The Science of Natural Disasters: When Nature and Humans Collide

Description

Age range 12+While natural disasters might seem horrifically random, scientists can explain quite a lot about why they happen, how they develop, how we can try to prevent them, and how we can predict where and when they'll happen next.News reports from around the world offer detailed descriptions of wildfires, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, and more. While these kinds of events might seem horrifically random, scientists can explain quite a lot about why they happen, how they develop, how we can try to prevent them, and how we can predict where and when they'll happen next. The Science of Natural Disasters: When Nature and Humans Collide examines the science behind earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and wildfires. Using historical and current events as case studies, such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the floods in China in 1931, and the eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815, this book is geared towards kids interested in all things science, as they learn to use their critical-thinking skills against real-world data to brainstorm innovative solutions for the problems facing our planet today and in the future.

Diane C. Taylor is a freelance writer whose published works include both fiction and nonfiction. She has written educational material for a nonprofit arts program in Dallas, Texas, and has been an English instructor for students in middle school, high school, and college. She is the author of World War II: From the Rise of the Nazi Party to the Dropping of the Atomic Bomb, The Renaissance Artists With History Projects for Kids, and The Renaissance Thinkers With History Projects for Kids from Nomad Press. Diane lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Praise for other titles by Diane C. Taylor The Renaissance Artists: With History Projects for Kids Booklist STARRED Review This is a wonderfully enticing introduction to the Renaissance via the lives of five artists: Michelangelo, da Vinci, Titian, Botticelli, and Raphael. . . This appealing package will attract browsers and be a boon to student researchers and their teachers. School Library Connection What is a natural disaster, how can I prepare for one, and what should do when one strikes are all questions the author addresses in this informative book. The book begins with a chapter-length introduction which provides student science researchers definitions on types of natural disasters, information on how to respond to one, and implores readers to approach the rest of the book with the mindset of a scientist. . . .The author provides many examples of each natural disaster, illustrating how these disasters are connected to the earth that we live on and how they can sometimes be a result of one another. Support material in the book includes QR codes, timelines, diagrams, highlighted fact boxes, focus vocabulary, and scientific experiments. This book would pique the interest of casual readers as well as hold the interest of the more focused researcher. The projects and learning activities included provide a springboard to integrate this title into science and technology curricula by providing tools for student researchers to be both informed and empowered readers. Additional Resources. Glossary. Index. Recommended