Grades 4/5 Disaster Texts

1

Topic/Inquiry/Essential Question: What are natural forces and how do they impact us?
Title Author Lexile
Level
Source
(If web-based)
Text Type Summary
Horror from the Sky Bonnie
Highsmith
Taylor
410 Narrative:
Historical
Fiction
Calvin panics when he is caught in the 1924 Lorain, Ohio
tornado and races to find his family and make sure they
survived.
Terror in the City

Bonnie
Highsmith
Taylor
430 Narrative:
Historical
Fiction
Stuart and his family try to survive the 1906 San Francisco
earthquake.
Panic in the Snow Bonnie
Highsmith
Taylor
460 Narrative:
Historical
Fiction
Gerald risks his own life and braves the 1888 New York City
blizzard in order to get the medicine his sister desperately
needs.
Tragedy from the Sea Bonnie
Highsmith
Taylor
470 Narrative:
Historical
Fiction
Vernon and his family struggle to help their neighbors
survive the deadly Galveston Hurricane of 1900.
Valley of Disaster Bonnie
Highsmith
Taylor
470 Narrative:
Historical
Fiction
Ben and his family struggle to find a way to survive the
deadly Johnstown flood of 1889.

A Storm Called
Katrina
Myron
Uhlberg
480 Narrative:
Historical
Fiction
When flood waters submerge their New Orleans
neighborhood in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a young
cornet player and his parents evacuate their home and
struggle to survive and stay together.
Selvakumar Knew
Better
Virginia Kroll 525 Narrative:
Historical
Fiction
When a giant tsunami approaches his village, seven-year-old
Dinakaran is saved by the family dog. Based on a true story;
includes facts about the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
Wild Weather:
Blizzards!
Lorraine Jean
Hopping
530 Informational Discusses where hurricanes come from, what types there
are, and what can be done during one.
Grades 4/5 Disaster Texts

2

What Makes It Rain?
The Story of a
Raindrop
Keith Brandt 575 Informational Follows the journey of a raindrop through the water cycle
and briefly discusses the characteristics and importance of
water.
I Survived Hurricane
Katrina, 2005
Lauren
Tarshis
590 Narrative:
Fiction
The horror of Hurricane Katrina is brought vividly to life in
this fictional account of a boy, a dog, and the storm of the
century.

The Dust Bowl: An
Interactive History
Adventure
Allison
Lassieur
650 Narrative:
Historical
Fiction
Describes the people and events of the U.S. Dust Bowl. The
reader's choices reveal the historical details from the
perspectives of a farmer, a migrant worker, and a
government photographer.
The Great Wide Sea M.H. Herlong 660 Narrative:
Fiction
Ben, Dylan, and Gerry are still mourning their mother's death
when their dad decides to buy a boat and take them on a
year-long sailing trip. Tensions flare between Ben and his
father, but they gradually learn to live together in close
quarters. But one morning, the boys wake up to discover
their father has disappeared and they are lost. What
happened to him? Where are they? And what will they do
when a treacherous storm looms on the horizon? M. H.
Herlong spins a gripping tale of adventure, survival, and the
bonds of brotherhood in The Great Wide Sea.
Super Storms Seymour
Simon
670 Informational Examines superstorms and their potential destructiveness,
including thunderstorms, hailstone showers, tornadoes,
hurricanes, and typhoons.
Magic Tree House:
Fact Tracker
Twisters and Other
Storms
Mary Pope
Osborne
680 Informational How do tornadoes form? What kinds of tools can help
predict bad storms? Where did the biggest snowfall on
record happen? How fast are hurricane winds? Find out the
answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track
the facts. Filled with up-to-date information, photos,
illustrations, and fun tidbits from Jack and Annie.
Magic Tree House:
Fact Finder
Tsunamis and Other
Natural Disasters
Mary Pope
Osborne
720 Informational What causes tsunamis? Who studies earthquakes? How do
volcanoes form? What should people do if an avalanche
hits? Find out the answers to these questions and more as
Jack and Annie track the facts.
Grades 4/5 Disaster Texts

3

The Storm: Dogs of
the Drowned City
Dayna
Lorentz
720 Narrative:
Fiction
Shep the German shepherd is left on his own when his family
is forced to evacuate without him during a hurricane, and
when another dog convinces Shep to leave the house, they
discover the entire city has been abandoned and that other
animals need rescuing.
Hurricane Terry
Trueman
730 Narrative:
Historical
Fiction
Outside, the wind is howling. The rain is a solid wall of
water. Everything is dark. Everything is destroyed.
Everything is gone.... everything except for the desperate
courage of those who survive that terrifying night. After
hours of cowering in the dark with no lights, no warmth, and
the terrible noises of the rain and wind pounding on the
walls, Jos walks out his front door and steps into a
nightmare. But his nightmare has only begun as he and the
few who are left in his small village start to pull their lives
back together. Based on Hurricane Mitch's devastation of
Honduras in 1998, Terry Trueman's powerful story is about a
young boy's fear and courage in the face of a force of nature
too huge to even imagine.
Out of the Dust

