Disaster Drill Guide
In this activity, students will create an emergency drill guide that will help them know what to do in the event of an emergency at school.

Prepare Yourself!
This lesson introduces students to natural hazards that occur across the country and in their home region. They’ll practice some safety steps and will make signs to educate other kids and adults about these precautions.

Safety
Students will recognize that safety involves taking responsibility for oneself.

Preparing for Natural Disasters  This social studies lesson provides information and safety tips for different natural disasters. It integrates technology, writing, and art activities. The included slideshow may be presented to the whole group, or students may navigate it independently or in small groups.

Exploring Cause and Effect Using Expository Texts About Natural Disasters  Students will access prior knowledge by identifying what they know about cause-and-effect relationships; gain knowledge by defining cause and effect, learning key words that indicate cause-and-effect relationships in expository text, and reviewing a text containing these relationships during a whole-class exercise; apply what they have learned about cause and effect and demonstrate comprehension of it by locating cause-and-effect relationships within expository text, recording these findings on two graphic organizers, and then using the organizers to write a paragraph.
 

Safety Tips: Tips from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  

FEMA for Kids A site sponsored by FEMA to help children prepare for natural disasters.

Weather Smart: Hurricanes:  See how hurricanes are tracked and learn how to plot hurricane coordinates on tracking maps, which are included with the support materials.  Particular attention is given to hurricane safety, such as preparing for a tropical storm, evacuation tips, and safety kits for homes.  United Streaming.

Enviro-Tacklebox: Decisions Based On Science: Extreme Weather:    In EXTREME WEATHER viewers will travel with the Tacklebox team to visit the Weather Channel studios in Atlanta, the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) outside Oklahoma City and to interview students who have experienced a tornado.  Be sure to check the Video Segments and Related Materials tabs.  United Streaming.

Severe Weather Safety: Watch for the Warning:  This program teaches safety procedures for lightning, flash floods, tornadoes, and other high winds. Alan Sealls, a meteorologist, gives solid tips and information to help school personnel and students develop a proactive safety plan both at school and at home.  United Streaming.

Weather Smart: Winter and Snow:  This program emphasizes winter safety, the causes of winter and how water changes when in the form of ice crystals. Colorful footage shows the beauty and the power of winter storms and how we deal with them. Information is presented on making homes and travel safer in the cold months.  United Streaming.

Weather Smart: Thunderstorms:  Animation and simple experiments illustrate how lightning, thunder, hail, tornadoes, microbursts, and flash floods occur. Careful attention is given to safety when encountering lightning and floods. Appropriate shelter from thunderstorm hazards is presented, as viewers learn that thunder is merely sound and that lightning is the real threat to safety.  United Streaming.

Weather Smart: The Water Cycle and Clouds:  This program shows beautiful footage of clouds and the sky, and how water continuously changes phase.  Special attention is given to flood safety. United Streaming.

Suggestions for English Language Learners: 
(E/B=Entering/Beginning, D=Developing, E=Expanding)

(E/B) Students distinguish among natural disasters from pictures.
(E/B) Students find weather words and pictures related to natural disasters (from trade books, magazines, internet, etc.)
(D) Students categorize characteristics of different natural disasters.
(E) Students compare natural disasters and safety procedures, using  a Venn diagram.

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