Teacher preparation:

Overarching learning goal: Students recognise that although there are a number of different types of floods we can prevent, mitigate and prepare for all these types of floods in a number of different ways. Students learn that different sectors have different ways of contributing to managing the risk of flooding and that this includes addressing climate change, an issue that is predicted to impact upon flood frequency and intensity.

For year 7 students, consider removing the points around mitigation, instead asking students to only focus on prevention and preparedness in both the questions and the creation of the Venn diagrams.

This activity could be altered to suit other natural disasters or geomorphological hazards.

The IPCC:

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. It was created to:

provide policymakers (governments) with regular scientific updates about climate change;
highlight the impact climate change will have on the planet in the future; and,
offer some ideas about how to tackle the challenges of climate change's potential effects on the planet.

In 2021-22, the IPCC released their sixth assessment report. This is the most up-to-date physical understanding of the climate system and climate change.

The report makes a number of important points:

It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land.
Global surface temperature will continue to increase until at least mid-century under all emissions scenarios considered. Global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C will be exceeded during the 21st century unless deep reductions in CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades (B1). The report describes five possible climate futures, where #1 is not great and #5 is extremely bad. If we want to keep global warming at less than two degrees, which the IPCC says is the best-case scenario, we need to reduce our CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions significantly and start right away.

'Net zero' or 'carbon neutral' are terms that refer to achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and greenhouse gas emissions taken out of the atmosphere. Getting to net zero means we can still produce some emissions, so long as we're doing something else to reduce the greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere at the same time, kind of like balancing a set of scales (more info).

Psychological safety. The IPCC Report sets a hard challenge. While this real-world issue is essential for students to understand, there is no doubt it can make them feel sad or anxious about the future is becoming darker and scarier by the day.

So, reassure students that we can have a hopeful and optimistic outlook on this report, rather than one of doom and gloom. Explain that optimism involves looking objectively at a situation and making a conscious decision to focus on the good (more info), and that hope is the belief that you can make an impact (more info). Explain to students that you are going to look ahead, identify what needs to be improved, and then work on the skills and confidence so that they can go out and do it.

If you're interested in learning more about how to approach challenging topics around climate change and sustainability in your classroom through a Hope and Optimism lens, consider our PD course.

Student and classroom organisation:

Step 1.

Begin this activity by asking students to define and describe the term 'flood' and how floods relate to climate change. Record student responses on the board or ask a student volunteer to record responses. Consider using the following sentence starters to guide students:

A flood occurs when...
Floods may be caused by...
Floods can cause damage by...
A flood happens when...
Climate change will affect floods by...

Explain to students that there are three main types of floods.

The most common reason is heavy rainfall where natural watercourses don't have the capacity to carry excess water.
In coastal areas, floods may be caused by a storm surge related to a cyclone, tsunami or high tide.
If a dam fails (for example when there is an earthquake) excess water released from the dam may cause flooding.

Invite students to suggest an example of flooding that they have seen or that they remember from the news. Where did it happen and what was the cause?

Step 2.

The next step is to break the class into 8 groups. Each group will represent a different sector of society and will look at how this sector can prevent, mitigate and prepare for floods in a populated region.

The sectors are:

Emergency services
Government
Farmers
Schools
Local businesses
Infrastructure managers
Natural resource managers
Community

Groups need to work through the questions on the student worksheet and create three Venn diagrams, one each for obstacles, one for what our sector can do, and one for the other sectors that should be involved. Students can use the following online programs to create their Venn diagrams: creately and readthinkwrite.

Students may need to conduct additional research to help them fill out their diagrams. Remind students of the Search Strategies for Googling when conducting research online.

Step 3.

Ask each group to share their Venn diagrams with the class. Other groups should be encouraged to comment on the diagrams, ask questions and look for connections and similarities. Consider using the following questions as prompts:

Which sectors are the most vulnerable to flooding? Which are the least vulnerable?
Which sector is facing the most obstacles and why?
Which sector needs the most resources and why?
Which sector is the most in demand?

Assessment/Reflection

Step 1.

Create three headings on the board - 1. obstacles, 2. what each sector can do, 3. resources required, 4. other sectors that should be involved - and ask each group to write on the board the words that are at the intersection of the three circles for all their Venn diagrams.

Step 2.

Ask students to create a wordle diagram for each of the headings.

Step 3.

Students should then analyse the wordle diagrams using the following questions (also available on the student worksheet):

Which obstacles are most commonly identified? Why do you think this is?
What sectors are most commonly identified? Why do you think this is?
What resources are most commonly identified? Why do you think this is?
What actions are most required? Why do you think this is?
With climate change predicted to increase the frequency and severity of floods, what area of flood management (prevention, preparedness and mitigation) do you think should receive highest priority and why?

Extension/Homework

Ask students to watch the following clip:

WHEN THE FLOODS CAME: https://vimeo.com/21999969

Reflecting upon learnings in this activity, students should create a new Venn diagram that compares what they think are the differences and similarities between a flood in Bangladesh and a flood in Australia.

How to manage a flood

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