Disaster Risk Reduction &Climate Change Education in Vanuatu

PILOT CURRICULUM MATERIALS TEACHERS’ GUIDE EVALUATION INSTRUMENTS

May 2012

Acknowledgements

Authors: Fumiyo Kagawa & David Selby, Sustainability Frontiers for Save the Children Vanuatu

•Geoff Robinson and Mishael Garaelulu, Save the Children Vanuatu for guidance and implementation and Marla Petal, Save the Children Australia for editing.

• Peter Korisa, Simon Donald and Alice Iarem Sangaof the Vanuatu National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) for sharing insights and relevant NDMO publication information, providing photographs (used for the Hazard Picture Gallery and Pentacost Tsunami activities, feedback on the Cyclone Message Match and Tsunami: Be Prepared activities, and advise ondisaster risk-related traditional knowledge.

• Philip Malsale and Silas Robson Tigonaof Vanuatu Meteorological and Geohazards Department fortheir insightful ideas, relevant scientific data and key publication information. Data they provided is used for the Natural Hazard Data , Monthly Rainfall Graphs and Writing Textbook Pages for Increasingly Dry and WetTimes activities. Special thanks, too, toSilas Robson Tigona for developing most of thefuture scenarios used in the Efate Future Hazard Scenario activity. Also, Meteorological and Geohazards Department for thephotographs included in the Hazard Picture Gallery activity.

• Joel Simoof the Vanuatu Cultural Centrefor his insights into traditional and modern economy systems as they relate to resilience. They informed the development of the Togetherness as Resilience activity.

• June Normanof National Library of Vanuatu for her unfailing support in finding relevant natural hazard/disaster-related information within the vast library collection.

• Eslyn Kaltongga and Mishael Garaeluluof Save the Children Australiafor Bislama translation support.

• Jacline Demas, English Teacher at Onesua Presbyterian College, poems on hazards/disasters in Vanuatu, which are used in the Disaster Poems activity.

• Joseph Siri for drawing theillustrations for the Hazard Picture Match and Togetherness as Resilience activities.

•SPC-GIZ Coping with Climate Change in the Pacific Islands Region Programme in Vanuatu for technical guidance, information and brochures on agriculture and agriculture.

• All of the schools, teacher, and pupils who will pilot and test these materials in June 2012, to help create the next version of these materials.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 1 Introduction ...... 2 Key Messages for Safety………………………………………………… 3 Resources……………………………………………………...... 9 Section 2 Teaching the Activities 11

Section 3 Activities

Part 1: Awareness-raising Activities ..…………………………….…

Activity 1: Hazard Picture Match…………………..……………….…... 17 Activity 2: What is a Natural Hazard?………………………………….. 19 Activity 3: Natural Hazard and Climate Experience Search………… 20 Activity 4: Hazard and Climate Picture Gallery………………………. 22 Activity 5: Weather or Climate?…………………………………………. 29 Activity 6: Community Memories………………………………………... 33 Activity 7: Hazard and Climate Variability Calendar……………..…… 35 Activity 8: Efate Future Hazard Scenarios……………………………... 40 Activity 9: Disaster Poems ………………………………………………. 45 Activity 10: Disaster and Climate Risk Reduction Noticeboard……… 55 Activity 11: Natural Hazard Data………………………………………... 56 Activity 12: Monthly Rainfall Graphs ……………………………………. 59

Part 2: Hazard-specific Activities……………………………………..

Activity 13: Cyclone Message Match…………………………………… 63 Activity 14: Flood of Ideas: Brainstorming Session…………………… 65 Activity 15: Pentecost Tsunami: Interpreting a Photograph………..... 67 Activity 16: Tsunami: Be Prepared!…………………………………….. 71 Activity 17: Writing Textbook Pages for a Changing Climate……...…. 74 Activity 18: Disasters in the News………………………………………. 80 Activity 19: The Island of Tegua……………………………..…………... 84 Activity 20: ‘Ordinary Day’ Snap Decision Groups .…………………… 88

Part 3: Resilience-building Activities………………………………..

Activity 21: Bouncing Back…………………………………………….… 91 Activity 22: Signs, Safety and Resilience………………………………. 92 Activity 23: Exploring Our Place: Village Mapping and Walking…….. 97 Activity 24: Togetherness as Resilience……………………………….. 103 Activity 25: Taking Messages Out Into the Community………………. 108 Section 4 Evaluating the Pilot 110 Section 5 Assessing the Pupils 121 Index Activity L inks to the Current Curriculum 123

Section 1: Introduction

Vanuatu is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to natural hazards. Situated in the Pacific’s ‘ring of fire’ and ‘cyclone belt’, it regularly experiences volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, cyclones and at times tsunamis, drought and flood. With the onset of climate change, extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and intensity, and sea levels are rising.

