These moments in history recall the death and destruction caused by both natural and manmade disasters around the world. The Disaster series probes the loss of the space shuttle Challenger’s crew, the oil-well fires set by Saddam’s forces in Kuwait during the first Gulf War, the Korean airliner shot down by the Russians, the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl, and the Mount St. Helens eruption.
Challenger
Christa McAuliffe was chosen to be the first teacher in space. With great effort she made the team only to meet tragedy. Christa and the other astronauts are remembered.
Reading Levels: Guided Reading Level: O, DRA 34, Spache 5.8, ATOS 6.8, Lexile 1010, DRP 61
The Kuwaiti Oil Fires
In defeat, Saddam Hussein ordered his army to set fire to Kuwait's oil wells. With the loss of oil revenue and the environmental damage, it was up to famed Red Adair and other fearless firefighters to save the day!
Reading Levels: Guided Reading Level: O, DRA 34, Spache 5.7, ATOS 6.7, Lexile 1060, DRP 62
The Last Flight of 007
The Korean airliner took off from Alaska innocently enough, but a series of human errors caused it to veer into Russian airspace. Russian military intelligence trailed the plane for hours before shooting it down.
Reading Levels: Guided Reading Level: N, DRA 30, Spache 5.1, ATOS 5.4, Lexile 680, DRP 56
The Mount St. Helens Volcano
When Mount St. Helens began releasing steam, nearby residents were told to get off the mountain. One man decided not to, and he paid dearly for his decision.
Reading Levels: Guided Reading Level: O, DRA 34, Spache 5.0, ATOS 4.5, Lexile 580, DRP 62
The Nuclear Disaster at Chernobyl
The Chernobyl power plant was the hope for energy in the Ukraine. Years after the 1986 meltdown, Ukraine is still feeling the effects of its radiation.
Reading Levels: Guided Reading Level: O-P, DRA 38, Spache 5.9, ATOS 7.7, Lexile 1030, DRP 62
Proud to be Canadian
