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4th grade · Science · Unit 8 of 8

Natural Hazards

Earthquakes, floods and storms, and how to stay safe

What your child practices

Earthquakes and seismic waves, volcanoes, floods and other natural hazards, and designs that lessen their effects, with Arizona examples: monsoon flash floods, dust storms and wildfire.

Arizona Academic Standards learning standard: 4.E1U2.10; 4.E1U1.5 · designing solutions to minimize the effects of natural hazards, and seismic waves and their effect on Earth

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Maps of past earthquakes, floods and storms show where hazards happen often.
  2. A haboob is a huge wall of blowing dust. A lahar is a flow of mud from a volcano.
  3. Warning systems, escape routes and strong buildings reduce harm.

Example: Which map helps plan for floods: a map of past floods or a road map? Past floods show where water has risen before. Answer: a map of past floods

Natural Hazards in Arizona

In the Arizona Academic Standards, this is unit 8 of 8 in 4th grade Science, after Energy Resources.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Arizona Department of Education

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    A tsunami is a…

    • snowstorm
    • kind of volcano
    • strong wind
    • giant ocean wave

  2. Question 2

    If you are on the coast and feel a strong earthquake, you should…

    • go to the beach
    • stay by the water
    • go swimming
    • move to high ground

  3. Question 3

    Retaining walls on hills help prevent…

    • tsunamis
    • eruptions
    • landslides
    • lightning

  4. Question 4

    Which map would help find where earthquakes happen often?

    • A map of past earthquakes
    • A map of schools
    • A road map
    • A bus map

  5. Question 5

    Why do cities in Arizona build channels and basins for storm water?

    • to grow rice
    • to store snow
    • to carry flood water away safely

  6. Question 6

    Comparing solutions, which question matters most for an earthquake design?

    • Is it the tallest?
    • Does it keep people safe?
    • Is it the brightest color?
    • Is it the newest?

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