An interactive resource for schools Teaching Guide [DOC 1.73MB]

Disaster Mapper

An Interactive Resource for Schools

TEACHING GUIDE

Disaster Mapper

An interactive resource for schools

Table of Contents

Table of Contents ................................................................................................................ 2

Introduction ..............................................................................................................................4

Rationale ...................................................................................................................................5

Part 1: Learning and Teaching Goals .................................................................................... 6

Key Learning Areas....................................................................................................................6

Aims ..........................................................................................................................................7

Key Concepts.............................................................................................................................8

Understandings .........................................................................................................................8

Skills and Processes...................................................................................................................9

Part 2: Lesson Plans .......................................................................................................... 10

Flood: Pets and Floods ........................................................................................................... 11

Australian Curriculum Links ................................................................................................... 15

Bushfire: Feelings ................................................................................................................... 17

Worksheet 1: Photo stimuli ............................................................................................... 23

Handout 1: What is recovery? ........................................................................................... 28


Drought: Droughts in Australia .............................................................................................. 42

Worksheet 1 - K.W.L. ......................................................................................................... 47


Cyclone: Design your own cyclone-strong structure ............................................................. 56

Worksheet 1 – Designing a cyclone-strong structure ....................................................... 62

Worksheet 2 - K.W.L. ......................................................................................................... 64


Earthquake: Where’s safe in your place? .............................................................................. 71

Worksheet 1 - How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake .................................................... 76

Worksheet 2 – Sample Assessment Rubric ....................................................................... 79


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Australian Emergency Management Institute – A Centre of Excellence

Attorney-General’s Department

Disaster Mapper


Severe storm: A 3 day survival kit .......................................................................................... 83

Worksheet 1 – Sample Concept Map ................................................................................ 87


Tsunami: Find a way out! ....................................................................................................... 90


Heatwave: Designing a heatwave-proof product .................................................................. 99

Australian Curriculum Links ................................................................................................. 103

Pandemic: A Pandemic WebQuest ...................................................................................... 110

Worksheet 1 – Information for teachers on WebQuests ................................................ 116

Worksheet 2 – Pandemic WebQuest .............................................................................. 118


Human-caused: Lessons from the Longford gas explosion ................................................. 134


PART 3: ACTIVITIES IDEAS ............................................................................................... 143

Activity 1: Finding out about disasters – What makes a disaster a disaster? ................. 144

Activity 2: The impact of disasters – What do disasters cost? ........................................ 146

Activity 3: The media and disasters - What is the media’s role in disasters?.................. 148

Activity 4: Science and disasters - How does Science help us to prepare for, manage and survive disasters? ..................................................................................................... 151

Activity 5: Disaster warning – How important is communication in time of disaster? ... 154

Activity 6: Disaster preparation over time – What is the relationship between

Australia’s indigenous people and disaster? ................................................................... 157

Activity 7: Evacuation – What is important to me if I have to leave? ............................. 160

Activity 8: Exploring what happens in a flood - What is a flood? .................................... 163

Activity 9: Human-caused disasters - What is a human-caused or non-natural disaster? .......................................................................................................................... 166

Activity 10: Portrayal of disasters in movies – How are disasters depicted in movies? .. 169

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Introduction

A new multimedia version of the Australian Natural Hazards Disaster map has been created to improve the presentation of hazard information and increase awareness of past disaster events within Australia. The Disaster Mapper is an interactive map of

Australia which can be viewed and searched by location, by disaster type or date. Each event icon has facts, statistics, photographs, videos and links available. All of the statistics have been sourced from the Attorney-General’s Department Disasters

Database that can accessed on the Emergency Management in Australia website.

The teaching guide that supports the Disaster Mapper has been designed to assist teachers and students learn more about the occurrence and impact of natural disasters within a national and personal context. The activities are designed for students from

Years 5-10.

The Help icon ? on the Home page offers assistance on how to use the Disaster Mapper.

A small glossary has been provided to assist students with technical words. This glossary can be also be accessed via the Help menu.

Included in this teaching guide are a number of lesson plans and activities that can be used in conjunction with the Disaster Mapper to increase students’ awareness of potential dangers; their level of preparedness and strategies to cope with natural disasters.

These lesson plans and activities have been mapped to the developing Australian

Curriculum. Teachers should adapt and consider rephrasing the questions and activities to suit the particular terminology, curriculum foci and outcomes used in their school.

Some websites are suggested in this kit. It is recommended that teachers first visit the sites and access the suitability of the content for your particular school setting. The sites listed were accessed in Feb 2011 and the currency and relevance of information should be checked by teachers.

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Rationale

The activities in this kit are designed to assist students to develop understandings about different types of natural disasters and their impact upon communities and individuals.

The activities in this kit are also designed to increase students’ knowledge about preparedness, flexibility and resilience in the event of a natural disaster.

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Part 1: Learning and

Teaching Goals

Key Learning Areas

This teaching guide is designed as a teaching resource to engage students from Year 5 to

Year 10 across a number of Key Learning Areas. The lessons have been designed to incorporate a broad range of aspects surrounding the experience of natural disasters and crises. Teachers are encouraged to select aspects appropriate to the needs, interests, level/s and prior experiences of their students.

Activities and experiences provided in this education kit will assist teachers to address learning outcomes from across a number of key learning areas and subject areas including English, Studies of Society and Environment, History, Geography, Mathematics and Science.

Curriculum and education authority for the national curriculum:

Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/curriculum.html

Curriculum and education authority links for each state and territory:

ACT http://activated.act.edu.au/ectl/index.htm

http://www.det.act.gov.au

/

NSW http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/ http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/secondary/index.htm

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NT http://www.det.nt.gov.au/parents-community/curriculum-ntbos/ntcf

SA http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/portal/learning.asp

TAS http://www.education.tas.gov.au/curriculum

VIC http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/ http://www.education.vic.gov.au

/

WA http://www.curriculum.wa.edu.au/internet/Years_K10/Curriculum_Framework http://k-10syllabus.det.wa.edu.au/project_home_view

QLD http://education.qld.gov.au/curriculum/scope.html

The aims of this Teaching Guide are to assist teachers to:

 actively engage their students in worthwhile educational experiences

 understand the impact of disasters in Australia on people, economies and environment

 understand how to use the Disaster Mapper to support their own research

 increase student preparedness in the event of a natural disaster

 broaden student understanding of the role of emergency services

 promote student discussion and reflection about important social issues

Aims

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 develop higher order cognitive skills of reasoning, processing, inquiry and critical reflection

 encourage students to identify and connect with their own communities

 connect students’ own experiences with the broader context of Australian society

 develop their understanding of the range of emotions a disaster brings and ways of improving the situation both for the individual and the community.

Key Concepts

Lessons and activities can be used to develop student self-reflection to increase resilience and preparedness in the event of a natural disaster.

The lessons and accompanying learning experiences can inspire discussion of people’s preparation for and response to a natural disaster and how they might navigate any aftermath.

Extension activities encourage exploration of history of disasters in Australia, the relationship between our indigenous people and disasters, the cost of disasters, the media’s role in disasters, how Science helps in disasters, communication, disasters in movies, loss and grief and social cohesion.

Understandings

Participation in activities and discussions related to the Disaster Mapper offers opportunities to develop understandings that include:



Australia has endured many disasters in its history and is capable of developing resilient responses

 individuals and communities can improve the situation once a disaster has occurred

 pets and animals are an important component of our society

 the need for preparation in the event of a natural disaster

 the need for community education.

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Skills and Processes

All lesson plans are based on the Inquiry Approach which needs the students to Ask,

Investigate, Create, Discuss, Extend and Reflect.

When students engage in any of the learning experiences within the Lesson Plans or additional activities they will be utilising skills and processes such as:



Thinking and Investigation — intellectual skills of reasoning, processing and inquiry, questioning, listening, reading, viewing, critical thinking, researching, seeking solutions, describing, analysing, considering cause and effect, seeking relationships, interpreting and evaluating data, constructing hypotheses, drawing conclusions, making informed judgments and decisions, critical reflection.



Creativity and Communication — seeking innovative alternatives and use of imagination to generate possibilities and make connections; use of various communication forms (e.g. spoken, written, graphical, statistical, visual, dramatic, electronic) involving both critical and creative thinking to gather, represent and present information for different purposes and audiences; undertaking a range of visual, audio and print media production activities to communicate ideas, feelings and experiences through making, creating, exploring, selecting, experimenting, presenting and performing; manipulation of ideas and organisation of media elements such as words, sounds and images, characters and sequences of events to create stories and present information.



Participation — confidence, self-direction, autonomy, ability to work flexibly both individually and in teams to complete tasks for example:

 brainstorming ideas

 working with partners and in small groups to share ideas

 collaborating in order to achieve an outcome.

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Part 2: Lesson Plans

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Flood: Pets and Floods

Theme: Students develop their own Pet Disaster Plan and Pet Evacuation Kit.

Level: Years 5 - 6

Key learning/Subject areas: English, History (Detailed curriculum links are included at the end of this document.)

Duration: 2 - 3 periods

Learning Objectives:

On completion of this activity students will be able to:


 think about the actions they would take, with their pet, if a flood (or similar disaster) occurred

 understand what to include in a Portable Pet Disaster Kit

 understand the key elements in a Pet Disaster Plan.

Introduction:

Pets are very important in the lives of young people. The recent Queensland floods highlighted the need for careful planning prior to a disaster to help manage pets if an event occurs. Through this activity, your students will understand the range of strategies they need to put in place to prepare for, and then act on, protecting their pet friends during a disaster.

Prior Learning:

Your students will need to have experience with undertaking internet research and will be aware of how the Disaster Mapper works.

How do I teach this activity?

Step 1 – Whole class activity: Introduction/Overview

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Discuss with your students the sorts of things they would need to think about when trying to secure and save a pet in the advent of a disaster.

Talk to them about the importance of having in place:

1.

Family Disaster Plan: this is the most important thing to do. Your students need to have a plan for how their family will act if a disaster hits. (You can refer to the lesson plan Families Preparing Together in the People Get Ready suite of resources on the

Emergency Management for Schools website which focuses on empowering students to get their family prepared and communicating effectively to optimise family safety as they develop an evacuation plan for their family.)

The focus of this activity is on pets. So it needs to be assumed that your students already understand the value and importance of having a Family Disaster Plan (and have one in place).

2.

Pet Disaster Plan

3.

Pet Evacuation Kit



Spend some time brainstorming the sorts of things that you would include in a Pet

Disaster Plan, including:



Pet Evacuation Kit already set up (what might be in this such as: Food, water and portable feeding bowls for at least 3 days; collar, leash, rope and/or harness; pet medications, medical records and the name and number of your veterinarian; recent pet photo; garbage bags or doggie waste bags, small litter box, scoop and litter; pet toys, beds, blankets, towels and treats)



How they might move their pet safely: carriers, portable kennel



Where they might find an emergency shelter: knowing where the local shelters are.

Once the brainstorming is complete, ask the students to find out more about the types of floods that have impacted across Australia by using the Disaster Mapper.

Using the Disaster Mapper http://disastermapper.ema.edu.au/#/intro

Encourage the groups to explore the Disaster Mapper as a first port of call to find out information about the different types of disasters in Australia, with a particular focus on

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Disaster Mapper

An interactive resource for schools floods, storms and inundation. They can also refer to the websites included in the

Resources section of this lesson plan.

Step 2 – Individual activity: creating their own Pet Disaster Plan and Pet Evacuation Kit checklist

Once the students clearly understand what needs to be included in both the Pet Disaster

Plan and the Pet Evacuation Kit, it is time for them to create and illustrate their own

Plans and Kits.

Step 3 – Whole class activity: reporting back

When the plans and kits have been completed, encourage your students to share their work with the whole class and display these around the classroom.

Step 4 – Individual activity: reflection

In their learning journal, invite your students to reflect on what they have learned through doing this activity and how they think they might act if a disaster event happens.

Assessment / evidence of learning

Encourage your students to reflect on their learning and to record their new knowledge in a learning journal.

What’s next?

Your students might be keen to follow up some of the website links to find out some stories about what has happened to animals in recent disasters or could be encouraged to plan a fundraiser to contribute to one of the pet-focused charities such as the RSPCA.

Students could also explore further the impact - such as emotional scarring - that disasters can have on pets.

Teacher Notes

Pets are extremely important to young children and having a firm plan in place to keep a pet safe in a time of disaster can help them to feel less fearful and more in control.

Resources / Links/ Materials required

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1.

Disaster Mapper http://disastermapper.ema.edu.au/#/intro

2.

Websites:



ABC – Animals and the Queensland Floods (7/1/2011) http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/07/3108405.htm



FEMA – Information for Pet Owners http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/animals.shtm



FEMA – Pets and Disasters http://www.fema.gov/kids/pets.htm



Pet Disaster Plan http://www.petdisasterplan.com/



Pet preparedness Disaster Plan Youtube videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeXTXL5Sn4g



Ready America – Community Pet Preparedness Toolkit http://www.ready.gov/america/toolkit_pets/index.html

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Year 5 Literacy – interpreting, analysing and evaluating

Literacy – creating texts

Australian Curriculum Links

Navigate and read texts for specific purposes applying appropriate text processing strategies, for example predicting and confirming, monitoring meaning, skimming and scanning

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital sources

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience

Use a range of software including word processing programs with fluency to construct, edit and publish written text, and select, edit and place visual, print and audio elements

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts



Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience

Use a range of software, including word processing programs, learning new functions as required to create texts

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Years

3-6

Curriculum Focus:

Addressing these four focus questions:

What do we know about the past?

How did Australians live in the past?

How did people live in other places?

How has the past influenced the present?

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Bushfire: Feelings

Theme: Disasters bring on a range of emotions that can be very unsettling to those affected. Bushfires, in particular, cause fear and terror in those who anticipate or live through their impact. Focused on empowerment through knowledge, this activity helps to identify some common emotions and explores strategies for improving the situation and recovery after a disaster occurs.