Recognizing the need to build a ‘culture of safety’ in the face of hazards, Save the Children has launched a program in partnership with the Vanuatu Ministry of Education to develop quality Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) curriculum materials for primary schools. The goal of the program is to ensure that children, families and communities are better equipped to cope with and withstand hazard while also understanding what needs to be done to prevent hazards from turning into disasters.

To guide the development of the program, Save the Children has organized a pilot project to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of an initial set of grade 4, 5 and 6 learning and teaching activities and accompanying learning materials. A related aim of the pilot is to review the effectiveness and impact of the training program that teachers will participate in before using the activities in class. The following ten primary schools, all on Efate Island, have been designated by the Ministry of Education as pilot schools: Ekipe School, Ekonak-Epau School, Eratap School, Eton School, Malatia School, Manua School, Matarisu School, Pango School, Takara School, Tanoliu School. Pilot implementation of the activities in the schools is to take place during the second term of the 2012 school year (June/July) following a three-day familiarization and training workshop for teachers (in May 2012).

Section 1 Introduction includes a handout on Key Messages for Safety from Natural Hazards and on Climate Change, and sources of more information. Section 2 Teaching the Activities explains the thinking behind the activities and also offers general guidance to teachers on their use. Section 3 Activities comprises the activity descriptions and associated class handouts and other learning materials. Section 4 Evaluating the Pilot contains guidance to teachers on their role and responsibilities in the evaluation of the pilot while also explaining the overall evaluation approach to be adopted during the pilot program. Section 5 Assessing the Pupils offers guidance on ways of assessing pupils’ learning resulting from the program.

Handout: Key Messages for Safety

Note that almost everything needs to be thought about, learned, or acted upon before the hazard strikes!

SHORT MESSAGES • Tsunami. May feel earthquake tremor, see ocean froth or recede. Move inland and to higher ground.

• Flood. When heavy rains occur or flood warnings are issued, move to higher ground and never walk in moving water over ankle deep.

• Earthquake. When you feel shaking, drop, cover and hold on. After the shaking ends, evacuate building to a clear space.

• Fire. When you smell smoke or hear a fire alarm, duck down below smoke, and walk or crawl to an exit. Feel doors with back of hand and if cool, open. If hot, try another exit route.

• Cyclone. When strong winds or a cyclone warning occurs, cover windows with shutters or wood. Secure outside possessions. Stay inside and away from windows.

• Violence prevention. If you see something, say something.

FLOOD SAFETY Adapted from Riva I flad! O Riva i Kam Antap. Floods Wan Smolbag Theatre 2010

Before • Find out about the worst flood in your area and how high the flood waters reach. Would it reach your house? • Identify a safe place to go if you must leave your house to avoid flooding • Reinforce your house • Install protected rain water collection system • Clean all drains around your house

During • Keep listening to warnings from radio and monitör flood water level • Do not attempt to cross flood water that is more than 10 cms • Never allow children to play around high water or storm drains • Animals can swim well. Do not leave them in confined areas. Open Gates so that they can escape to higher ground. • If you are in a vehicle abandon it and move on foot to higher ground • Avoid drinking or using flood water as it is contaminated. Boil water before use.

CYCLONE SAFETY

Assess and Plan

• Look for things that can fly around and hit you • Decide on your safest shelter during a storm • Make sure everyone knows where the strongest part of the building is • Before a cyclone: Listen to the radio for cyclone updates and mark the path of the cyclone on a cyclone tracking-map

Protect yourself physically

• Check that your building is in good condition and especially that the roof is tied down and walls are strong • Prepare cyclone shelters where needed • Fit shutters or metal screens to all glass areas • Clear away everything that could blow about and cause injury in extreme winds • Trim treetops and branches so they are well away from your building • Close and fasten shutters (or duct tape diagonally across windows) also draw curtains and lock doors

Be ready to respond

Cyclone early warning alert • Blue Alert = Cyclone may come in less than 24 hours. Get ready. • Yellow Alert = Cyclone is coming in less than 12 hours. Make final preparations. • Red Alert = Cyclone coming now. Take shelter.

