predict a
volcanic eruption a few hours before it occurs, giving a good amount of time to
warn people in the area. Using advanced technology, geologists and
volcanologists can determine whether a certain volcano is active, dormant, or
extinct, which helps them decide whether or not an emergency plan is needed for
that area.
Guided practice/checking for understanding*
1. *Guided practice and checking for understanding are met during the PowerPoint
presentation on slides that are underlined above: 14, 15, 18, 19, 21, 27, and 28 in
order to make sure slides appear in numerical order in this lesson plan.
Closure
1. Continue with the PowerPoint presentation:
SLIDE 33: Say: Now were back to our essential question. Do you remember it
from the beginning of the PowerPoint? Can you answer it now? Turn to your
shoulder partner and tell them one way that earthquakes, floods, or volcanoes
impact us and our environment. Walk around the room to make sure students are
staying on track.
SLIDE 34: Say: As your exit ticket, write your name on each sticky note. At the
top of each sticky note, write Earthquakes, Floods, or Volcanoes. For each sticky
note, write one impact that each event has on humans and/or the environment.

Try to think of something no one else will think of. You can use your flipbook for
help. This is basically what you just did with your shoulder partner except now
its one way that each of these events impacts us and youre writing it down on
each sticky note. Youre then going to come up to the board and stick it under
each event. Give me a thumbs up if you understand what youre supposed to be
doing or a thumbs down if you dont.
Materials/attachments
Earthquakes, Floods, and Volcanoes PowerPoint
Earthquakes, Floods, and Volcanoes Flipbooks (1 per student)
Volcano Envelopes and Strips of Paper
Sticky Notes (3 per student)
5)

ASSESSMENT
Method Sticky Note Exit Ticket
Students will use three sticky notes to write one impact that earthquakes, floods,
and volcanoes have on human and/or physical environments with 80% accuracy.
Criteria for Mastery 80 out of 100 possible points (holistic scoring).
Intervention Plan Students who do not master the objective will work with the
teacher to review the impacts of earthquakes, floods, and volcanoes on human and
physical environments.

6)

EXTENDED PRACTICE
Students will be split into three groups: earthquakes, floods, and volcanoes. Each
group will come up with an emergency plan for their event. The plan should be
written on a poster board as well as what impact their event could cause if the
public does not follow their emergency plan. Groups will present their emergency
plans to the class.

Im$from$Japan.$The$Mount$Fuji$volcano$is$so$beautiful,$especially$during$
springtime.$The$sakura$blossoms$(Japanese$flowers)$around$the$volcano$
attract$many$tourists$and$photographers.$
$
$
Im$from$Iceland$and$in$my$country$over$70%$of$homes$are$heated$by$
volcanic$steam.$
$
$
Im$from$Hawaii.$The$ongoing$eruption$of$the$Kilauea$volcano$has$
destroyed$many$of$our$homes$and$highways.$
$
$
Im$from$Columbia.$In$1985,$the$eruption$of$the$Nevado$del$Ruiz$volcano$
caused$mudflows$that$destroyed$my$town$and$killed$more$than$20,000$
people.$
$
$
Im$a$farmer$from$Bali.$Our$tea,$coffee,$and$rice$are$plentiful$and$delicious$
because$of$the$fertile$soils$on$our$volcanic$island.$
$
$
Im$a$miner$from$South$Africa.$We$mine$diamonds$from$our$volcanic$rocks$
and$sell$them$to$jewelry$makers$and$other$companies.$
$
$
Im$from$Chile$and$we$have$volcanic$eruptions$frequently.$The$ash$
produced$by$volcanoes$continuously$contaminates$our$water$supply.$