Description
This natural disasters research project guides students through researching a real historical event and turning their learning into a structured informational essay.
Students begin by choosing from a list of 30+ famous natural disasters. Preview cards are included to help them read about each option and make a thoughtful choice.
From there, students work through guided research pages organized into five sections:
- understanding the disaster
- location and patterns
- causes
- effects
- response and safety
Each section includes targeted questions that help students gather meaningful information and stay focused.
After completing their research, students use their notes to write five body paragraphs. Writing support is built in with clear expectations, sentence starters, and checklists for the introduction and conclusion.
The project ends with a final essay that brings all of their paragraphs together into one complete piece of writing.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- Teacher guide with a day-by-day outline
- Student topic selection page with 20+ famous disasters
- Preview cards to support topic selection
- 5 structured research pages (6 questions per section)
- Paragraph writing pages for all 5 sections
- Introduction and conclusion writing page with checklist
- Final essay page
HOW THIS IS USED
Students move from:
- choosing a topic
- to guided research
- to paragraph writing
- to a final essay
This can be used as a multi-day project or spread across a longer unit, depending on your schedule.