Read like a geographer: Hurricane Ian
This resource on the Hurricane Ian case study is designed to help KS3 and KS4 students to read like geographers. It uses a variety of reading strategies that geography teachers can use to enhance learners’ disciplinary literacy.
Students read the first part of an article about the tropical storm and put the events in the correct order, charting the formation of this major hurricane in the Atlantic, followed by landfall in the Caribbean and the Gulf Coast of the USA. They then complete a gap fill of geographical vocabulary in a summary of the second part of the article. Finally, they answer comprehension questions about the impacts and responses in Cuba and Florida, including social, economic and environmental impacts, and the challenges of emergency management.
An extract from the article:
Hurricane Ian caused significant damage across Florida, not just from strong winds but also from storm surges, which caused widespread coastal flooding. This coastal flooding trapped many people in their homes and caused damage to both houses and businesses. The damage in Naples, Florida, was estimated at $989 million.
One hundred and forty-eight fatalities were confirmed in Florida. Electrical outages were also reported across the state, streets were left impassable due to building damage and debris build-up, and several tornadoes were reported in South Florida.
