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 ** Logo Photograph ** : //Flooding in Pakistan//, picture by Reuters released by Merlin NGO August 6 2010 Credit: Reuters/Merlin/Handout   []  Disasters To all and sundry, near and far, Grade 5 in particular...  This pathfinder has been designed to help you find out about **disasters ** – the ** causes ** of disasters, the **effects** of disasters on people and living things, **examples** of disasters, and **steps** people can take **to reduce** the **damage** done by disasters. It includes some of the Library resources available, and **links** to websites that contain the **information** you will need to complete your **project** on natural disasters. There is a brief description of each resource included. Scroll down and check it out!
 *  [[image:4531_picture_of_an_angry_tornado.jpg width="65" height="93"]] Information about how to go about the task of researching a topic is available here: [[file:PLUS model worsheets.docx]]
 * [[image:clip_art_volcano.jpg width="57" height="76"]]A link to your assignment has also been provided:[[file:Natural Disasters Project Yr 5 T1.docx]]

= Key terms = So, **what is a disaster** ? A **disaster** is a catastrophic event that results in great loss or misfortune. Disasters can arise from natural causes or they can be man-made events. A **natural disaster** is the loss, damage or misfortune that arises as a result of one of the earth’s natural process such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, floods, fires, droughts, hurricanes or cyclones, tornadoes, avalanches, landslides, or blizzards. The effect of a natural disaster incurs human, environmental and financial losses. There are two main types of natural disaster - those caused by the processes of the earth and those caused by the weather. A **man-made disaster** is one caused by the actions of man through malfunction, negligence, war, or terrorism. It can include disasters such as war, oil spills, nuclear accidents, toxic waste spills, terrorism, fires and so forth. Like a natural disaster, it can incur human, environmental and financial losses or damage

**Physical Geography.Net / Glossary of Terms****:** **[]**

A dictionary of words relevant to your topic is available at the above website. To operate the glossary, you need to click on the letter of the word you wish to look up e.g. click on ‘** S’ ** for ‘** seismic’ ** and the website will take you to the ** S ** section of the glossary. Keep scrolling down ... = Search Engine ** Sweet Search: [] ** Sweet Search is a search engine for students. The results have been checked by a teacher or librarian so most of the sites listed should be relevant. When you go to this address you have a range of search options designed to suit your particular needs. Search in //Sweet Search 4 me//, a site intended for emerging learners, or try one of the other options provided. When you enter your search, each site that is listed includes a sample of its content with key search words highlighted. //Sweet Sites// for teachers and students has been designed for the American school system. = Websites = NEO K-12 Volcanoes []   = This is a good site if you are a visual learner. It focuses on volcanoes and also has some information on earthquakes. It has several video clips on volcanoes - //How Volcanoes Form//; //Inside a Volcano// and //Volcano 101// - and a number of quizzes and games. You can also view pictures of volcanoes that are available free of copyright and it guides you through the steps of making a presentation. == The Disaster Area: []  == This website contains some basic facts on a range of natural disasters – floods; hurricanes; tornadoes ; tsunamis; thunderstorms; volcanoes; earthquakes; wildfires; winter storms. It also has information on //national security emergencies// and a quiz on what you have learnt. Generally, it explains what each natural hazard is and includes some interesting facts about it. It also has a //disaster supply kit// and suggestions for what people should do in the event of a disaster to reduce harm and look after pets. Be aware that it is written for an American audience so their suggestions may have to be adapted so they better suit an Australian situation.

[[image:458_businessman_holding_onto_a_bus_stop_sign_being_blown_by_the_wind.jpg align="left"]]National Geographic Forces of Nature []
This site allows you to explore volcanoes, earthquakes, hurricanes and tornadoes. Information is organised under clear sub-headings about what each of these disasters is: what causes it; characteristics; effects; and whether it can be predicted. The text is accompanied by either pictures or diagrams. It provides case studies of real live events. It is also interactive, allowing you to create a disaster. ** Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004 and Other Case Studies: [] ** This is a newspaper website, useful because it provides links to news articles, interactive guides and photo galleries on the Boxing Day tsunami 2004, and other recent disasters such as the Pakistani flooding 2010 and the Haiti earthquake 2010. In addition, you can find information on a number of other disasters if you scroll down and go to the column //Related Subjects// and select //Natural disasters and extreme weather.//

** The BBC News [] ** This site offers animated guides to Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Tsunamis. It gives a clear explanation of the causes of these events and magnitude of their impact. An animated picture accompanies text. It is user friendly because you can select when you move onto the next screen. The ‘downside’ of this site is that it has advertisements – avoid clicking on them.

Australian Websites ** Emergency Management For Schools: Disasters [] ** This site is designed for students to learn about and get the facts on natural disasters and how they impact on the Australian environment. Click on the //Learn// option then select one of the following - cyclones, earthquakes, heatwaves, landslides, bushfires, volcanoes, floods, severe storms, droughts and tsunamis - to find information on this disaster that is clearly organised under sub-headings and is written in large font. The language is easy to understand and any difficult words are linked to a //Glossary// so you can click on them to find out what they mean. Scroll down to related links to get more detailed information on the topic. Click on //Ready and Able// to go to emergency survival kits and how to develop an emergency survival plan. //In my backyard// will take you to Australian examples of these disasters. Select the //Get the Facts// option at the top of the page to find clear information on the causes, frequency and type of each of these disasters. If you select //My Assignment,// you will get instructions for practical tasks and projects such as creating your own cyclone.