• Stay inside and shelter away from windows in the strongest part of the building • Stay inside and shelter and have an emergency kit with you • Remain indoors and stay tuned into the radio or TV for advice • Disconnect all electrical things and use a battery radio for news • Do not go outside until the ‘all clear’ from the meteorological office • Check for gas leaks and do not use electrical things if wet • If you have had to leave your building because of danger don’t return unless advised • During a cyclone: In the middle of the cyclone there is a quiet eye. Do not leave shelter, there is more storm coming. • After a cyclone: beware of damaged buildings,power lines and trees and don’t go in floodwaters • After a cyclone: Whatever the attraction don’t go sightseeing

EARTHQUAKE SAFETY Adapted from: Earthquake! Tsunami! Wan Smolbag Theatre 2010

Before

• Identify safe places close to your home, school or work

During

• Drop cover and hold on. Drop to you knees to prevent falling injuries. Cover your head and neck, the most vulnerable parts of your body. Hold on to your cover until the shaking stops. If you are indoors, under a strong table will protect you from falling and flying furniture and equipment. • If you are outside, move to an open area away from building, trees and power lines. • If you are in a vehicle, pull off the road to a clear area, top the vehicle and stay inside.

LANDSLIDE SAFETY Adapted from: Lanslaed Landslides, Wan Smolbag Theatre 2011

Before

• Find out about the landslide risk in your area. Would it reach your house? • Identify a safe place to go it you must leave your house due to landslide risk. • Do not build your house on a hillside or near the bottom of a hill • Ensure that existing trees on the hill are not cut down in big quantity, as they hold the ground together.

Landslide Warning Signs

• A rumbling noice • An earthquake • Heavy rains • Deforestation of a hilll • Soil erosion • Trees leaning over or waterways not flowing normally

During

• Ask everybody to evacute to a safe haven • Run out of the danger area • Help the most vulnerable members of your community

TSUNAMI SAFETY Adapted from: Tsunami: What to do?, Vanuatu Tsunami Information Centre, Vanuatu Meteorological Services, undated.

Be aware

• Be clear about whether or not you live in a tsunami evacuation zone • Know where the local tsunami evacuation zone is if you live by the coast • Detect tsunami some signs of tsunami with human senses FEEL – the ground shaking - strong local earthquake may cause tsunami SEE – as a tsunami approaches water may recede from the coast exposing the ocean floor, reefs and fish . Look out for unusual sea activity following an earthquake –a possible tsunami sign HEAR – A roar from the sea after a long and big earthquakemay mean a tsunami is approaching • Share what you learn about tsunamis with family and friends • Remember that one tsunami may be followed by other tsunamis • Consider an earthquake nearby as a sign that a local tsunami might be coming • Consider an earthquake far away might cause a local tsunami, so listen to the radio and get more information

Prepare

• Practice regular evacuation drills • Have food and water stored in the tsunami safe haven evacuation zone • Arrange for basic medical supplies to be kept in the tsunami safe haven evacuation zone

• Act at once if you sense danger; don’t wait for a tsunami warning to be put out • Move quickly inland to the highest ground around if a tsunami is coming • Evacuate homes by the coast immediately if there is a tsunami warning • If water on the beach is sucked out to sea, it’s a sign a tsunami is coming. Run! • Look for a strong, tall concrete building and climb to the highest floor or the roof • Climb up and cling to a strong tree if there is no time to find a strong building • Run if you see (or hear) a tsunami is coming • Treat all warnings to the public seriously and listen out for warning • If your school is by the sea, do exactly what teachers say during a tsunami threat • Follow the evacuation route to higher ground • Boaters stay in deep sea and listen to mariner radio report when it is safe.

Don’t

• Do not ever go to the beach or seashore to watch a tsunami • Do not stay in low-lying areas by the sea after a strong earthquake • Don’t stay by rivers/streams that lead to the sea, as the tsunami will rush up them • Do not go back to low-lying coastal areas until an ‘all clear’ is declared.

VOLCANO SAFETY Adapted from: Living with volcanoes, Live and Learn, 2011

Assess and plan

• Set up or participate in your village and island disaster management committee • Create a disaster management plan • Learn about community warning systems

Protect yourself physically

• Prevent ashfall contamination: - Cover water tanks and other storage sources - Install first flush diverters on rainwater catchment - Close intakes for water supply systems - Be ready to close all doors and windows - Be ready to cover up any machinery or water pumps outside to protect from ashfall

Be ready to respond:

