Hurricane
Katrina

PLEASE WATCH INTERACTIVES FIRST!

• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/orleans/anatomy.html
• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/orleans/how.html
• http://www.school.eb.com/all/eb/art-18528?articleTypeId=1

DIAGRAM OF HURRICANE: http://www.school.eb.com/all/eb/art-75357?articleTypeId=1

Hurricane Websites:

• www.school.eb.com/ (Encyclopedia Britannica)
• http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcfaqHED.html
• http://www.usatoday.com/weather/hurricane/science.htm
• http://hurricanes.noaa.gov/index.html
• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/orleans/
• http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hurricanes/main/index.html
• http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/08/0804_050804_hurricanewarming.html
• http://www.fema.gov/kids/hurr.htm
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina

Note: Hurricanes have a different name in other parts of the world.  As you research, you may sometimes use the word “typhoon” or “tropical cyclone.”

Category 1 Questions:

• What is a hurricane?  What makes this different from a tropical depression or a tropical storm?
• How are hurricanes ranked?  What ranking was Katrina when it hit New Orleans? 
• How do hurricanes form?

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/weather/hurricane/formation.shtml

Category 2 Questions:

• If you were on a fishing ship in the gulf before the time of TV, radio, and weather predictions, how would you know a hurricane was coming?

www.school.eb.com

• How do scientists and meteorologists predict hurricanes today?

http://www.fema.gov/kids/huhunt.htm

• Katrina formed in the Atlantic region.  When is the hurricane season in the Atlantic?  Why is there a season for hurricanes?

http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/G1.html

http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/G5.html

Category 3 Questions:

• What factors made Katrina so deadly? 
  • Why was Katrina so strong?
  • Why was New Orleans unprepared?
• Katrina also went over Florida--why was there so much more damage and loss of life in New Orleans?

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/orleans/vanheerden.html (HINT: This scientist predicted Katrina before it happened.  Find his reasons for knowing that New Orleans was in trouble!)

Category 4 Questions:

• If global warming is true, how will this affect the gulf coast area?

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/08/0804_050804_hurricanewarming.html

Category 5 Question:

• Should New Orleans rebuild?  Why or why not?  (Please base this on your research!)