Homeschool Course: Disaster Science

DISASTER SCIENCE
Thursdays, January 30-May 1 (no class Feb 20, Apr 10; 12 weeks)
11:00am-12:15pm
Ages 8-10

Students learn about unpredictable acts of nature, where they are likely to occur and how natural meteorological and geological processes can lead to potential disasters as they conduct hands-on activities and experiments to simulate these forces. All lab costs are included in registration fee.

Instructor: Jessica Barnes, BSc
Location: Science Center (suite 5)
Full semester - $220 OR $20/lab (plus $0.99 AH fee)
10% off sibling discount
Register for full semester or individual labs.

LAB SCHEDULE:
EARTHQUAKES - Thursday, January 30
Students learn about plate tectonics, fault lines, and seismographs, and engineer a structure that can withstand a simulated earthquake.

VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS - Thursday, February 6
We explore the geological process of volcanoes, examine how and where they are formed, and investigate how the Earth’s core and composition contribute to the eruption.

LAND AND MUDSLIDES - Thursday, February 13
This week, we investigate the causes of landslides and where they are most likely to occur. We simulate a landslide to determine which materials cause the most damage and use engineering skills to minimize the destruction.

TSUNAMIS - Thursday, February 27
Students explore the mechanics of a tsunami, how they are formed, how often they occur, and the geological factors that help produce these giant ocean waves.

TORNADOES - Thursday, March 6
We study the weather patterns that cause tornadoes as we consider the factors of how they are formed and the destruction they leave in their wake.

HURRICANES - Thursday, March 13
Students investigate how and where hurricanes form, why they have an eye, how they create storm surge, and their effect on our landscapes.

BLIZZARDS - Thursday, March 20
Students learn about the differences between frozen weather types like sleet, freezing rain, and thundersnow, and discuss where blizzards and nor’easters are most likely to occur.

WILDFIRES - Thursday, March 27
We discover the causes and effects of wildfires, where they happen, how environmental conditions contribute to their spread, and the techniques firefighters use to control the fires.

SINKHOLES - Thursday, April 3
Students learn the science behind sinkholes and the geological processes involved in creating them as we make a model of our own.

AVALANCHES - Thursday, April 17
Today, we explore the conditions that result in an avalanche, including different types of snow and weather patterns. We conduct our own avalanche experiment to document the effects of slope.

LIGHTNING - Thursday, April 24
Students learn about the formation of lightning and the science of electricity while we try to create electrical sparks.

FLOODS - Thursday, May 1
Students discover how floods affect local communities and the ways people help each other in the wake of a disaster.