Volcanic alert levels Level Frequently Active Dormant (Yasur, Lopevi, Ambrym) (Ambae, Gaua, Vanua) 0 Normal low level activty Normal, quiet 1 Increased activity. Danger near crater Signs of awakening only 2 Moderate eruptions.Danger is close to Confirmation of awakening. volcano vent and within parts of the Minor eruptions and danger near Volcanic Hazards Map crater 3 Large eruption.Danger in specific area Moderaate to large eruption. within parts of Volcanic Hazards Map: Danger in areas near crater and Red and Yellow Zones along main stream valleys 4 Very large eruption. Very large eruption. Island-wide danger Island-wide danger and potential impacts on neighbouring islands. Source: Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory, Vanuatu Volcanic Alert Level. www.geohazards.gov.au

Skills: • Understand your early warning system. • Listen to radio for disaster information • Follow evacuation order issued by authorities • Activate disaster management procedures and plan • Avoid low-lying areas, rivers and valleys • Help neighbors who may require assistance (elderly, infants, people with disabilities) • After a volcanic eruption 7

- Wear long sleeved shirts and long pants - Cover you mouth and nose if outside - Clean water tanks, equipment and supply systems - Test driniking water supply systems - Treat contaminated water by filtering to remove ash, boiling or adding disinfectant to kill pathogens (if advised by Environmental Health Officers or Disaster Response Teams)

Provisions: • Make sure enough food is available for your community • Make sure enough drinking water is available for every person (15-20 litres). Use clean stored water only for drinking and preparing food • Have disaster supplies on hand (first aid kit, essential medicines, radio and batteries, protective clothing and dust masks)

PANDEMIC SAFETY

Water-borne diseases • Check that everyone knows how to wash hands and washes hands • Be sure to wash hands before eating and after using toilet or touching anything that may be contaminated.

Courtesy: IFRC

Vector-borne diseases • Check that everyone is using mosquito-netting to protect from malaria outbreaks and transmission.

RESOURCES

The resources below are available from various offices in Vanuatu.

Title of Type of Langua Description Where to find resource/material document ge Cyclone preparedness Comic book B & E Family / Household Care Yumi mas rere preparedness story and international drawing One Smolbag Theatre Cyclone preparedness Comic book B & E Family / Household Care Saeklon Sara preparedness story and international drawing One Smolbag Theatre Disaster Preparedness Training E Basic DRM manual Peace Corps and mitigation training module Has actual session outlined Vanuatu Office module plus a CD DPM idea book Handbook E An idea book on DRR and Peace Corps working in local communities Vanuatu Office and schools DPM Video ( Peace Video Tape E Presents the concepts of Peace Corps Corps Issued) DPM and its importance Vanuatu Office across all levels DRR poster for use in Visual aide E Poster that displays Peace Corps schools importance of DPM Vanuatu Office DRR Students Quiz Questionary E/F Knowledge assessment ( CARE baseline ) international Earthquake! Tsunami! Comic book B & E Family / Household Care preparedness story and international drawing One Smolbag Theatre Education Can’t Wait Resource E UNICEF & SCA (Global Education CD & DVD Cluster)

Riva I flad! O Riva I Comic book B & E Family / Household Care Kam Antap. Floods preparedness story and international drawing One Smolbag Theatre Guidance Notes on Guide notes E A framework of guiding UNICEF & SCA Safer School principles and general steps Construction: Global to develop a context-specific facility for Disaster plan to address the gap to Reduction and reach EFA and MDGs Recovery (INEE, World through disaster resilient Bank, ISDR, UN) construction. Guidelines on Booklets E Essentials items to stock NDMO preparedness before , before an ash fall during and after an ash Actions to be taken in fall preparedness What to do if volcanic ash is falling Why should we clean up the ash? What precautions should be taken before cleaning up ash? Cleaning up: outside etc … 9

Lanslaed Landslides Comic – in B & E Family / Household Care Bislama and preparedness story and international English- drawing One Smolbag Theatre Living with Volcanoes Booklet E & B A community’s guide to Live and Learn preparedness and response, before, during and after volcanic eruptions Minimum Standards for Resource E The book highlighted UNICEF, SCA & Education: Handbook, standards which articulate MoE Preparedness, training tool, the minimum level of Response, Recovery educational quality and (INEE) access in emergencies through to recovery. Various Brochures E -Cyclones NDMO - Tsunami warning -El Nino - La Nino -Tropical Cyclone Preparedness -Earthquakes

Section 2: Teaching the Activities

How are the activities organized?

