The Library of Congress
Nature's Fury
Overview Ruins of buildings

People have always tried to understand the natural world in which they live. In early times, they created myths to explain their experiences with fire, flood and other violent forces. Over the centuries, new scientific discoveries added to their knowledge. Yet, nature continues to affect human lives and people still seek to record their feelings about these uncontrollable forces.

Examine accounts by Americans from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries of their life changing experiences with nature. Witness their experiments with the new technologies of motion pictures and panoramic photography to record the immensity of events with which they struggled. Read their moving personal accounts. Study the poignant lyrics of songs they wrote to memorialize each event. Use your research skills to search the American Memory collections to broaden your understanding of how people have dealt with disaster. Then share your learning by creating a presentation for others in which you assume the role of a witness to such an event and create your own personal account.

red line

Objectives Upon completion of this interdisciplinary performance task, students will:

Language Arts
  • Read and discuss literary and nonliterary texts in order to understand human experience.
  • Read to acquire information from a variety of sources.
  • Orally communicate information, opinions, and ideas effectively to an audience for a particular purpose.
Technology
  • Use computers to acquire, organize, analyze, and communicate information.
  • Conduct research and inquiry on self-selected topics, issues, or problems with technology and use an appropriate media form to communicate their findings.
Social Studies
  • Interpret history using a variety of sources, such as biographies, diaries, journals, artifacts, eyewitness interviews, and other primary source materials.
  • Explain how and why events may be interpreted differently depending on the perspectives of participants, witnesses, reporters, and historians.
Guidance
  • Analyze how environment and personal well-being are interrelated.
  • Describe assets valuable for building and maintaining personal, family, and community well-being.
Time Required 3-4 weeks - 90 minute language arts/social studies block
Recommended
Grade Level		 Grades 5-8; lessons may be adapted for elementary or older students using the bibliography provided.
Curriculum Fit An interdisciplinary unit combining social studies, language arts, guidance and technology
Standards

McREL 4th Edition Standards & Benchmarks

Geography
Standard 7. Knows the physical processes that shape patterns on the earth's surface

Historical Understanding
Standard 2. Understands the historical perspective

Language Arts
Standard 4. Gathers and uses information for research purposes
Standard 6. Uses Reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of literary texts
Standard 7. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts
Standard 8. Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes
Standard 9. Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media
Focus Questions As you explore an event, keep in mind these key questions:
  • What assets can people and communities develop to respond to unforeseen events?
  • How do photographs, personal narratives, and lyrics help us to understand human experiences?
  • Is nature an enemy to be conquered or a force with which humans must cooperate?
Resources Used American Memory Resources Page
  • Internet, print, and multi-media resources about American natural disasters.

Gallery of Artifacts

Overview  |  Teacher's Guide  |  Student Page


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Last updated 09/26/2002