Disasters: Natural and Man-Made Castrophes Through the Centuries By Brenda Guiberson

Brief Overview: Within this nonfiction novel on catastrophes, it describes and illustrates ten major catastrophes that have happened throughout the world. Through hurricanes, floods, sicknesses, fires, etc., it shows the consequences and devastations of each. As the novel is read, man-made and natural disasters are described, who was afftected by each one, and what was the outcome.

Teaching Strategies:

Key Vocabulary:
Catastrophe
Devastation
Survivors
Each section read will have their own key vocabulary:
For example the chapter on smallpox would have words such as: smallpox, pockmarks, virus, parasite, epidemic, etc.
The other chapters include:
The Great Chicago Fire
Johnstown Flood
San Francisco Shaking
Triangle Shirt Factory Fire
Titanic
Pandemic Flu
Dust Bowl
Hurricane Katrina

Before Reading:  Start a discussion brainstorming with the students what they think disasters are and some examples. This will make it possible to determine student's background knowledge. Throughout this discussion, a word wall should be created, and vocabulary should be defined. Ask students questions such as:
"What is a disaster?"
"What makes a disaster? How? What caused it?"
"Are there any disasters you know of or have heard of?"
"What is the difference between natural and man-made disasters?

Do a book walk to briefly introduce the catastrophes they will come across. Can they describe any similarities described within the book?

During Reading:As students read throughout the disasters, connections should be made to each. (Text to world, text to self, and text to text.) The students should have split note taking where they write about the disaster on the left side and their connections, questions, and comments on the right hand side.

There are also many films that could be shown to give the children visuals and further connections!! (For example, we all know of the film Titanic!)

After Reading: At this point, the students have been familiarized with many disasters and should know the difference between natural and man-made. Students should research a disaster not listed in the book nautral or man-made. After researching, children can get into small groups to write and act out small skits. Their skits should describe the disaster, who was involved, where it was, and the consequences. Having the children act out the event can be fun and give them the experience of connecting to themselves acting it out.

Extra Resources:
National Science Foundation
Infoplease

Guiberson, Brenda Z.. Disasters: Natural and Man-Made Catastrophes Through the Centuries. New York: Henry Holt And Co. (Byr), 2010.