Karen Hesse 750 Narrative:
Historical
Fiction
Billie Jo, who struggles to help her family survive the dust-
bowl years of the Great Depression. Fighting against the
elements on her Oklahoma farm, Billie Jo takes on even
more responsibilities when her mother dies in a tragic
accident. A testament to the American spirit, this novel is an
instant classic.
The Pack: Dogs of the
Drowned City
Dayna
Lorentz
780 Narrative:
Fiction
Shep the German shepherd doesn't know why his family has
left him alone, nor does he understand the terrible, shrieking
storm that has torn apart his city. He just knows that the
new dogs he's met are his best chance at survival-especially
now that they've made enemies of the wild dogs in the city.
Can Shep keep his new friends safe until his family-maybe-
returns?
Grades 4/5 Disaster Texts

4

Inside Tornadoes

Mary Kay
Carson
875 Informational Tornadoes are the most violent storms on the planet-as
these dramatic photographs and gatefolds vividly reveal.
Young readers will get the inside scoop on tornadoes in this
electrifying volume, filled with powerful before-and-after
images of storm sites. They'll discover what makes a
tornado, where they strike, and what scientists discover as
they risk their lives driving equipment as close as possible to
these storms. With first-person accounts of historic storms,
fascinating facts on climate change and its potential effect
on tornadoes, and hands-on activities, this book will
fascinate curious readers.
Volcanoes Seymour
Simon
880 Informational Do you think of volcanoes as simply big mountains with lava
streaming over their tops? Not all of them are like that.
Some are covered in ice, and some look like nothing more
than deep blue lakes. Some have not erupted in living
memory and still may awaken someday to send red-hot
rocks and ash flying through the air for hundreds of miles
around. Acclaimed science writer Seymour Simon and the
Smithsonian Institution have come together to update this
smartly written and beautifully photographed treatment of
one of nature's hottest topics.
Insiders Alive:
Earthquakes and
Volcanoes

American
Education
Publishing,
2011
Unknown

Informational Pop out and pull out pages reveal information about topics.
Inside Earthquakes Melissa
Stewart
900 Informational Several million earthquakes occur every year-but why and
where do they happen? Young readers will get the inside
scoop in this exciting volume. Stunning gatefolds and
photographs from on the ground and from satellites in
space, as well as dramatic first-person accounts, coverage of
the recent Haiti disaster, and the latest scientific
information, make Inside Earthquakes a fascinating, ripped-
from-the-headlines look at this natural phenomenon.
Grades 4/5 Disaster Texts

5

Hurricanes Patricia
Lauber
930 Informational Tells how hurricanes form, how scientists study them, and
how they have affected the United States throughout this
century.
Inside Hurricanes Mary Kay
Carson
950 Informational What makes a hurricane? Where do they strike? What do
scientists learn from flying planes through these dangerous
storms? Stunning photographs-taken on the ground and
from space-as well as incredible gatefolds will help children
understand this powerful, destructive force of nature.
Includes dramatic first-person accounts from hurricane
survivors and the latest science on how climate change will
affect hurricanes, plus hands-on activities, maps, diagrams,
and more.
Storm Scientist:
Careers Chasing
Severe Weather
Timothy R.
Gaffney
950 Informational Meteorologists and storm chasers brave wild weather all
over the worldfrom the tropics to the Arctic. Find out how
scientists analyze and predict dangerous weather to help
keep people safe, and learn if you have what it takes to be a
storm chaser, too. Full-color photos and dazzling text take
you right into the heart of the storm!
Inside Lightning Melissa
Stewart
975 Informational Bright. Beautiful. Dramatic. Dangerous. Lightning is all this--
and more. Inside Lightning reveals the truth about this
mysterious force of nature. Find out where and when it
strikes, follow its formation from cloud to ground, see
incredible photos of lightning flashes on earth and beyond,
watch lightning scientists at work, and hear stories from
those who have come face-to-face with lightning's awesome
power. Includes safety tips.
Grades 4/5 Disaster Texts

6

Volcano and
Earthquake
DK
Eyewitness
Books
1060 Informational Full-color photos. "Some of nature's most spectacular
phenomena get the 'Eyewitness' treatment, with the
gorgeous graphics and outstanding design that characterize
this series. The account starts with an overall perspective
showing how volcanoes and earthquakes occur. Effects on
humans and attempts to measure and predict these events
are treated.
Blizzard! Jim Murphy 1080

