Have Fun While Learning
"Let's Rediscover Our Town!
Exploration for Disaster Prevention" Program carried out!
The General Insurance Association of Japan Supports "Preventing Disaster Without Saying
Disaster Prevention" Education for Elementary School Social Studies Class
In cooperation with the NPO Nippon Volunteer Network Active in Disaster based in Kobe City, the
General Insurance Association of Japan brought its "Let's Rediscover Our Town! Exploration for
Disaster Prevention" program to a Tokyo elementary school on
Wednesday, October 8, 2003. Participants in this hands-on
regional disaster prevention experience comprised fifty-two
third graders from Chiyoda Ward's Chiyoda Elementary
School in Tokyo.
In this program, disaster prevention is learned through handson experience rather than knowledge simply passed on by
adults. This program places emphasis on the students having
fun while they walk through their towns, seeing and thinking for themselves, and discovering
facilities related to disaster and crime prevention. The utmost importance is placed on independence
and autonomy.
The motto of the program is "Preventing Disaster Without Saying Disaster Prevention."
On the day of the program, five groups were formed (each with ten children, four adults). Town
exploration involved finding eight checkpoints that are useful in emergencies, including a well for
emergency water supplies and a storehouse for emergency supplies, police box, fire station,
convenience store, hospital, and public telephone.
After exploring the town for about an hour and a half, the groups returned to the school and began
construction of their original disaster prevention maps. Items included on the maps were photos
taken of each checkpoint, fire hydrants and extinguishers, "Children's 110" stickers, and fire
prevention water tanks.
Although this time the program was conducted during school hours, it can be changed to fit a variety
of scenarios. For example, small groups can explore their town while going home from school
together, or small groups can gather on a non-school day afternoon.
Below, you can see the program in process.
-1-
＜Snapshots of the program＞
1. Program begins
＜Leaders and staff introduce themselves＞
＜Each group makes plans＞
2. Town Exploration (Finding eight checkpoints including fire station, police box, convenience
store, hospital, and public telephone)
Each group found the eight checkpoints while exploring their town. At the same time, the
children interviewed firefighters, police officers, and a local tofu seller.
1) Checking emergency supplies in the storehouse 2) On-site interview with a police officer at a
police box
（What supplies are kept in the storehouse?）
(What's the best way to avoid accidents?）
3) Convenience store 4) A local hospital
（What's the first thing we need after
an earthquake?)
（What is this hospital's phone number?
Open hours?）
・300 yen(about $3) was provided to make a purchase.
-2-
5) Public telephone in Awaji-cho Park
6) General Insurance Association of Japan's
Information Square
(What's the number for the disaster message
service?)
(Participation in a tour of the Square and a
Disaster Prevention Quiz!)
7-1) Kanda Fire Station ( Ladder Truck)
(Climbing the ladder truck)
7-2) Explanation given by firefighters
(What is the most common cause of a fire?)
7-3) Trying on a firesuit and breathing equipment 8) Interviewing a local tofu seller
(The firesuit and breathing equipment together (What do you like about this town?
weigh about 20 kg (40lb)! It's heavy.) Where is it dangerous in this town?)
-3-
3. Making Disaster Prevention Maps
After pasting the map on poster paper, the children marked the checkpoints they found on the map,
then pasted photos and quiz answers at the relevant spots. Next, comments on discoveries and
opinions were added.
＜Each group made a Disaster Prevention Map＞ ＜Presentation of a Disaster Prevention Map＞
4. Leaders' Comments
・Let's always keep a lookout for what
is in our town and what people are
protecting it.
・Let's learn to like our town more and
more.
・If there is something you didn't
understand today, please try to
research it on your own.
5. Comments from Participants
＜Comments from the School Principal＞
The children were surprised to learn that fire hydrants can be found throughout the town. They
found things that we adults usually don't notice, and the lesson was very worthwhile. Also, the
children were lively and enjoyed themselves, and this was clearly a valuable experience.
＜Comments from Leaders＞ ※Volunteer college students and adults acted as leaders
・ Because this Disaster Prevention exploration took place in the city, there were difficulties to
overcome, such as heavy traffic. However, as the program got underway, there were many
things that I learned from the children, and I was impressed by the children's creativity. This
type of learning approach where the children's independence is nurtured is important.
・ It was difficult but enjoyable to guide the children, and I felt tired in a satisfying way. I was able
to participate with the feeling that I had become an elementary school student once again.
・ It was my first time to volunteer for such a program. During the exploration, I was particularly
careful of traffic safety, and I'm glad that we were able to finish the program without any
problems.
-4-
＜Reference -- the day's program＞
9:30
Orientation (30 minutes)
・ Leaders, staff self-introductions
・ Explanation of program contents
・ Planning by each group (introductions, allocation of roles)
10:00
Town Exploration (90 minutes)
・ Each group decides route and roles before departing.
・ Take photos of each checkpoint, and answer quiz before moving on.
・ Each group (10 persons) divides into two sub-groups, each sub-group is
accompanied by one leader and two staff members.
11:30
End of exploration (all groups return to school)
lunch
Making Disaster Prevention Maps (60 minutes)
・ Paste maps on poster paper; place photos and quiz answers around map.
13:20
14:20
Presentations of Disaster Prevention Maps (50 minutes)
・ Presentation by each group (quiz answers, discoveries, comments, etc.)
15:10
Conclusion by MC (5 minutes), end.
-5-