The activities are divided into three groups:

Part 1: Awareness-raising Activities , i.e. activities to help pupils become more aware of and alert to hazards and disaster and climate-related risks

Part 2: Hazard-specific Activities , i.e. activities to build understanding of disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and safety measures to take before, during and after particular hazards in order to reduce their negative impacts

Part 3: Resilience-building Activities , i.e. activities designed to raise understanding of local, cultural (traditional), social and economic dimensions of vulnerability and resilience and to involve children as players and leaders in community resilience-building

There are no hard and fast lines between the sections. The hazard-specific activities, for instance, can also contribute to resilience building just as the resilience- building activities can help deepen awareness.

It is expected that teachers will choose activities from all three sections in developing their own disaster risk reduction program.

Each activity description includes a number of sections:

• Explanation : An introduction to what the activity involves and what its purpose is • Time Needed : Guidance on how long the activity is likely to take overall and how long each activity will take • Learning Outcomes : A listing of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are likely to be developed in pupils as a result of the activity • Materials : A listing of resources needed for conducting the activity with a class • Procedure : A point-by-point description of successive stages of an activity guiding the teacher on what to do • Extension : An optional section that suggests ways in which you can take the activity further than what is described under Procedure • Variation : An optional section that suggests alternative ways of doing the activity to those described under Procedure • Curriculum Links : Guidance on what subjects and units in the curriculum the activity fits with.

Under which subjects do I teach the activities?

Around the world, disaster risk reduction education and climate change adaptation education have been linked mostly to natural science, because the textbooks of science (and physical geography) are where natural hazard topics, such as earthquakes and volcanoes, are to be found. The problem is that while science is a good place for understanding the physical causes of hazards, the subject has little or nothing to say about the effects of hazard on human life, livelihoods, community, health, culture and society or about how human behavior worldwide is making the frequency and intensity of hazards worse or about what to do to reduce the impact of hazards and cope with these forces. To ensure pupils are given the larger picture, the need is for disaster risk reduction education to happen across the whole curriculum.

The Curriculum Links sections shows where each activity can be incorporated into your General Studies, Language, Mathematics and Performing and Visual Arts teaching. As the pilot testing of the activities is happening during Term 2, the curriculum links identified only refer to units to be taught during that term.

Because disasterrisk reduction education benefits from a cross-curricular or interdisciplinary approach, you are encouraged to treat different aspects of the same activity under the umbrella of different subjects.

How do I know which grade to teach an activity with?

No activity is limited to a single grade. They all have the potential to be taught with grade 4, 5 or 6 pupils although the Curriculum Links section of the activity description does signal relevance to subject units at particular grade levels.

Part of the pilot training concerns encouraging and enabling you to think about how to make an activity suitable for the ability level, maturity or local circumstances of your pupils by either simplifyingelements of an activity, choosing just parts of an activity, or deciding on alternative ways of attempting the activity.

How can I help innovate and improve future versions?

The pilot project is inviting you to be a reflective and creative teacher – someone who thinks about what they are asked to teach and who is bold, independent and innovative enough to think of new, exciting ways of improving pupils’ learning and of making the learning accessible to pupils at different grade levels.

In order to improve the materials for the future, the Teacher Activity Implementation Sheet asks for your feedback about how you used each activity. It asks you to describe adjustments you made to the activity or any alternative approach you chose to use. If you come up with great ideas, they will be included under the activity descriptions with a note attributing the idea to you by name when the activities are finalized!

How do I prepare to teach an activity? 12

What you will be doing during the pilot will be rather different to going into class, opening the textbook at the appropriate page, and beginning the lesson. The activities require careful forethought and preparation in two ways:

1. Understanding : You need to read the activity description through very carefully well ahead of the class and make sure you understand what the aims of the activity are, what is involved, what space (inside or outside class) is needed, what your role is, what adjustments you are going to make to the activity, and who you need to get in touch with and forewarn (if the activity involves bringing others into class or taking pupils out into the village community). You may have questions of your own that you want to seek answers for.

2. Resourcing : The kind of teaching involved often means assembling a number of learning resources such as big sheets of paper, handouts, pictures and marking pens. The activity may well go wrong unless you have made sure you have to hand everything you need ahead of time. In this respect Save the Children will help you by supplying complete resource packs with identified activity-specific learning materials to all pilot schools.

How do I teach the activities?

The first thing to say is that the activities change the role of the teacher from one of teaching particular content or skills by directing everything from the front of the class towards one of facilitating (ensuring the smooth running of) a child-centered process of learning. Facilitation has three important aspects: (1) introducing and explaining an activity ; (2) managing an activity ; (3) debriefing an activity .

