Unit Plan 24 (Grade 3 Science): Hazard Maps & Risk Patterns
Use hazard maps to identify where storms, floods, droughts, and wildfires occur most often, helping students recognize risk patterns and suggest smart community safety planning.
Focus: Analyze maps of weather-related hazards (storms, floods, droughts, wildfires) to identify where hazards happen more often and what that means for risk and safety planning.
Grade Level: 3
Subject Area: Science (Earth & Space Science • Data & Mapping)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students learn how hazard maps show patterns of where and how often weather-related hazards occur. Using simplified maps of storms, floods, droughts, and wildfires, they practice reading symbols, keys, and color codes to spot high- and low-risk areas. By the end of the week, students explain how hazard patterns can guide planning and design solutions that help keep communities safer.
Essential Questions
- What are weather-related hazards, and how can maps help us see where they happen most often?
- How do map symbols, colors, and keys help us understand risk patterns?
- Why is it important for communities to know where hazards are more or less likely to occur?
- How can understanding hazard patterns help engineers and leaders make better safety plans?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify weather-related hazards (thunderstorms, floods, droughts, wildfires, hurricanes) and describe how each can affect people and places.
- Read and interpret simplified hazard maps, using keys, symbols, and color codes to locate areas of higher and lower risk.
- Describe patterns of hazard frequency (e.g., “floods happen more near rivers,” “wildfires happen more in dry regions”).
- Use hazard maps to make simple claims about which areas might need more safety planning or design solutions.
- Create a Hazard Risk Map & Explanation showing at least one hazard pattern and a short statement about how communities could respond.
Standards Alignment — 3rd Grade (NGSS-Aligned)
- 3-ESS3-1 — Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impact of a weather-related hazard.
- Example: Use a flood-risk map to argue that building a levee, raised home, or warning system would help protect a specific area.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can name and describe at least two weather-related hazards and how they affect people.
- I can use a map key and color code to find places where hazards happen more or less often.
- I can spot patterns in hazard maps (for example, “this hazard happens more near coasts or rivers”).
- I can make a simple claim about how a community might prepare or design something to stay safer.
- I can create a hazard risk map and a short explanation that someone else can understand.