USING THE NGSS AND PLACE BASED PHENOMENA IN SECONDARY SCIENCE CLASSES TO INCREASE COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND RESILIENCE TO REGIONAL NATURAL HAZARDS

Utilizing concepts from place-based education, we showcase snapshots of place based lesson sequences for drought, flood and earthquake hazard mitigation that can serve as a template for high school natural hazards education across the United States. With the adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards and Framework for K-12 Science Education, a majority of state education departments in the United States now emphasize the need for K-12 students to recognize, understand, forecast and problem-solve Natural Hazards. While basic concepts of Natural Hazards are taught K-5, it is the secondary science standards that offer the greatest opportunity for students to learn about local & regional hazards and to create strategies to forecast and mitigate hazards.

We present a lesson sequence that loosely follows the 5-E model of lesson design and is initiated by presenting students with regionally relevant natural hazard phenomena in the form of data sets, photos or videos. Students begin by individually recording their observations and questions about the phenomenon before sharing their ideas and experiences in small and whole group formats. It is essential that all ideas are welcomed, especially those ideas that highlight personal & family experiences related to the hazard. Small and whole group investigations are then facilitated using the students' ideas through teacher-provided data, models, videos, and readings that allow students to develop iterative claims about the causal factors and impacts of the hazard. Once sufficient understanding of the hazard is accomplished, students again work in facilitated small groups to develop a preparedness and response plan for their community. Groups present their hazard and plan to the class, and then compare them, looking for patterns and themes. In this way students become familiar with the common challenges among hazards as well as unique concerns. Finally, students research and compare existing government plans with their own, identifying strengths and weaknesses of both plans. Then they share their new knowledge and with their family create a preparedness and response plan so in the event of a hazard they will be able to take appropriate action.