For Instructors
“The Blue Planet Prize Story” is accompanied by three supplementary units on the related environmental issues: Story Guide, Further Reading and Research, and For Instructors.
These contain useful information that instructors can use to help students understand the content.
We encourage you to utilize the Blue Planet Prize stories for environmental education classes in schools and for children's independent learning.
[Target Audience: Teachers, parents, and others involved in education]
Summary of the Story
Professor Debarati Guha-Sapir established the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT), a database on major global disasters. The data is widely utilized by many disaster prevention and mitigation experts in international organizations and national governments.
Professor Debarati Guha-Sapir’s recognition of the critical role of accurate data in disaster response led her to establish EM-DAT. When teaching children, it is advisable to start by exposing them to accurate data about disasters.
Teaching Examples
If you are having trouble finding teaching material, please see the examples provided below.
Let’s explore how to respond to disasters.
The purpose of this section is to help children learn about disasters and develop strategies for responding to disasters.
(1) Let’s learn about disasters that have occurred in your own country and region; then, present your findings.
- Example topics:
- When and where did the disaster occur?
- What type of disaster was it?
- What was the extent of the damage?
- What is the current status of recovery and reconstruction?
- Have disaster preparedness measures changed since then?
(2) Let’s engage in an open discussion about disaster preparedness.
- Example topics:
- Can we prevent disasters from occurring in the first place?
- What can we do to minimize the impact of disasters when they do occur?
- How can we protect ourselves and others during a disaster?
- What can we do ahead of time to prepare for potential disasters?
- How can we help those affected by disasters in other countries or regions?