Unit 1: I Can Think Like a Geographer!

Overview

The study of geography requires a particular set of skills. Geographers use the geographic inquiry model to conduct investigations and employ the concepts of geographic thinking to understand data and information. Unit 1 teaches the skills that all geographers use with a focus on natural hazards.

Unit 1 Activities

Activity 1: Spatial Significance
Activity 2: Patterns and Trends
Activity 3: Interrelationships
Activity 4: Geographic Perspectives
Satellite image showing a hurricane over the Caribbean

Unit 2: The Dynamic Earth: How Natural Forces Shape Our Planet

Overview

The earth is a dynamic system where natural processes continuously shape the landscape. Processes act on the landscape creating the conditions for natural hazards to occur. Unit 2 explores how, why and where natural disasters strike.

Unit 2 Activities

Activity 1: Geologic Processes:  Earthquakes & Volcanoes
Activity 2: Geologic Processes: Tsunamis
Activity 3: Hydrologic Processes: Flooding
Activity 4: Hydrologic Processes: Avalanches
Activity 5: Climatic Processes: Tornadoes
Activity 6: Climatic Processes: Hurricanes
Dangerous, rough, wavy water

Unit 3: Earth Is Our Home: How Planet Earth Responds to Human Activity

Overview

Human activity has tremendous impacts on the earth, its landscapes and its natural processes. Unit 3 explores how human use of the natural landscape can increase the risk of natural hazards.

Unit 3 Activities

Activity 1: What Does it Take to Protect the Earth?
Activity 2: Does Fracking Cause Microquakes?
Activity 3: Flooding: For Better and Worse?
Activity 4: The Frank Slide: The Story of Turtle Mountain
Map of the world with silhouettes of people standing below.

Unit 4: Earth Connected: How We Rely on the Earth and Each Other

Overview

The world is more connected now than it has ever been. When natural hazards become natural disasters there is often a global response and global effects. Unit 4 explores the global impact of natural hazards.

Unit 4 Activities

Activity 1: Is Climate Change Making Hurricanes More Powerful and Frequent?
Activity 2: How Did Natural Processes Worsen the Fukushima Disaster?
Activity 3: Changing Coastlines: The Impact of Sea Level Rise
Activity 4: How Do Extraterrestrial Forces Impact Earth?
Abstract image of the earth and white stick people holding hands around it.

Unit 5: The Changing Earth: How We Prepare, Survive and Respond to Earth’s Forces

Overview

Humans work together to limit the impact of natural hazards, hoping to avoid natural disasters. Unit 5 explores the creative ways in which people around the world have learned to live and prosper in areas where natural hazards can easily become natural disasters.

Unit 5 Activities

Activity 1: How to Actively Control Hazards
Activity 2: How Scientists Monitor Natural Hazards
Activity 3: How We Prepare For Disasters
Activity 4: How Does The Earth Changes Over Geologic Time?
Firefighters conferring with helicopter personnel.