The Teacher Guide is the driving and unifying component of this unit, Natural Hazards. In this unit, students investigate the phenomenon of natural hazards. Using the phenomenon of a tsunami, this unit examines the causes and effects of tsunamis, ways science can help us understand their origins and paths, and what we can do to protect our communities from damage. The subtitle of this unit is Where do natural hazards happen, and what can we do to prepare for them? Phenomena such as floods, earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, and lightning are all hazards that students have some knowledge of or experience with. By developing knowledge of tsunamis, students can apply their scientific knowledge to protecting their homes and towns against all forms of destructive natural phenomena. This unit allows students to observe the phenomenon of tsunamis in detail and then spend time working with classmates to analyze the shared experience, formulate new questions, and developing new strategies for answering them.

CKSci Middle School is an enhanced republication of the OpenSciEd Middle School project–with a unique, integrated Core Knowledge science literacy component.

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