What a Disaster!

Subject Area(s):

• K-12: Science
• Geography

Grade Level(s):

• 3rd-4th Grade

Description:

This lesson guides students in their research of natural disasters (earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, blizzards, and floods) focusing on paraphrasing and citation skills. The result is the development of a poster project and opportunity to teach their peers about their disaster.

Goals & Objectives:

Instructional Goals:

• Students will be able to use a Builder online lesson to find information.
• Students will learn about a given natural disaster.
• Students will understand why citation and paraphrasing are important.
• Students will be able to present information in specific format.

Learning Objectives:

• Students will be able to follow the task directions in the Builder to access appropriate websites on their disaster topics.
• Students will effectively select relevant facts on their given natural disaster.
• Students will be able to paraphrase this information in the form of notes.
• Students will use paraphrased notes to write clear sentences answering their research questions.
• Students will successfully fill out citation worksheets identifying their sources.
• Students will use gathered information to complete a poster project with pictures

and answers to their disaster research questions.

• Students will utilize standards of English language.

Motivational Goals:

• Generate interest in the research process.
• Establish the importance of attaining information skills.
• Promote the value of learning information skills.
• Reinforce students' confidence in their ability to learn and use information skills.
• Promote students' satisfaction in their research accomplishments.

Materials:

BuILder online lesson at  http://www.informationliteracy.org/builder/view/1330

The following documents attached in Supporting Files:

Complete lesson plan

Research Notes Handout

Bibliography Handout

What a Disaster Rubric

Procedures:

See supporting files for complete lesson plan.

Assessment:

See supporting files for complete lesson plan.

Supporting Files:

• 504lessonb.doc
  Complete lesson plan attached.
• Research_Notes_Handout.doc
  
• Bibliography_Sheet.doc
  
• What_a_Disaster_Rubric.doc
  

Standards:

National Information Literacy Standards (K-12)

Accesses information efficiently and effectively.

• Recognizes the need for information.
• Formulates questions based on information needs.

Evaluates information critically and competently.

• Selects information appropriate to the problem or question at hand.

Uses information accurately and creatively

• Produces and communicates information and ideas in appropriate formats

Practices ethical behavior in regard to information and information technology.

• Respects intellectual property rights.

Participates effectively in groups to pursue and generate information.

• Shares knowledge and information with others.
• Subject: Geography

National Content Standards (K-12)

• Knows the location of places, geographic features, and patterns of the environment
• Subject: K-12: Science

Earth and Space Sciences

• Understands atmospheric processes and the water cycle