Level: Years 5 – 7

Key learning/Subject areas: English, History (Detailed curriculum links are included at the end of this document.)

Duration: 6 – 10 periods




 explore the range of feelings students experience before, during and after a disaster takes place

 demonstrate their understanding of the range of emotions a disaster brings and ways of improving the situation both for the individual and the community

 explore the Living with Disaster Digital Stories 1 and accompanying teaching materials of young people who personally experienced 2009 Black Saturday bushfires; and

 explore the Dingo Creek suite of multimedia resources to support their learning.

Introduction:

Disasters can happen anywhere, but bushfires will occur in fairly predictable locations.

They often occur without warning, and can be very frightening for everyone involved, particularly younger children. This activity helps students to understand the range of emotions that are commonly experienced in the lead up to, during and after bushfire impact. This activity aims to empower and inform students and help them to understand

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Disaster Mapper

An interactive resource for schools the ways that individuals and communities can improve the situation once a disaster has occurred.

Prior Learning:

Your students will need to have experience with undertaking internet research and be aware of how the Disaster Mapper works.



Disasters are scary and unsettling times for everyone affected.


Start by discussing with your students the types of disasters that might potentially impact on them, where they live. Give them time (individually, in pairs or as a whole class) to explore the types of disasters that could impact in their local area, by using the

Disaster Mapper.

Feelings

Once the disaster types have been identified, list these on the board and discuss with your students how they think they might feel before, during and after such a disaster event. (You can use the Worksheet 1 – Photo stimuli to help get started.)

Step 2 – Paired activity: Common feelings

Encourage your students to work with their partner to find out more about the range of feelings people experience before, during and after a disaster. They can explore the websites listed in the Resources section of this lesson plan to help get them started.

As they go, they need to note down the common feelings before, during and after a disaster.

Once their research has been completed, the students can create their own pamphlet,

PowerPoint presentation, video, audio or poster outlining these feelings.

Step 3 – Whole class activity: Sharing

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The pairs then present their findings to the wider class and discussion follows to identify common themes that emerge.

Step 4 – Whole class activity: How individuals and communities recover

Begin by discussing with your class what is meant by “recovery” and list their contributions on the board.

Step 5 – Small group activity: Living with Disaster Digital Stories 1 – 2009 Black

Saturday Bushfires

The Attorney-General’s Department, in partnership with the Australian Centre for the

Moving Image (ACMI) has developed a series of digital stories that present the personal experiences and reflections of young people from different communities who have experienced bushfires and talk about the impact that these events have had on themselves, their families, schools and communities. Reading and listening to these stories will allow students to connect their own understandings of these events and relate to the experiences and emotions of other young people, their families and communities. In small groups, students can discuss what feelings were talked about and relate their own stories of times that they have had similar feelings.

Step 6 – Small group activity: Dingo Creek II – the Recovery

The Attorney General’s Department has developed a suite of multimedia learning objects that help students to understand how to mitigate risk and the essential elements in community recovery.

To help your students further develop their understanding of how individuals and communities recover following a disaster, give them some time to explore Dingo Creek II

– the recovery at http://schools2.ema.edu.au/ .

Using Worksheet 2 as a resource, following on from your students’ exploration on Dingo

Creek II, break the class into four smaller cooperative mixed ability groups and allocate each group a recovery element (physical, social/psychological, economic or natural/environmental). Give the groups 20 minutes to come up with details on how the particular recovery element has been addressed within the Dingo Creek II – the Recovery multimedia resource and encourage them to identify concrete examples drawn from it.

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(If you have access to Internet-enabled computers, groups may wish to revisit the learning object at this time.)

Each group can then construct a Concept Map Graphic Organiser or flow chart to depict the recovery process within Dingo Creek. The groups will then need to create a product that depicts the four key elements in community recovery.

They can use paper or computers to develop their product. Each group’s product can be displayed around the classroom and group members can be available to explain and discuss what they have done.


Step 7 – Whole Class activity: Peer assessment

Once the groups have developed their products, each product will be assessed by their peers addressing the questions listed below. You may choose to create an assessment sheet or rubric from this list to assist your students in undertaking the peer assessment.

Prepare your students for undertaking a peer assessment of each group’s work. We know that students are often the most critical of each other, so it is vital that you support them in learning how to frame their feedback in a way that is constructive and positive as opposed to negative - you may need to spend a bit of time working on this with your students.

Peer assessment focus

1.

How effectively did the group appear to work together? Is it obvious that each group member contributed in their own way to the product?

2.

Are the four elements addressed in the product?

3.

Does the product identify and depict enough information about each recovery element?

4.

Does the product show that the group has a good understanding of what has been happening in Dingo Creek’s recovery?

5.

Does the product identify and depict the interrelationship of each recovery element?

6.

Is anything missing?

Once the students have completed their peer assessments, these could be reported back in a round table assessment with the whole class.

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A final activity might be to facilitate discussion with your whole class, identifying:



What do we now know about the emotions people experience during a disaster and about recovery that we didn’t know before?



What do we now know about how individuals and communities can work together to improve situations after a disaster occurs?



What have we learned about working together in a group that could also help us if we were ever involved in a recovery process following a disaster like the Dingo creek community we’re studying?

Your students could record their reflections and observations in their learning journals if they have one.

What’s next?

Encourage your students to explore Dingo Creek 1 – the Disaster to further understand how to prepare for disaster events and how to minimise risk.

Teacher Notes

Improved emotional intelligence, communication and consultation are skills that may emerge from this activity as students develop an understanding of the important elements of recovery and how to effectively convey these messages using visual forms.

The students will need to organise their time carefully and make decisions quickly. They will need to translate technical language into plain language. The types of products developed will depend on the class access to computers and student computer skills.


1.

Disaster Mapper:

2.

http://disastermapper.ema.edu.au/#/intro

3.

Worksheet 1: Photo Stimuli

4.

Worksheet 2: What is recovery?

5.

Websites:



Awareness, Endurance, Recovery (James Cook University) http://www.jcu.edu.au/cds/idc/groups/public/documents/presentation/jcutst_

056251.pdf



Bibliography Of Children's Literature On Floods And Natural Disasters (Years 4-6) http://web.extension.illinois.edu/disaster/teacher/bib_4-6.html



Bibliography Of Children's Literature On Floods And Natural Disasters (Years 7-9)

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Disaster Mapper

An interactive resource for schools http://web.extension.illinois.edu/disaster/teacher/bib_midd.html



Living With Disaster 1 - Digital Stories http://www.ema.gov.au/www/ema/schools.nsf/page/teach_resources_livingwit hdisaster-digitalstories_livingwithdisaster-digitalstories



Dingo Creek I – The Disaster



 http://schools.ema.edu.au/

Dingo Creek II – The recovery http://schools2.ema.edu.au/

FEMA for Kids – What you might feel in a disaster http://www.fema.gov/kids/feel.htm

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WORKSHEET 1: PHOTO STIMULI

Disaster Mapper


Photo courtesy: Attorney General’s Department: modB224SPFS.jpg

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Photo courtesy: Attorney General’s Department: modFL390SPLA.jpg

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Photo courtesy: Attorney General’s Department: modSS10135PDS.jpg

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Photo courtesy: Attorney General’s Department: modC573SPDG.jpg

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Photo courtesy: Attorney General’s Department: modSS1021SPLU.jpg

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HANDOUT 1: WHAT IS RECOVERY?

In the Australian Emergency Management Handbook Series, Community Recovery,

Handbook 2 (Attorney General’s Department, 2011), disaster recovery is defined as ‘the coordinated process of supporting disaster affected communities in the reconstruction of the built environment and the restoration of emotional, social, economic and natural environment wellbeing’.

Recovery is more than simply the replacement of what has been destroyed and the rehabilitation of those affected. It is a complex process that needs to closely involve the affected community.

The most effective recovery occurs where the affected community manages its own affairs after a disaster and provides the core of all the work that’s undertaken with the wide range of agencies providing support to them.

A comprehensive recovery process addresses the following aspects of the impact of a disaster on a community:

 physical infrastructure or built environment

 social or psycho-social environment

 economic environment

 natural environment.

These four environments are covered in Dingo Creek II – the Recovery.

________________________________________________________________________

What are the economic impacts and how can we achieve recovery?

The economic effects of disasters are mostly seen as physical damage to infrastructure and stock. Other impacts can be less obvious. There can be direct and indirect impacts on the economy.

Direct impacts result from the physical destruction or damage to businesses, residences and public infrastructure and community facilities including:

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Disaster Mapper


 structural damage to buildings and infrastructure - foundations, walls, floors, roofs, doors, in-built furniture, windows, bridges, roads, lifelines (like water, sanitation, electricity, gas, telecommunications and transport)

 damage to contents - fixtures and fittings (e.g. carpets), furniture, office equipment, farm equipment, records, product stock (finished manufactured products, works in progress and input materials), crops, pastures, livestock etc

 external damage - motor vehicles and fences.

Indirect impacts are due to the consequences of the damage or destruction, such as:

 for businesses - experiencing loss of productivity or income, like shops or tourism operators

 for people in the community - loss of workplace or schools, and services like banking and shops

 for people in houses - having to find alternative accommodation, cleaning up mud and debris, removing ruined furniture and equipment, drying out house contents, medical costs from injuries

 for emergency services – rescuing and evacuating people from the disaster area.

Some businesses lose confidence, lose staff and end up closing down. Sometimes buildings or structures that have a special historical significance in the town, like the

Memorial on the Dingo Creek Foreshore, are lost. With schools closed immediately after a disaster, children miss out on some education. People lose personal mementos or pets and can feel stressed, unwell, dislocated, unsafe and sad.

In Dingo Creek II – the Recovery, economic recovery is called Getting back on our feet.

________________________________________________________________________

What are physical or infrastructure impacts and how can we achieve recovery?

Physical infrastructure elements are often referred to as the physical lifelines of the community. They include:

 power supply and distribution systems

 communications networks

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 water, sewerage and drainage systems

 transportation networks.

Support Infrastructure includes a number of service and support networks and includes:





 food and merchandise distribution systems, which include markets, wholesalers and retailers the building sector, which includes insurers, builders, sub-contractors and suppliers the health-care sector, which includes health insurance, medical practitioners, pharmacists, pharmaceutical suppliers and hospitals

 education and training functions

 housing, accommodation and catering systems.

What happens when the infrastructure is damaged?

 loss of service supply – power and gas and water

 food spoils in fridges and freezers

 water supplies may fail as pumps stop

 sewerage systems may back-up as sewer pumps fail

 computers won’t work

 communication systems won’t reach people who can’t view television or listen to radio unless they have batteries

 commercial sales may be impossible without working scanners and merchandise databases

 fuel cannot be pumped in service stations

 loss of heating in homes and no hot water for washing and cleaning

 drinking water may have to be imported

 loss of water for washing may contribute to sanitation problems

 toilets won’t flush.

Loss of Transport Networks

 difficult to get essential supplies in or evacuate people out

 load limits on damaged roads can hamper the delivery.

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Health Services

 risk of epidemics and disease

 hospital under stress due to number of injured.

Shops, commerce, sanitation can all be affected. People can be rendered homeless.

In Dingo Creek II – the Recovery, physical or infrastructure recovery is called Rebuilding.

________________________________________________________________________

What is meant by psychological impact and how to recover?

Common experiences and feelings

People can feel shock, fear, anger, sadness, guilt, shame and helplessness after an emergency or disaster. Things can seem unreal, like a dream or people can feel panicked or scared of being hurt again. Some people get angry, wondering “who caused this?” and feeling outraged at the destruction that has happened. Others might feel powerless, or overwhelmingly sad about what they, and their community, have lost. Sometimes people who have survived, or whose homes are still standing, while their friends have lost everything, feel guilty and ashamed.

Effects on behaviour

After a disaster, people can behave in different ways. They can feel tense, and easily startled or nervous about things. They might not be able to sleep because they keep reliving what has happened to them, or they could be having frightening nightmares.

Flashbacks and memories of the disaster can interfere with concentration and people can become irritable, with their moods changing all the time. Some people get depressed or withdraw from others, and need to be alone. Feeling tried, finding it hard to breathe, getting headaches….these can all stem from these feelings.

How to help people

Communication is vital. Talking, listening, providing opportunities to share information and using different ways of communicating (on the radio, via a website or blog, at a

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Disaster Mapper

An interactive resource for schools community meeting or through flyers) helps to involve people in the community in the recovery process and keeps rumours or dissatisfaction in check.

The Positive Side

After a disaster people can become wiser and stronger. Community bonds can be strengthened by sharing an intense experience together and can help people in coping with the everyday stresses of life. It can also be a turning point where people reevaluate the value of life and appreciate the little things often overlooked.

In Dingo Creek II – the Recovery, psychological recovery is called Feeling better.

What is impact on the natural environment?

Disasters can have serious effects on the environment. Animals and plants can be destroyed, injured or displaced. The landscape can be changed and erosion can occur.

This can cause hardship for the community. Affected parts of the environment include:



Water quality

This can be affected by mud, sediment, rotting organisms, disease or pollutants.

Where the water is used for drinking, the degradation directly impacts the community. In other cases, changes in the water quality may affect dissolved oxygen levels and lead to changes to the biota in the water. This may lead to fish kills, development of algal blooms, weed kills or the choking of waterways with weed or algae.



Soil contamination and erosion

The inundation of water, destruction of trees and grasses that stabilise the soil, can cause significant erosion.



General amenity (pleasantness) and aesthetics of an environment

The local natural landscape can be less attractive after a disaster.

Tourism activities that rely on the environment may also be affected.

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In Dingo Creek II – the Recovery, this section is called Environmental recovery.

