Disastrous Decision Making
Lesson Plans
Grades6, 7, 8Earth and Space Sciences, Civics, Geography
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Provided by Columbia Climate School International Research Institute for Climate and Society
What it is
- This resource has students act as mayor, social advisor, and science advisor in a town that is vulnerable to flooding.
- Students will learn about social vulnerability, mapping tools, and how decisions are made during flood events.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This activity is hands-on and engaging for students.
- Everything a teacher needs to implement this lesson is ready in the resource.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should have prior knowledge of flooding, natural disasters, and how governments function during disasters.
- The PDF document has a link to a brief introduction video for the activity.
Differentiation
- Cross-curricular connections can be made in social studies classes discussing civics and language arts classes working on collaborative discussion and debate.
- Try having students rotate through the roles in the game for a complete understanding of the activity.
- As an extension, have students research the government response to different flooding events and what they could have done differently.
From the scientist review
The guide has students understand the concept of social vulnerability and how local hazards affects people's livelihoods. They learn ways to use data and map outputs to assess vulnerability levels in their communities. Students develop and recommend strategies and contingency plans for policymakers and decision-makers to mitigate or respond to flood, hurricane, and other natural disaster events in their communities. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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Hosted on iri.columbia.edu
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