What's the Plan, Stan? has suggestions for teaching and learning programmes for students in years 4–8, focusing on emergency events and the impacts they could have on your community.
Students in years 4–8 explore emergency events in a local context, covering the local and historical impact, the science behind the phenomenon, and preparation strategies and tips. At this level, students will have progressed from the understandings in the years 1–3 resource and will be able to look at emergency preparedness in more depth.
While the content of this resource is more advanced, the anxiety that students feel about the subject matter could well be the same. Advice on ways to help students overcome this anxiety can be found in the effective pedagogy section of this resource.
Students explore natural disasters in New Zealand and the emergency events that are most likely to happen in their area – and why they happen.
Discuss pictures of emergency events that have happened in your local area or other parts of NZ.
Ask questions such as:
After these discussions you could explore the following sites for further information on these questions:
Students can present their thinking on Thinking Maps. You can then use these maps as starting points to extend students’ thinking, asking:
Explore personal accounts focusing on thoughts and feelings. Create a flowchart or timeline of events to show the ways in which people may respond to an emergency.
Read the story “Flood” or Isabel’s Upside-down Day. Use prompts, questioning, or other strategies to focus on the feelings and emotions of characters in the story.
From the earliest times in New Zealand history, earthquakes and eruptions were recorded, both as eye witness accounts, and as myths and legends. Māori are kaitiakitanga of the land of Aotearoa, and as such, protect and guard the land no matter what form it takes. As tangata whenua, Māori have been involved in all of the emergency events in Aotearoa.
Some ways you could explore this history and relationship with your students include:
In addition to exploring a Māori perspective, look to the stories and traditions of all of the students in your class. What other experiences, stories, and perspectives can they bring?
Students discuss historic emergency events with their families and complete a summary sheet that explores questions like:
To examine the effects of natural emergency events, students need to have some understanding of how those events occur – and why. The following scientific investigations will help build these understandings.
Our Earth is not a solid rock but is made up of a series of different layers called the crust, the mantle, the inner and outer cores. The crust is the outside layer that we live on and is formed from a series of solid plates that float on the liquid mantle below. The plates are constantly moving due to convection currents occurring in the mantle layer as this layer is liquid magma and heats up and cools down resulting in convection currents. Some of these plates move apart (such as the plates running down the middle of the Atlantic Ocean). Some plates move directly into each other, such as the collision of the Australian Plate with the Pacific Plate forming the Southern Alps in the South Island. Others form subduction zones, where one plate moves under the other. This occurs in New Zealand in the North Island causing a line of volcanoes and geothermal areas. When plates move we get small cracks called fault lines. As fault lines move there can be either a gradual release of energy or a sudden release of energy resulting in earthquakes.
The Richter Scale measures the size of an earthquake. It is a measure of the energy released. When earthquakes are deep in the Earth their energy is the same but the shaking does not feel as strong as shallow earthquakes. The amount of shaking you feel is another way to describe earthquakes. This is called the intensity. It is stronger when you are close to the earthquake source and when the earthquake is shallow, and decreases the further away you are. So we describe earthquakes by the energy released or their magnitude, and also how strong the shaking feels or the intensity.
The Earthquake Commission (EQC) has developed resources to help students and teachers learn more about the science of earthquakes. These include:
For a video explaining basic tectonic plate movement, watch New Zealand: where two tectonic plates collide.
Build quake-safe structure or design a building that could withstand an earthquake or a volcanic eruption. Use materials such as playing cards, Lego, wooden blocks, and collected items from the school garden.
Investigate to find the answers to these questions:
Useful resource
Volcanoes are mostly found along the borders between plates in the Earth’s crust. The Earth’s plates move around because they are floating on top of a layer of liquid rock called magma. Magma forms the layer we call the mantle. This layer is under a lot of pressure, and if there is a gap in the plates the liquid rock can be forced out (just like when you shake a bottle of fizzy drink and then open it). When the magma is forced out above ground, it cools to form solid rock. This is called lava. Lava can flow in sheets to form layers of new rock, but it can also build up hills and mountains which we call volcanoes.
All of New Zealand’s active volcanoes are on the North Island or in the sea near the North Island. Volcanoes can produce lava as well as ash, lahar and a range of different gases some of which are extremely poisonous. The shape and size of a volcano depends on the materials in the magma, the force of the explosions and its age. Volcanoes can be extinct, dormant or active.
The most common volcanic hazard is ash. It is very scratchy because volcanic ash is made up of tiny pieces of sharp rock. When an eruption happens ash can be carried hundreds of kilometres in the atmosphere by winds. During the volcanic eruption of Mt Ruapehu in 1996, a thin layer of ash covered farms, cars and buildings.