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Year

5

Language – Expressing and developing ideas

Understand the use of vocabulary to express greater precision of meaning, and know that words can have different meanings in different contexts

Literature – Literature and context

Identify aspects of literary texts that convey details or information about particular social, cultural and historical contexts

Literature – Creating literature

Literacy – Texts in context

Literacy – Interacting with others

Create literary texts that experiment with structures, ideas and stylistic features of selected authors

Show how ideas and points of view in texts are conveyed through the use of vocabulary, including idiomatic expressions, objective and subjective language, and that these can change according to context

Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations for defined audiences and purposes incorporating accurate and sequenced content and multimodal elements

Literacy – interpreting, analysing and evaluating




Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience

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Year

6

Language – text structure and organisation


Understand how authors often innovate on text structures and play with language features to achieve particular aesthetic, humorous and persuasive purposes and effects


Make connections between students’ own experiences and those of characters and events represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts


Create literary texts that adapt or combine aspects of texts students have experienced in innovative ways

Experiment with text structures and language features and their effects in creating literary texts, for example, using imagery, sentence variation, metaphor and word choice

Literature – texts in context


Compare texts including media texts that represent ideas and events in different ways, explaining the effects of the different approaches



Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience

Use a range of software, including word processing programs, learning new functions as required to

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Year

7

Language: Language variation and change

Language: Text structure and organisation

Literacy – Creating texts create texts

Understand the way language evolves to reflect a changing world, particularly in response to the use of new technology for presenting texts and communicating

Understand and explain how the text structures and language features of texts become more complex in informative and persuasive texts and identify underlying structures such as taxonomies, cause and effect, and extended metaphors

Language: Expressing and developing ideas

Literature: Literature and context

Literature: Creating literature

Literature: Texts in context

Analyse how point of view is generated in visual texts by means of choices, for example gaze, angle and social distance

Identify and explore ideas and viewpoints about events, issues and characters represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts

Experiment with text structures and language features and their effects in creating literary texts, for example, using rhythm, sound effects, monologue, layout, navigation and colour

Analyse and explain the effect of technological innovations on texts, particularly media texts

Literacy: Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Analyse and explain the ways text structures and language features shape meaning and vary according to audience and purpose

Use comprehension strategies to interpret, analyse and synthesise ideas and information, critiquing ideas and issues from a variety of textual sources

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting aspects of subject matter and particular language, visual, and audio features to convey information and ideas

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Year

8

Language: Language for interaction


Edit for meaning by removing repetition, refining ideas, reordering sentences and adding or substituting words for impact

Use a range of software, including word processing programs, to confidently create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts

Understand how rhetorical devices are used to persuade and how different layers of meaning are developed through the use of metaphor, irony and parody

Analyse how the text structures and language features of persuasive texts, including media texts, vary according to the medium and mode of communication

Understand how cohesion in texts is improved by strengthening the internal structure of paragraphs through the use of examples, quotations and substantiation of claims

Understand how coherence is created in complex texts through devices like lexical cohesion, ellipsis, grammatical theme and text connectives


Literature:

Responding to literature

Investigate how visual and multimodal texts allude to or draw on other texts or images to enhance and layer meaning


Explore the ways that ideas and viewpoints in literary texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts may reflect or challenge the values of individuals and groups

Understand and explain how combinations of words and images in texts are used to represent particular groups in society, and how texts position readers in relation to those groups

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Year

9

Literature: Examining literature


Literacy: Interacting with others

Recognise, explain and analyse the ways literary texts draw on readers’ knowledge of other texts and enable new understanding and appreciation of aesthetic qualities

Create literary texts that draw upon text structures and language features of other texts for particular purposes and effects

Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content, including multimodal elements, to reflect a diversity of viewpoints


Use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author’s point of view

Literacy: Creating texts

Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that raise issues, report events and advance opinions, using deliberate language and textual choices, and including digital elements as appropriate

Experiment with text structures and language features to refine and clarify ideas to improve the effectiveness of students’ own texts

Language: Language for interaction

Language: Text

Use a range of software, including word processing programs, to create, edit and publish texts imaginatively

Understand that roles and relationships are developed and challenged through language and interpersonal skills

Investigate how evaluation can be expressed directly and indirectly using devices, for example allusion, evocative vocabulary and metaphor

Understand that authors innovate with text structures and language for specific purposes and effects

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An interactive resource for schools structure and organisation




Compare and contrast the use of cohesive devices in texts, focusing on how they serve to signpost ideas, to make connections and to build semantic associations between ideas

Analyse and explain the use of symbols, icons and myth in still and moving images and how these augment meaning

Identify how vocabulary choices contribute to specificity, abstraction and stylistic effectiveness

Interpret and compare how representations of people and culture in literary texts are drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts

Experiment with the ways that language features, image and sound can be adapted in literary texts, for example the effects of stereotypical characters and settings, the playfulness of humour and comedy, pun and hyperlink

Literacy: Texts in context


Analyse how the construction and interpretation of texts, including media texts, can be influenced by cultural perspectives and other texts

Use interaction skills to present and discuss an idea and to influence and engage an audience by selecting persuasive language, varying voice tone, pitch, and pace, and using elements such as music and sound effects

Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements for aesthetic and playful purposes


Interpret, analyse and evaluate how different perspectives of an issue, event, situation, individuals or groups are constructed to serve specific purposes in texts

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Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse texts, comparing and evaluating representations of an event, issue, situation or character in different texts

Explore and explain the combinations of language and visual choices that authors make to present information, opinions and perspectives in different texts

Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that present a point of view and advance or illustrate arguments, including texts that integrate visual, print and/or audio features

Review and edit students’ own and others’ texts to improve clarity and control over content, organisation, paragraphing, sentence structure, vocabulary and audio/visual features

Use a range of software, including word processing programs, flexibly and imaginatively to publish texts

Years

3-6

Curriculum Focus:






A sense of continuity and change over time will be developed through studies of local, state or territory, national and global history. Students will learn about key social, cultural, technological, political and work-related changes that have occurred.

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Years

7-10

Curriculum Focus:

Historical skills

Students will develop historical skills which include: asking and exploring inquiry questions in detail, finding relevant and comprehensive answers and providing sound explanations and conclusions for historical events using a wide range of different forms of evidence in providing historical explanations, recognising how these forms of evidence may vary in their value developing a range of appropriate techniques of organisation and communication

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Drought: Droughts in Australia

Theme: There have been many droughts in Australia, with several recorded over the past 200 years. The impact of drought on humans, the economy and the environment is significant. This activity encourages students to explore drought in a range of ways, following their own interests.

Level: Year 5 - 8

Key learning/Subject areas: English, History, Geography (Detailed curriculum links are included at the end of this document.)

Duration: 5 - 8 periods




 develop an understanding of the place of drought in Australia’s history

 understand the impact of drought on people, economies, and the environment

 convey their knowledge through development of a learning product that tracks the drought experience in one context, a specific zone or area over time.

Introduction:

Australia is a dry continent. Drought is one of the most financially costly of all disasters that impact Australia. Not simply an acute shortage of water, drought is a disaster that spans time and place. Through this activity, your students will develop a more complex understanding of drought, our Australian perception and depiction of it, it’s historical impact and what happens to people, livestock, the economy and the environment when drought occurs.

Prior Learning:


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Spend some time developing a definition of drought with the class (refer to the website links listed in the Resources section of this lesson plan to help you). For instance, this is the definition from the Bureau of Meteorology:

A drought is a prolonged, abnormally dry period when there is not enough water for users' normal needs. Drought is not simply low rainfall; if it was, much of inland Australia would be in almost perpetual drought.

Step 2 – Individual activity: Know, Want, Learned (KWL)

Using the KWL graphic organiser (see Worksheet 2), ask each student to individually brainstorm what they already know (K) about the causes of drought and the impacts, effects on people, the economy and the environment.

Then, under the W column, ask the students to list down what they think they need to find out and want to know as part of this activity (particularly in the research element).

Step 3 – Whole class activity: KWL reporting back

Spend some time getting the students to report back and share what they have completed in columns K and W.

Step 4 – Paired activity: beginning the research and answering the big question

There are two aspects to this paired work:

1.

Your students undertake a drought-related investigation of their own choice

2.

They work together to answer the ‘big question’ of whether or not Australia could ever be drought-proofed.

To get them started, break your students into pairs. Encourage them to work together to find out as much information as possible about an aspect of drought in Australia.

Each pair needs to nominate the focus of their investigation. They need to discuss and decide upon what most interests them and be prepared to undertake a detailed and sustained enquiry.

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Here are some ideas to help get started:



What is the relationship between global warming and drought?



What types of assistance can people receive in times of drought?



What are the impacts and features of El Nińo?



How does El Nińo relate to El Nińa and what are the different environmental impacts with each?

Describe a particular drought event in recorded Australian history – such as the 1895–

1902 Federation Drought, 1982-83 when large areas of central, eastern and south eastern Australia were drought-stricken, the 1991-95 drought in north-eastern New

South Wales and much of Queensland, the 2002-06 eastern and southern Australia drought etc.



Develop a timeline of drought events over the past 100 – 200 years.



What can farmers do to plan for and mitigate drought in their own areas?



What is the impact of drought on livestock?



What is the impact of drought on ecosystems and the environment?



Have humans contributed to drought?



Find images of drought and use these as a stimulus for writing.



What happens when droughts break?



How is drought part of Australian national culture and how has it shaped how we view ourselves? (such as Dorothea McKellar’s ‘sunburnt country’)

Try to ensure that every pair is covering a slightly different aspect of the drought theme to ensure that the presentations are both informative (and not repetitive) later.

The students could use any method they would like to present their findings including a timeline of drought history, a poster identifying drought impacts, a profile of El Nińo etc.

Once they have completed sufficient research, pose the ‘big question’:

Is it possible to drought-proof Australia?

In their pairs, your students need to consider their answer and develop an argument to support their point of view.

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They will need to present their research and their argument to the whole class in any format they choose – multimedia, hard copy etc.


Encourage the groups to explore the Disaster Mapper as a first port of call to find out information about drought in Australia. They could switch to a ‘terrain’ map of Australia and analyse how the land in Australia changes from the coastal profile to inland. They can also refer to the websites included in the Resources section of this lesson plan.

Step 5 – Whole class activity: presenting their research and opinions

The final activity involves each pair presenting their findings and argument to the whole class.


1.

Peer assessment

Before this is done, however, work with your students to develop an assessment sheet for the presentations. Referring back to the K and W columns in the KWL chart should help you to develop a negotiated class rubric.

What sorts of questions will they ask? List these and then create an assessment tool with it. This will form the peer assessment sheet.

At the end

After each pair presents, give the other students in the class time to write their notes and a couple of minutes to ask follow-up questions.

Each pair should then collect their assessment sheets and include them with their work.

2.

Individual assessment

Once the pairs have finished, each individual student should complete the L column in the KWL chart, summarising what they have learned through this activity. This should be included with their work when submitted.

What’s next?

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Students might be given time to pursue a further interest that has emerged from this activity. For instance, they might be keen to find out more about drought mitigation strategies – controversial and innovative – that have been explored over time in

Australia or the types of drought assistance the government provides and how this works.

Teacher Notes

This activity is a valuable means of encouraging your students to further develop their higher order thinking and interpersonal skills. It is not just about finding things out about drought in Australia, the activity require each pair to work cooperatively to find the information they need.


1.

Disaster Mapper: http://disastermapper.ema.edu.au/#/intro

2.

Handout 1 – KWL Chart

3.

Websites



Australian Government – Climate Variability and water Availability http://www.connectedwater.gov.au/water_policy/climate_var.html



Australian Government – culture.gov.au – Natural disasters in Australia http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/naturaldisasters/



Australian Government – Drought Assistance http://australia.gov.au/topics/benefits-payments-and-services/droughtassistance



Bureau of Meteorology – Climate Change http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/change/



Bureau of Meteorology – Living with Drought http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/livedrought.shtml



Managing Climate Variability http://www.managingclimate.gov.au/



Queensland Government – Long Paddock http://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/



Tourism Australia http://www.tourism-australia.net.au/australia-drought/

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WORKSHEET 1 - K.W.L.

What I Know, what I Want (or need) to know, and what I have Learned.

The K.W.L. organiser focuses students’ thinking and understandings and is a framework for:



Exploring what they already know (prior knowledge);



Recording what they want to know or need to find out about as part of a research activity;



Reflecting on and listing what they have learned.

K

What I already know

W

What I want to know

L

What I learned

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Year 5 Language – Expressing and developing ideas




Literacy – Texts in context Show how ideas and points of view in texts are conveyed through the use of vocabulary, including idiomatic expressions, objective and subjective language, and that these can change according to context




Literacy – creating texts Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience

Use a range of software including word processing programs with fluency to construct, edit and

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An interactive resource for schools publish written text, and select, edit and place visual, print and audio elements

Year 6 Language – text structure and organisation











Literacy – creating texts Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience

Use a range of software, including word processing programs, learning new functions as required

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Year 7 Language: Language variation and change

Language: Text structure and organisation to create texts













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Literacy – Creating texts Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting aspects of subject matter and particular language, visual, and audio features to convey information and ideas


Year 8 Language: Text structure and organisation







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Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that raise issues, report events and advance opinions, using deliberate language and textual choices, and including digital elements as appropriate




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Literacy: Texts in context Analyse how the construction and interpretation of texts, including media texts, can be influenced by cultural perspectives and other texts




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Years

3-6


Curriculum Focus:











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Years

7-10

Curriculum Focus:

Historical skills

Geography

Years 5 – 6: Environmental Risks and Management

Year 7: Weather and Water

(No more detail available at this time.)

Students will develop historical skills which include: learning how to use, with facility, common historical terms for dealing with chronology and timerelated historical concepts and continuing to acquire a sound grasp of the sequence of events asking and exploring inquiry questions in detail, finding relevant and comprehensive answers and providing sound explanations and conclusions for historical events using a wide range of different forms of evidence in providing historical explanations, recognising how these forms of evidence may vary in their value developing a range of appropriate techniques of organisation and communication

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Cyclone: Design your own cyclonestrong structure

Theme: Students work in a team to research, design and build their own structure designed to withstand a Category 4 cyclone event.