Informational Newbery Honor Book author Jim Murphy orchestrates with
fact, science, technology, and sociology the testimony of
survivors and victims to tell the harrowing story of the
phenomenal blizzard that crippled New York City in March,
1888.
A Warmer World:
From Polar Bears to
Butterflies How
Climate Change
Affects Wildlife
Caroline
Arnold
1110 Informational Discusses how climate change affects ecosystems around the
world and describes how animals have adapted to the
changes.
Global Warming Seymour
Simon
1130 Informational Earth's climate has always varied, but it is now changing
more rapidly than at any other time in recent centuries. The
climate is very complex, and many factors play important
roles in determining how it changes. Why is the climate
changing? Could Earth be getting warmer by itself? Are
people doing things that make the climate warmer? Award-
winning science writer Seymour Simon teams up with the
Smithsonian Institution to give you a full-color photographic
introduction to the causes and effects of global warming and
climate change.
Grades 4/5 Disaster Texts

7

El Nino: Stormy
Weather for People
and Wildlife
Caroline
Arnold
1250 Informational When the weather becomes extreme or even unseasonal, "El
Nino" is usually the phrase we hear. Every three to seven
years, El Nino disrupts weather all over the globe, second
only to the change of seasons in its influence on the climate.
But what is El Nino? El Nino is the name given to the unusual
increase in ocean temperatures along the Peruvian and the
Ecuadorian coasts that is part of a larger pattern of changes
in wind and weather throughout the world. With El Nino
come violent storms and upsets in global food chain that
dramatically affect both humans and wildlife. Effects can be
as gentle as a mild winter in northeastern United States or as
violent as drought in Southeast Asia, brutal storms in South
America, and wildfires in Australia. With the help of carefully
selected photographs and clarifying charts and maps,
Caroline Arnold makes clear how this remarkable weather
pattern forms, how scientists track it, what its effects are,
and why following its path is of such importance.
The Silver Lining: The
Benefits of Natural
Disasters
Seth Robert
Reice
Unknown Informational A study of disturbance ecology, looking at what are
commonly called natural disasters as disturbances that help
create and maintain the biodiversity that benefits the
ecosystem and humankind.
Shaking Stops,
Twittering Begins
New Tools to the
Rescue
Earthquakes in
Japan
How Can I Help?
A Warmer World?
A Stormy Storm
New Life at
Yellowstone
Old Objects
Multiple
Authors
Teachers
have the
ability to
differenti
ate by
grade
level.
www.achieve3000.com


Informational Various articles taken from www.Achieve3000.com.
Teachers have the ability to differentiate by grade level.
Grades 4/5 Disaster Texts

8

Found After
Wildfires
Keeping Fires Far
Away
A Force of Nature
Three Wonders of
the World
In the Deep Dark
Sea
Going Green
Too Much Wind
Earth Science
Volcanoes
Oh No! Volcano
Ready to Rumble
Children of the
Storm
Earth Science
Hurricanes
Earth Science
Tornadoes
Earth Science -
Earthquakes
Multiple
Authors
www.readworks.org

Informational Various articles taken from www.readworks.org

The Upside to Natural
Disasters
http://planetsave.com/20
08/06/13/the-upside-to-
natural-disasters/

Website Takes on a positive perspective of natural disasters.
Grades 4/5 Disaster Texts

9

The
Benefits/Advantages
and Disadvantages of
Some Natural
Disasters (Floods,
Volcanoes, and
Hurricanes)

http://loi-
renee.hubpages.com/hub/
The-Benefits-and-
Disadvantages-of-Some-
Natural-Disasters-Floods-
Volcanoes-and-Hurricanes

Website Includes simple definitions, disadvantages and benefits of
each natural disaster.
Stop Disasters! A
Disaster Simulation
Game from The
United Nations Office
for Disaster Risk
Reduction (UNISDR)
http://www.stopdisasters
game.org/en/playgame.ht
ml

Website/Game Plan and construct a safe environment for your population.
Player must assess the disaster risk and limit damage.
A List of Songs
Pertaining to Natural
Disasters
Bil Kerrigan http://www.asle.org/site/
resources/ecocritical-
library/bibliography/disast
ersongs/

Songs A rough edit of the list of natural disaster song list.

Culminating Task:
Choose one of the following:
1. Choose one natural force and explain how it impacts communities by drawing evidence from multiple texts.
2. Some natural disasters may prove to be beneficial, while others may not. Using evidence from multiple texts, what are the pros and cons of any one
natural force?