Week 2 Assignment – Monitoring, mitigation strategies

Dates: February 14 to 21

Complete all and turn in Feb 21 by 11:59 PM

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Assignment # 1 – Instruction

1. Navigate back to the Hazard Topic page relevant to your case study.
2. Complete all reading and/or modules, and watch videos assigned for Week 2.

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Assignment # 2 – Writing Assignment – Canvas

1. Answer the following questions by creating a word document or pdf and upload to Canvas

a. Hazard mapping:

• How is the hazard information documented? Identify and describe the type of map used for your case study ( 3 to 5 sentences; geologic map, weather forecast, flood plain map, earthquake hazard map)
• Write 3 to 5 sentences assessing the map. How easy is it to read? Is the map clearly explained? Would you find the map useful if you lived in the region it covered? Summarize with your assessment of the overall quality of the map.
• Be sure to include a copy of the map with your report!

b. Monitoring:  How was your case study event monitored or forecast?

• Describe at least one method used by scientists to forecast/track hazardous phenomena, by answering the following questions (5 sentences):

• • What type of instrument was used?
  • What does it measure?
  • How is a warning issued?
  • Do you think that the monitoring used for your hazardous event was adequate? Why or why not?

c. Mitigation:  What methods and/or infrastructure were used to mitigate the effects of the hazard?

• Describe one method used to try to lessen the effects of the disaster by answering the following questions (at least 5 sentences):

• • • What method was used?
    • How did it work?
    • How effective was it?
    • Summarize whether you think the mitigation efforts were effective or not.

examples: building levees, evacuation, hosing down lava flows with water earthquake retrofitting, early or timely warnings issued before the event, etc.

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Assignment # 3 – Blog post and comment – WordPress site

1. Choose one of the above three categories (maps, monitoring, or mitigation) and summarize your work briefly in a blog post to your hazard topic group. Be sure to include an example of your map, or link to your information so others can learn from what you found.

2. Read the posts by each student in your hazard topic group and post a comment to at least one other post asking one question about their case study based on their summary.

-If there are no other posts in your topic group, choose any post from any other topic group from the week 2 assignment and comment on that post instead.

3. Read all of the questions you receive about your own blog post and answer them briefly by replying to each comment.

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Assignment # 4 – Using Games as Tools for Mitigation – WordPress site

1. Play the Stop Disasters game, Erupt! (or other game resources provided) for your chosen disaster.  Play for about 1 hour, working to improve your overall score.

2. Share your game playing or “design” experiences with your classmates by posting the following to the blogs for your hazard topic group (2 to 4 sentences)

• • Describe one thing about the game that   helped you learn about what it is like to monitor/mitigate a disaster?
  • What was one thing you found unhelpful, confusing, annoying, or otherwise detrimental to your learning? Why?
  • Read all blogs of the other students in your Hazard Topic group that played the same simulation game.
  • Comment on their post comparing or contrasting your game playing experience with theirs. Did they find similar aspects to be helpful/unhelpful?

Option 2 –   There is no game available for landslides/avalanches and tornadoes hazards. Instead, play   Stop Disasters! for another Hazard Topic for about 30 minutes to get the idea of how it works.   Then, spend about 30 minutes writing ideas of how you would create your own Stop Disasters! game for your Hazard Topic.

If you chose a hazard that does not have a game available, make a blog post that describes an idea for a game that could be created for that type of hazard.

• • Read all blogs of the other students in your Hazard Topic group describing their game ideas.
  • Comment on your own post comparing or contrasting your ideas with theirs. Do you think creating a game would help people in the real world prepare for the hazard better?

Stop here for Week 2