There are a number of New Zealand sites about the volcanic fields in Aotearoa. Students could visit GeoNet for an up-to-date volcano alert summary.
For resources that explain volcanoes to students:
Information written with Secondary ESOL students in mind:
Video of how volcanoes are formed and erupt:
Auckland’s volcanoes:
Make small “volcanoes” out of gelatine and show how pressure in a volcano causes the eruption of magma.
To make one small volcano, you will need:
Method
Tsunamis form when there is an earthquake which causes a vertical shift in the bottom of the ocean. This causes displacement of the water which causes a series of waves to form. The waves travel out from the source like ripples travelling across a pond after you drop a pebble in it. Tsunami waves can travel across entire oceans. Watch this animation of a tsunami caused by an earthquake in Chile in 2014 to see the waves travelling across the Pacific to New Zealand. Landslips can also cause Tsunamis.
To help students understand how damaging a tsunami can be, introduce the concept of shoaling. The process of shoaling helps to explain why tsunami waves get taller as they approach the shore - and the taller they are, the more damage can be caused. A graphic illustration of shoaling is also available. For more general information about tsunami, and an historic overview of tsunami in New Zealand, Te Ara has a comprehensive site that older students could read themselves.
For a video explaining how tsunami are formed and the damage they can cause, watch New Zealand's Tsunami Hazard
See What’s the Plan, Stan, Years 1-3 for other suggested activities to explain tsunami.
Use the science and mathematics activity Education Place, Monster Waves, to investigate the power of a tsunami. In this activity, students will build a table-top village and use it to visualize the relative height and effects of gigantic waves called tsunamis.
Above the crust (the solid layer of the earth that we live on) is a layer of air that is essential to all living things called the atmosphere. Our atmosphere can be divided into different layers. Closest to the ground is the troposphere, which is about 8-15 kilometres thick. This is the layer where most of our weather occurs as it is the most dense. The air in the atmosphere is always moving as it heats up and cools down, causing convection currents which we experience as wind. Clouds are also a visible sign of these convection currents. This means that the air becomes unstable and when unstable air meets lots of moisture there is the potential for thunderstorms to occur.
Storms are common all over Aotearoa. To introduce the different components of a storm, Science Kids New Zealand has student friendly fact sheets on lightning, rain, thunder, wind, and hurricanes. The New Zealand Metservice has real time satellite imagery and thunderstorm warnings, to track the storm activity in your local area.
For a video explaining how storms are formed and the damage they can cause, watch Bill Nye The Science Guy: Storms
This is an experiment that students in years 4–8 should be able to do without teacher guidance. If possible, have the students record their observations using a digital device to take photos and annotate the photographs afterwards.
In this experiment, water is used to represent hot and cold air. Blue water represents the cold air mass and red water represents the warm and unstable air mass. The warm water (air) is forced to rise by approaching cold water (a front). This is where thunderstorms would form.
Materials
Method
STEMWORKS, Create-A-Cane: Build Your Own Hurricane!
In this interactive game, students can build their own hurricane. As they do so, they’ll learn what kinds of wind conditions, latitude, and sea temperature are favourable for a hurricane to be born.
The water cycle simplified is when water circulates from clouds – to the soil – to streams – to rivers – to the oceans and then returns to the clouds.
When a lot of rain falls it can be too much for the soil to soak up and streams can fill up. When streams and rivers fill up faster than they can flow out to sea the water runs onto the adjoining low-lying land surfaces and causes a flood. Urban flooding can also occur when there is too much water for the storm water drains to clear.
With our substantial number of waterways, there are many parts of Aotearoa that could potentially be affected by a flood. In fact, floods are the most common emergency event around the country.
Flood facts for kids gives a factual overview, while Te Ara give a new Zealand perspective on floods and flood damage.
For a video explaining how storms are formed and the damage they can cause, watch The causes of flooding
Flood map: Water Level Elevation Map gives a map of a local area and allows the user to adjust imaginary floodwaters to show how much of the land could end up under sea level.
The crust of the Earth may be made from solid rock but it has also changed over millions of years to form soil. This process is always occurring. Soils come in many different varieties. Soils can be worn down or worn away by water, wind, human activities. This is called erosion.
Where soils have built up over a while and a sudden event such as a heavy downpour, floods or earthquakes occur then a large quantity of soil can move quickly resulting in a landslide. However, this also depends on the type of soil and how ’sticky’ the soil particles are. ‘Sticky’ soil particles have lots of friction so hold together better than ‘smooth’ soil particles which slide easier. It also depends on factors such as tree roots which help hold soil together preventing landslides. Gravity can also play an important part as the steeper the slope of the land the greater the effect of gravity.
