Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

15 minutes	Part A: What is the scale of some of the worst natural hazards?
25 minutes	Part B: Broader impacts of natural disasters
30 minutes	Part C: Investigating hazards around the world
10 minutes	Reflection

Part A: What is the scale of some of the worst natural hazards?

Step 1.

Explain to students that today they will be investigating the impact of natural disasters.
Year 7 students will explore hydrological hazards, and Year 8 students will investigate geomorphic hazards. Before you present the video, ask students to look out for the impacts of natural hazards and encourage students to take notes.

Step 2.

Watch this video: 6 Terrible Natural Disasters And Their Consequences (youtu.be/zotU83Sd6jc).

Additional resources: If you would like access to other articles or information, then Year 7 students can read the article: The other half of climate change debate (camdencourier.com.au/story/7685866/the-other-half-of-the-climate-change-debate-adaptation/?cs=13333) and Year 8 students can read the BBC article Australia fires: A visual guide to the bushfire crises (bbc.com/news/world-australia-50951043).

Step 3.

Split students into groups of 3 - 4 students per group and assign each group an impact associated with a natural disaster. Chose an impact from the following list:

public health
economic
health and safety
climate change
environmental loss
biodiversity
physical
agricultural.

Below is an example of some impacts retrieved from the United Nations article: Impacts of the 2020 Black Summer Bushfires.

Public health	As a result of intense smoke and air pollution stemming from the fires, in January 2020, reports indicated that Canberra measured the worst air quality index of any major city in the world. Wildfires produce harmful smoke which can cause fatalities. Wildfires produce fine particle air pollution, threatening human health even during relatively short exposures. Close to the fires, smoke is a health risk because it contains a mixture of hazardous gases and particles that can irritate the eyes and the respiratory system.
Economic	The price tag to the Australian economy is still being analyzed, but it’s clear that infrastructure has been damaged and that impacts extend to industries such as farming and tourism. Some businesses and institutions have been forced to close their doors during periods of excessive levels of air pollution.
Health and Safety	The bushfires have not only been made more likely and intense by climate change, they also add to it. Until the 2019–2020 Australian bushfire season, the forests in Australia were thought to reabsorb all the carbon released in bushfires across the country.
Climate Change	Fires do not only cause physical harm; many people experience mental trauma from the experience of emergency evacuation and losing homes, pets, belongings, livestock or other sources of livelihood. Some communities were unable to evacuate quickly when lost electricity meant fuel stations weren't operational or blocked roads kept people trapped in high-risk areas. Some were forced to seek safety on beaches and on boats, sheltering children overnight while witnessing unprecedented firestorms.
Environmental Loss	Ash from the fires has landed in school playgrounds, backyards, and is being washed up on Australia's beaches and into freshwater stores and water catchments. Drinking water catchments are typically forested areas and so are vulnerable to bushfire pollution.
Biodiversity	An estimated billion animals, and many more bats and insects died. This loss is part of a much bigger picture of a world where biodiversity is in steep decline. We are losing wildlife at an ever-increasing scale across the planet, with impacts to ecosystems vital for our global food production. The world's terrestrial biodiversity is concentrated in forests: they are home to more than 80 per cent of all terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects. So, when forests burn, the biodiversity humans depend on for their long-term survival also disappears in the inferno. With over 1 million species currently facing extinction if we continue with business as usual, extreme weather events such “megafires” become an increasing concern for species survival.
Physical	According to media reports over 18 million hectares have burned in the Australian bushfire season 2019–2020 as of mid-January, destroying over 5,900 buildings, including over 2,800 homes. In addition to human fatalities, many millions of animals are reported to have been killed.
Agricultural	The bushfires have scorched pasture, destroyed livestock and razed vineyards, with regrowth and recovery likely to stretch water resources already challenged by drought.

Step 4.

While students work on their impacts, roam the room to gather the main points and facilitate a classroom discussion where each group adds to the table.
Ensure students understand that hazards reach beyond fatalities and economic losses. In the next few activities, they will analyse these losses to understand the burdens associated with natural hazards.

Part B: Broader impacts of natural disasters

Step 1.

Ask students to take a look at the map below and analyse the key information about natural hazards worldwide on page 9 of the United Nations article: Exposure and vulnerability to natural disasters for world's cities.

Source: World Urbanization Prospects: The 2018 Revision; Dilley et al. (2005) Disclaimer: The designations employed and the presentation of material on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Step 2.

As a class, navigate your way through the various disasters and discuss

What do you notice?
What do you wonder?
What impact does this have on you and your community?

Part C: Investigating hazards around the world

Step 1.

Organise your class into groups of 2-3 students per group. Ask the group to choose one country and a hazard it has experienced in the last 5 years. Ask them to identify the city, and hazard first. Then, present at least 3 impacts (covered in part A) associated with the hazard.

Choose a hazard: Bushfire, flood, tsunami, cyclone, earthquake, tornado, landslide.
Choose from the impacts: Public health, economic, climate change loop, health and safety, environmental costs, biodiversity, physical and agricultural impacts.

Step 2.

Hand out a large A3 piece of paper and ask students to collate and draft information in the form of a mind map under the main headings. Please encourage students to use images, graphics and charts to enhance their mind map. Students can construct their mind map on a sheet of A3 paper or an online program.

Note: If the above task is considered too advanced or you would like your class to focus specifically on one natural disaster, it is suggested that you assign the hazard and ask students to pick a country of their choice that has experienced the hazard in the last 5 years.

Step 3.

Suppose you would like students to focus specifically on Australia. In that case, there is a list of resources below to assist student investigation: This information will get students started on Australian hazards, but they will need to undertake further research if they wish to focus on other cities and countries worldwide.

Australian bushfires:

Ten impacts of the Australian bushfires (unep.org/news-and-stories/story/ten-impacts-australian-bushfires)
Black Summer bushfires, VIC, 2019-20 (knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/black-summer-bushfires-vic-2019-20/)
Black Summer bushfires, NSW, 2019-20 (knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/black-summer-bushfires-nsw-2019-20/)

Australian floods:

What are the consequences of floods? (chiefscientist.qld.gov.au/publications/understanding-floods/flood-consequences)
A supercharged climate (https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Final_Embargoed-Copy_Flooding-A-Supercharged-Climate_Climate-Council_ILedit_220310.pdf)

Step 5.

Invite the students to undertake a ‘gallery walk’ walk around the classroom to visit each other’s mind maps, or share them online.

Reflection

Based on what they have learned in this lesson, ask students to watch the video: Creating Resilient Landscapes (news.com.au/national/minderoo-foundation-focused-on-creating-resilient-landscapes/video/962d9f0ccf140aef2dbf92f489a89f27) and write down one piece of information they saw that gives them hope for the future of Australia and mitigating hazards.

Differentiated learning

Extension

Students could combine their small group mind maps into a whole class mind map for a hazard of their choice. OR Ask students to choose an impact they find interesting and conduct some research on how we can mitigate this impact.

Provisions for learning support

For small group work, mix students based on knowledge, skills and capabilities to ensure you have varying skill sets in the groups.

Teacher reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching:

What did you learn about your teaching practice today?
What worked well?
What didn't work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

Resilient Australia - Identifying The Scale Of Hazards Around The World

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