Message from Max Mayfield, Director of the NOAA National Hurricane Center
"The message from the NOAA National Hurricane Center has been very consistent. We urge every individual, every family, every business, and every community to have a hurricane plan and to have that plan in place before the hurricane season gets here. The battle against the hurricane is won outside the hurricane season. I hope that every person living in hurricane vulnerable areas will take personal responsibility to develop their own hurricane plan before a hurricane comes knocking on their door. We have a terrific web site at www.nhc.noaa.gov. Please take a look at the preparedness section."
Jan. 17, 2004 (From Japan at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction)

Could their model home survive simulated tropical storm force winds and hurricane force winds blowing from a leaf blower at over 90 mph? 

Many people have some level of confidence that their home will survive weather extremes. “Disasters will not happen to me.” However, recent disasters (for example, Hurricane Frances, Jeanne, Ivan) demonstrate how devastating these storms can be. Consequently, teachers can play a vital role in having students become aware of storm disasters and how to prepare for them. This activity will specifically help students learn about strong materials and design techniques in order to prevent or reduce hurricane damage to houses.  This knowledge will be put to practice by building a hurricane proof house.

If you are not familiar with hurricane damage or building techniques, watch a video about hurricanes (available from Nova, Weather Channel, Discovery Channel, etc.)

Read the materials about home protection:

• “Against the Wind: Protecting your home from Hurricane Wind Damage” This booklet and a video is also available from local Red Cross chapters.

• Other Hurricane Preparation Documents

• “Is your Home Protected from Hurricane Disaster: A Homeowner’s Guide to Hurricane Retrofit”

• Prepared by the Institute for Business and Home Safety     

• “Hurricane Preparedness: BEFORE THE WIND BLOWS” by the American Red Cross

• “Leon County Sheriffs Office: 2004 Hurricane Survival Guide”  

• Some insurance companies and state agencies have information about protecting homes. 

Different materials and designs can be recommended but  most guidelines fall under these categories:

• Cover windows and doors.
• Reinforce  garage doors.
• Secure the roof.
• Secure wall to foundation.
• Roof Materials and/or Structure
• Protect or open the screens

Also emphasize that the amount of money needed to prepare a home properly for a storm is small in comparison with the cost to repair damage done if there was no protection.

MATERIALS:

Background Materials:

“Against the Wind” document or video (available from Am. Red Cross and local chapters) - Acrobat Reader Document

Building Materials:

• 2 standard size sheets of construction paper
• 4 straws (with or without flexible bend - it only matters that all students have the same type)
• glue stick
• 60 cm cellophane (Scotch) tape
• Styrofoam tray turned upside down 
  (The produce department of a local grocery store might donate fruit/vegetable trays)  Minimum size = 7” x 9”

(The tray is to be used for the base only. It cannot be cut apart and used for the house.)

Tools: supply scissors, metric ruler (markers are optional)

The size or kind of materials may vary. The most important factor is that ALL teams have the same materials. The purpose is to judge design. If every team has the same materials then design is the ONLY variable. An extension activity is to change materials (See below).

OBJECTIVES:

• Students will learn what features of design and types of building materials make a house more weather resistant.

• Students will build a house that will survive hurricane force winds.

• Students will use problem-solving techniques.

• Students will practice math skills of calculating surface area and volume.

1) Begin by teaching the essentials of weather and specifically of hurricanes. Your text and URL’s provided are a good starting place.

2)  Some examples of design techniques: attach roof to house, attach house to foundation

3) Review Volume and Surface Area: Provide 1-2 days

Surface area is the sum of the area of each side (exclude bottom of house). Optional

The surface are will be used for comparison after the houses are tested by the “hurricane force” winds. Did the surface area affect the success of house to withstand the winds? 

Give students samples of each shape and have them calculate surface area and volume. The amount of time needed will depend how their previous experience. 

4) Before “blowing the houses”, acquire a leaf blower.

If you have a wind gauge, stand at several distances away from where houses will be held. Indicate with masking tape on floor, where the winds are tropical depression (< 39 mph  ), tropical storm (39-73 mph ) and hurricane strength (>74 mph) and the strongest wind (Some leaf blowers can blow as fast as 94 mph.)  If you do not have a wind gauge, mark a place for ‘light’, ‘mild’ and ‘strong’ winds.

5) Find a place in your school where the hurricane houses can be stored overnight.

Your task is to design and build the most wind resistant building you can construct, using the materials provided and meeting the design specifications. The local “building code” specifies that your house must be at least 2,000 cubic centimeters in volume. It can be any shape. Good luck!” 

1-2 days: Apprentice Builder (practice run)

• Each team will design and construct a house.

• Calculate the volume and surface area of the house. If the volume is less than 2,000 cubic centimeters, redesign your house and build again.

1-2 days: Experienced Builder (the actual house)

• Build your house according to the specifications.

• Calculate the volume and surface area.

• Complete the Activity Sheet: Building a Hurricane Proof House. The diagram should look like the original and have accurate dimensions indicated. Students should indicate on their diagram the special “hurricane proof” features

1-2 day: Blowing Houses

• SAFETY: When blowing the houses, make sure that small items that could be blown with the wind are taken away so that no stray “debris” could fly into and hurt a student.

• Using a leaf blower, stand at the light, then mild, then strong wind masking tape marks. Point the leaf blower at the house while the student with extended arms turns the house to simulate the swirling winds of a hurricane. Grade according to the Scoring rubric.

• Record the strongest of the storm winds each house could withstand and its surface area. Is there a correlation?

• If you can videotape the results, students from each class can view the designs and “results of the blowing winds” from all classes. What design features were better that others?

• Have students do the same assignment  but vary the materials. Allow students to bring in materials from home. Who can build the most hurricane resistant home?

• Have students verbally present or write about the best designs based on the experiences of watching all houses being tested.

• Did the surface area affect the success of house to withstand the winds?