Landslides are linked to floods, volcanoes, and earthquakes, as well as weathering and erosion caused by human sections.
One Geology Kids, has a few pages containing landslide information for students:
For more general information about landslides, and an historic overview of landslides in New Zealand, Te Ara has a comprehensive site that older students could read themselves.
For a video explaining how one landslide in New Zealand is continuing to slip and cause damage to the surrounding environment, watch Dart Landslide January 2014
EQC provide the following information to help you be prepared for a landslide.
Use one of the experiments shown in this You Tube video: Erosion Lab to look at different kinds of erosion and landslides.
This experiment from Scientific American, uses physics to explain land movement.
Assign one emergency event (earthquakes, tsunami, volcanic eruptions, landslides, floods and storms) to small groups. Ask the groups to investigate and report on:
Groups share the results of their investigation and their ideas on a shared class chart or graphic organiser. List the possible dangers and damage identified, for example, houses coming off their foundations, blocked roads, people trapped in buildings, power lines coming down, or burst water pipes.
Students can create digital 3D models of what an emergency event might look like in your area. Try using a tool like Mapme or Sketchfab.
Using scenarios works well with older students, who are more able to separate fact from fiction and apply a fictitious scenario to action in real life. A range of scenarios are presented below.
How could you use these scenarios?
These scenarios can be useful for short, teachable moments after a drill or practice. Discuss with students what they would do in some of these scenarios if they occurred at lunchtime or during breaks, or if the teacher isn’t at school and there is a reliever.
What if:
What if:
What if:
What if:
Have a look at the six impacts of emergency events linked to on the home page.
Assign one impact and its associated superhero to individuals, pairs, or small groups of students. Ask them to complete the following activities.
In groups of four to six, review the school’s emergency evacuation plans and emergency response procedures. If the school has various plans, give different plans to each group. Discuss the plans within each group to ensure that everyone knows what to do in the event of an emergency.
Divide the groups in half – each group teaches another group what to do. Keep swapping groups until everyone has been through all the emergency response procedures. If the school has only one or two plans, go through these as a class.
Are these school procedures and plans effective and clear for everyone?
Brainstorm a list of ways to improve the school plans and procedures. Ideas might include:
Ask students what actions can be taken to prepare for emergency impacts. Create a chart or poster with information about actions at the three levels.
Suggestions for discussion and debate:
Students can create a home emergency plan with their families. Students could share their plans of how to deal with all six impacts with the class.
Household emergency plan from Getthru provides more information.
Students can visit EQC Fix. Fasten. Don’t Forget. and list the ways they can quake safe their home. They then talk with their parents about what action they have taken so far, and what further action they can take. The PDF Easy Ways To Quake Safe Your Home provides more information.
These downloadable emergency stories are suitable for all levels and available in English and te reo Māori.
Building Science Concepts provide a structured approach for teaching science concepts, helping teachers to build students' understandings from simple to more complex scientific ideas and to relate these to students' existing understandings of the world around them.
Science Online, Book 2: Weathering and Erosion Weathering and Erosion (levels 3–4)
Science Online, Book 12: Volcanoes: Hot Rock in a Cool World Science Online (levels 3–4)
Science Online, Book 40: Earthquakes: Feeling the Earth Move
Science Online, Book 50: Storms: Extreme Weather (levels 3–4)
If your school does not have these titles, they can be ordered at Down the Back of the Chair: Ministry of Education Resource Catalogue.
The Assessment resource bank houses assessment resources in maths, science and English for students working in levels 1–5 of the New Zealand Curriculum.
(You will need to create an account to use these assessment resources)
Emergency | Resource | Learning area | Level |
All |
English: Making meaning, viewing |
3 |
|
Science: Knowledge, Planet Earth |
3 |
||
Science: Knowledge, Planet Earth |
5 |
||
Flood |
English: Making meaning, reading |
3 |
|
Science: Communicating in science, Planet Earth |
3 |
||
English: Making meaning, reading |
4 |
||
Tsunami |
|
English, Making meaning, Reading |
3 |
Storm |
Science: Understanding about science, Planet Earth |
4 |
|
Landslides |
Science: Knowledge, Planet Earth |
3 |
|
Volcano |
Science, Knowledge, Planet Earth |
3 |
|
|
Science, Investigating in science, Planet Earth |
3 |
|
Science, Knowledge, Planet Earth |
5 |
||
Science, Communicating in science, Planet Earth |
5 |
||
Earthquakes |
Science, Communicating in science, Planet Earth |
4 |
|
Science: Knowledge, Planet Earth |
5 |
||
Science: Knowledge, Planet Earth |
5 |
||
Science, Communicating in science, Planet Earth |
5 |
||
Science, Investigating in science, Planet Earth |
5 |
||
Science, Communicating in science, Planet Earth |
5 |
||
Science, Investigating in science, Planet Earth |
5 |
The School Journal supports students in years 4−8 to develop the knowledge and skills required to meet the reading demands of all the curriculum areas. Connected promotes scientific, technological, and mathematical literacy.
