Lesson Plan - Hurricane Helpers

Watch a Video

Watch the video “What You Need to Know About Hurricanes.” Ask: Based on the video, why do you think many people get nervous when a hurricane is expected to strike their area?

Preview Words to Know

Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• citizens
• anxious

Set a Purpose for Reading

As students read, have them identify the problem the hurricane kits are meant to help solve.

1. The article explains that the girls live in Florida. Why is that detail important? 
It is important to know that the girls live in Florida because that state is hit by more hurricanes than any other state. People there must be prepared for hurricanes.
^{(RI.3.1 Inference)}

2. Based on the article, what steps did the girls take to complete their project? 
The girls gathered items for the kits by thinking about what would be needed and asking businesses to donate supplies. Then they put the items in bags and distributed the kits to 50 families.
^{(RI.3.3 Sequence)}

3. Choose two items the girls put in their hurricane kits. Explain why each was included. 
Sample response: The girls put canned food and activity sheets in their kits. The canned food would be helpful to families if stores were closed after a hurricane. The activity sheets would keep kids busy and help them feel less anxious.
^{(RI.3.2 Key Details)}

Featured Skill: Reading a Diagram

Use the skill builder “How Strong Is That Storm?” to have students explore the scale that scientists use to categorize hurricanes by wind speed.

^{(RI.3.5 Text Features)}