Module 4

 Module IV



Essential Question: How do stories of cataclysmic events help inform students about geosciences and cultures?


We live in an uncertain world and cataclysmic events occur in a matter of moments. When we take a look back to New Orleans and Hurricane "Katrina,” we see how natural disasters can wipe out an entire city and their entire rich heritage in an instant.



Students quickly become interested in these events because they realize that these catastrophes can hit home, or may know someone who has been impacted by a tragic event like Katrina. They want to know why it hit, when it did, and if something like this will ever occur again (specifically in their location). The education about how it may hit again may enable them to partake in effective early warning systems better, as well as learning more about housing durability.


The aftermath of Katrina hurt the culture of New Orleans because it leaves a deep scar behind; a scar that symbolizes the constant reminder of how tragedy can strike at any time. It affected students, families, young adults, sports, and the norms of life along the river in Louisiana.


Learning about these events, and why they occur can help to prevent such terrible aftermaths from occurring when the next natural disaster hits. The Levees that were supposed to stand tall against the storm got tested and now the people of that area know what they need as well as the rest of America.



This natural disaster not only hit Louisiana, or just New Orleans, it hit America's heart; showing us that we can never be too prepared. It really brought a lot of people back home when they realized so many people lost their homes, communities and lives. When you go to New Orleans, people's faces tell their stories; they are worn and battered souls.

This disaster was bringing states and a nation of people together like you never seen before. It takes America to rebuild a place of rich history like New Orleans. It will take a nation at heart and time to grieve the lost and to rebuild a community. Lastly, trying to get the new generation to understand the severity of these cataclysmic events.

Geoscience is always going to be a mystery of our worst nightmares because we can’t predict the outcomes of our fatal earth structure. We have made hand devices to predict the earth and atmosphere movements daily and it constantly out-smarts us daily. So we are really at the beckon call of any cataclysmic events.