Summative Assessment: Part I

Subject: Individuals and Societies

Unit 2: Natural Hazards Criterion B: Investigating(i,ii,iii)

MYP Year 3 Total Time: 60 mins
Name:

KC- Time, Place and Space

RC- Power and Processes

GC- Orientation in space and time

GC Exploration: Evolution, Constraint and Adaptation

Statement Of inquiry:

Scientific and technological innovations may lead to development of systems to mitigate the
impacts of natural disasters.

Command Terms:
List: Provide a sequence of items or brief answers

Formulate : Express precisely and systematically the relevant concept(s) or argument(s).

Explain :Give a detailed account including reasons or causes.

State: Give a specific name, value or other brief answer without explanation or calculation.

Outline Give a brief account or summary.

Step 1: List the country you have selected to conduct the investigation.

MYP 3/Natural Hazards/Summative Assessment/Ritu Yadav

 The country I have chosen to conduct this experiment is United States Of America
(USA).

Step 2: List the natural disaster in your chosen country and the scientific or technological
innovations that it is using to reduce the impact of that natural disaster.
1. Hurricanes
Innovations:
Satellite Imaging: Used for tracking and predicting hurricane paths.
Storm Surge Barriers: Structures designed to protect coastal areas from flooding.
Doppler Radar: Provides real-time data on storm intensity and movement.

2. Wildfires
Innovations:
Remote Sensing Technology: Satellites monitor vegetation health and moisture levels.
Drones: Used for real-time mapping and fire behavior analysis.
Predictive Modeling Software: Helps in forecasting fire spread and behavior.

3. Earthquakes
Innovations:
Seismic Monitoring Networks: Early warning systems detect seismic activity and alert
residents.
Building Codes and Retrofitting: Improved engineering practices to make structures
more resilient.
Shake Alert Systems: Provide alerts seconds before shaking starts, allowing for
protective actions.

4. Tornadoes
Innovations:
Tornado Warning Systems: Advanced radar technology provides early warnings.
Storm Chasing Technology: Mobile radar units track tornadoes in real time.
Community Alert Systems: Sirens and mobile alerts to notify residents of tornado
threats.

5. Extreme Heat
Innovations:
Heat Health Warning Systems: Monitor temperatures and issue alerts.
Urban Heat Island Mitigation: Green roofs and reflective materials to reduce heat
absorption.
Cooling Centers: Designated public spaces to provide relief during heat waves.

Task: You are a scientist in the country chosen by you in step I. You want to investigate
into the role of scientific and technological innovation in mitigating the impact of natural
disasters in your chosen country. You will present your research findings to your
Disaster Management Team.

MYP 3/Natural Hazards/Summative Assessment/Ritu Yadav

Decode the task given above using GRASP

Goal: My goal is to investigate and present findings on the role of scientific and
technological innovations in mitigating the impact of natural disasters.

Role: My role is to Scientist conducting research on disaster management and

technological innovations.

Audience: My audience is the members of my fellow Disaster Management Team,

consisting of policymakers, emergency responders, and stakeholders involved in disaster
preparedness and response.

Situation: The country United States of America is facing increasing natural disasters,
necessitating a thorough understanding of how scientific and technological advancements
can reduce their impact. The team requires evidence-based recommendations to enhance
disaster resilience.

Product:
My product will be a detailed research presentation on Canva that includes:

a) Formulate a research question to investigate into the task given above

How do scientific and technological innovations contribute to mitigating the impact
of natural disasters in the USA?

b) Explain the relevance of your research question to the task above.

This research question is relevant as it directly addresses the need to understand the
effectiveness and application of various innovations that can enhance disaster
preparedness and response in the USA. By focusing on this question, the investigation
aims to identify actionable insights that can inform disaster management strategies,
ultimately leading to better protection of lives and property.

c) Formulate two relevant sub-questions that will help you develop your investigation
into the research question.
(Sub-questions are specific questions that guide your investigation process)
 What specific scientific and technological innovations are currently implemented
in the USA to address various types of natural disasters?
 How effective have these innovations been in reducing the impact of past natural
disasters in the USA?

MYP 3/Natural Hazards/Summative Assessment/Ritu Yadav

 d) Explain how each sub-question will help you in your investigation.

 The first sub-question will help identify the range of innovations used across
different types of natural disasters (examples include hurricanes, wildfires,
earthquakes). Understanding the specific technologies and strategies in place
provides a foundation for evaluating their effectiveness.

 The second sub-question focuses on assessing the outcomes of these innovations

during past disasters. Evaluating their effectiveness will provide evidence of
their impact, helping to determine which innovations warrant further investment
and development.

e) State any two sources of information that you will use to gather information for your
investigation.

 Government Reports and Publications: Such as FEMA (Federal Emergency

Management Agency) reports, which provide data and analysis on disaster
management practices and innovations.

 Academic Journals and Research Articles: Peer-reviewed studies that analyze the
effectiveness of specific technologies in disaster response and mitigation.

f) Outline the method you will use to collect information for your research.

I will use a mixed-method approach:

1) Quantitative Data Analysis: Collect and analyze statistical data from government
reports and databases regarding the frequency and impact of natural disasters
before and after the implementation of specific innovations.
Type: Secondary Data Collection
This involves analyzing existing data from government reports and databases.

2) Qualitative Research: Conduct interviews with experts in disaster management

and technology to gather insights on the practical applications and effectiveness of
these innovations.
Type: Primary Data Collection
Conducting interviews with experts in disaster management and technology to
gather firsthand insights.

h) State one method you will use to record your information

MYP 3/Natural Hazards/Summative Assessment/Ritu Yadav

 I will use a digital note-taking application (such as Microsoft or Notes ) to organize and
categorize information. This will allow for easy access, tagging, and retrieval of data
while facilitating the combination of both quantitative and qualitative findings into the
final research presentation.

Task specific clarifications

Criterion B: Investigation
Students should be able to:
i. formulate/choose a clear and focused research question, explaining its relevance.
ii. formulate and follow an action plan to investigate research question.
iii. use methods to collect and record relevant information.
iv. evaluate the process of the investigation, with guidance.

Achievemen Level descriptor

t level
0 The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors
below.

1–2 The student:

i. formulates a research question that is clear, focused, and relevant and
states its relevance to the concepts in the SOI.
ii. formulates a limited action plan or does not follow a plan by listing 2
subtopics.
iii. collects and records limited or sometimes irrelevant information.
3–4 The student:
i. formulates a research question that is clear and focused and outlines its
relevance in detail to the SOI.
ii. formulates and occasionally follows a partial action plan to investigate
a research question by listing 2 subtopics and stating its relevance to the
investigation.
iii. uses a method(s) to collect and record some relevant information.
5–6 The student:
i. formulates a clear and focused research question and describes its
relevance with an explicit connection to the SOI in detail.
ii. formulates and mostly follows a sufficiently developed action plan to
investigate a research question by listing 2 subtopics and partially
justifying its relevance to the investigation.
iii. uses methods to collect and record appropriate relevant information.
7–8 The student:
i. formulates a clear and focused research question and explains its
relevance with appropriate evidence of its connection to the SOI.
ii. formulates and effectively follows a consistent action plan to
investigate a research question by listing 2 subtopics and justifying its
relevance to the investigation.
iii. uses methods to collect and record appropriate and varied relevant
information.

MYP 3/Natural Hazards/Summative Assessment/Ritu Yadav

MYP 3/Natural Hazards/Summative Assessment/Ritu Yadav