
Natural Disasters: Investigate Earth’s Most Destructive Forces with 25 Projects
Related Books
Meteorology
Cool Women Who Weather Storms
Does the weather fascinate you? Are you curious about where storms get their strength? Do you ever think about what the long-term effect of weather patterns will be on the earth? Meteorology: Cool Women Who Weather Storms introduces readers ages 9 to 12 to three women working in meteorology who are making an impact and
$9.95 - $19.95Biomes
Discover the Earth’s Ecosystems with Environmental Science Activities for Kids
Would you rather live in the desert or the grasslands? Middles schoolers can discover new worlds by reading Biomes: Discover the Earth’s Ecosystems with Science Activities for Kids, which discusses the world’s biomes in terms of climates, geologies, resources, and organisms! Essential questions, fun facts, and hands-on STEM experiments make this book a fully immersive
$17.95 - $22.95Garbage
Follow the Path of Your Trash with Environmental Science Activities for Kids
Where does your trash go when you throw it away? Find out in Garbage: Follow the Path of Your Trash with Science Activities for Kids! Middle schoolers will track their trash as it travels from waste basket to its final resting place, whether that’s a landfill, compost bin, or a new life as a different
$17.95 - $22.95The Science of Weather and Climate
Rain, Sleet, and the Rising Tide
In The Science of Weather and Climate: Rain, Sleet, and the Rising Tide, middle schoolers learn the science behind the weather we experience every day while examining the changing climate conditions across the entire planet. Science-minded STEM activities encourage readers to think like scientists while critical thinking exercises, essential questions, fascinating facts, links to online
$17.95 - $22.95Reviews
National Science Teachers Association Recommends
“What sets this book apart is that it contains projects which take this volume to a whole new level.”
Booklist
”This utilitarian looking but enticingly titled entry in the Build It Yourself series pairs background information about hurricanes, volcanoes, wildfires, floods, and less common events, such as limnetic eruptions and meteor strikes, to 25 low-tech re-creations or demonstrations. The background covers basics in simple language but enough detail to introduce special terms like convection and standard intensity scales, from the Richter and MMS (for earthquakes) to the Enhanced Fujita (tornadoes) and Saffir-Simpson (hurricanes). . .This makes a serviceable mix of elementary facts about the courses and causes of various widespread natural calamities with relevant but minimally hazardous hands-on enrichment activities.”
Children's Literature Review
“Earthquakes, volcanoes, tornadoes, hurricanes...oh my! Part of the "Build It Yourself series," Reilly has a popular topic. Our Earth moves in violent ways and many of us like to line up at the sidelines to watch. We do not really want to be in a natural disaster, but we cannot stop looking. What causes an earthquake? How is it connected with a tsunami? Filled with projects that simulate the disasters, kids will enjoy reading the brief text and exploring. One project has kids making a shake table to see what earthquakes do to buildings. Another shows convection currents in a dish tub. And another creates a flood plain in a cookie sheet and examines what happens when the river overflows. The illustrations are clear and attractive.”
School Library Journal
“Spiraling winds, surging waters, eruptions, blazing forests, and chilling snows are discussed with clarity and detail and include the most recent information, e.g., the MMS Scale and the Enhanced Fujita Scale. Hence, readers may accurately grasp the impact of nature’s destructive forces. In addition to a lucid explanation of each type of phenomenon, safety tips, historical incidences, pen-and-ink line drawings, and correlative projects using simple materials are included to provide firsthand evidence of scientific processes involved in natural forces. Useful for science units.”
Ray Coish Ph.D., Robert R. Churchill Professor of Geosciences, Middlebury College
“Natural Disasters covers important topics in imaginative ways. The chapters on earthquakes and volcanoes present the basics of how the earth works, and the well-designed activities at the end of each chapter—using easily attainable supplies—illustrate the important processes.”
Marla Conn, Educational Consultant
“Natural Disasters meets the criteria for the Common Core State Standard in reading for informational text. This wonderful title provides information on scientific and historical facts, covering a broad range of cultures and time periods. The activities are creative and thought provoking, and connect new ideas and concepts to real world situations.”
Teacher Resources

Classroom Guides
For educators! Download a packet of essential questions, mentor texts, and Common Core State Standards to use in classrooms and libraries.
Classroom Guide Common Core State Standards
Collections
Looking for more? Take a look at related books in these collections!
Detailed Book Description
Earthquakes, tidal waves, erupting volcanoes . . . When natural disasters happen, they grab headlines around the world. People, creatures, and the environment are all impacted when nature gets out of control. Natural disasters can be upsetting to live through and an experience you think about for a long time. But scientists today understand their causes and how we can protect ourselves and others. Natural Disasters: Investigate Earth’s Most Destructive Forces with 25 Projects teaches readers about some of the natural disasters throughout history, what caused them, their impact on civilizations, and how people today cope with natural disasters. Readers of this book will make their own shake tables, create a cake batter lava flow, invent a wind tunnel, and experiment with avalanches. These hands-on activities engage readers and add depth to the text while ensuring that the learning is made lasting and fun.
Soft Cover, $15.95 |
Hard Cover, $21.95 |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Timeline
Introduction
What Are Natural Disasters?
Chapter One
Earthquakes and Tsunamis
Chapter Two
Volcanoes
Chapter Three
Tornadoes
Chapter Four
Hurricanes
Chapter Five
Floods
Chapter Six
Drought and Heat Waves
Chapter Seven
Wildfires
Chapter Eight
Blizzards and Avalanches
Chapter Nine
Unusual Events
Chapter Ten
The Impact of Natural Disasters
Glossary
Resources
Index