What knowledge from the disciplines will student require and use in order to answer these questions?  And what 21st century skills will they use?    (This page is incomplete, but this will give you an idea.  It will be added to each day, so please return soon!)

Big Question 1 -  What is a Hurricane? Big Question 2 - Why is the city of new Orleans important? Big Question 3 - Why did New Orleans flood? Big Question 4 - What are the environmental issues? Big Question 5 - What are the social issues? Big Question 6 -  What can we do to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina? Big Question 7 -  Impact and Response -  How far-reaching is the impact of Katrina on the U.S. and the rest of the world?  Include an exploration of the global response. Big Question 8 -  Emergency Preparedness -  How can we better prepare for a disaster in the future?  Specifically, how can we create a Disaster Survival Kit, and what can we do if that kit is lost/destroyed in the disaster? Big Question 9 -  What are the Possibilities and Hope that can result from this event? Big Question 10 -  What role did technology play in this event, before and after the hurricane? Big Question 11 -  11.  What was and is the role of the media in disasters?  How did the media play a role in Hurricane Katrina? Big Question 12.  What is the economic impact of Hurricane Katrina? Big Question 13.  Analyze roles of the United States government in the Hurricane Katrina event.

1.  What is a Hurricane?   To answer this question, students will need information and knowledge from the following disciplines:  meteorology, geography, climatology, cartography, and they may also utilize and connect oceanography, biology, geology, charting and navigation, and satellites.  They can explore the history of hurricanes and their impact.   Students should conduct research on the web.  They should contact institutes that study the weather.  They should visit a television meteorology department and interview a meteorologist.  Excellent resources would include meteorology departments at universities, as well as many government agencies, such as the NOAA, or the  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Of course, students will naturally be utilizing research and speaking skills (Language Arts), reading, writing, media and multimedia, and they could easily incorporate art, music, film, health.

2.  Why is the city of New Orleans important?

3.  Why did New Orleans flood?

4.  What are the environmental issues?

5.  What are the social issues?

6.  What can we do to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina? Click here for list of links where victims of the hurricane can receive federal assistance and find loved ones, etc.

7.  Impact and Response -  How far reaching is the impact of Katrina on the U.S. and on the rest of the world?  Include an exploration of the global response.

8.  Emergency Preparedness -  How can we better prepare for a disaster in the future?  Specifically, how can we create a Disaster Survival Kit, and what can we do if that kit is lost/destroyed in the disaster?

9 -  What are the Possibilities and Hope that can result from this event?

10.  What role did technology play in this event, before and after the hurricane?

11.  What was and is the role of the media in disasters?  How did the media play a role in Hurricane Katrina?

12.  What is the economic impact of Hurricane Katrina?

13.  Analyze roles of the United States government in the Hurricane Katrina event.