Key learning/Subject areas: English, History, Science, Mathematics, Geography (Detailed curriculum links are included at the end of this document.)

Duration: 10+ periods (dependent on whether or not you choose to allow the students to build their own models).




 understand the different cyclone rating categories and wind classifications and investigate how to strengthen a structure to withstand a Category 4 or above cyclone

 understand the different building regulations that have been developed to strengthen structures in cyclone-prone areas

 convey their knowledge through development of a design and product.

Introduction:

In the February 2011 Cyclone Yasi event, it became clear that many of the structures that had been built following the appropriate building codes had more chance of withstanding the high wind speeds the cyclone brought with it. Structures built to withstand a mid range Category 4 cyclone (with wind speeds between 225-280 km/hr) and complying with the Building Code of Australia are generally referred to as being

“built to code”. There is no such thing as a cyclone-proof house. In this activity, your students will need to find out how to improve the strength of a structure and what is

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An interactive resource for schools needed to build a new structure (or reinforce an older one) to reduce the likelihood of damage in a cyclone.

Prior Learning:




Discuss the following task with your students (this is outlined in Worksheet 1):

You have been given a position as a structural engineer intern at the Cyclone Testing

Station (CTS) at James Cook University in Northern Queensland.

Your first job is to work in a team of up to 5 people to research the key design elements in a structure that can withstand as much as possible a Category 4 cyclone and then to design and present your own structure following the appropriate building codes.

Your task involves:

1.

Developing your understanding: the research element – a report on important design considerations (which can be presented in any way your group chooses such as a multimedia presentation, film, poster, written report)

2.

Envisaging your structure: brainstormed designs of a possible cyclone proof structure

3.

Developing and refining your vision: finalising the design and providing detailed descriptions of why you made each design choice

4.

Building a scale model: working in your group to build a model, to scale, that depicts the design you have made on paper

5.

Presenting your understanding: as a group, presenting your design to the whole class (your managers at the Cyclone Testing Station who will assess your design and decide whether or not your group will be accepted as full time employees at the CTS).

Discuss with your students what this might entail.

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Step 2 – Individual activity: KWL

Using the KWL graphic organiser (see Worksheet 2), ask each student to individually brainstorm what they already know (K) about the impact of cyclones, effects on buildings, building structures etc.

Then, under the W column, ask the students to list down what they think they need to find out and want to know as part of this activity (particularly in the research element).

Step 3 – Whole class activity: KWL reporting back

Spend some time getting the students to report back and share what they have completed in columns K and W.

Step 4 – Small group activity: assigning roles and beginning the research

Break your students into small, mixed ability groups of up to 5 students each.

Within each group, students will need to assume a role (see Worksheet 1).

Although the group must share responsibility for every task, there are clear responsibilities for every role.

You might ask the Team Leaders from every group to report back, towards the end of each class on how the group is going. This is a useful way of students developing their understanding of how the dynamics of teams work. You could ask the Team leaders to report on more than just the content that is being covered:



What stage is your group at?



How is everyone in your group working? Is everyone pulling their weight?



Has your group encountered any difficult issues?



How did the group address and overcome these issues?



What’s next on your group agenda?

The small group work is ongoing until the entire task is complete.


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Encourage the groups to explore the Disaster Mapper as a first port of call to find out information about cyclones in Australia. They can also refer to the websites included in the Resources section of this lesson plan.

Step 5 – Whole class activity: presenting the models

The final activity involves each group presenting their findings, designs and model to the whole class.

Assessment / evidence of learning

1.

Peer assessment

Before this is done, however, work with your students to develop an assessment sheet for the presentations. Remind them that they will be enacting the roles of CTS managers who will be assessing whether or not these intern structural engineers will be offered positions at the CTS.


At the end

After each group presents, give the other students in the class time to write their notes and 5 minutes to ask follow-up questions.

Once all the groups have presented, then the class can vote for the team which they believe should be offered the places at CTS. This is not a popularity vote, but needs to be substantiated with evidence from the assessment sheets.

Each group should collect their assessment sheets and include them with their work.

2.

Individual assessment

Once the groups have finished, each individual student should complete the L column in the KWL chart, summarising what they have learned through this activity. This should be included with their work when submitted.

What’s next?

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Students might be given time to pursue a further interest that has emerged from this activity. For instance, they might be keen to find out more about ‘fire bunkers’ or other structures designed to withstand other types of disasters etc.

Teacher Notes

It is important for students to understand that there is no such thing as a cyclone-proof structure. This should not deter them, however, as they can research and find out about the variety of ways existing and new structures can be reinforced to make them stronger.

This activity is a valuable means of encouraging your students to further develop their higher order thinking and interpersonal skills. It is not just about finding things out, the activity requires team members to work cohesively, to understand what is required of them, to be productive and, in the end to create an artefact that is a product of their group work. It is therefore important that you monitor how the group is working, as well as its productivity, to address any issues that arise early and before they can get out of hand.


1.


2.

Worksheet 1: Information on designing a cyclone-strong structure (task and group roles)

3.

Worksheet 2: KWL Chart

4.

Websites:



Cyclone building damage by Yasi is being looked into (Newswire, 8/02/2011) http://www.industrysearch.com.au/News/Cyclone-building-damage-by-Yasi-isbeing-looked-into-49293



Cyclone – is your home ready? A home owner’s guide (Cyclone Testing Station,

James Cook University) http://www.jcu.edu.au/cts/idc/groups/public/documents/other/jcuprd_053810.p

df



Cyclone Testing Station (James Cook University) http://www.jcu.edu.au/cts/



Emergency Management Queensland http://www.emergency.qld.gov.au



Improving the safety offered by your home in a cyclone (NT Government)

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An interactive resource for schools http://www.nt.gov.au/lands/building/regulations/factsheets/documents/improvi nghomesafety.pdf



Northern Territory Building Advisory Services http://www.nt.gov.au/lands/building



Queensland Department of Infrastructure and Planning

 http://www.dip.qld.gov.au

Living with Disaster - Digital Stories http://www.ema.gov.au/schools

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WORKSHEET 1 – DESIGNING A CYCLONE-STRONG

STRUCTURE

The task

Congratulations!

You have been given a position as a structural engineer intern at the Cyclone Testing

Station at James Cook University in Northern Queensland.

Your first job is to work in a team of up to 5 people to research the key design elements in a structure that can withstand a Category 4 cyclone and then to design and present your own structure following the appropriate building codes.

Your task involves:

1.

Developing your understanding: the research element – a report on important design considerations (which can be presented in any way your group chooses such as a multimedia presentation, film, poster, written report). This includes finding out as much as you can about the impact cyclones have on buildings and the environment. Use the

Disaster Mapper as a starting point.

2.

Envisaging your structure: brainstorming designs of a possible cyclone proof structure.

3.

Developing and refining your vision: finalising the design and providing detailed descriptions of why you made each design choice.

4.

Building a scale model: working in your group to build a model, to scale, that depicts the design you have made on paper.

5.

Presenting your understanding: as a group, presenting your design process and the final model to the whole class (your managers at the

Cyclone Testing Station who will assess your design and decide whether or not your group will be accepted as full time employees at the CTS).

The team

You will need to decide upon the different roles which will be taken on by each member of the team.

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There is no place for stragglers in this task.

Everyone needs to work together to effectively meet the requirements of the job.

1.

Create a name for your team

2.

Assign the roles

Team Leader: Keeps everyone on track and ensures that all tasks are allocated fairly, completed on time and that everyone receives the same recognition for the work they have done. Values all group members equally.

Lead Designer: Leads the structure design process, ensuring that all elements of the design (walls, roof etc) are considered in sufficient detail. Ensures that all group members have equal say and input.

Lead Researcher: Allocates research tasks to all members of the group and coordinates the research process. Collates the research and works with group members to complete the research presentation, in whatever format chosen.

Lead Presenter: Coordinates the presentation process – of both the research through to the final design and model presentation. Ensures all group members have equal ‘air time’ and responsibility.

Lead record keeper: Oversees the planning process and records deliverables and who is doing what at all times.

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WORKSHEET 2 - K.W.L.

K

What I already know

What I Know, what I Want (or need) to know, and what I have Learned.

The K.W.L. organiser focuses students’ thinking and understandings and is a framework for:

 exploring what they already know (prior knowledge)

 recording what they want to know or need to find out about as part of a research activity

 reflecting on and listing what they have learned.

L

What I learned

W

What I want to know

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Literature: Responding to literature








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Literacy: Creating texts Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that raise issues, report events and advance opinions, using deliberate language and textual choices, and including digital elements as appropriate




Year 9 Language: Language for interaction


Understand that authors innovate with text structures and language for specific purposes and effects Language: Text structure and organisation







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Literacy: Texts in context Analyse how the construction and interpretation of texts, including media texts, can be influenced by cultural perspectives and other texts











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Years

5-9

Curriculum Focus:

Historical skills



Scientific knowledge changes as new evidence becomes available, and some scientific discoveries have significantly changed people’s understanding of the world

Year 7 Science as a Human

Endeavour: Nature and development of science

Science as a Human

Endeavour: Use and influence of science

Science inquiry skills:

Planning and conducting


Processing and analysing

Science and technology contribute to finding solutions to a range of contemporary issues; these solutions may impact on other areas of society and involve ethical considerations

Science understanding influences the development of practices in areas of human activity such as industry, agriculture and marine and terrestrial resource management

Collaboratively and individually plan and conduct a range of investigation types, including fieldwork and experiments, ensuring safety and ethical guidelines are followed

Construct and use a range of representations, including graphs, keys and models to represent and analyse patterns or relationships , including using digital technologies as appropriate

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An interactive resource for schools data and information


Evaluating


Communicating

Year 7 Measurement and geometry: Shape

Year 8 Measurement and geometry: Using units of measurement

Year 9 Measurement and geometry: Geometric reasoning

Geography - Year 7 - Weather and water


Summarise data, from students’ own investigations and secondary sources, and use scientific understanding to identify relationships and draw conclusions

Reflect on the method used to investigate a question or solve a problem, including evaluating the quality of the data collected, and identify improvements to the method

Communicate ideas, findings and solutions to problems using scientific language and representations using digital technologies as appropriate

Draw cross section views from front side and above and perspective and isometric views

Choose appropriate units of measurement for area and volume and convert from one unit to another

Solve problems using ratio and scale factors in similar figures

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Earthquake: Where’s safe in your place?

Theme: Students investigate safe areas in their local environment, in a time of earthquake.


Key learning/Subject areas: English, History, Geography (Detailed curriculum links are included at the end of this document.)

Duration: Up to 3 lessons.



 understand safe areas to shelter in their home environment when encountering an earthquake


 produce a clearly labelled diagram of safe places in their house and garden.

Introduction:

Earthquakes strike suddenly, violently and without warning. Supporting students in identifying potential hazards ahead of time and advance planning to determine where is safe in their own home can help to make them more prepared if an earthquake hits.

Prior Learning:

Your students will need to have experience with developing their own bird’s eye diagrams and be aware of how the Disaster Mapper works.




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Begin by exploring the Earthquake information for Meckering (14 th October, 1968),

Tennant Creek (22 nd January, 1988), Newcastle (28 th December, 1989) and Ellalong (6 th

August, 1994) presented in the Disaster Mapper.

Ask your students to find facts about these earthquakes.

Introducing the task

As a whole class, spend some time brainstorming the sorts of consequences that an earthquake brings. (The February 2011 and September 2010 Christchurch New Zealand earthquakes might still be clear in your students’ minds.)

Draw up a Wondering Chart of two columns:

1.

First column: Our ideas

2.

Discuss with your students the different places they think would be safe to shelter in during an earthquake (at this stage, all ideas are accepted). List them in the column.

3.

Second column: What we know now

4.

Completion of this second column will take place after your students have conducted their partner research, once they have reported their findings back to the whole class.

Step 2 – Paired activity: finding out

Break your students into pairs and ask each partnership to find out as much as they can about safe places to shelter in during an earthquake. Give them half an hour to do this.

Refer to the Resources/Links section of this lesson plan for some useful websites to get them started.

Step 3 – Whole class activity: reporting back

Using your Wondering Chart as an organiser, ask each pair to report back to the whole class the areas within the home that they found to be safe sanctuaries during an earthquake.

If they identified these places in the initial brainstorm in Column 1, confirm this with a √.

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If their research indicates that their initial ideas were incorrect, show this with a  and also encourage the students to provide an explanation for why this is incorrect. For instance, they may have initially said that it is safe to stand in a doorway when an earthquake hits. However, this is incorrect, because the structures (particularly of newer homes) are no stronger and no more reinforced in doorways than anywhere else in the house, and doorways also bring with them the added danger of being hit by a swinging door.

Step 4 – Individual activity: a home investigation

Once all new knowledge has been shared by the class, hand out Worksheet 1 and ask each student to draw up a diagram of their own home and surrounding garden and identify areas in their home which are (in green) safe to shelter and (in red) unsafe. Also ask them to identify an appropriate family meeting place to go to after an earthquake.

Ask them to go home and complete the task.

Refer to Worksheet 2 – Sample Assessment Rubric – and share this with the class so your students know what is expected of them.

Step 5 – Whole class activity: presentation and reflection

Once the students have completed their diagrams, ask them to present these to the whole class. Students within the class can provide feedback as to how comprehensive the diagram was and help to identify any safe or unsafe places that were omitted.

Each home diagram can then be laminated and students can be encouraged to post these up at home.


The sample Assessment Rubric in Worksheet 2 will help you review and record what your students have learned during this activity, both in terms of content and in the way they have approached the task and how they subsequently presented and shared their understanding with their peers.

You could also customise the rubric into a peer assessment tool to be completed after each individual presentation.

What’s next?

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Your students might want to investigate a particular earthquake event more closely: what causes them, how architectural design and engineering has changed over time

(consider how many of the buildings that fell in the recent Christchurch earthquake were the old brick buildings) to help make buildings more capable of withstanding an earthquake etc.