Some guidance on introducing and explaining a learning activity:

• Explain what you are asking pupils to do in clear, simple language, repeating your explanation at least once using different words each time • Double check with the class that everyone is clear about what they have to do • Give pupils a clear timeframe for their work, e.g. ‘You have ten minutes for the first part of the task;’ ‘I am expecting you to need twenty minutes to do this’ • Avoid giving any sense that there is just one expected outcome from the work; one right answer (or set of right answers) that you are expecting to hear • Through your introductory words and manner create a climate in which different ideas and approaches are valued, ‘out of the box’ thinking is encouraged, and there is respect for politely expressed differences of opinion • Avoid the temptation to teach a lot of facts before the activity begins – the aim of the activities is to encourage a sharing of what pupils already know or have previous experience of before you, as teacher, extend their learning through a post-activity input

Some guidance on managing an activity : • Make sure that children mix in different groups with boys and girls together

• As pupils begin to work in groups, go around and double check that everyone knows what they are expected to be doing • As the group work continues, go around and listen carefully to what is being said, steering the discussion gently if need be but avoiding ‘heavy’ interventions of your own ideas • Watch the body language and facial expressions of the pupils to check that they look engaged and positive; if not, ask if ‘everything is ok?’ • Keep an eye on how much time has passed and keep a watchful idea on whether discussion is flagging and, if so, end the group work early • Have a few ideas up your sleeve for things that groups who finish early can do while they are waiting for other groups to complete the task • Keep busy moving around and monitoring how things are going, and avoid doing other jobs or sitting on your own at the front! • Now and then join in a whole-class activity or join a group and participate as though you are also there to learn; this is especially important if a community member is leading the session

The most important and most difficult skill of all is to conduct a careful and thorough debriefing of the activity so as to reinforce and maximize pupil learning. Some guidance on debriefing an activity :

• If you are decide to lead a whole-class discussion after an activity, begin by asking a few broad, general questions thrown out to the whole class not to individual pupils; for instance, ‘What new things did you learn from the activity?’, ‘What surprised you about what you have done?, ‘How did you find the activity?’, ‘What did you learn about … that you did not know before?’, ‘What special things have you learned about …?’ • If the activity has an emotional dimension or has triggered an emotional response in pupils, it is best to begin with feelings questions (What did you feel about...?, What did you feel when…?) When feelings have been thoroughly aired and shared, move on to ask thinking questions (‘What did you think about…?’) • Whenever a pupil contributes an interesting idea or feelings statement to a class discussion, compliment them, sum up what they have said, and then put what they have said back to the class, e.g. ‘Alice says she thinks the old ways of preparing for a cyclone were the best. What do others think?’The aim should be to build the discussion on what is said by the pupils rather than pressing on pupils your own viewpoint or slant on things – that comes later! • Look out for when the class discussion is drying up or becoming repetitive and, at that time, open things up with your own specific questions or raise issues that the pupils’ contributions have overlooked • As the debriefing moves along, feel free to note down key points on the board – especially if the pupils are going to be asked to do writing or other extra work out of what has been discussed • At the end of the activity, input new information you feel pupils need to know, trying to build what you say upon what the pupils have said so that you acknowledge the children’s contributions. • If groups are reporting back on their discussions and, as with many activities, presenting their charts, then ensure everyone listens to what they say, 14

compliment them on their work and ask others in the class to comment on what has been said and ask questions • Display charts and work on the classroom walls or lay them on tables after the session, inviting everyone to take a close look at everybody’s work • If there are any unanswered questions, write them up on the board, and decide with the children how you will find answers from trustworthy sources. Leave them up there to follow-up on until you and the children are satisfied.

What else do I need to know for facilitating the activities?

Becoming an effective teacher of disaster risk reduction is also about building up your level of understanding of hazards, disasters and climate change. This you can achieve by:

• Obtaining and reading the range of documents on hazards, disasters and climate change available from the Vanuatu National Disaster Management Office and the Vanuatu Meteorological and Geohazards Department and the National Advisory Board on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction • Asking non-governmental aid organizations for pamphlets and informational materials • Reading the handouts and materials collected together for the pilot activities (see Section 3) • Listening to the inputs during the three-day training workshop • Talking with other teachers and with community members about the national and local hazard and disaster and climate change situation • Continue to be curious and ask questions. Seek facts and evidence rather than myths or gossip.

At the workshop there will be a range of pamphlets and other materials on display, including some that you can take away.

Do I have to teach all the activities?

No!Having been introduced to all the activities during the workshop, you will be asked to sit with school colleagues and each of you make a choice of a sequence of activities you will teach in class and with which grade(s).

