Studying Hurricane Katrina through Science and Literature
My students need 20 copies of "Hurricane Song" and another song.
FULLY FUNDED! Mrs. Miller's classroom raised $203
This project is fully funded
My Students
Last year I used this novel as a read aloud while we studied Hurricane Katrina. All of my students would be at the edges of their seats-waiting for the next page, the next chapter. Following a family from floodwaters to the Superdome, this book really brought it this tragedy to life for my students-
The students at our school are some of the hardest working in our city.
They attend a longer school day and attend a longer school year. In addition, many are enrolled in our after-school STEM Academy. Our science scores have been well above state and local district averages for the past two years and this year we are aiming even higher. More than 90% of our students are low-income, and more than 90% are minority. We are a public charter school with the mission of providing a first rate education as a birthright of every individual.
My Project
A comprehensive study of Hurricane Katrina is a major project we carry out over the course of the year in our class. We study the weather conditions that created the storm, the landforms surrounding New Orleans and levee system that led to the devastation, and the relationship among the branches and levels of local, state, and federal government in the response and recovery efforts.
I can't overstate the impact that this novel had on my students last year when I used it as a read aloud. The novel follows a young boy over the course of his life; what brings him to New Orleans, what life was like before Hurricane Katrina, the events of the Hurricane, and how his family and life was impacted as a result. The novel focuses on the family's stay at the Superdome and truly provides a compelling tale of one of our nation's recent tragedies. This project will allow me to use this novel with my entire reading group, so they may eagerly turn the pages in their own copies!
Understandably so, this novel brought about hours of lively and engaging discussion last year regarding issues of government, race, socioeconomics, weather, levees, as well as discussions of life and death.
My students can relate to the characters in the book in many ways, so when the family goes through this heart-wrenching tragedy, our classroom goes through it with them. With this book, my students experience Hurricane Katrina in a way that weather maps and even video can't match.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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