Taylor High School
Faculty of Social Subjects
Second Year Geography
Unit 1
1
Lesson 1
Introduction
What is Geography?
Discuss with a partner what you think you will learn about in Geography.
Write your ideas in a mind map in both your jotters. You may be asked
to feedback your ideas during a class discussion about the above
question!
After the class discussion copy and complete the following sentence
into your jotter.
Geography is about .....
In this unit you will be learning about natural disasters. Working with
the same partner, discuss the following question.
What is a natural disaster?
Write your ideas in a mind map in both your jotters. You may be asked
to feedback your ideas during a class discussion about the above
question!
After the class discussion copy and complete the following sentence
into your jotter.
A natural disaster is …..
Now that you have a better idea of what you will be learning about in
Geography and what natural disaster are, you can complete a title page
in your jotter for the natural disaster unit.
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Lesson 2
Earthquakes
In this lesson you are going to learn about earthquakes, What they are
and why they occur.
What is an earthquake?
An earthquake is a shaking of the ground caused by the sudden
breaking and movement of large sections of the earth's rocky
outermost crust. The crust of the earth is not reassuringly one large
piece of solid rock. Instead it is actually broken into many parts called
tectonic plates. The edges of the tectonic plates are marked by faults
(or fractures). Most earthquakes occur along the fault lines when the
plates slide past each other or collide against each other. The shifting
masses send out shock waves that may be powerful enough to

alter the surface of the Earth, thrusting up cliffs and
opening great cracks in the ground and

cause great damage ... collapse of buildings and other manmade structures, broken power and gas lines (and the
consequent fire), landslides, snow avalanches, tsunamis
(giant sea waves) and volcanic eruptions.
In order to fully understand the above definition we must now learn
about the structure of the earth.
Some people may think that the earth is simply a large solid ball of
rock. This is not the case!
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The earth is made up of four main layers. The inner core, which is a
solid ball of metals, such as iron and nickel. This is surrounded by the
outer core, which is a liquid. The next layer is called the mantle and is
made from molten rocks. This is the thickest of the four Layers.
Finally the part of the earth we stand on is known as the crust. It
might surprise you to find out that the crust is the thinnest section of
the earth.
Copy this diagram into your jotter.
Answer the following questions in your jotter.
1)
2)
3)
4)
What is an earthquake?
Where do most earthquakes occur?
What causes an earthquake to occur?
What can the shockwaves of an earthquake be powerful enough
to do?
5) List and describe the four main layers of the earth.
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Lesson 3
In this lesson you are going to learn about the impact of an earthquake
on the environment and people.
Watch the DVD about the Japanese earthquake of 2011 and answer
the following questions in your jotter.
1)
2)
3)
4)
When did the Japanese earthquake happen?
What magnitude did the earthquake register?
Describe the damage caused by the initial earthquake?
Why do you think the earthquake didn’t damage many of the tall
buildings in Tokyo.
5) What did the initial earthquake trigger?
6) Describe the damage caused by the tsunami.
7) Where were people advised to go before the tsunami hit?
You are now aware that earthquakes do not just cause damage to the
environment, but they can damage people lives too. In developed
countries such as the USA and Japan precautions can be taken to
ensure that buildings are built to withstand earthquakes. This saves
many peoples lives, however it is very costly. In developing countries it
is difficult to ensure that buildings are built to be earthquake proof as
this costs too much money, cities are often overcrowded and many
people live in shanty towns with self constructed houses. This is why
when an earthquake occurs in a developing country the death toll is
much larger.
Homework: Using the paper provided, write a newspaper article
reporting on the Japan Earthquake.
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Lessons 4-6
In lessons 4-6 you will be working as part of a small group in order
to carry out research into a recent earthquake. You will create an
information poster about this earthquake and your group will
present your findings to your class.
Your poster should include the following information:
-
Where the earthquake happened.
When the earthquake happened.
How powerful the earthquake was.
The causes of the earthquake.
The damage caused by the earthquake.
The human impact of the earthquake.
The final death count.
The San Andreas Fault, California
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Lesson 7
In this lesson you are going to learn about Volcanoes, what they are
and why they happen.
What is a Volcano?
A volcano is a mountain that opens downward to a pool of molten rock
below the surface of the earth. When pressure builds up, eruptions
occur. Gases and rock shoot up through the opening and spill over or
fill the air with lava fragments. Eruptions can cause lateral blasts, lava
flows, hot ash flows, mudslides, avalanches, falling ash and floods.
Volcano eruptions have been known to knock down entire forests. An
erupting volcano can trigger tsunamis, flash floods, earthquakes,
mudflows and rock falls.
How are volcanoes formed?
Volcanoes are formed when magma from within the Earth's upper
mantle works its way to the surface. At the surface, it erupts to form
lava flows and ash deposits. Over time as the volcano continues to
erupt, it will get bigger and bigger.
What are the different categories of volcanoes?
Scientists have categorised volcanoes into three main categories:
active, dormant, and extinct. An active volcano is one which has
recently erupted and there is a possibility that it may erupt soon. A
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dormant volcano is one which has not erupted in a long time but there
is a possibility it can erupt in the future. An extinct volcano is one
which has erupted thousands of years ago and there’s now no
possibility of eruption.
Why do volcanoes erupt?
