Weather-Related Hazards - Trees Down

The trees were knocked down due to a tornado that went through the area. A variety of natural disasters result from natural processes, such as tornadoes or high winds. Humans cannot eliminate natural hazards but can take steps to reduce their impacts.

Driving Question

• How can the impact of weather-related hazards be reduced?

Probing Questions

• If you were an engineer, how would you design houses to keep them safe from a tornado or strong winds? How could you protect your own home from strong winds?
• Why is it important to have design elements in a home protected from wind or similar natural hazards?
• What could you have done to protect or save the trees found in the photo?

Classroom Suggestions

Students could:

• Provide a list of ways to weatherproof their homes against a tornado or strong winds.
• Imagine their community recently experienced a tornado. What damage could have happened to the structures and why? How could the homes have stayed safe?
• List types of add additional protection around a property to secure trees and bushes from the wind.
• Discuss ways they could secure their property to keep animals safe from wind.
• Design a house that would be safe from the destruction of a tornado. Think about the high winds and rain a tornado can bring.

Relevant Related Resources

How Can You Keep a House From Blowing Away? | Mystery Science: In this lesson, students explore the effects of natural hazards, such as tornadoes, hurricanes and dust storms. In one of the included activities, Design a Windproof House, students build paper house models.
Earth and Human Activity | Exploring Nature: The site lists several different lessons and activities to support the standard.