1. Catastrophic Events and the Ecosystem lesson 1
Unit 4

2. TEKS 8A: The student will predict and describe how different types of catastrophic events impact ecosystems such as floods, hurricanes, or tornadoes.
Look at the photos for Masters of Disaster:
So what is a catastrophic event???

3. Vocabulary
1) Catastrophic event – a violent, usually destructive, natural occurrence.

4. 2) Ecosystem - a community of living organisms (plants, animals and microbes) in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment (things like air, water and mineral soil), interacting as a system.

5. 3) Population - A group of individuals of a given species that live in a specific geographic area at a given time (including plants).
4) Species - A group of interbreeding organisms that do not ordinarily breed with members of other groups
(including plants).

6. Where is the Ecosystem? Population? Species? Ecosystem is the forest.
Population is all the animals that live there together.
Species are Elk.

7. Catastrophic Event Research
-40% of your grade, Notebook Investigation & Notes
Instruct students to cut apart the cards so that each student has two cards. Ask students to affix their cards in their science notebooks. Glue or tape down the top edge of the card closest to the spine. Then, fold in the rest of the page to fit within the notebook.
You will be divided into groups of 4. Each person in your group will be assigned two events to research on the Ipad. Fill in your CER cards in your notebook with the complete information needed. You will have only one class period to do this.
You know it effects people, how about the rest of the ecosystem?

8. Look at our research cards
Look at our research cards. Fill it in using the search engine on the Ipad. Use the following information to help you search.
1)Name of your Catastrophic Event: (Hurricane, Tornado, Floods, Volcano, Tsunami, Earthquake, Wild Fire, and Drought)
2)List the main features of the natural disaster and how it forms. (Look up your CE by typing in the name and reading. Wiki is a good starting point. You may also use the Handout “Cause and Effect of Catastrophes”. Or search by typing “ Formation of a (your CE)”.
3)Categorize the catastrophe as weather related, geologic in nature, and/or caused by humans. There may be more than one answer. (Geologic means is it related to formations of land. And if caused by humans, explain how?)
4)Where and when is this natural disaster most likely to occur? (Are there certain locations, cities, countries, where this happens most? Is there a particular season that it occurs?)
5)Describe the impact this event may have on: +Changes in habitats (for populations or species): (This means look at what animals or plants will not survive because they have no home.) +Changes in landforms: (how does the land change) +Other Impacts: (environment, non-living)

9. Present your CE’s to the class.
Then, you will get with people who did the same research and compare notes.
Present your CE’s to the class.
Graded
Now, you will write down notes on the other six CE’s you did not do.
Take a copy of the handout “Cause and Effect of Catastrophes” and put in your binder.

10. Through your research, you found out that catastrophic events are natural occurrences that generally have a negative effect on people and/or the environment.
So, think –
What were the catastrophic events that could have a beneficial effect on the environment?
Volcanoes can produce new land, and wildfires can promote new plant growth after the fire; floods can provide water for vegetation.

11. And,
How would the ability to predict a catastrophic event ahead of time be beneficial to people and the environment?
With advance warning, people can climb to higher land ahead of a tsunami; evacuate before a hurricane, flood, wildfire, or volcano; or seek shelter from a tornado.
Preventative measures can be taken to stop fires from spreading to inhabited areas.
Water supplies can be protected from being contaminated.
This will lessen the loss of life and lessen the amount of damage from these catastrophes.

12. Sample Test Question
1 If a large volcano that is on an island erupts, it will impact the local ecosystem. Which of the following is NOT a way the volcano will affect the local ecosystem?
A The lava from the volcano will heat up
the air in the local area and kill all life in
the area.
B Lava will run down from the volcano,
burning down all the trees around the
volcano.
C When the volcano erupts, it will throw
dust into the air affecting plants across
the island.
D The magma will run into the ocean
around the island, killing coral reef
animals.
The End