profile

Lit Science LLC

Teaching natural hazards when they’re in the news

Published 9 days ago • 1 min read

Hello Reader

Last week I finished a Natural Hazards unit centered on the 2011 tsunami in Japan. As we wrapped up the unit, new events were unfolding - Hurricane Melissa, flash flooding in NYC, and Typhoon Fung-Wong in the Philippines.

Incorporating those natural hazards in class helped students link the science to real-world systems and decision-making, including where responses were both effective and where they fell short.

When natural hazards are in the news, consider the following as you plan your instruction.

  1. Start by checking in with your counselor/administrator to plan for students who may have experienced disaster or displacement, and offer opt-outs as needed. Remind students that the people in these stories are real. This is more than a science lesson. Approach mature themes (trauma, injury, death, loss) with care, clear norms, and calm, factual language.
  2. Causes (science): the science behind what causes the hazard
  3. Detection & engineering: how sensors, models, and warning systems are designed and used
  4. Community preparedness: what alerts mean, where to go, and how to make a basic plan
  5. Communication: who issues warnings, how messages travel, and how to spot misinformation
  6. Equity & access: who’s most at risk and how plans account for language, mobility, housing, and resources
  7. Local connection: which natural hazards are more likely based on where you're located

Thanks for all you do!

Jessica

​

​

113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle , WA 98104-2205
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​

Lit Science LLC

I'm an education consultant and instructional designer passionate about supporting middle-school science educators in creating inclusive, accessible science lessons for English learners, students with special needs and developing readers and writers.

Read more from Lit Science LLC

Hello Reader, In my very first year of teaching, I did exactly what I thought I was “supposed” to do. I stood at the front of the room and lectured students on the rules. It was boring for them, boring for me, and ended up being my worst year for classroom management. Since then, I’ve learned a better way: creating classroom norms with students. In my new blog post, I share: Why collaborative classroom norms actually work How to guide students through the process step by step A ready-to-use...

3 months ago • 1 min read

Hi Reader, I’ve got a lot to share this week so I’ll keep things short and sweet. I’m having a blah 😔 kind of week and am really looking forward to eating at one our favorite Mexican restaurants tonight. My family's favorite dishes are chicken tostones and the chipotle chicken burrito. I hope whatever is on your menu, it’s delicious. Anyway, here’s the menu of Lit Science's best selling beginning of the year science resources that are currently on sale for 25% off: Creating Classroom Rules...

4 months ago • 1 min read

Hey Reader , As a born-and-raised New Yorker now living in the South, I’m still not used to how early school starts here. My husband headed back for pre-planning last week. Yesterday was my daughter’s open house. And here I am thinking, but there’s a whole month of summer left! 🙃 That might have been true when I taught in Brooklyn, but here in the metro ATL ’burbs, the kiddos are heading back - some as early as July 31st. Whether your school year has already begun or you're still soaking up...

4 months ago • 1 min read