Teacher Notes

There are many resources available on earthquakes, but it is important to help empower your students so that they feel prepared and knowledgeable before a disaster such as this might happen. This activity should not only focus on the dangers and destruction an earthquake can bring, but also help students to feel less scared of such an occurrence.


1.


2.

Worksheet 1: How to Stay safe During An earthquake

3.

Websites:



Earthquakes – Get the facts http://www.ema.gov.au/www/ema/schools.nsf/Page/Get_The_FactsEarthquake s



Earthquakes http://www.ema.gov.au/www/ema/schools.nsf/Page/Learn_AboutEarthquakes_

Earthquakes



FEMA – What to do before an earthquake http://www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/eq_before.shtm



Geoscience Australia http://www.ga.gov.au/hazards/earthquakes.html

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

Get Ready, Get Thru http://www.getthru.govt.nz/web/GetThru.nsf/web/BOWN-

7GY5TP?OpenDocument



Solve Your Problem http://www.solveyourproblem.com/emergencydisasters/stay_safe_earthquake.shtml



Get Ready, Get Thru http://www.getthru.govt.nz/web/GetThru.nsf/web/BOWN-

7GY5TP?OpenDocument



USGS: Earthquake Information http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/

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WORKSHEET 1 - HOW TO STAY SAFE DURING AN

EARTHQUAKE

Prepare Your Home and Family

If you live in an earthquake zone your home (and family) should be prepared for an earthquake.



Any large piece of furniture like a bookcase needs to be secured to the wall because it could fall on you in an earthquake.



Make sure all cabinets have latches or locks to keep them closed.



Heaters or any large appliance such as hot water tanks should be secured to a wall.





Have up to date fire extinguishers that you can easily access.

Anything heavy should be lower than head height of the smallest member of your family.



Everyone in the family should know how to turn off the water, gas and electricity supply.



Make sure everyone in your family knows where to meet outside, after the earthquake has hit.



Everyone should know how to contact emergency services.

Drop, cover and hold

1.

DROP to the ground.

2.

Take COVER by getting 'under' the nearest sturdy table or other piece of furniture.

3.

Cover your eyes with your arms to protect them then HOLD ON until the shaking stops.

Where is safe?



Somewhere close (a few steps or less than three metres away) to ensure you don’t get hit by debris.



Identify furniture in your home that is strong enough to protect you from a ceiling collapse – such as under a strong table.

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

The most central (inner) room in your house is safest.



Next to a wall inside the house (an interior wall).



Away from windows.



Away from tall furniture (like bookcases) that could fall onto you.



Hold on to the table legs to keep it from moving away from you.



The top floor of a house is safer than the ground floor.



Avoid stairways as these are usually the first to go.



Avoid doorways and doors that can swing and hit you.



If you are outside in the garden, try and stay in the open and move away from buildings, trees, streetlights and power lines (anything that could fall on you).



Try to have a cushion to cover your head.

My notes:

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Drawn from the following websites:

Solve Your Problem http://www.solveyourproblem.com/emergency-disasters/stay_safe_earthquake.shtml

Get Ready, Get Thru http://www.getthru.govt.nz/web/GetThru.nsf/web/BOWN-7GY5TP?OpenDocument

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WORKSHEET 2 – SAMPLE ASSESSMENT RUBRIC

On the right side of the rubric, write the number representing what you think was the performance level of each student presentation for each criterion below. You can then calculate the average for each criterion.

Criteria 4

1. Organisation & Clarity:

Main information regarding safe places in the home and garden are outlined in a clear and orderly way

Completely clear and orderly presentation

3

Mostly clear and orderly in all parts

2. Use of detail: Supporting information presented

Excellent supporting information given throughout

Good supporting information given

3. Use of effective presentation strategies: The diagram and the way the student presented it

Excellent use of imagery, symbols and text to effectively convey safe haven information

4. Presentation style: Tone of voice, clarity of expression, eye contact, logical sequence of detail all contribute to keeping audience’s attention

Very effective, confident and strong presentation

Most was presented confident

Notes:

Good use of imagery, symbols and text to effectively convey safe haven information

Total score:

2

Clear in some parts but not overall

Some was presented confidently

1

Unclear and disorganised throughout

Some decent supporting information, but some lack of clarity

Little supporting information given

Superficial use of imagery and text and little use of symbols

Poor use of imagery and text and no use of symbols

Presentation was not effective

Grade:

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Create literary texts that experiment with structures, ideas and stylistic features of selected authors Literature – Creating literature

Literacy – Texts in context Show how ideas and points of view in texts are conveyed through the use of vocabulary, including idiomatic expressions, objective and subjective language, and that these can change according to context







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Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions


Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements for defined audiences and purposes, making appropriate choices for modality and emphasis




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Years

3-6

Curriculum Focus:







Geography



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Severe storm: A 3 day survival kit

Theme: Severe storms can hit anywhere in Australia. In this activity, students research the key components in a storm survival kit and plan their kit.


Key learning/Subject areas: English, History, Geography (Detailed curriculum links are included at the end of this document.)

Duration: 5 - 8 periods




 know what to include in a storm survival kit.

Introduction:

At some stage, nearly every Australian will encounter a severe storm. Understanding what needs to be included in a survival kit helps be prepared and feel empowered and in control. In this activity, students research the key components of a 3 day survival kit, illustrate and present these.

Prior Learning:




Everyone will have experienced a storm. Discuss with your students the sorts of things that can happen when a storm hits. They can think about their own storm experiences, as well as those shown on the Disaster Mapper such as the 1999 Sydney Hail Storm.

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Brainstorm, using a Concept Map graphic organiser to structure the brainstorm (refer to

Worksheet 1).


Encourage the groups to explore the Disaster Mapper as a first port of call to find out information about severe storms in Australia. They could switch to a ‘terrain’ map of

Australia and analyse how the land in Australia changes from the coastal profile to inland. They can also refer to the websites included in the Resources section of this lesson plan.

Step 2 – Individual activity: designing your kit

Each student works individually to design their own severe storm 3 day survival kit. They will need to research the essential components in survival kits and, once planned, will be expected to illustrate their own poster with these components, providing an explanation for each choice.

In doing this, they need to consider:

 the number of people in the family

 whether or not they have pets and how they will cater for these

 where they can shelter

 how they would like to communicate

 the clothes they would need

 the bedding they would need

 the food and drink they would need

 how they might keep warm

 lighting

 power sources.

Step 3 – Whole class activity: reviewing everyone’s kits

Once the class has completed their kit illustrations, post these around the classroom for everyone in the class to see. Allow the students to spend time seeing what their peers have designed and facilitate some class discussion on the choices made.

Consider talking with your students about:

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

What did someone choose that you didn’t think of?



What were some clever choices made by other students?



What were some less useful choices?


Individual assessment

Once the activity has finished, each individual student should summarise what they have learned through this activity in their learning journal, if they have one. They should later be encouraged to take their poster home and share it with their family, who might consider how they as a family could be better prepared into the future.

What’s next?

If a student is very interested in storms, they could follow up some of the links provided in the Resources section to find out more about the types of storms experienced across

Australia.

Teacher Notes

The focus of this activity is building knowledge and fostering student empowerment. Be sensitive to the emotions of the children as many younger students are afraid of thunderstorms. This activity can help them to feel more prepared for such an event should it occur.


1.


2.

Worksheet 1 – Concept Map

3.

Websites



Australian Government – Climate Variability and water Availability http://www.connectedwater.gov.au/water_policy/climate_var.html



Australian Severe Weather http://australiasevereweather.com/



Bureau of Meteorology - Severe Thunderstorms

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An interactive resource for schools http://www.bom.gov.au/info/thunder/



Geoscience Australia – Severe weather http://www.ga.gov.au/hazards/severe-weather.html



Emergency Management for Schools – Severe Storms http://www.ema.gov.au/schools

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WORKSHEET 1 – SAMPLE CONCEPT MAP

A Severe Storm 3 day survival kit – what will I need?

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Years

3-6

Curriculum Focus:






Geography


Year 7: Weather and Water


Disaster Mapper


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Tsunami: Find a way out!

Theme: Tsunamis could potentially impact a significant proportion of the Australian population. This activity helps students to understand where a tsunami could impact and encourages them to think about possible escape routes should one occur.


Key learning/Subject areas: English, History, Science, Geography (Detailed curriculum links are included at the end of this document.)

Duration: 2 periods




 define a route to escape a tsunami

 envisage a way of preparing for a tsunami in the future.

Introduction:

Although a tsunami has not yet impacted Australia to the extent of devastation brought by the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, Australia is an island nation surrounded by water.

The coastline houses most of Australia’s population and is a destination for holidays throughout the year. Understanding how far a tsunami could reach and where they could escape to higher ground will help to empower students should such an event occur in the future.

Prior Learning:




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Discuss with your students what they currently know about tsunami or “killer waves”.

Record their brainstorm on the board.

Step 2 – Small groups: Using the Disaster Mapper http://disastermapper.ema.edu.au/#/intro

1.

Begin by encouraging your students to explore the Disaster Mapper under

‘Tsunami’ and find out about the Cape Leveque tsunami in 1997 and the Indian

Ocean tsunami 2004.

2.

They should then explore and note the high and medium risk areas for tsunami impact around the Australian coast.

3.

Ask your students to then find out where would be the safest place for them to go should a tsunami occur in the area that they either live or might potentially go on holiday. They should use the Google Map tool within Disaster Mapper, opt for a ‘terrain map’ of their chosen area, and zoom as close as possible to detect the best route to safety.

4.

Once they have done this, ask them to draw their own ‘Escape Route Map’ in their workbooks, recording directions, key landmarks along the way and anticipated obstacles.

Step 3 – Whole class activity: Reporting back

Spend some time getting the students to report back and share what they have learned as a result of their investigation and encourage them to share their ‘Escape Route Maps’ with the class.


Individual

Once the groups have finished, each individual student should record a summary of what they have learned through this activity in their learning journal if they have one and how they hope to act should they ever experience a tsunami in the future.

What’s next?

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Students might be given time to pursue a further interest that has emerged from this activity. For instance, they might be keen to find out more about other tsunami, such as the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, when approximately 275,000 people were killed and the types of risk mitigation strategies other countries have used since then.

Teacher Notes

This activity is a valuable means of encouraging your students to further develop their research, higher order thinking and interpersonal skills. It is not just about finding things out, the activity requires team members to work cohesively, to understand what is required of them, to be productive and, in the end to be able to clearly present and discuss what their group thinking has been. It is therefore important that you monitor how the group is working, as well as its productivity, to address any issues that arise early and before they get out of hand.


1.


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Year 7 Literacy: Interpreting, analysing, evaluating











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Year 9 Literacy: Interpreting,

Years

3-6 analysing, evaluating




Literacy: Creating texts Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that present a point of view and advance or illustrate arguments, including texts that integrate visual, print and/or audio features

Curriculum Focus:









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Years

7-10

Curriculum Focus:

Historical skills


Year 5 Science as Human


Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena

Science as Human


Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions




Communicating

With guidance, select appropriate investigation methods to answer questions or solve problems

Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts




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Science as a Human



Questioning and predicting


Processing and analysing data and information


Communicating


With guidance, pose questions to clarify practical problems or inform a scientific investigation, and predict what the findings of an investigation might be

Construct and use a range of representations, including tables and graphs, to represent and describe observations, patterns or relationships in data using digital technologies as appropriate

Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations





Science as a Human




Processing and



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An interactive resource for schools analysing data and information


Evaluating


Communicating




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Heatwave: Designing a heatwave-proof product

Theme: Heatwaves are an under-rated weather hazard in Australia, responsible for significant fatalities, with almost twice the number of fatalities attributed to either tropical cyclones or floods over much the same time frame. In this activity, students will investigate what comprises a heatwave and design their own heatwave-proof product as a result of their research.


Key learning/Subject areas: English, History, Science, Geography (Detailed curriculum links are included at the end of this document.)

Duration: 5 - 8 periods




 develop an understanding of heatwaves in Australia, including their impact

 convey their knowledge through the design and development of a heatwave proof product.

Introduction:

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, “heatwaves are probably the most underrated weather hazard in Australia, essentially because they are viewed as a 'passive' hazard in contrast to the more widely studied catastrophic hazards such as tropical cyclones and earthquakes. According to Coates (1996), heatwaves kill more people than any other natural hazard experienced in Australia. In a study on the consequences of heatwaves, Andrews (1994) reported that in the period between 1803 and 1992, at least

4287 people died as a direct result of heatwaves. This was almost twice the number of fatalities attributed to either tropical cyclones or floods over much the same time frame.” Through this activity, students will investigate heatwaves and plan and design their own heatwave-proof product (home, mode of transport or protective clothing).

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Prior Learning:




Spend some time discussing heatwaves with the whole class. Here are some prompt questions to help get the discussion started (refer to the resources list for website links to help you):



What happens in a heatwave?



How do you stay safe during a heatwave?



How can people prepare their home for a heatwave?



What are some ideas for developing a heatwave-proof house, structure, clothing or mode of transport?



What are some signs of heat stress?



How have heatwaves impacted Australia?


Explore the Disaster Mapper as a first port of call to find out information about heatwaves in Australia. The heatwave in South Australia shows the significant impact heatwaves can have.

Step 2 – Individual activity: designing the heatwave proof product

Once your students have developed a sound knowledge of the effect of heatwaves, they can be given the mission to design a heatwave-proof home, mode of transport or item of protective clothing.

This mission has constraints:

 the product needs to show evidence of how it will protect the humans using it

 the heatwave-proofing cannot rely on an external source of power (such as connection to mains electricity as this invariably stops during a heatwave)

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 the product needs to use materials that have been shown to withstand high temperatures.

The product they design will need to have:

 evidence of research informing the design

 an illustrated design diagram with detailed explanations.

Step 3 – Whole class activity: presenting the product

The final activity involves each student presenting their heatwave-proof product to the whole class.


