Teacher: Alexane Trépanier-Desbiens
Date: November 18th, 2015
Location: St-Johns school
Subject / grade level: Geography/ Secondary Cycle 1, year 1
Duration: 75 minutes
Materials

Case Study
MELS competencies and Clarifying Objectives
Professional competencies:

Competency 6
Cross-curricular competencies:

Competency 2: Solves Problems
Social Sciences competencies:

Competency 2: Interprets a territorial issue
Lesson objective(s):

By the end of the lesson, the student will be able to identify, by answering questions on a worksheet,
risks related to natural disasters and solutions to prepare for the possibility of a natural disaster, in a
case study of one of the following cities: Quito, San Francisco or Manila.
Progression of learning:
Geography (Cycle One)
Urban territory
B. Cities subject to natural hazards
Characteristics of a city subject to natural hazards

Indicates the type(s) of natural hazards to which the city studied is subject
(e.g. San Francisco: earthquakes; Quito: eruption of the Pichincha Volcano
and earthquakes)

Indicates the relationship between the location of the city studied and the
hazard(s) to which it is subject (e.g. San Francisco is built along a series of
fault lines, the best known being the San Andreas Fault; Manila is located on
1
an island in a volcanic archipelago and is exposed to several natural hazards:
typhoons that cause floods and landslides, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes
and tsunamis)

Explains why the population is attracted to the city studied despite the
instability associated with the hazards (e.g. the fertile volcanic soils of the
valley of the Andes attract the population around Quito; the Mediterranean
climate and quality of life in California attract people to San Francisco)

Establishes the level of development of the country in which the city studied
is located (e.g. San Francisco is located in a developed country)
Planning and development of a city subject to natural hazards

Indicates means used to protect the residents from natural hazards in the city
studied (e.g. earthquake-resistant buildings in San Francisco; stilt houses and
dikes to prevent mudslides in Manila)

Indicates safety measures that the city studied can take to deal with a
disaster (e.g. in San Francisco, officials have prepared evacuation plans and
planned disaster shelters for displaced residents)
Issues affecting a city or cities subject to natural hazards

Indicates preventive measures taken to deal with hazards (e.g. designing
systems to detect earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, cyclones and
tsunamis)

Explains the relationship between the level of economic development of
the country where the city is located and its ability to protect residents
from hazards (e.g. cities in developing countries lack resources; few
measures are therefore taken to deal with natural disasters, which is less
likely to be the case in developed countries)
Big Idea

Urban territory and Natural disasters
Essential Questions

What are natural disasters

What can be done to prepare for a natural disaster?
2

What happens after a natural disaster?

What is humanitarian aid?
Approx.
Duration
5 minutes
What?
30 minutes
Case Study: Students complete the third case study (the
one they have not done)
15-20
minutes
Briefly go over each metropolis
-Students correct their answers
10 minutes
Watch the following video
-Students answer the following question: What are the
three general steps to face natural disasters presented in the
video?
15 minutes
Review Questions
 Using their textbook, students write 8-10 questions
about the chapter and the answers to those
questions.
Materials
Comments
Case Study
Check that the
homework is
done while
students work.
Attendance
Video:
http://video.ft
.com/389583
4274001/Ho
w-citiesrecoverfrom-naturaldisaster/Worl
d
Depending on
the time left to
the period, it
might be 5-8
questions
rather than 810. If there is
extra time, the
students can
quiz each
other, using
their questions.
3