1. When and where was this image captured?

2.  What is happening in this image?

3. What specific people/objects do you see? 

4. What do you notice about the object's condition or the people's expressions or appearance?

5. Why would the person choose this particular scene to capture?

6. What information do the words accompanying the image provide?

7. What is missing from the image?

8. What problems for people are suggested by the images?

9.  What is interesting or surprising about this image?

10. What additional information about the event did you learn from  this image?

Personal Account Analysis:

1. When and where did this interview take place?

2. What encounter with nature is described in this personal account?

3. How long after the event occurred was this inteview made?

4. What words or phrases best create a visual image of the event?

5. What attitude towards this event does the person seem to have?

6. Who or what at does this person seem to believe is responsible for this event occurring?

7. What problems or effects does the event seem to have had on people's lives?

8.  What lesson does this person seem to have learned from this event?

9. Is there anything interesting or surprising to you about this person's reaction to the situation?

10. What new insights into the natural event does this interview provide you?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

1. If there is a cover to this piece of sheet music, examine it carefully.  What message does the cover give you about the event?

2. What natural event is this song about?

3. Read through the lyrics. Write a  summary describing the main idea of the song.

4. List any words in the song with which you are not familiar. Find their meanings in a dictionary.

5. Choose one or two phrases of the song that are interesting to you. Explain why they caught your attention.

6. Who or what does the song writer feel is responsible for the event?

7. What problems or effects of the event are mentioned in the song?

8. What new insights does this song give you about the event described?

9. What surprises you about the song?

10. What questions do you have?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Additional Resources:
 

  1. What additional information
  about the event did the other sources provide? 
 

An automobile lies crushed under the third story of this apartment building in the Marina District. The ground levels are no longer visible because of structural failure and sinking due to liquefaction. [J.K. Nakata, U.S. Geological Survey] 

Source Document: USGS

Personal Account:

Read accounts by those who lived through it. Click here.
 
 

Source document.

Lyrics:

Verse 1.
 

             San Francisco is so sublime 
             Tho' it lies along the fault line 
             and someday it's said she'll fall into the sea 
             But the buildings keep on rising 
             while the scientist keep surmising 
             telling people you must stay upon your toes 
             Verse 2.

             The earthquake is a menace 
             and society can just grimace 
             when the ground starts to shake and does them in 
             But there's one who beat the odds 
             and stayed alive to cheat the Gods 
             or the devil or whomever awaits one soul 
             Verse 3. 

             On a day not long ago 
             The scientists said I told you so 
             as the earth began to shake and break into 
             The Bay Bridge shook and tumbled down 
             The Golden Gate somehow stayed sound 
             but the freeway 880 was cursed with woe 
             Verse 4. 

             Buck had passed a ride on BART 
             cause the 'series' was about to start 
             and headed south on freeway 880 at five 
             At five o' four the bridge fell down 
             It must have made a horrible sound 
             with concrete slabs and pillars flying to and fro 
             Verse 5. 

             Newsman Dan came on at first 
             craving points a mighty thirst 
             and told the nation 1989's the one 
             The buildings had tumbled down like sticks 
             same as nineteen hundred six 
             leaving thousands without a home or place to go 
             Verse 6.

            Fireman ran to get their trucks 
             Congress rushed to get some bucks 
             It would take ten billion dollars to make amends 
             But first there's lives to find and save 
             and Buck was out there somewhere brave 
             no one knew his whereabouts and work was slow 
             Verse 7. 

             Now in a New York City apartment 
             Buck's ex-wife though long departed heard 
             the news and rushed to save what's left for her 
             Maybe insurance was the reason 
             Call it love or what's in season 
             Place your bets and pile the chips it's only dough 
             Verse 8. 

             Now where he ate his pancakes buttered 
             friends of his just stared and muttered 
             if there's one to escape the tomb it's our friend Buck 
             Families wept and stayed nearby 
             Pastors prayed and wondered why 
             But hope for life among the concrete piers was low 
             Verse 9. 

             As the hours grew damp and dreary 
             a lonely volunteer though weary 
             stayed to search a space so far back in the ruins 
             At first he saw a head protruding 
             and at last a hand waved to him 
             Lucky Bucky as his friends called him was stowed 
             Verse 10. 

            Back at work his friends were down 
             Then the news a joyful sound 
             Buck had bid the man upstairs to skip his turn 
             The 'dock' was quite then burst in tears 
             It could have been a million years 
             When four days later he emerged to stage his show 
             Verse 11. 

             Lucky Bucky's waving slowly
             to the crowd that gathered solely 
             just to see this man who made the headline news 
             And his ex-wife's now in town
             She's so easy to be found 
             with her tears and ears and fears she's all aglow 
             Verse 12. 

             Now the story has an ending 
             Buck is slowly surely mending 
             And the radios are playing out his song 
             He's a man unknown till now 
             though an american, and how! 
             He's the hero of the people who need one so 
             Verse 13. 

            San Francisco is so sublime 
             Tho' it lies along the fault line 
             and someday it's said she'll fall into the sea 
             But the buildings keep on rising 
             while the scientist keep surmising 
             telling people you must stay upon your toes
 
 
 
 

                                                                                               San Francisco 
                                                                                               Earthquake! 
                                                                                               (1989) 
 

Buck Helm was one of those trapped 
on the bridge that collapsed along 
Interstate 880 during the earthquake
of October 21, 1989.  He died soon 
after a dramatic rescue.  The song is 
a tribute to him and the others caught 
in the San Francisco earthquake.

Source document

San Francisco MuseumEarthquake Precautions

Nature's Fury web pages published and maintained by P. Solfest & K. Wardean
E-mail comments welcome at:
psolfest@altoona.k12.wi.us
kwardean@altoona.k12.wi.us