British Red Cross launches free earthquake teaching resource for geography teachers

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The British Red Cross, supported by the Geographical Association, has launched a new, free educational resource for geography teachers. Natural disasters: earthquakes is a curriculum-led geography teaching resource that draws on the recent experience of the Red Cross during the 2015 Nepal earthquake.

 

Using case studies, maps and eyewitness accounts, this latest British Red Cross teaching resource provides a unique perspective on how individuals and communities prepare for, respond to and recover from earthquakes.

 

The British Red Cross, which provides a range of educational resources for teachers to download online, created this resource in response to research that showed geography teachers were looking for case study content that brought human stories into the classroom.

 

With the unique perspective of the Red Cross, the humanitarian impact of a natural disaster is explored alongside understanding how earthquakes happen. Resources start with activities for all students and then differentiate into activities for Key Stage 3, GCSE and A level. A curriculum mapping document shows how the resource can contribute to the curricula of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  Natural disaster: earthquakes can be downloaded for free from the British Red Cross website.

 

The resource will help students:

  • Learn about the physical geography, hazards and risks which can cause a natural disaster such as an earthquake.
  • Explain and analyse the varied impacts an earthquake may have on individuals and communities.
  • Gain insight into the role of the Red Cross in disaster preparedness, response and recovery.
  • Explore the concept of resilience and what might make a community more able to cope in a crisis.

 

Helen Davis, Education Resource Commissioning Editor at the British Red Cross, said:

 

“Every year the Red Cross helps thousands of people around the world who have been affected by natural disasters. Drawing on our experience in disaster preparedness, response and recovery, and using Nepal as a case study, we’re helping geography teachers embed real scenarios and case studies within their lessons. Working closely with teachers, the Nepal Red Cross and the Geographical Association, we’ve created an engaging resource which brings the geography curriculum to life.”

 

Rebecca Kitchen, Secondary Curriculum Leader of the Geographical Association, said:

 

“We urge all geography teachers to download this free resource and encourage young people to think about the humanitarian impact of natural disasters. This invaluable resource pack has been created with the technical input from the British Red Cross combined with the expertise of GA teacher consultants.”