20806252Natural Hazards
Course Information
Description
This 3-credit course investigates the physical processes that create natural earth hazards, the primary controls on their frequency and intensity, and how human decision-making can influence the magnitude of impact that they have when they inevitably occur.  Students will investigate earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, extreme weather events (including tornadoes and hurricanes), floods, mass wasting events, tsunami, wildfire and asteroid impacts.  Students will participate in case studies to understand how the different natural hazards occur, the factors that determine their severity and how society can mitigate, plan and prepare for the Earth’s different natural hazards.
Total Credits
3
Course Competencies
  1. Integrate the scientific process into the understanding of the Earth sciences
    Assessment Strategies
    Quizzes, application assignments, case studies, presentation, final project
    Criteria
    Utilize scientific vocabulary accurately
    Analyze various types of documents about natural hazard events
    Use the scientific method
    Collect data
    Analyze current natural hazard events
    Summarize your findings in a paper
    Design and give a presentation about a natural hazard event
    Provide and respond to peer feedback

  2. Discuss the interrelationships between the earth system’s spheres (geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere)
    Assessment Strategies
    Quizzes, application assignments, case studies, final project
    Criteria
    Explain how spheres (geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere) interact
    Predict how a change in one sphere will affect and be affected by the other spheres
    Identify examples of the interconnectedness of the spheres using recent natural hazards

  3. Explain the earth processes that create earth hazards
    Assessment Strategies
    Quizzes, application assignments, case studies, final project
    Criteria
    Explain the Earth’s processes that create natural hazards
    Identify the components of natural hazards
    Discuss the relationship between event magnitude and frequency of occurrence
    Identify the components of the Earth’s processes that increase or decrease the severity of a natural Earth hazard
    Discuss how climatic changes affect Earth processes and natural hazards

  4. Analyze how natural hazards affect the human population
    Assessment Strategies
    Quizzes, application assignments, case studies, final project
    Criteria
    Explain how humans affect and are affected by Earth’s natural processes and their resulting natural hazards
    Compare and contrast natural hazards occurring in different places
    Analyze real world examples of natural hazards
    Identify mitigation techniques used to plan and prepare for natural processes and natural hazards
    Explain how climatic changes affect society’s interactions with the natural hazards

  5. Compare how natural hazards are monitored, forecasted and predicted
    Assessment Strategies
    Quizzes, application assignments, case studies, final project
    Criteria
    Identify the agencies used to monitor each natural hazard
    Explain the tools used to monitor, forecast and predict natural hazards
    Discuss the margin of error associated with different monitoring, forecasting and prediction tools
    Identify examples of the monitoring, forecasting and prediction tools using recent natural hazards