1.

Peer assessment

Before this is done, however, work with your students to develop an assessment sheet for the presentations. Work with your students to develop a negotiated class rubric.


At the end

After each student presents their product design, give the other students in the class time to write their notes and a couple of minutes to ask follow-up questions.

Each student should then collect their assessment sheets and include them with their work.

The class can then vote on the top three heatwave-proof designs.

2.

Individual assessment

Once the presentations have finished, each individual student should summarise what they have learned through this activity. This should be included with their work when submitted.

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What’s next?

Students might be given time to pursue a further interest that has emerged from this activity. For instance, they might be keen to find out more about other design elements for other disasters. They may also choose to complete the lesson on cyclone-proofing homes.

Teacher Notes

This activity is a valuable means of encouraging your students to further develop their higher order thinking and interpersonal skills as they are encouraged to undertake research and then apply their new knowledge in a practical product design.

Resources / Links/ Materials required

1.


2.

Websites:



ABC – Heatwaves on the rise as record lows decline http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/28/2803928.htm



Attorney General’s Department – Heatwaves in my back yard? http://www.ema.gov.au/www/ema/schools.nsf/Page/LearnAbout_HeatwavesIn

_My_Backyard



Australian Government – culture.gov.au – Natural disasters in Australia http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/naturaldisasters/



Bureau of Meteorology – Climate Education http://www.bom.gov.au/lam/climate/levelthree/c20thc/temp3.htm



Bureau of Meteorology – Heatwaves http://www.bom.gov.au/wa/sevwx/perth/heatwaves.shtml



Maribyrnong City Council – Heatwave Information: How to stay safe http://www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/page/page.asp?Page_Id=5157&h =

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Years

3-6

Curriculum Focus:


Years

7-10

Curriculum Focus:

Historical skills









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Science as Human







Communicating





Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions Science as a Human





Processing and



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Communicating




Evaluating


Communicating






Science as a Human








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Science as a Human





Construct and use a range of representations, including graphs, keys and models to represent and analyse patterns or relationships, including using digital technologies as appropriate



Communicating

Science understanding:

Earth and space sciences


Sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks contain minerals and are formed by processes that occur within the Earth over a variety of timescales



Advances in scientific understanding often rely on developments in technology and technological advances are often linked to scientific discoveries

Science as a Human


People can use scientific knowledge to evaluate whether they should accept claims, explanations or predictions

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Communicating

Use knowledge of scientific concepts to draw conclusions that are consistent with evidence

Science understanding:

Earth and space sciences

Communicate scientific ideas and information for a particular purpose, including constructing evidence-based arguments and using appropriate scientific language, conventions and representations

The theory of plate tectonics explains global patterns of geological activity and continental movement

Geography


Year 7: Weather and water

Year 9: Landscapes and resources


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Pandemic: A Pandemic WebQuest

Theme: A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web.


Key learning/Subject areas: English, History, Science (Detailed curriculum links are included at the end of this document.)

Duration: Up to 12 periods, depending on the extent of research required and the complexity of the learning product to be developed



 understand the history of a particular disease that has impacted on Australians

 understand the differing perspectives of members of society in relation to potential pandemic disease

 identify what the Australian Government has put in place to address the risk


 present findings in a current media format

Introduction:

To support community resilience, students need to understand what could happen if a pandemic outbreak occurred in Australia. Through this WebQuest activity, your students will assume roles to investigate the Big Question; they will develop expertise in the subject and grapple with the real world issue of a pandemic and its potential impact in

Australia.

Prior Learning:

Your students will need to have experience with undertaking Internet-based research and citing sources and be aware of how the Disaster Mapper works.


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Begin by exploring the Pandemic information presented in the Disaster Mapper that outlines the impact of the Swine Influenza pandemic of 2009. Ask your students to detail the statistics of Deaths, Injured and Affected. Encourage them to share any personal experiences they had during the pandemic and record these.

Brainstorm any other pandemics they may know about, including:



1918 Spanish Flu



1957: Spanish Flu



1968: Hong Kong Flu



1977: Russian Flu



1997: Bird Flu

Introducing the WebQuest Task

Spend a short amount of time presenting the task to your students (refer to Worksheet

2 – Pandemic WebQuest template).

Describe their role and the scenario involved:

Role: ‘You are trying to find out about a potential pandemic disease that could attack

Australia in the near future and what the Australian Government has in place to deal with such a situation.’

Scenario: ‘Your group task is to find out about the threat and document what is being done by producing a current affairs article that can be either in a published newspaper or magazine, online, a documentary on TV or radio.’

Discuss the following Big Question with the class and brainstorm their responses: What diseases could attack Australia in the near future and what is the Australian Government doing to address this potential situation? Is this enough?

Outline what the end result of the learners' activities will be - a current affairs piece answering the Big Question that could be in the form of:

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 a newspaper article

 a magazine article

 an online piece

 a TV or radio documentary.

You could spend some time on the process and evaluation of the WebQuest. (You could also develop your own rubric, with your students, to assist in the Evaluation of each group’s learning product.) Again refer to Worksheet 2 – Pandemic WebQuest to help with this.

Step 2 – Small group activity: the process

Break your students into small cooperative mixed ability groups of 3-4.

Present the following roles to the group:



Scientific journalist



Politician



General Practitioner (GP)



Parent

Each student in the groups undertaking this WebQuest will assume one of these roles.

They will need to investigate the Big Question from the specialised perspective of the role they have assumed. This will help to provide them with different perspectives from which to answer the question.

Discuss with your students how each role may influence the role’s perspective. For instance:



What would the students who are assuming the role of the scientific journalist be looking for? What answers will they be seeking?



What might a politician be concerned about? What would they want people to know about and have presented in the current affairs piece?



What would a General Practitioner (GP) care about? What questions might they have? What would they want answered in the current affairs piece?

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

What would a parent want to know? How would the information presented in the current affairs piece address their concerns?

Step 3 - Small group activity: background research

Once the students in each group have picked a role, it is time to undertake some

Background Research.

The students in each group can now access the online resources outlined in Worksheet 2

– Pandemic WebQuest.

They need to find out as much information about a potential pandemic as they can, before they regroup, assume their roles and begin addressing the Big Question.

At this stage, it could be useful to provide your students with guidance on how to organise the information gathered. They may use:

 flowcharts

 summary tables

 concept maps



KWL Charts (What I know, What I want to know, What I learned)

 other graphic organisers that you may have used previously.

Step 4 - Small group activity: regrouping, assuming the roles and preparing the product

Once each group has completed the research and feels they have a sound understanding of the information available on potential pandemics and the Australian

Government’s preparedness strategies, it is time for them to regroup and assume the roles outlined in Step 2.

They return to the task – creating a current affairs piece – and now need to role play from each perspective.

Ask your students to think again how each role would view the Big Question and to keep this in mind as they plan and create their media piece.

Step 5 – Whole class activity: presentation

Once completed, each group needs to present their current affairs piece.

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Step 6 – Whole class/individual activity: reflection

Spend some time at the end of the activity reflecting with your students on what they learned about pandemics, how the differing perspectives influenced their responses and what they can do to be effectively prepared into the future.


In their own learning journal, each student should summarise what they have accomplished or learned by completing this task in terms of their knowledge and understanding, as well as how they worked within their group.

Ask them to draw up three columns:

1.

Column 1: Before I started

 the questions I had

 the assumptions I made

 my early understanding of pandemics

 how I worked in groups before this activity.

2.

Column 2: What I did

 the research processes I took

 the different sources and forms of evidence I used

 how I worked in my group.

3.

Column 3: How this knowledge and these skills will help me in future

 the lessons I have learned about researching, working with others, about myself as a learner

 what I would like to investigate next.

What’s next?

Once these activities have been completed, you could encourage the students to undertake one of the remaining Pandemic activities within the Emergency Management for Schools website.

Teacher Notes

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You can draw on these resources and create your own WebQuest by going to best

WebQuests.com at http://bestWebQuests.com/ or WebQuest.org at http://WebQuest.org/index-create.php

. Here, you will be able to access online templates and spaces for your own WebQuest resource. For now, this activity involves a basic template as outlined in Worksheet 2 – Pandemic WebQuest that you can customise and build upon, depending on the focus of learning in your classroom and to incorporate further higher order thinking skills.

Your students will need to convey the information they have found effectively and authentically draw upon the demands of their roles when presenting what they have learned. This task is not about regurgitation of information. Your students will need to find information and transform it (and their own knowledge), using their roles to guide them.

The amount of time you allocate to this activity will depend on the length of time you allow them to undertake the research component and your students’ access to resources, such as computers.

You could also develop your own rubric, with your students, to assist in the Evaluation of each group’s learning product.

Resources/Links/Materials required

1.

1.Disaster Mapper: http://disastermapper.ema.edu.au/#/intro

2.

Worksheet 1 – Information for teachers on Web Quests

3.

Worksheet 2 – Pandemic WebQuest template

4.

Access to the Internet for any research and computers for conducting the

WebQuest and developing the final product.

5.

Possible websites are included in Worksheet 2 – Pandemic WebQuest

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WORKSHEET 1 – INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS ON

WEBQUESTS

Features of an effective WebQuest:



Involves an achievable and interesting task that is ideally a scaled down version of things that adults do as citizens or workers.



Makes good use of the web and requires higher level thinking and not simply summarising information. This includes synthesis, analysis, problem-solving, creativity and judgement. It’s not just a research report.



Students transform information using powerful learning strategies to of powerful learning strategies to build knowledge and construct learning artefacts.



A scaffolded learning structure that uses links to essential resources on the

Internet and an authentic task to motivate students' investigation of an openended question, development of individual expertise, and participation in a group process that transforms newly acquired information into a more sophisticated understanding.



Inspires students to see richer thematic relationships, to contribute to the real world of learning, and to reflect on their own metacognitive processes.

Real WebQuests should pass the ARCS filter:



Does the activity get students' Attention?



Is it Relevant to their needs, interests, or motives?



Does the task inspire learners' Confidence in achieving success?



Would completing the activity leave students with a sense of Satisfaction in their accomplishment? (Keller, J. M. (1987). Strategies for stimulating the motivation to learn. Performance and Instruction, 26(8), 1–7)

In his writing on WebQuests, Tom March, web-based educator and founder of ozline.com outlines key elements for teachers to consider:

By engaging learners in a pursuit that requires them to use the acquired information and expertise in a new way, WebQuests help students construct a deeper understanding and move through a crucial transition phase toward a more autonomous, learning-centred

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An interactive resource for schools educational process. Without such engagements, wasted bandwidth is the least of our worries; more fundamentally, we misuse mind and time—the most precious commodities of classroom life.

Students see richer thematic relationships. Is this WebQuest real, rich, and relevant?

These questions form the three Rs for assessing the value of a WebQuest. I have yet to hear of any topic that couldn't be made more authentic, interconnected, or up-to-date through strategic selection of Web sites and creation of personally meaningful tasks that entwine thematic and interdisciplinary relationships. Contextualizing the topic makes it worth learning: We can relate Picasso's Guernica to inner-city graffiti, The Lord of the

Flies to street children in Angola, or the war in Iraq to school violence (March, 2000b).

Research has shown that thematic teaching helps students understand the value of the subject, make logical connections across disciplines, transfer learning from one context to another, and develop a sound knowledge base (Lipson, Valencia, Wixson, & Peters,

1993).

Students contribute to the real world of learning. Innovative applications of authentic assessment increase the value of WebQuests. When “students have been involved in an authentic task involving ‘ill-structured’ challenges and roles that help students rehearse for the complex ambiguities of the ‘game’ of adult and professional life” (Wiggins, 1990), it makes sense to encourage learners to test their newly constructed knowledge with real-world feedback. Students reflect on their own metacognitive processes. Research shows that when students are aware of their own thinking patterns, they can develop independent use of effective learning strategies (Blakey & Spence, 1990). After all, the goal is not for students to do WebQuests forever or to blindly jump through these new and improved hoops, but rather to develop as independent, expert learners.

( http://tommarch.com/writings/wq_power.php

)

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WORKSHEET 2 – PANDEMIC WEBQUEST

Step 1 – Whole class activity: Introduction

Role: ‘You are trying to find out about a potential pandemic disease that could attack

Australia in the near future and what the Australian Government has in place to deal with such a situation.’

Scenario: ‘Your group task is to find out about the threat and document what is being done by producing a current affairs article that can be either in a published newspaper or magazine, online, a documentary on TV or radio.’

The Big Question

What diseases could attack Australia in the near future and what is the Australian

Government doing to address this potential situation? Is this enough?

The Product

You will create a current affairs piece answering the Big Question that could be in the form of:

 a newspaper article

 a magazine article

 an online piece

 a TV or radio documentary.

Step 2 – Small group activity: the process

You will be broken into small cooperative mixed ability groups of 3-4.

Group roles

Each student within the group will take on one of the following roles:



Scientific journalist: you work for a TV show like ‘Quantum’. You need to find out the facts about a pandemic disease that could threaten Australia and will need to present these on the final product.

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

Politician: you are a member of a political party and concerned about what the

Government has put in place to support and protect the Australian people in the case of a disease-driven emergency. You need to answer to your constituents.



General Practitioner: You work in a local medical centre. You have patients arriving every day who want to know more about what might happen if a pandemic hits Australia.



Parent: As a parent, you want to care for and protect your children from what might happen in the future. What would you want to know and how would you want to be supported and prepared?



Think about how each role may influence the role’s perspective. For instance:



What would the scientific journalist be looking for? What answers will they be seeking?



What might a politician be concerned about? What would they want people to know about and have presented in the current affairs piece?



What would a General Practitioner (GP) care about? What questions might they have? What would they want answered in the current affairs piece?



What would a parent want to know? How would the information presented in the current affairs piece address their concerns?

Once you have conducted your research, you will need to investigate the Big Question from the specialised perspective of the role you have assumed.

Step 3 - Small group activity: background research

Once you have picked a role, it is time to undertake some Background Research.

