When Disaster Strikes! (Grades 3-4)

Students read about two little known disasters - the Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 and the Peshtigo Fire of 1871. Students are supported to write effective explanations about man-made disasters and how they can be prevented.

• Two informational texts
• 2-3 weeks instruction
• Explanation writing

What is this unit about?

In this unit, students will read two texts: “The Boston Molasses Flood of 1919” and “The Blood-Red Night” both by Lauren Tarshis. In both texts, Tarshis explores historical disasters through the use of factual information and narrative stories of children who experienced the disasters first hand. In “The Boston Molasses Flood of 1919,” students read about Anthony and his experience as he is taken by surprise by a giant wave of molasses sweeping through his North End neighborhood. The second text, “The Blood-Red Night,” follows the Kramer family and the town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, as they try to escape the firestorm raging through the forest surrounding the town. Through the study of these two articles, students build their knowledge of the Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 and the Peshtigo Fire of 1871. Additionally, students are supported to draw evidence from texts in order to construct written and oral explanations, analyses, and conclusions.

What content and concepts will students learn?

Students will learn about:

• the Boston Molasses Flood of 1919, particularly its causes and effects.
• the Peshtigo Fire of 1871, particularly its causes and effects.
• how authors use descriptive language to help readers see and understand significant events.
• characteristics of Lauren Tarshis’s writing style.
• characteristics of explanations.

How long will it take to engage students in the unit?

This unit spans approximately 15-18 instructional days, assuming 45- to 60-minute classes. The tasks in the unit are designed to be implemented sequentially in order to support students to achieve the instructional goals. As such, the pacing of the lessons will depend on the time students need to achieve these goals.