Coursework

Natural disasters project

Choose a specific natural disaster – e.g. the Kobe earthquake or the Mount St Helen’s volcano.

Part one: 

• Research your choice and write some general details about it then choose a question to answer.  Questions could be something like this:
  • should we build buildings made of wood in Kobe, Japan?
  • should we build high rise buildings in San Francisco
  • should we be allowed to live near Mt. St Helens?
  • should we be building homes neat the volcanoes in Hawaii?
  • was it possible to predict the Kobe earthquake and safe more lives?
  • can we strengthen buildings so the do not collapse near the San Andreas fault?
• Explain why you chose this natural disaster. 

Part two: 

• Describe the science behind your natural disaster – include scientific diagrams and labels.
• Mention (for example) plate tectonics and how the movement of plates could cause this disaster.
• Essential – if you use the web for any info you must include the full web address near any work that you an included e.g.   

           http://www.seismo.unr.edu/ftp/pub/louie/class/100/effects-kobe.html

Part three: 

• Describe the impact of this natural disaster. 

• How people and the place were affected. 
• Include eye witness accounts and say what difference the disaster has made to the people, place and buildings now. 
• What have we learnt from this disaster and can we prevent damage in the future.
• Again include all full web address if you use the web – or the title, author and isbn number of any text books you have used.

Part four:

• Your opinion – read your question and write down your opinion giving reasons – try to think of other points of view and come up with arguments for and against – but again – say what you think and why.

Some useful websites:

http://www.s-cool.co.uk/topic_principles.asp?loc=pr&topic_id=1&subject_id=20&ebt=54&ebn=&ebs=&ebl=&elc=4 - plates

http://www.consrv.ca.gov/cgs/index.htm - earthquakes

http://www.geo.mtu.edu/volcanoes/world.html - volcanoes

http://www.ceri.memphis.edu/public/ - earthquake facts

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~volcano/ - electronic volcano

http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/vwlessons/lessons/Ch1CMB/Content3.html - folding and faulting

http://www.iris.edu/seismon/ - seismic activity around the world chart

http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/dynamic.html - story of plate tectonics

http://info.er.usgs.gov/ - US geological survey

http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Products/Pglossary/pglossary.html - volcano photo glossary

http://www.volcanoes.com/ - volcanoes info

http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vw.html - volcano world