The word sequence is important. The idea is that you choose a number of activities to teach so that the pupils have repeated exposure to disaster risk reduction curriculum. In this way, the evaluators can see whether such reinforced exposure has a significant effect on developing pupils’ understanding, skills and attitudes concerning hazards, disasters and climate change.

Just teaching one activity here and another there in a disconnected way is not so helpful.

A minimum of one activity per week over the ten-week pilot period is recommended.

Of course, if you want to teach all the activities, that would be an excellent contribution!

How will participating in the pilot help me as a Vanuatu primary teacher?

It will help hugely in two respects! First , the new Vanuatu primary curriculum (grades 1-3 from January 2013; grades 4-6 from January 2014) is based exactly on the kind of teaching and learning proposed by the activities. The Ministry of Education in its Vanuatu National Curriculum Statement (2010) introducing the new curriculum calls for ‘constructivist teaching,’ that is, teaching that enables ‘individuals shape their own ideas and understandings’. The Ministry says that such teaching has three ingredients:

• Learning as an active and interactive process • Learning taking place in many different social settings • Children, pupils and adults taking place in many social settings so that learning is life-relevant and appropriate for the local context

This is why so many of the activities in the pilot involve children in going out into the community and/or members of the community coming into the school. It is also why so many activities draw upon traditional and local disaster risk reduction knowledge and experience.

Second, the Ministry of Education has confirmed that disaster risk reduction education is to be an important part of the new curriculum as especially expressed through many of the new cross-curricular components. This means that disaster risk reduction education is likely to appear across all subjects. The pilot offers advance experience in teaching about hazards and disasters through a wide range of subjects.

Section 3: Activities

Part 1: Awareness-raising Activities

Activity 1: Hazard Picture Match

Explanation A simple cooperative learning activity practicing memory, listening and oral description skills that also introduces pupils to considering hazard and disaster.

Time Needed 25 minutes

Learning Outcomes • Initial understanding of the hazards to be considered within a disaster risk reduction and climate change program • Enhanced memory, listening and description skills • Awareness of key messages for natural hazards safety and climate change

Materials • A set of Hazard Picture Cards cut up along the lines indicated so there is a piece for each pupil (The cards will be provided in the package given to schools by Save the Children Australia) • Handout on Key Messages for Safety (best is one to keep at school and one to take home).

Procedure • Give each pupil one piece of picture and give them a minute to look at all the detail in the part-picture • Ask everyone to hide their picture away (in a pocket or up a sleeve) • Then ask the class to move around the room describing their part-picture to each other (but never looking at or showing their picture), the aim being find two pupils with the pieces needed to make up a whole picture • Say that when three pupils think they have a match, they are to show the three pictures to the teacher (without looking at them themselves) who will confirm whether or not they have completed a picture • If they have completed a picture, ask them to still avoid looking at their pieces; if not, give the pieces back to the three pupils who continue as before • Have members of ‘completed picture’ groups sit together and, one by one, have the pupils in the group describe what is in their part-picture and say what their picture is about. Only after their descriptions, do they show the picture to the class • All group descriptions finished, have the class look at the complete collection of pictures and discuss what the collection is about.

• Ask questions such as these: What connects the different pictures? Have you experienced any of the events shown in the pictures? What do you remember? How did you feel? Do any of the pictures surprise you? Why?

Curriculum Links

This activity links with General Studies – Our Environment at grade 6 (Adaptation to the Environment; Conserving the Environment) and might be used alongside the grade 4 Literature Unit 8 (Moving to a New Place) or grade 5 Literature Unit 7 (Bush Fires) or grade 6 Literature Unit 8 (Caring for the Environment).

Activity 2: What is a Natural Hazard?

Explanation A simple way of helping pupils understand the concepts of ‘hazard’ and ‘natural hazard’

Time Needed 30 minutes

Learning Outcomes • Understanding of the concepts of ‘hazard’ and ‘natural hazard’ • Enhanced discussion (speaking and listening) skills

Materials • Piece of paper and pencil for each pair of pupils • Blackboard and chalk

Procedure • Have pupils forms pairs, sitting on chairs or on the floor and facing each other • Have everyone quietly think of times when they have done something risky which might have led to them being harmed in one way or another, or losing something valuable • Ask pairs to take a few turns telling their stories to each other, and also describing the feelings they had when they took risk • Bring the pupils together and encourage them to share their thoughts: Are risks something to welcome? Or, something to be avoided? • Explain that ‘hazard’ is a word used for something that brings risk. It comes for the Old French ‘hasard’ meaning a game of dice where the players put themselves in danger of losing a lot. From those origins, a ‘hazard’ has come to mean something that brings with it serious risk and danger, the chance of suffering harm. • Ask pairs to get back together and to list examples of what a ‘natural hazard’ might be; ask them to underline in their list what they think are the most serious natural hazards facing Vanuatu • Have pupils report back, and hold a class discussion to try and reach agreement on what the most serious natural hazards facing Vanuatu are (eg. cyclone, flood, earthquake, tsunami, drought, volcano).

