Apocalypse

Survival Guide

PROBLEM: Within the past couple weeks, something very strange has happened. Possibly, the CDC mistakenly
released a deadly virus or bacteria. Maybe a supernatural spell opened the door to demons. Maybe an alien
broadcast, or alien probe, or massive solar storms released mega-doses of radiation. Whatever the cause,
strange new species and life forms are beginning to emerge. All forms of power and communication have been
knocked out. As society collapses, it's up to your team to survive and thrive.

DRIVING QUESTION: How can we as survivors, develop a survival plan for a mega-disaster and possible
apocalypse?

Things to consider:
Background information including historical and cultural lore surrounding this phenomenon.
Infectious agents such as parasitic organisms that could mutate to create an outbreak.
How fast-mutating diseases affects the human body and how they spread. Will treatment be an option?
Knowledge of local geography for an escape route, cave shelters, water sources.
Basic human needs in terms of water and caloric intake and how to meet those needs in a crisis situation.
Defensive and offensive survival strategies for personal and large groups of people.
How will you find and communicate with other survivors? Will our technology still be functional?
What changes are likely to occur to the government and infrastructure in such a disaster?

What are you learning?

How to conduct and document scholarly in-depth research
How to use Critical Thinking skills to solve real-world problems
How to communicate research in a professional manner using technology

How will you show your learning?
(1) Brainstorm Ideas / Group Formation
Step 1a: Start to form teams of 3 to 5 people.
Step 1b: Each teammate should complete a brainstorming session to develop at least 5 ideas for the
Apocalypse Survival Guide. Ideas should fit within one of the four headings:
Science,
Technology/Engineering,
Arts,
Society.
See Project Idea Resource List on Survival Guide Webpage.
Step 1c: Each teammate should narrow their own list to two topics. Rank them as 1st and 2nd.

(2) Historical Event Outline:
Step 2: Based upon either your 1st OR 2nd ranked topic, every teammate should research an historical event that
is related to their topic and can serve as a model to help you survive and thrive in this apocalyptic time. Outline
what actually took place during this historical event making sure you list specific details including
how is this historical event related to your project,
events that took place during your historical event,
relevant statistics,
actual outcomes
Provide in-text citations AND end-of-text citations with URLs to verify scholarly research.
The more specific your details, the better.
Each team member will submit a copy an electronic copy of their Historical Event Outline to Google
Classroom and a paper copy to their Project Teacher.

(3) Need to Know Question

Step 3: Using your Historical Event Outline, each team member must develop one Need to Know question
(what do I need to know to more fully understand your individual topic).

(4) Research Need to Know Question
Step 4: Each team member must research their Need to Know question using 2 credible sources.

(5) Need to Know Paper
Step 5: Each teammate will summarize their research using their credible sources into one 400-word report,
complete with in-text citations and end-of-text citations including URLs. This Need to Know paper should be
submitted electronically with a heading and student name to Google Classroom using Standard English
conventions and grammar. A paper copy should also be submitted to your Project Teacher.

(6) Initial Proposal
Step 6: Now that each teammate has performed in-depth scholarly research, each team must develop an
initial proposal that will outline how your team will make use of their research to create a plan to survive and
thrive during this apocalyptic event. This initial proposal will include necessary research to back proposal
plans. The initial proposal should include
Summary of problem causing the Apocalypse,
How each teammates' historical event and Need2Know papers will tie into your teams Survival Guide,
Step by step guide of what your Survival Guide will entail,
A description of your Final Product.

(7) Proposal Presentation
Step 7: Each team will present their proposal to their Project Teacher Groups. Each team member must take
part in this presentation. Each team will then make necessary adjustments based upon feedback given.

(8) Revised Proposal and Survival Guide Work
Step 8: Once the teams proposal has been revised and put on each teammates website, each team can begin
to work on their plan to survive and thrive during this apocalyptic event.

(9) Final Product
Step 9: Each team member will submit their FINAL PRODUCT to either their Project Teacher or Google
Classroom depending upon the format of the FINAL PRODUCT.

(10) Personal Website
Step 10: Personal Website:
Revised Proposal
Need to Know Paper (with in-text citations and end-of-text citations including URLs)
Final Product

Standards being Addressed:

Critical Thinking
Solve different kinds of unfamiliar problems in both conventional and innovative ways

Think and Work Creatively
Use a wide range of idea creation techniques (such as brainstorming)
Develop, implement, and communicate new ideas to others effectively
Demonstrate originality and inventiveness in work
Act on creative ideas to make a tangible and useful product

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly
and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
(W12.2)

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience.








(W12.4)

Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated
question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on
the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

(W12.7)

Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches
effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience;
integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and
overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation.

(W12.8)

Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-
led) with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing
their own clearly and persuasively.






(SL12.1)

Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively,
orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each
source and noting any discrepancies among the data.




(SL12.2)

Design, evaluate, refine a solution to a complex real-world problem based upon scientific knowledge and take
into consideration the relationship between systems and/or between components of a system.
(HS-PS1-1, 4 HS-PS3-2 HS-PS3-5 HS-PS1-6 HS-PS3-3)

Authentic Audience
Your FINAL PRODUCT will become part of a public website that will provide the public with emergency
preparedness information to help people survive and thrive a mega-disaster and possible apocalypse.