Ask students what variables are shown on the x and y axes of the graph ( x is months and y is the number of events). Scroll down to the 1980-2017 Year-to-Date United States Billion-Dollar Disaster Event Frequency graph. Have students interpret graphs to understand patterns in the frequency of major natural disasters in the United States over time. What is important for them to recognize is that there could be multiple factors contributing to the costliness of these events.)ģ. Similarly, they may observe that some occurred in agricultural areas, which may have affected crops and damaged the economy. These events are newsworthy primarily because they resulted in great damage to property and possible loss of life.) Ask: What patterns do you notice in the locations of these events? (Answer: Students may notice some types of events seem to be grouped in certain parts of the country.) Ask: Why might such damaging disaster events happen in these locations? (Answer: Students may note some events affected densely populated cities, which might increase the amount of property damage. Ask: What types of natural disasters are shown on the map? (Answer: droughts, wildfires, flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, hailstorms, a freeze, and severe weather.) Ask: Did you hear about any of these natural disasters in the news? What would make these events newsworthy? (Answer: Depending on where students live, they may be familiar with any of these events, but the California wildfires and the three hurricanes were covered extensively in the national news. Ask students to make observations about the map. Medical costs and loss of life are not considered in the final number. Point out that the costs of these disasters are calculated by considering property and infrastructure damage and business interruption. Read or summarize the text under the heading “2017 in Context.” Make sure students understand that the number of billion-dollar events in 2017 was significant because it was higher than both the historic and recent five-year average and because of its high economic impact. 2017 Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters Map from NOAA’s Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters: Overview webpage.
Ask: Which of these natural disasters are related to weather? (Answer: All in the list above are related in some way to weather except earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis.)Ģ. Have students look back at their list of examples. Be sure the definition includes the key components of a natural disaster: a natural event or force that causes damage to property and/or loss of life. As a class, determine a working definition of the term natural disaster.
Engage students in the topic by inviting them to share their knowledge of natural disasters.Īsk students to give you examples of natural disasters, including floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, droughts, wildfires, tornadoes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, snowstorms, and severe thunderstorms.
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