Indiana Social Studies WG.5.2
The Standard
Analyze the possible effect of a natural disaster on the local community and devise plans to prepare for and respond to a disaster so as to minimize or mitigate its effects.
2026 Indiana Academic Standards: K-12 Social Studies
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students identify how a likely local disaster could affect roads, power, homes, and access to help. They make a plan for what people and local officials should do before and after it happens.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can use a local map to point out where a storm could cut off travel or services. Their plan names practical steps, such as saving drinking water, sharing warnings, and checking on residents who cannot leave on their own.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may assume every neighborhood faces the same risk. Some think calling for help after a disaster is a complete plan, without considering blocked roads, lost phone service, or preparation before the event.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: A storm floods two roads near your school and cuts power for two days. Name two likely effects on the community, one preparation step, and one response step for residents who cannot travel.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give groups a school-area street map and storm damage cards; have them mark blocked routes and draw a route to a possible shelter.
Ask students to write: Who might need help first during a two-day power outage, and how could neighbors reach them?
Give pairs six action cards, such as charging phones and checking flooded roads; have them sort the cards into before and after the storm.
Have students read their county's storm alert page and draft a three-step plan for receiving and sharing a warning.
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Printable WG.5.2 Worksheet
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Related Standards
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