Lesson Plan for Year 2 Science: Natural Disasters in New Zealand

Lesson Objectives:

• Understand the concept of natural disasters.
• Identify different types of natural disasters in New Zealand (focus on earthquakes and volcanoes).
• Learn basic safety measures to take during these disasters.

Curriculum Links:

This lesson plan aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum for Science at Level 1 and 2, focusing on the Nature of Science and Planet Earth and Beyond. Science in the New Zealand Curriculum.

Resources Needed:

• Interactive whiteboard or projector.
• Internet access for video clips.
• Natural disaster safety posters.
• "The Earth's Power" activity sheets.
• Model or images of tectonic plates and volcanoes.

Lesson Duration:

40 minutes

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Lesson 1: Introduction to Natural Disasters

5 minutes: Introduction

• Begin the lesson by asking the students if they know what a natural disaster is.
• Explain that a natural disaster is a natural event such as a flood, earthquake, or hurricane that can cause damage to life and property.

10 minutes: Exploring Earthquakes

1. Show a brief video clip about earthquakes, focusing on how and why they occur. A good resource is the GNS Science video series.
2. Discuss the concept of tectonic plates and how their movements cause earthquakes. Use a simple diagram to illustrate this.

10 minutes: Exploring Volcanoes

1. Introduce volcanoes by showing another video clip, this time focusing on volcanic eruptions and their features.
2. Discuss the "Ring of Fire" and its relevance to New Zealand. Highlight the locations of major volcanoes in New Zealand.

10 minutes: Class Discussion

• Ask the students to name some natural disasters they might know and encourage them to think about whether those could happen in New Zealand.
• Briefly discuss the frequency and impact of these disasters, particularly focusing on recent events in New Zealand history.

5 minutes: Conclusion

• Recap the key points of today's lesson.
• Introduce the next lesson's topic, which will be safety measures during earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

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Lesson 2: Safety Measures for Natural Disasters

5 minutes: Review

• Review the types of natural disasters discussed in the previous lesson.
• Ask some questions to ensure understanding.

15 minutes: Earthquake Safety

1. Demonstrate "Drop, Cover, and Hold" – the standard safety procedure during an earthquake.
2. Distribute activity sheets where students can match pictures to each step of the process.
3. Discuss the importance of each step and what could happen if these steps are not followed.

15 minutes: Volcano Safety

1. Discuss what to do if there is a volcanic eruption, including evacuation routes, staying indoors, and listening to updates from civil defence.
2. Using a map of New Zealand, show examples of safe zones around volcanoes.

5 minutes: Interactive Quiz

• Conduct a quick quiz using the interactive whiteboard to recap what the students have learned about safety measures for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Conclusion:

• Emphasize the importance of being prepared for natural disasters.
• Encourage students to discuss their learnings with their families.
• Hand out natural disaster safety posters for students to take home and discuss with their parents.

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This lesson plan provides a foundational understanding of earthquakes and volcanoes, tailored to the contexts of New Zealand’s unique geological setting, and prepares students with basic but crucial safety knowledge.