The Earth's crust is made up of huge slabs called plates, which fit
together like a jigsaw puzzle. These plates sometimes move. The
friction causes earthquakes and volcanic eruptions near the edges of
the plates. The theory that explains this process is called plate
tectonics.
How many volcanoes are there?
There are more than 1500 active volcanoes on the Earth. We currently
know of 80 or more which are under the oceans.
Answer the following questions in your jotter.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
What is a volcano?
Why do volcanoes erupt?
How are volcanoes formed?
What is an Active volcano?
What is a dormant volcano?
What is an extinct volcano?
Copy the diagram opposite into
Your jotter.
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Lesson 8
In this lesson you are going to learn about the impact of a volcano on
the environment and people.
Watch the DVD about the Mount St Helens eruption and answer the
following questions in your jotter.
1) Worldwide, how many people live in the shadows of volcanoes?
2) How many square miles of land was stripped bare by the eruption
of Mount St Helens?
3) What covered this area before the eruption?
4) How many miles was the exclusion zone set up by the authorities?
5) What speed did the gas, steam and rock blasted from the
volcano travel at?
6) How hot was the gas cloud?
7) What effect did this have on the surrounding area?
8) How high were the mudflows and at what speed did the travel?
9) How many feet did Mount St Helens loose from its summit after
the explosion.
Homework: Using the paper provided, write a newspaper article
reporting on the Mount St Helens eruption.
Your newspaper report should include the following information:
-
When the eruption happened.
An explanation of why volcanoes erupt.
The damage caused to the natural and human environment.
The human impact of the eruption.
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Lessons 9-11
In lessons 9-11 you will be working as part of a small group in order
to carry out research into a volcanic eruption. You will create an
information poster about this eruption and your group will present
your findings to your class.
Your poster should include the following information:
-
Where the Volcano is.
When the volcano erupted.
The damage caused by the eruption to the environment.
The human impact of the eruption.
The final death count.
Mount St Helens, U.S.A
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Lesson 12
In this lesson you will learn about tropical storms, what they are and
why they occur.
What is a tropical storm?
Tropical storms are intense thunderstorms that are characterised by
intense wind rotation and extremely low pressure, which originates in
the tropics.
The strongest tropical storms are
called hurricanes, typhoons or
tropical cyclones. The different
names all mean the same thing, but
are used in different parts of the
world.
If these huge storms start in the Atlantic ocean off the west coast of
Africa, they are called hurricanes. In an average year, over a dozen
hurricanes form over the Atlantic and head westward towards the
Caribbean, the east coast of Central America and the Southern USA.
Hurricanes are classified into five categories based on their wind
speed, central pressure, and damage potential.
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Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
Scale
Number
(Category)
Sustained
Winds
(MPH)
1
74-95
Minimal: Unanchored mobile homes,
vegetation and signs.
4-5 feet
2
96-110
Moderate: All mobile homes, roofs,
small crafts, flooding.
6-8 feet
3
111-130
Extensive: Small buildings, low-lying
roads cut off.
9-12 feet
4
131-155
Extreme: Roofs destroyed, trees down, roads
cut off, mobile homes destroyed. Beach
homes flooded.
13-18 feet
5
More than
155
Storm
Surge
Damage
Catastrophic: Most buildings
destroyed. Vegetation destroyed. Major
roads cut off. Homes flooded.
Greater
than 18
feet
Effects of tropical storms.
The intense winds of a tropical storm can destroy whole communities,
buildings and communication networks. As well as their own destructive
energy, the winds generate abnormally high waves and tidal surges.
Sometimes the most destructive elements of a storm are the
subsequent high seas and flooding.
Answer the following questions in your jotter.
1)
2)
3)
4)
What is a tropical storm?
What are the strongest tropical storms called?
Copy the table above into your jotter.
What damage is expected to be caused by a category 5
hurricane?
5) Describe the effects of a tropical storm.
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Lesson 13
In this lesson you are going to learn about the impact of a tropical
storm on the environment and people.
Watch the DVD about Typhoon Haiyan and answer the following
questions in your jotter.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
What wind speed did Typhoon Haiyan reach?
What was the death toll of Typhoon Haiyan?
How many people were left homeless?
What have scientists predicted will occur in the future with
regards to tropical storms?
Where are the Philippines located?
During the 2013 tropical storm season, how many storms had
made landfall in the Philippines before Typhoon Haiyan.
How high was the storm surge created by the wind?
Describe how a tropical storm forms.
What date did Typhoon Haiyan form?
Homework: Using the paper provided, write a newspaper article
reporting on Typhoon Haiyan.
Your newspaper report should include the following information:
-
When the Typhoon happened.
An explanation of how tropical storms form.
The damage caused to the natural and human environment.
The impact of the storm on the people of the Philippines.
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Lesson 14-16
In lessons 14-16 you will be working as part of a small group in order
to carry out research into a recent hurricane, typhoon or cyclone.
You will create an information poster about this hurricane, typhoon
or cyclone and your group will present your findings to your class.
Your poster should include the following information:
-
Where the hurricane, typhoon or cyclone happened.
When the hurricane, typhoon or cyclone happened.
How powerful the hurricane, typhoon or cyclone was.
The damage caused by the hurricane, typhoon or cyclone.
The human impact of the hurricane, typhoon or cyclone.
The final death count.
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