** Natural Disasters In Australia [] ** This site gives information about significant natural disasters experienced in Australia. Make sure you scroll down the page to see the material on bushfires, droughts and cyclones. It gives a number of case studies of these events, which are organised chronologically. It also provides links to other sites at the bottom of the page.

** Earth Science Australia **
 * [] **

This site is a little more difficult to navigate that some of the others, but it does contain some useful diagrams and a more sophisticated explanation of these events. Use the drop down menu on the left hand side of screen and select either //Processes and Structures// or //Flooding.// //Processes and Structures// will take you to information on //volcanoes, tsunamis//, and //earthquakes// under the heading //Geological Processes//; or to c//yclones// if you select //Go to weather. Flooding// will take you to information on //tornadoes, hurricanes, cyclones, drought and famine//, a case study on the Johnstone River in Far North Queensland etc. Library Resources = A good starting point for your assignment is the Reference section of the Library. A couple of resources you may find usefu l are:  =  __The Macmillan Illustrated Encyclopedia__ is easy to read and provides basic information on natural disasters, such as volcanoes, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes and floods. It is arranged alphabetically, therefore to find information on a particular natural disaster work out the volume it belongs to alphabetically, and then look it up. The information provided is a good starting point for your assignment. Each topic has a definition, sub-headings and is written in language that is easy to understand. Clear diagrams and colour pictures and illustrations give you visual information about your topic. **Higgens, Jo (ed.) (1995) __The Macmillan Illustrated Encyclopedia__ Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd: Melbourne** **REF 030 MAC** **Keep scrolling down ... ** <span style="color: #0070c0; display: block; font-family: 'Estrangelo Edessa'; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">**Non-Fiction** =  National Geographic’s //Violent Planet:// If you are a visual learner you will find interesting information on earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and hurricanes, their causes, case studies, and ways that people try to to reduce the harm caused by these events, by watching National Geographic’s //Violent Planet.// It is a bit sensational in an American way, but it does have some excellent footage of disasters, particularly the 2004 tsunami, taken by a photographer during the event. It considers the likelihood of increased seismic activity, the probability of a major earthquake in Istanbul and a large hurricane in New Orleans. It shows how earthquakes, volcanoes and hurricanes can occur and includes measures taken by people to reduce the harm caused by these catastrophic events, including a look at the levee system in New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina. Viewing time: 1 hour  = <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Estrangelo Edessa'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">** Swimmer, J. (producer) 2005 __Violent Planet__ National Geographic Television and Film Production (NGHT INC.) ** =   = <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Estrangelo Edessa'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">** Floods and Tsunamis ** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Estrangelo Edessa'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">__Natural Disasters: Floods and Tidal Waves__ is a book that gives a clear explanation of how and why these phenomena occur and what we can do to prevent them or lessen their effect. It is clearly set out, each page covering a different aspect of floods and tsunamis organised under clear headings and sub-headings. It has a //Table of Contents// and an //Index// to help you find information quickly. It also has a //Glossary of Terms// so you can look up any words you don’t know. It covers what floods and tsunamis are; the causes of floods and tsunamis and discusses some case studies. It has clear colour photographs and some useful diagrams. It does not refer to the enormous 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami or the devastating flooding in Pakistan and China during 2010. For information on these disasters you will need to search the internet. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Estrangelo Edessa'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">** Jennings, Terry (2003) __Natural Disasters: Floods And Tidal Waves__ Belitha Press: London ** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Estrangelo Edessa'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">** J551.46 JEN ** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Estrangelo Edessa'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">** Landslides and Avalanches ** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Estrangelo Edessa'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">__ Natural Disasters: Landslides And Avalanches __ looks at how and why landslides and avalanches occur, different types of landslides and avalanches and what we can do to reduce the damage and harm caused by these disasters. It is organised under clear headings and has colour illustrations and diagrams to help you understand them and how they occur, and the devastation resulting from one of these events. It also examines how human activity, such as mining, can help trigger these events. It has a //Table of Contents// and an Index to help you find information quickly. It also has a //Glossary of Terms// so you can look up any words you don’t know.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Estrangelo Edessa'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">** Jennings, Terry (2003) __Natural Disasters: Landslides And Avalanches__ ** **Belitha Press: London** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Estrangelo Edessa'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">** J551.3 JEN ** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Estrangelo Edessa'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">** Man-Made Environmental Disasters ** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Estrangelo Edessa'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">__ Environmental Disasters __ is one in a series of books on man-made disasters. It looks specifically at disasters that have occurred as a result of man’s negligence or the malfunction of equipment and which have caused great damage to people and the environment. Some of the disasters it considers are the nuclear accident at Chernobyl power plant, the Exxon Valdez oil spill and the Bhopal toxic gas leak. It considers the causes, the damage, the clean up and the long term effects of these disasters. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Estrangelo Edessa'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">** Weil, Ann (2005) __Disasters: Environmental Disasters__ R.I.C. Publications Pty Ltd: Greenwood ** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Estrangelo Edessa'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">** WAJ904 WEI **