Unit Lesson Plan – Natural Hazards
Teacher:
.
Time Frame:
3
Grade:
Subject:
11 days
School:
PSI Elementary School Science
NGSS/DCI
ESS3.B Natural Hazards
A variety of natural hazards result from natural processes. Humans
cannot eliminate natural hazards but can take steps to reduce their
impacts.
Instructional Objective:
3-ESS3-1
Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the
impacts of a weather-related hazard.
Essential Questions
(What questions will the student be able to answer as a result of the instruction?)
1. What is a natural hazard?
2. How can damage from natural hazards be minimized?
Knowledge & Skills
(What skills are needed to achieve the desired results?)
By the end of this unit, students will know:



By the end of this unit, students will be able to:
A natural hazard is an extreme event that occurs
from natural processes.
Natural hazards cannot be prevented.
The damage from natural hazards can be
minimized.
 Describe different natural hazards.
 Analyze methods for reducing damage caused by
natural hazards.
Assessment
(What is acceptable evidence to show desired results (rubrics, exam, etc.)? Attach Copy
During the Smart Notebook lesson designed to introduce concepts, students will be continually questioned on these
concepts using a combination of class work/homework questions and the SMART Response system. Classwork and
Homework questions will be discussed as a class and misconceptions will be addressed by the teacher prior to the
formal evaluations listed below.
Activity: Making Lightning
Activity: Analyzing Levees
Activity: The Fire Triangle
RAFT: Be Prepared Activity
PBA
www.njctl.org
3rd Grade PSI
Natural Hazards
(What is the sequence of activities, learning experiences, etc, that will lead to desired results (the plan)?
Topic
Classwork
Homework
1
Natural Hazards
Slides 4-13;
Classwork #1
Homework #1
2
Lightning
Slides 14-15;
Activity: Making Lightning
Finish activity questions
3
Lightning
Slide 16-26;
Classwork #2
Homework #2
4
Floods
Slides 27-33;
Activity: Analyzing Levees
Set up Riverbed
N/A
5
Floods
Slide 33;
Activity: Analyzing Levees
Finish Activity Questions
6
Floods
Slides 34-36;
Classwork #3
Homework #3
7
Wildfires
Slides 37-38;
Activity: The Fire Triangle
Finish Activity Questions
8
Wildfires
Slides 39-49;
Classwork #4
Homework #4
9
Natural Hazards
RAFT: Be Prepared Activity
N/A
10
PBA
Work on PBA
Work on project
11
PBA
Present PBA
N/A
Day
*While there are many slides for each topic, several slides are interrelated and support each topic.
**HW Problems are currently not scaffolded from least to most difficult, but are instead listed in order of
topic. Teacher should pay special attention at the end of each class period when assigning HW so that
only problems related to the topic that was taught are being assigned.
www.njctl.org
3rd Grade PSI
Natural Hazards