Access the on-line resources listed below (you might add your own – make sure you record these).

You need to find out as much information about a potential pandemic as you can, before you then regroup, assume your roles and begin addressing the Big Question.

Discuss as a group how you might organise the information gathered. You might use:

 flowcharts

 summary tables

 concept maps

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

KWL Charts (What I know, What I want to know, What I learned)

 or other organising structures.

Web links:



Department of Families, Housing, Communities Services and Indigenous

Affairs http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/communities/progserv/Documents/pandemic

_influenza/default.htm



Health Emergency - Department of Health and Ageing http://www.healthemergency.gov.au/internet/healthemergency/piblishing.n

sf/Content/home-1



Department of Health and Ageing http://www.flupandemic.gov.au/internet/publishing.nsf



Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet http://www.dpmc.gov.au/PUBLICATIONS/pandemic/index.cfm



Immunise Australia program – Department of Health and Ageing http://www.immunise.health.gov.au/



World Health Organisation http://www.who.int/en/



Center for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/why.htm

Step 4 - Small group activity: regrouping, assuming the roles and preparing the product

Once your whole group has completed the research and you all feel you have a sound understanding of the information available on potential pandemics and the Australian

Government’s preparedness strategies, it is time to regroup and assume the roles outlined in Step 2.

Return to your task – creating a current affairs piece. You now need to role play from each perspective.

Discuss as a group again how each role would view the Big Question and to keep this in mind as you plan and create your media piece.

Credits & References

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List here the sources of any images, music or text that you're using. Provide links back to the original source. Thank anyone who provided resources or help. List any books and other media that you used as information sources as well.

Step 5 – Whole class activity: presentation

Once completed, you need to present your group’s current affairs piece.

Step 6 – Whole class/individual activity: reflection

Spend some time at the end of the activity reflecting on what you have learned about pandemics, how the differing perspectives influenced your responses and what you can do to be effectively prepared into the future.

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Create literary texts that experiment with structures, ideas and stylistic features of selected authors Literature – Creating literature

Literacy – Texts in context


Show how ideas and points of view in texts are conveyed through the use of vocabulary, including idiomatic expressions, objective and subjective language, and that these can change according to context






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Understand how rhetorical devices are used to persuade and how different layers of meaning are developed through the use of metaphor, irony and parody







Literature: Responding to literature




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Literature: Examining literature



Recognise, explain and analyse the ways literary texts draw on readers’ knowledge of other texts and enable new understanding and appreciation of aesthetic qualities











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Literacy: Texts in context








Analyse how the construction and interpretation of texts, including media texts, can be influenced by cultural perspectives and other texts



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Years

3-6






Curriculum Focus:









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Years

7-10

Curriculum Focus:

Historical skills





Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions Science as Human









Processing and


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Communicating






Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions Science as a Human











Communicating




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Science as a Human






Collaboratively and individually plan and conduct a range of investigation types, including fieldwork and experiments, ensuring safety and ethical guidelines are followed






Evaluating


Communicating






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Science as a Human





Construct and use a range of representations, including graphs, keys and models to represent and analyse patterns or relationships, including using digital technologies as appropriate



Communicating




Advances in scientific understanding often rely on developments in technology and technological advances are often linked to scientific discoveries

People can use scientific knowledge to evaluate whether they should accept claims, explanations or predictions

Science as a Human




Use knowledge of scientific concepts to draw conclusions that are consistent with evidence

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Communicating

Communicate scientific ideas and information for a particular purpose, including constructing evidence-based arguments and using appropriate scientific language, conventions and representations

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Human-caused: Lessons from the

Longford gas explosion

Theme: Human-caused disasters can come from mistakes or oversights that have been made. This activity invites students to investigate one particular human-caused

Australian disaster – the gas explosion at Longford, Victoria in 1998 – and to find out reasons why this occurred and develop their own ideas for how such events can be avoided into the future.


Key learning/Subject areas: English, History, Geography (Detailed curriculum links are included at the end of this document.)

Duration: 2 periods




 understand the events surrounding the 1998 Longford Gas Explosion and its impact

 understand the risks and ways of mitigating these types of disasters

 envisage a way of addressing these types of risks into the future.

Introduction:

On Friday, September 25th, 1998, at about 12.26pm, a vessel ruptured at one of three gas plants operated by ESSO at Longford, 20 kilometres from Sale. Through this activity, your students will develop an historical understanding of what happened at Longford, what lead to the disaster as well as envisaging a safer future.

Prior Learning:


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Discuss with your students what happened at the Longford gas explosion:

On Friday, September 25th, 1998, at about 12.26pm, a vessel ruptured at one of three gas plants operated by ESSO at Longford, 20 kilometres from Sale. Two workers died and eight were seriously injured. The Coroner found that ESSO were responsible for the disaster as they ‘failed to conduct a periodic risk assessment which could have prevented the incident.’

This brief activity is focused on your students using the internet and the Disaster

Mapper to develop their knowledge of what happened, and also to understand how to help minimise chances of such a disaster happening again.

Brainstorm and list any possible questions with your students (some suggestions are outlined below) before they begin exploring the facts found on the Disaster Mapper.


Encourage your students to begin by to exploring the Disaster Mapper under ‘Human

Caused’ disasters and finding out as much as they can about the Longford gas explosion.

They can also use the internet to find answers to their questions.

Here are some sample questions:

1.

When and where did the Longford gas explosion occur?

2.

What lead to the explosion happening?

3.

What impacts did Longford have on the Victorian population? Consider:

 human deaths and injuries

 economic

 health

 communications

 political and social.

4.

What lessons were learned from Longford? Consider:

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 workplace safety and penalties

 emergency management procedures and how government departments work together

 employee training

5.

How can workplaces be made safer today and into the future?

Step 2 – Individual activity: Undertake their investigation

Encourage your students to work individually to answer the questions you have decided on.

Step 3 – Whole class activity: Reporting back

Spend some time getting the students to report back and share what they have learned as a result of their investigation.

Step 4 – Small group activity: A vision for the future

Break your students into small, mixed ability groups of up to 5 students each. Give them

20 minutes to discuss and come up with their answers.

These groups need to focus on the big question: How can we make our workplaces safer in the future so events like Longford don’t happen again?

Once the group has come up with an answer, encourage them to share their findings with the class.


Individual

Once the groups have finished, each individual student should record a summary of what they have learned through this activity in their learning journal if they have one.

What’s next?

Students might be given time to pursue a further interest that has emerged from this activity. For instance, they might be keen to find out more about other human-caused

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An interactive resource for schools disasters in Australia and overseas or develop an argumentative essay or debate exploring human impact on the environment and ways of mitigating these impacts.

Teacher Notes

This activity is a valuable means of encouraging your students to further develop their research, higher order thinking and interpersonal skills. It is not just about finding things out, the activity requires team members to work cohesively, to understand what is required of them, to be productive and, in the end to be able to clearly present and discuss what their group thinking has been. It is therefore important that you monitor how the group is working, as well as its productivity, to address any issues that arise early and before they can get out of hand.


1.


2.

Websites:



Coroner blames ESSO for gas disaster (The Age, 15/11/2002) http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/11/15/1037080898920.html



Savive http://www.savive.com.au/casestudy/longford.html

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Year 5 Literacy – Interacting with others






Year 6 Literacy: Interacting with others


Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions

Use interaction skills, varying conventions of spoken interactions such as voice volume, tone, pitch and pace, according to group size, formality of interaction and needs and expertise of the audience

Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements for defined audiences and purposes, making appropriate choices for modality and emphasis

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Year 7






Identify and discuss main ideas, concepts and points of view in spoken texts to evaluate qualities, for example the strength of an argument or the lyrical power of a poetic rendition

Use interaction skills when discussing and presenting ideas and information, selecting body language, voice qualities and other elements, (for example music and sound) to add interest and meaning

Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements to promote a point of view or enable a new way of seeing





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Years

3-6






Curriculum Focus:









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Years

7-10

Curriculum Focus:

Historical skills


Geography


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PART 3: ACTIVITIES

IDEAS

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ACTIVITY 1: FINDING OUT ABOUT DISASTERS – WHAT MAKES A DISASTER A DISASTER?

Outline Inquiry approach

Review the range of disasters included in the

Disaster Mapper. http://disastermapper.ema.edu.au/#/intro

Students will gain a geographical and historical perspective on the range and types of disasters that have impacted Australia.

ASK: Tune In

Introduce and discuss the inquiry question: What makes a disaster a disaster?

Engage the children in learning by brainstorming with them the range of disasters they know about and encourage them to share their own experiences and explore with them what they would like to learn and know about through this activity.

Identify that the purpose of the learning is to build understanding and to empower them to be prepared for and aware of what might happen in a disaster.

Motivate learners through relevant and authentic links and use of ICT and the Disaster Mapper.

INVESTIGATE: Find Out

Students gather information from the Disaster Mapper.

They may refine the inquiry question or follow a new path that the original question did not-or could not-anticipate.

CREATE: Sort Out

The students organise the information gathered and synthesise what they find out in the

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Outline

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Inquiry approach

Disaster Mapper.

DISCUSS and Make Connections

The students make connections with information gathered in the Disaster Mapper, their own prior knowledge and begin to form new knowledge.

The students begin to shape their new thoughts and ideas and begin to develop a learning artefact to deepen their understanding of the concepts and ideas related to the inquiry question.

Encourage your students to share their new ideas with others and to compare notes, discuss conclusions, and share their experiences.

EXTEND: Going further

Further explore concepts, interests and ideas and raise new questions and challenge any assumptions made.

REFLECT:

Take time with your students to encourage them to look back at the question - What makes a disaster a disaster? – and encourage them to share what they know now.

Ask them to reflect on how they used the Disaster Mapper, what they found, the conclusions they made, the observations they took.

Ask your students if an answer to the question was found and discuss any new questions that arose as part of the inquiry.

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ACTIVITY 2: THE IMPACT OF DISASTERS – WHAT DO DISASTERS COST?


Review the impact information on disasters provided in the Disaster Mapper. http://disastermapper.ema.edu.au/#/intro

Students will gain an understanding of the range of impacts a disaster event can have, including human, economic and environmental through exploring real life examples and scenarios.

ASK: Tune In

Introduce and discuss the inquiry question: What do disasters cost?

Engage the children in learning by brainstorming with them what is meant by ‘cost’ (human, livestock, economic, environmental...) and what they know about the types of disasters that occur, encourage them to share their own experiences and explore with them what they would like to learn and know about through this activity.

Identify that the purpose of the learning is to build understanding of the effects a disaster can have.



Students gather information from the Disaster Mapper.


CREATE: Sort Out

The students organise the information gathered and synthesise what they find out in the

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Outline

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Inquiry approach

Disaster Mapper.


The students make connections with information gathered in the Disaster Mapper, their own prior knowledge, including what was discussed earlier and begin to form new knowledge.

The students begin to shape their new thoughts and ideas and begin to develop a learning artefact to deepen their understanding of the concepts and ideas related to the inquiry question.




REFLECT:

Take time with your students to encourage them to look back at the question - What do

disasters cost? – and encourage them to share what they know now.

Ask them to reflect on how they used the Disaster Mapper, what they found, the conclusions they made, the observations they took.

Ask your students if an answer to the question was found and discuss any new questions that arise as part of the inquiry.

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ACTIVITY 3: THE MEDIA AND DISASTERS - WHAT IS THE MEDIA’S ROLE IN DISASTERS?

Outline

Students analyse how disaster events are represented in the media (digital and print).

Inquiry approach

ASK: Tune In

Introduce and discuss the inquiry question: What is the media’s role in disasters?

Engage the children in learning by brainstorming with them what they already know about media portrayal of disasters (for example, they might cite the recent Christchurch earthquake, Cyclone Yasi or the Victorian or Queensland floods, or the Western Australian or Victorian bushfires) and explore with them what they would like to learn and know about through this activity.

Identify that the purpose of the learning is to build their understanding of the role of the media as well as their critical and visual literacy so they can discern how messages are communicated.

Motivate learners through relevant and authentic links with real life situations.


Students gather information from the internet, newspapers and other sources.


Your students may choose to investigate one particular disaster event and may explore the range of roles of the media – in being an essential communication channel, prior to and during the disaster, in

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Outline

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Inquiry approach reporting the events as they happen, in inciting interest to encourage donations and help etc.

CREATE: Sort Out

The students organise the information gathered and synthesise what they find out.


The students make connections with information gathered as well as their own prior knowledge and begin to form new knowledge.

The students begin to shape their new thoughts and ideas and begin to develop a learning artefact that explores the role of the media, providing evidence for their discussion to deepen their understanding of the concepts and ideas related to the inquiry question.




REFLECT:

Take time with your students to encourage them to look back at the question - What is the media’s

role in disasters?– and encourage them to share what they know now.

Ask them to reflect on how they used the different research tools and sources, what they found, the conclusions they made, the observations they recorded.

Ask your students if an answer to the question was found and discuss any new questions that arise as

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Outline

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Inquiry approach part of the inquiry.

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ACTIVITY 4: SCIENCE AND DISASTERS - HOW DOES SCIENCE HELP US TO PREPARE

FOR, MANAGE AND SURVIVE DISASTERS?


Students develop an understanding of the practical and helpful role Science takes in helping communities to prepare for and survive a disaster.

ASK: Tune In

Introduce and discuss the inquiry question: How does Science help us to prepare for, manage and survive disasters?

Students explore different scientific roles such as: What do meteorologists do?

What do hydrologists do?, What do scientific researchers do? (such as cyclone testing or high tech thermal imaging to survey damage, detect fires, chemical spills and surface contamination on water).

Engage the children in learning by brainstorming with them the range of disasters they know about and the role of Science in these and encourage them to share their own experiences and explore with them what they would like to learn and know about through this activity.

Identify that the purpose of the learning is to build understanding of the valuable role of Science in preparing communities for disaster events.


Students gather information from the internet and other sources.

