Most of us watched the destruction of the latest hurricanes on news feeds. Others had to endure the devastation first hand. It may be difficult for children who never experienced extreme weather conditions to make connections with hurricane victims and empathize with their plight. Help build background knowledge and share new learning with the following books and resources.
Build Background Information
Ask children to share what they already know about hurricanes. Record any questions they have on chart paper. Visit the National Geographic Kids website to find answers. Students can write their questions and share new learning with the “Hurricane Inquiry” worksheet.
Read “Texas Faces Massive Flooding” by Sean McCollum to learn about the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Accommodate for different reading levels by copying and pasting text into rewordify.com.
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers advice when talking to children who lived through a disaster. These tips will help you answer sensitive questions.
A Storm Called Katrina by Myron Uhlberg
What would you grab if you had to leave your home for a mandatory evacuation? In A Storm Called Katrina, by Myron Uhlberg, ten-year-old Louis Daniel didn’t hesitate to take his cornet. Read what it was like to take shelter in the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Try the STEAM activity described in this Knowledge Quest blog post after reading the book.
Over in the Wetlands: A Hurricane-on-the-Bayou Story by Caroline Starr Rose
How do animals prepare for bad weather? This story poetically describes how native animals take care of themselves during a storm. Included websites will enrich learning for curious students. Visit National Geographic Kids and discover how nature warns us when a storm is brewing.
Flood by Jackie French
Queensland, Australia, was hit by a series of floods in 2011. Flood, by Jackie French, describes a small moment when strangers from across the nation brought food, water, and aid to help people in need.
Librarians Help
Sedley Abercrombie, a blogger for Knowledge Quest, compiled resources for school librarians who need help rebuilding after a disaster. Read her blog post “When Disaster Strikes” to find or offer help.
Rachel Hinds, a school librarian from Manvel, TX, dressed as a book fairy and read stories to help the children of Houston temporarily forget their plight. Read more about Hinds and other librarians in the School Library Journal article “After Hurricane Harvey, School Librarians Provide Support and Stories” by Marva Hinton.
Please add your resources in the comment box below!
Author: Maureen Schlosser
Author: Lessons Inspired by Picture Books for Primary Grades and Social and Emotional Learning for Picture Book Readers published by ALA Editions
Blogger: https://LibraryLessonsWithBooks.com
Skillshare Teacher: https://skl.sh/3a852D5
Categories: Blog Topics, Collection Development, STEM/STEAM, Student Engagement/ Teaching Models
Thank you, Ms. Schlosser, for this compilation. The kindergarten level is my hardest to teach in a K-5 school and I am always looking for better ways to communicate w/them.
You are welcome, Marcia! Thank you for taking the time to post a comment. I hope the resources here are helpful!