Unit 1 Student Instructions
Map Your Hazards!
Combining Natural Hazards with Societal Issues
Unit 1: Hazards, vulnerability and risk
Learning Goal for Unit 1: Students will identify and apply credible geologic and social science
data sets to identify local hazards and vulnerable groups and structures, and assess risk for their
community.
Necessary Materials: Access to computers with Internet and PowerPoint; PowerPoint slide of
local map (we suggest a Google map screen shot with terrain).
This worksheet provides a guide to Unit 1 of the Map Your Hazards! module. Please note that
the instructor will break the class into groups of two to four students for this entire module
(ideally there will be about eight groups in the class). You will work with the same group for all
activities.
The instructor will provide a PowerPoint template (file titled: Hazard Map Template) with an
example of what you will produce for Unit 1. Please pay close attention to detail.
Part A (HOMEWORK FOR TONIGHT!!)

First, take the online Natural Hazards Survey yourself (instructor will provide the link).

Second, distribute the online Natural Hazards Survey to at least three people within your
local social network (e.g., friends, family, sports teams, etc). You must have at least three
completed surveys to earn full credit. However, you are encouraged to get as many
results as possible to increase the robustness of the results. Please ensure that the people
you send the survey to live within your city or city suburbs.
Part B
1. Local Risk Map – Natural Hazards: As a group, students will identify and locate regions
within the map that are susceptible to hazards. You must include a minimum of the top three
natural hazards in your mapping area. Use one map (slide) per hazard. Label the slide with the
hazard. Draw shaded (but 60% transparent) shapes around the hazard area in each map (use a
different color for each hazard). On a new slide, combine hazard shapes (copy and paste) onto a
single map slide (make sure to align the shapes properly), and include a key and cite sources.
(See Example Maps PPT in Resources).
• Students will either get map slide from instructor or choose their own mapping area.
• Instructor will hand out rubric for map assessment.
• Locate regions within the map that are susceptible to hazards.
– Identify the top three hazards in your area.
– Use one map (slide) per hazard.
1. Local Risk Map – Natural Hazards (continued):
– Label the slide with the hazard.
– Draw shaded shapes for the hazard area.
• 60% transparent
• Solid outline
• Different color for each hazard
– Combine hazard shapes onto a single map slide.
• Include a key
– Provide a source slide with citations for each hazard shape (outlined in template).
– Follow the format given in the template provided by the instructor.
2. Local Risk Map – Vulnerability: Using Google maps (or another equivalent), students
should locate the following structural vulnerabilities on their maps: major transportation routes,
major bridges, hospitals, retirement homes, and schools. You may also wish to examine social
vulnerabilities (i.e., the percent of the population below poverty level, under age 18, female,
minorities, pre-1950 housing, etc). Once vulnerabilities are located using Google maps, EPA
website, or other resource, use symbols in PowerPoint to place vulnerabilities in your mapping
area. Label the slide as “Vulnerabilities” and include a key (see Example Maps PPT in
Resources).
• Locate the following vulnerabilities on your map (you are welcome to include additional
vulnerabilities):
– Major transportation routes
– Major bridges
– Hospitals
– Retirement homes
– Schools
– Low-income areas (Google EPA environmental justice map)
• Go to EJView and write in city and state of interest
• Use column on right to explore map contents such as demographics (e.g.,
Demographics (ACS) 2010 – choose tract option)
• Place the vulnerability map in a new slide labeled “Vulnerabilities”
• Include a key
• Provide citations as needed (e.g., United States EPA EJView http://epamap14.epa.gov/ejmap/entry.html)
3. Local Risk Map – Combined: Combine composite hazard map and vulnerability map into a
new slide. You will use this composite map to determine levels or risk. Risk (in this context) is
where a natural hazard overlaps with a vulnerable system (e.g., homes, schools, populations,
bridges). You should decide based on variables such as amount of people in such locations,
resources locations, etc., to interpret the level of risk. For example, a hospital in a flood plain
might be interpreted as at very high risk to flooding; whereas, a cabin only inhabited during
summer months in a flood plain might be interpreted as a lower risk since there are less people
and resources affected. A flood plain with no resources would not be designated as “no risk.”
• Combine composite hazard map and vulnerability map in a new slide.
• Determine areas of:
– Very high risk (maroon)
– High risk (red)
– Moderate risk (orange)
– Low risk (yellow)
– Include a key
– Provide citations for sources
• Explain reasoning for risk level assignment on a new slide entitled “Areas of Risk
Reasoning.”