1. History and Math Web quest Gary Paxton, Kristen Rago, Christine Massaro

2. Introduction The purpose of this web quest is for students to combine their skills in math and history. In completing the web quest, the students will learn about the effects of natural disasters over the history of the world, thus showing them the impact and relevance of natural disasters then and now.

3. What students will research Each student will research 2 natural disasters in world history, one from the past and one from the modern era. They will summarize the events, and compare their effects’ on populations. Students can choose from a variety of natural disasters, including but not limited to this list: Black Death, Irish Potato Famine, Hurricane Katrina, South Asian Tsunami (2004), Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake http://www.nbc10.com/news/4030540/detail.html

4. South Asian Tsunami The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, known by the scientific community as the great Sumatra-Andaman earthquake was an undersea earthquake that occurred December 26, 2004, with an epicenter off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. earthquake December 26 2004 epicenter Sumatra Indonesia The earthquake triggered a series of devastating tsunamis along the coasts of most landmasses bordering the Indian Ocean, killing large numbers of people and inundating coastal communities across South and Southeast Asia, including parts of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand. tsunamis Indian Ocean South Southeast Asia Indonesia Sri Lanka India Thailand Although initial estimates had put the worldwide death toll at over 275,000 with thousands of others missing, more recent analysis compiled by the United Nations lists a total of 229,866 people lost, including 186,983 dead and 42,883 missing. United Nations

5. Bubonic Plague (Black Death) http://www.themiddleages.net/plague.html http://www.themiddleages.net/plague.html CAUSE In the early 1330s an outbreak of deadly bubonic plague occurred in China. Once people are infected, they infect others very rapidly. Plague causes fever and a painful swelling of the lymph glands called buboes, which is how it gets its name. The disease also causes spots on the skin that are red at first and then turn black. EFFECT After five years 25 million people were dead-- one-third of Europe's people. Medieval society never recovered from the results of the plague. So many people had died that there were serious labor shortages all over Europe. This led workers to demand higher wages, but landlords refused those demands. By the end of the 1300s peasant revolts broke out in England, France, Belgium and Italy. Fewer people, more food, lower food prices, more money to spend

6. Population Decline 25 million people died in just under five years between 1347 and 1352. Estimated population of Europe from 1000 to 1352. 1000 38 million 1100 48 million 1200 59 million 1300 70 million 1347 75 million 1352 50 million

7. Hurricane Katrina Courtesy of Google Images

8. Hurricane Katrina On Monday, 29 August 2005, Hurricane Katrina careened into the Gulf Coast, putting 80% of New Orleans under water. Hurricane Katrina The nation's most costly natural disaster, Katrina killed more than 1,600 people. Destroyed 200,000 Gulf Coast homes Displaced about 1 million people http://uspolitics.about.com/od/katrina/l/bl_katrina_st ats.htm

9. Hurricane Katrina http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2005/katri na/http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2005/katri na/ http://www.census.gov/Press- Release/www/releases/archives/hurricanes_ tropical_storms/005672.htmhttp://www.census.gov/Press- Release/www/releases/archives/hurricanes_ tropical_storms/005672.htm http://uspolitics.about.com/od/katrina/l/bl_k atrina_stats.html

10. Irish Potato Famine http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/f amine/

11. Great San Francisco Earthquake 1906 http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/190 6/18april/index.php

12. Academic Standards This meets the New Jersey Academic Standard for Social Studies 6.3, World History: All students will demonstrate knowledge of world history in order to understand events in the past and how they relate to the present and future.