Self-care during natural disasters
Whether affected directly by a natural disaster or just feeling overwhelmed by the media coverage, there's a lot for students to process. This lesson uses the recent bushfires as a case study to teach students techniques that will help them feel a little better about what's going on.
Year level
7-10
Duration
5 minutes
Type
In class activity
SEL Competencies
Self-management
Social awareness
Relationship skills
Responsible decision-making
Learning intention
Students will learn ways to take care of themselves and their peers during a natural disaster.
Key outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
identify techniques to maintain wellbeing during a natural disaster
identify ways to support peers impacted by a natural disaster
apply these techniques to their day-to-day life.
Materials needed
Access to the video clip ‘Taking care of yourself during the bushfires’
Pen/paper or electronic device
Mapped to
Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education
Refine protective behaviours and evaluate community resources to seek help for themselves and others (AC9HP8P08)
Refine, evaluate and adapt strategies for managing changes and transitions (AC9HP10P02)
Australian Curriculum: General Capabilities
Personal and Social Capability:
Self-awareness
Self-management
Social awareness
Social management
Critical and Creative Thinking:
Inquiring
NSW PDHPE Syllabus
Examines and evaluates strategies to manage current and future challenges (PD4-1)
Examines and demonstrates the role help-seeking strategies and behaviours play in supporting themselves and others (PD4-2)
Assesses their own and others’ capacity to reflect on and respond positively to challenges (PD5-1)
Assesses and applies self-management skills to effectively manage complex situations (PD5-9)
Victorian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education
Investigate the impact of transition and change on identities (VCHPEP123)
Examine barriers to seeking support and evaluate strategies to overcome these (VCHPEP125)
Evaluate factors that shape identities, and analyse how individuals impact the identities of others (VCHPEP142)
Evaluate situations and propose appropriate emotional responses and then reflect on possible outcomes of different responses to health and wellbeing (VCHPEP147)
Activity 1
Instructions
5 minutes
Provide access to the video clip ‘Taking care of yourself during the bushfires’.
In pairs, students discuss:
What tips does the presenter give to help someone who is feeling overwhelmed by a natural disaster such as the bushfires?
What can you do to help a friend who is impacted by a natural disaster?
How could the tips described in the video be applied in your day-to-day life?
Class debrief: Natural disasters can affect communities at any time. Recent Australian examples include bushfires, drought, cyclones and flooding. How could these tips be applied in different contexts?