They may refine the inquiry question or follow a new path that the original question did not-or could

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Outline

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Inquiry approach not-anticipate.

Your students may choose to investigate one particular disaster event and may explore the range of roles of scientists within these (for instance, the role hydrologists performed in predicting river flows in the recent Queensland and Victorian floods, or the role of seismographers in detecting earthquake tremors, or fire scientists who can predict the direction fires will take or those who research and develop new substances to douse flames etc).

CREATE: Sort Out



The students make connections with information gathered as well as their own prior knowledge and begin to form new knowledge.

The students begin to shape their new thoughts and ideas and begin to develop a learning artefact that explores the role of scientists within the particular focus they have chosen, providing evidence for their findings to deepen their understanding of the concepts and ideas related to the inquiry question.


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Outline

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Inquiry approach



REFLECT:

Take time with your students to encourage them to look back at the question - How does Science

help us to prepare for, manage and survive disasters? -and encourage them to share what they know now.



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ACTIVITY 5: DISASTER WARNING – HOW IMPORTANT IS COMMUNICATION IN TIME OF

DISASTER?

Outline

Students develop their own Disaster

Warning System.

The students decide:

What I would say?

How I would communicate it to my audience?

What I would use to communicate?

The impact of the messages on the intended audience.

Inquiry approach

ASK: Tune In

Introduce and discuss the inquiry question: How important is communication in time of disaster?

Engage the children in learning by brainstorming with them the range of ways information about a disaster is communicated to the wider community (TV, radio, SMS etc) and encourage them to share their own experiences and explore with them what they would like to learn and know about through this activity.

Identify that the purpose of the learning is to build understanding of the importance of communication and to develop their own Warning System with key messages.




Your students may choose to investigate one particular disaster event and may explore the range of communication channels used or review a disaster, such as the Victorian Black Saturday 2009

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Outline

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Inquiry approach

Bushfires and the lessons learned regarding effective community communication.

CREATE: Sort Out


The students then determine the key components of a Disaster Warning System for a chosen disaster type. Within this task, they need to determine (1) What they want to say, (2) The target audience for the communication, (3) How they would communicate it to that audience, (4) What strategy/channel/means of communication they would use to communicate, (5) The impact they would want the messages to have on their intended audience.


The students make connections with information gathered about disaster and communication, as well as their own prior knowledge and begin to form new knowledge.

As they design and develop their own Disaster Warning System, the students begin to shape their new thoughts and ideas and begin to develop a learning artefact that explores the role of communication within the particular focus they have chosen, providing evidence for their findings to deepen their understanding of the concepts and ideas related to the inquiry question.




REFLECT:

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Outline

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Inquiry approach

Take time with your students to encourage them to look back at the question - How important is

communication in time of disaster? - and encourage them to share what they know now.



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ACTIVITY 6: DISASTER PREPARATION OVER TIME – WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN

AUSTRALIA’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND DISASTER?


The students develop an understanding of the interaction between indigenous populations, the environment and the strategies used to prepare for and survive disaster events, such as bushfire.

Through this inquiry, students will be able to document and reflect upon lessons that can be learned from our indigenous

Australians regarding how Australian communities can prepare for, manage and survive disaster events.

ASK: Tune In

Introduce and discuss the inquiry question: What is the relationship between Australia’s indigenous people and disaster?

Engage the children in learning by brainstorming with them their beliefs about the interaction between indigenous populations and the environment and how this might impact on the way communities were able to prepare for, manage and survive through disaster events and explore with them what they would like to learn and know about through this activity.

Explore a range of disasters that your students might know about and encourage them to share their own experiences.




They may refine the inquiry question or follow a new path that the original question did not-or could

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Outline Inquiry approach not-anticipate.

Your students may choose to investigate one particular type of disaster event (such as bushfire).

CREATE: Sort Out


The students then determine the key strategies indigenous communities used over history, or are still using now and begin to draw conclusions about the lessons that can be learned and applied to communities in the present.


The students make connections with information gathered and begin to form new knowledge.

The students begin to shape their new thoughts and ideas and begin to develop a learning artefact that explores the strategies used by indigenous communities within the particular focus they have chosen, providing evidence for their findings to deepen their understanding of the concepts and ideas related to the inquiry question.




REFLECT:

Take time with your students to encourage them to look back at the question - What is the

relationship between Australia’s indigenous people and disaster? - and encourage them to share

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Inquiry approach what they know now.



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ACTIVITY 7: EVACUATION – WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME IF I HAVE TO LEAVE?


Given an evacuation scenario, students are asked to consider what they would take with them if they were compelled to evacuate their home.

ASK: Tune In

Introduce and discuss the inquiry question: What is important to me if I have to leave?

This list is then checked against what is practical, useful and that which is unnecessary.

Engage the children in learning by brainstorming with them the sorts of objects/things that are most important to them in their lives and explore with them what they would like to learn and know about through this activity.

By undertaking a whole class brainstorm, encourage them to share their own experiences and to think as widely as possible about what they value most.



Students gather information from each other, the internet and other sources (Refer to resources on

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Inquiry approach the Emergency Management for Schools website as a stimulus: http://www.ema.gov.au/schools ).


CREATE: Sort Out


The students then list the items they would take with them if they were compelled to evacuate their home with little notice.


The students make connections with information gathered and begin to form new knowledge by reviewing the list of items they have selected and classifying them according to

‘essential/practical/needed’ and those that are ‘non-essential/unnecessary/not needed’.

The students begin to shape their new thoughts and ideas and begin to develop a learning artefact that will form a useful and practical evacuation list.


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Inquiry approach



REFLECT:

Take time with your students to encourage them to look back at the question - What is important to

me if I have to leave? - and encourage them to share what they know now.

Ask them to reflect on how they used the different research tools and sources, what they found, the conclusions they made, the observations they recorded and why certain objects they had chosen were judged to be necessary/needed or unnecessary/not needed.


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ACTIVITY 8: EXPLORING WHAT HAPPENS IN A FLOOD - WHAT IS A FLOOD?


Review the range of flood disasters included in the Disaster Mapper. http://disastermapper.ema.edu.au/#/intro

Students develop an understanding of flood as a significant disaster event and determine its potential impact on their school environment.

ASK: Tune In

Introduce and discuss the inquiry question: What is a flood?

Engage the children in learning by brainstorming with them the range of flood disasters they know about and the impact such disasters have had and explore with them what they would like to learn and know about through this activity.

Identify that the purpose of the learning is to build understanding of what happens in a flood event and how to prepare for and respond to such an event if it were to occur in their immediate location at school.



Students gather information from the Disaster Mapper, the internet and other sources.


Your students may choose to investigate one particular flood disaster event (such as the recent

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Queensland and Victorian floods).

CREATE: Sort Out



The students make connections with information gathered as well as their own prior knowledge and begin to form new knowledge as they apply what they have learned to their immediate school environment. Ask your students:

Are we at risk of flood?

Have we ever had floods here?

How high did the water reach?

Using digital photos of the classroom, students label what would be underwater in floods of differing levels (if known, base these on likely levels for your school).

Add text boxes to the digital photos, showing what could be done to minimise damage. For example, turn off electricity, put computers up high, and pick up any books from the floor.

The students begin to shape their new thoughts and ideas and begin to develop a learning artefact that depicts the potential impact of flood on their own classroom.



Further explore concepts, interests and ideas and raise new questions and challenge any

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Inquiry approach assumptions made.

REFLECT:

Take time with your students to encourage them to look back at the question - What is a flood? - and encourage them to share what they know now.

Ask them to reflect on how they used the different research tools and sources, what they found about how a flood might impact them, the conclusions they made, the observations they recorded.


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ACTIVITY 9: HUMAN-CAUSED DISASTERS - WHAT IS A HUMAN-CAUSED OR NON-

NATURAL DISASTER?


Review the human-caused disasters included in the Disaster Mapper. http://disastermapper.ema.edu.au/#/intro

Students develop an understanding of what can cause non-natural disasters and how these can be avoided.

ASK: Tune In

Introduce and discuss the inquiry question: What is a human-caused or non-natural disaster?

Engage the children in learning by brainstorming with them the range of human-caused disasters they might know about and the impact such disasters have had and explore with them what they would like to learn and know about through this activity.

Identify that the purpose of the learning is to build understanding of what happens in humancaused disaster events and what can lead up to these events occurring.



Students gather information from the Disaster Mapper, the internet and other sources.


Your students may choose to investigate one particular human-caused disaster event (such as

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Inquiry approach the Longford Gas Explosion, Granville Train Disaster and even those overseas such as the USA

Gulf of Mexico oil leak).

CREATE: Sort Out



The students make connections with information gathered as well as their own prior knowledge and begin to form new knowledge about human impact on disasters.

The students begin to shape their new thoughts and ideas and begin to develop a learning artefact that depicts the chosen human-caused disaster that also explores how these disasters can be avoided or mitigated in the future.




REFLECT:

Take time with your students to encourage them to look back at the question - What is a human-

caused or non-natural disaster? - and encourage them to share what they know now.

Ask them to reflect on how they used the different research tools and sources, what they found about human-caused disasters, the conclusions they made, the observations they recorded.

Ask your students if an answer to the question was found and discuss any new questions that

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Inquiry approach arise as part of the inquiry.

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ACTIVITY 10: PORTRAYAL OF DISASTERS IN MOVIES – HOW ARE DISASTERS

DEPICTED IN MOVIES?

Outline

Students will explore the depiction of disasters in cinema and critically review whether or not such depictions are sensationalised or realistic.

Inquiry approach

ASK: Tune In

Introduce and discuss the inquiry question: How are disasters depicted in movies?

Engage the children in learning by brainstorming with them the range of disaster movies that they know about and the strategies used to show the impact of the disaster. Ask them:

What disaster movies do you know about?

How are the disasters depicted in the movie?

What is used to show the disaster? (You can also encourage your students to compare older films like ‘The Wizard of Oz’ with more current ones like ‘Twister’, ‘Earthquake’, ‘Armageddon’, ‘Dante’s

Peak’, ‘2012’, ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ etc.)

Explore with them what they would like to learn and know about through this activity.

Identify that the purpose of the learning is to build understanding of how disasters are perceived and depicted.


The students may refine the inquiry question or follow a new path that the original question did not-

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An interactive resource for schools or could not-anticipate.

Your students may choose to investigate one particular type of disaster and explore different depictions of same in cinema over time.

CREATE: Sort Out



The students make connections with information gathered as well as their own prior knowledge and begin to form new knowledge about disaster cinema.

The students begin to shape their new thoughts and ideas and begin to develop a learning artefact that invites them to consider the sort of disaster movie they would create and then to storyboard a selection of scenes from such a movie.




REFLECT:

Take time with your students to encourage them to look back at the question - How are disasters

depicted in movies? - and encourage them to share what they know now.

Ask them to reflect on how they used the different research tools and sources, what they found about disaster cinema, the conclusions they made, the observations they recorded.

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An interactive resource for schools Teaching Guide [DOC 1.73MB]

Disaster Mapper

An Interactive Resource for Schools

TEACHING GUIDE

Table of Contents

Introduction

Rationale

Part 1: Learning and

Teaching Goals

Key Learning Areas

Aims

Key Concepts

Understandings

Skills and Processes

Part 2: Lesson Plans

Flood: Pets and Floods

Australian Curriculum Links

Bushfire: Feelings

WORKSHEET 1: PHOTO STIMULI

HANDOUT 1: WHAT IS RECOVERY?

Australian Curriculum Links

Drought: Droughts in Australia

WORKSHEET 1 - K.W.L.

Australian Curriculum Links

Cyclone: Design your own cyclonestrong structure

WORKSHEET 1 – DESIGNING A CYCLONE-STRONG

STRUCTURE

WORKSHEET 2 - K.W.L.

Australian Curriculum Links

Earthquake: Where’s safe in your place?

WORKSHEET 1 - HOW TO STAY SAFE DURING AN

EARTHQUAKE

WORKSHEET 2 – SAMPLE ASSESSMENT RUBRIC

Australian Curriculum Links

Severe storm: A 3 day survival kit

WORKSHEET 1 – SAMPLE CONCEPT MAP

Australian Curriculum Links

Tsunami: Find a way out!

Australian Curriculum Links

Heatwave: Designing a heatwave-proof product

Australian Curriculum Links

Pandemic: A Pandemic WebQuest

WORKSHEET 1 – INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS ON

WEBQUESTS

WORKSHEET 2 – PANDEMIC WEBQUEST

Australian Curriculum Links

Human-caused: Lessons from the

Longford gas explosion

Australian Curriculum Links

PART 3: ACTIVITIES

IDEAS

ACTIVITY 1: FINDING OUT ABOUT DISASTERS – WHAT MAKES A DISASTER A DISASTER?

ACTIVITY 2: THE IMPACT OF DISASTERS – WHAT DO DISASTERS COST?

ACTIVITY 3: THE MEDIA AND DISASTERS - WHAT IS THE MEDIA’S ROLE IN DISASTERS?

ACTIVITY 4: SCIENCE AND DISASTERS - HOW DOES SCIENCE HELP US TO PREPARE

FOR, MANAGE AND SURVIVE DISASTERS?

ACTIVITY 5: DISASTER WARNING – HOW IMPORTANT IS COMMUNICATION IN TIME OF

DISASTER?

ACTIVITY 6: DISASTER PREPARATION OVER TIME – WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN

AUSTRALIA’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND DISASTER?

ACTIVITY 7: EVACUATION – WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME IF I HAVE TO LEAVE?

ACTIVITY 8: EXPLORING WHAT HAPPENS IN A FLOOD - WHAT IS A FLOOD?

ACTIVITY 9: HUMAN-CAUSED DISASTERS - WHAT IS A HUMAN-CAUSED OR NON-

NATURAL DISASTER?

ACTIVITY 10: PORTRAYAL OF DISASTERS IN MOVIES – HOW ARE DISASTERS

DEPICTED IN MOVIES?

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