1. Copy this down on page 33 of your journal!

2. Station A
2. Take one of the strips of paper from the pocket and glue it in box 1 of your notebook on page Each partner will read the information to the other partner. (This means you will both have a turn to read and a turn to listen.) Once you have finished move to station B.

3. Extreme Weather and Natural Disasters
Extreme weather and other natural disasters create special problems. Tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes, although infrequent, are events that can kill thousands of people and destroy buildings, bridges, and roads.

4. Station B
In box 2 of your journal answer the following questions using station card B as a resource.
A. What usually causes natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis?
Earthquakes and tsunamis are caused by…
B. Explain why people continue to live in places where natural disasters occur.
People continue to live in places where natural disasters occur because…

5. Natural Disasters
Volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis are often caused by tectonic plate movement. The location of many of these disasters, such as the “Pacific Rim of Fire,” can often be foreseen. Because these events are infrequent, people continue to return and rebuild.
Examples of Natural Disasters:
Vesuvius Volcano- 79AD the volcano at Mount Vesuvius erupted. Thousands of Romans were buried under volcanic ash in the city of Pompeii.
San Francisco Earthquake- In 1906, most of San Francisco was destroyed by a great earthquake, killing over 3,000 people.
Indonesian Tsunami- In 2004, an undersea earthquake in the Indian Ocean led to a tsunami. More than 200,000 people were killed.

6. Station C
In box 3 of your journal answer the following questions using station card C as a resource.
A. Explain why scientists believe there are more droughts that are occurring.
Scientists believe that more droughts are occurring because…
B. What is El Nino?
El Nino is…

7. Extreme Weather
Weather also sometimes brings dangerous conditions- including hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, droughts, and extreme heat or cold. For example, some scientists believe that rising temperatures from global climate change may be responsible for the increasing number of droughts.
Lack of rainfall has brought desertification (changing into a desert) to more areas in Northern Africa.
El Nino and La Nina: Rising global temperatures may also be contributing to the periodic warming of the surface of the Pacific Ocean, leading to El Nino. El Nino creates increased rain in the eastern Pacific Ocean and along the west coasts of the Americas. La Nina brings increase rain to the east coast of Asia.

8. Station D
In box 4 of your journal answer the following questions using station card D as a resource.
A. Explain the advantage that more developed societies have when natural disasters occur.
More developed societies….
B. Explain how technology can positively impact a society when a natural disaster occurs.
Technology can positively impact a society when a natural disaster occurs because…

9. Human Responses
There is no way to prevent extreme weather or natural disasters instead the challenge is to prepare for them. More developed societies that have access to stronger building materials are able to build more buildings that can withstand many natural disasters.
With technology the global community is now able to cooperate when natural disasters strike. In 2010, Haiti was hit by a devastating earthquake killing 300,000 Haitians and leaving a million people homeless. People from around the world contributed food, medical supplies and help.

10. Station E
In box 5 of your journal answer the following questions using station card E as a resource.
A. What is GIS?
Graphic Information Systems is….
B. How is GIS useful when dealing with natural disasters?
Graphic Information Systems are useful when dealing with natural disasters because…

11. GIS and Global Disasters
Graphic Information Systems (GIS) are spatial information systems that combine information from satellites and land-based sources. These systems use global data that is stored in computers.
For example, ,in 1985 the European Union created an environmental database that tells about soil, landforms, climate, water resources, pollution, and economic data from around the world. Another example is GRID (Global Resources Information Database). This information is being used to study the impact of human modification such as deforestation.
GIS is very useful when dealing with natural disasters. Government officials are able to use the information to help notify or even evacuate people in an emergency.