“Earthquake” by Lynn Davis. School Journal, Level 3, Nov 2011
The story of one family's experiences during and after the 4 September 2010 Christchurch earthquake. Teacher support material is available.
“One City – Two Earthquakes” by Jenna Tinkle. School Journal, Level 3, Nov 2011
Two earthquakes struck Christchurch, one in 2010 and another in 2011. Why was the second quake so much worse than the first? Teacher support material is available.
“Quake, Rattle, and Roll” by Sarah Wilcox. School Journal Story Library, No. 3, 2013
The article compares NZ quakes on the Richter scale and on a timeline. Students can make connections within, across, and beyond the text. An audio file and teacher support material are available.
“Learning from the Christchurch Earthquakes” by Phillip Simpson. Connected 4, 2014
The Christchurch earthquakes have provided scientists with new data and changed the way they think about earthquakes. Teacher support material is available.
“A Bit of a Bang” by David Hill. School Journal, Part 4, No. 3, 2004
This article explains how 1800 years ago the Earth's crust moved, and Lake Taupo was formed from the resulting explosions.
“Rūaumoko Rages” by Bronwen Wall. Connected 1, 2011
The article explains the different types of volcanoes and how they are formed. It also outlines features of NZ's volcanic landscape. Teacher support material available.
“Understanding Volcanoes” by Tessa Duder. Connected 1, 2011
A profile of a scientist who studies volcanoes and explains what her job entails.
“Living with a Volcano” by Bronwen Wall. Connected 1, 2011
This is an article about living beside a volcano – how although they can be dangerous, they can also benefit the people and the land. Teacher support material is available.
“The Tsunami That Washed Time Away” by Jenna Tinkle. Connected 3, 2014
Geologists James Goff and Scott Nichol thought the landscape at Henderson Bay in Northland was changed by a huge tsunami hundreds of years ago. Can they find evidence to support their idea? Teacher support material is available.
“The Race” by Rose Quilter. School Journal, Part 3, No. 1, 2011
This is an exciting story about a girl who is running a race – competing against her brother with encouragement from Dad. By the last page, it is clear that this is no ordinary race: the family is running to escape a tsunami. Teacher support material is available.
“The Strength of Roots” by Marisa Maepu. School Journal, Level 4, March 2012
A story about the earthquake and tsunami that struck the South Pacific in September 2009, and how a young boy is saved by the strength of a tree's roots and branches.
“The Hungry Wave” by Lani Wendt Young. School Journal, Level 3, February 2012
Survivors' accounts of the devastating tsunami that struck Samoa and Tonga on 29 September 2009. Teacher support material is available.
“Flood” by Sonny Mulheron. School Journal Part 2, No. 2, 2004
An account by Ama and her mother of the Paekakariki flood, and evacuating their home at the height of the flooding. Additional safety information is provided at the end of the article. Teacher support material is available.
“The Matata Flood: Ethan Beach's Story” by Adrian Muller. School Journal, Part 4, No. 1, 2007
The story is about the storm that wiped out part of Matata, told through the eyes of Ethan.
“Severe Weather” by Sarah Wilcox. School Journal Story Library, No. 1, 2012
This article defines, describes, and explains severe weather events allowing the teaching of text structure as a support for comprehension. An audio file for this story is available.
These games and digital challenges allow students to try out some of their new preparedness knowledge. They range in levels of difficulty.
Get Ready for the Big One
This resource from Te Papa helps you prepare for some of New Zealand’s natural hazards – earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. NZ based.
Severe weather preparedness adventure
Beat five weather challenges in this game by The American National Weather service. This resource provides spoken information about emergency events and would suit students who like to take part in a cartoon game with a little interaction. Difficulty - basic
STOP DISASTERS!
A disaster simulation game. This resource requires reading and maths skills. It asks students to make the best use of their available funds to help more citizens survive various disasters. Good for global thinking about emergency events. International. Difficulty - advanced.