SURVIVAL SCENARIO
Mother Nature Attacks with Natural Disaster
Mother Nature is raging, with a vengeance. Perhaps an earthquake has battered the
west coast, knocking the southern half of California into the ocean. Or maybe volcanoes have
erupted world-wide, or Yellowstone finally hit super megaton explosion point, throwing ash
into the upper atmosphere and starting the next ice age. Tornadoes, typhoons, hurricanes,
tsunamis, massive lightning strikes, floods, mudslides, melted polar ice caps…whatever the
event, whatever the disaster, it has dire consequences for the planet, and you must figure out
how you are going to survive in these trying times.
In this essay you need to detail some key and essential facts about your ability to cope
with the raging of the planet, and the various natural disaster that occurred and messed
everything up. Introduce the scenario: how did you end up here? Then provide information
about some of your survival techniques, and the tools you have and need to survive. What
items do you have, how did you get them, and what are they used for; how are they beneficial
to your survival? Finally, you will conclude your essay, restating briefly some of the information
you detailed, and hypothesizing what you feel your chance of survival in this situation would be.
GOOD INFORMATION TO KNOW AND RESEARCH:
 Surroundings – where are you and what is the disaster? Know the typical types
of disasters that occur in the area you are describing. A tsunami hitting the plains
of Oklahoma, or even the desert valleys of Idaho, that’s going to have been one
huge wave to travel all the way from the ocean.
 National Geographic – google search National Disaster National Geographic and
get some cool, good information on different types of disasters.
 CDC Website – The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has some good
information on different types of disaster and various preparation tips. Google
search CDC Natural Disasters, http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/
 Survival Items – plan out what items you are going to discuss in your essay and
look up how they are used, how you would get them or make them in this
situation, and their potential cost.
RESOURCES:
 Dante’s Peak – Movie rated PG-13 about a volcanic eruption
 2012 – Movie rated PG-13 world ending from environmental shifts
 Armageddon – Movie rated PG-13 meteor going to destroy earth
 Ashfall – Book about the Yellowstone volcano
 Life As We Knew It – Book
 In the Ruins – Book
 Acts of Nature – Book retreat into nature, hurricane disaster
 Perfect Storms – Series various storms and mock creations of disaster events.
 Full Force Nature – Series about various storms and natural disasters.
ESSAY REQUIREMENTS
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6 Paragraph Minimum
 Introduction – explain the scenario, what happened, how you ended up
in that survival situation, and some of the tools you will need.
 4 Body Paragraphs (minimum) – each detailing a different item, tool, or
skill required for survival in your situation, how it is used, how is is
obtained, etc.
 Conclusion – Restating the information, situation and tools described, in
order to bring the essay to an end.
Expository/Informational Format – this is not a story, you are giving information
about how you would survive and the tools you will need/use
OTHER/ALTERNATE REQUIREMENTS
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Other project ideas are accepted
 Video Project
 Presentation via PowerPoint/Prezi/Other Presentation Media
 Audio Recordings
 Etc.
Students are encouraged to be creative and to have fun with this project, the
goal is to inform, to learn how to utilize research to inform and audience on a
topic.
Expository/Informational Format – this is not a story, you are giving information
about how to survive and the tools will be needed/used
For specific requirements for non-essay project, come talk with Mr. Zumbrun or
Mrs. Kiesig to explain your plan and goals for the project and to work out
requirements