Curriculum Links This activity is a contribution to the general objectives of the Language curriculum (listening to other; taking part in a conversation).

Activity 3: Natural Hazard and Climate Experience Search

Explanation This activity is designed to enable pupils to share and pool their experiences and understandings of natural hazards and climate change, and to make a record of questions pupils have (that can be addressed through subsequent activities)

Time Needed 30-40 minutes

Learning Outcomes • Fuller appreciation amongst learners of each others’ personal experiences, knowledge and feelings concerning natural hazards, climate change and disaster threats • Enhanced questioning/interviewing skills

Materials • A copy of the Natural Hazard Experience Search handout for each pupil (or a list of the instructions written on the board) • A sheet of paper (or back of the hazard sheet) to write notes on • A pencil or pen

Procedure • Invite pupils to stand in an open space and to read through the instructions on the sheet (or written on the board) • Ask them to walk around, meet classmates, and find one person who can say ‘yes’ to one of the statements; if they are able to answer ‘yes’, say they should then ask the person for more details of their experiences and/or feelings • Explain that the person they are interviewing will also expect them to respond to a question • Let all the pupils know that once they have a reply from one person, they must move on to other classmates for the next response • Encourage them to note down names and what is said during each exchange • Encourage them, too, to get as many answers as possible in the time available but not to rush; it is really important that each pair that meets up has a proper conversation • Finish by holding a whole class discussion about the stories that have been told and the feelings and ideas shared (ask pupils what questions the stories have raised in their minds and list the questions on the board) • Discuss with pupils how they can get their questions answered

Curriculum Links General Studies – Our Environment curriculum at grade 6 (Adaptation to the Environment; Conserving the Environment) and Grade 4 unit 3 o Agriculture curriculum (Life in the Environment). General objectives (listening and speaking) of grade 4 to 6 Language curriculum.

Handout:Natural Hazard and Climate Experience Search

Find someone who: Name

1 Can share their special memories from when a cyclone struck

2 Knows what climate change is

3 Knows what kinds of damage earthquakes can cause 4 Has heard an older person speak of disasters in the past

5 Knows what to do if they are by the sea and there is a tsunami warning

6 Has felt afraid when an earthquake shakes their village

7 Knows what dangers there are in two seasons

8 Has found themselves out in nature when a storm struck

9 Knows a farmer who thinks climate changes, variability or extremes are ruining his crops 10 Has heard about rises in the level of the sea

11 Is worried about the future

12 Has seen a film about volcanoes

13 Became scared when a cyclone passed through the village

14 Knows what the National Disaster Management Office is, and what it does 15 Can remember what things village people recover after after a storm has passed 16 Has heard about a disaster or climate change on a different island in Vanuatu

17 Knows what to do when there is a cyclone warning

18 Has questions they would like answering about volcanoes

19 Has read a newspaper report about a cyclone or earthquake

20 Believes that people should respect the power of nature

Activity 4: Hazard and Climate Picture Gallery

Explanation Pupils work with and interpret photographsto increase their awareness of hazard and disaster

Time Needed 30-40 minutes (5 minutes introduction; 15- 20 minutes pairs; 15-20 minutes whole class discussion)

Learning Outcomes • Ability to interpret photographs • Raised awareness of hazard, disaster and climate change • Ability to express personal responses to photographs, to negotiate a joint response, and to present and explain responses to others

Materials • A set of 8 to 12 numbered photographs (see samples attached) depicting Vanuatu people being affected by different natural hazards and climate change • A big sheet of paper • A marking pen

Procedure • Before class begins place the photos around the classroom or other space being used for the activity • Ask the pupils to form pairs and take a tour around the picture gallery • Explain that their task is to visit each photograph to discuss (1) what they see happening, (2) what dangers are present, (3) what might be done to reduce the danger and protect communities • Ask pairs to go around the pictures a second time and decide which photograph makes them feel most frightened , which makes them feel most concerned and which makes them most want to take action to protect people from harm . Also, ask them which photograph raises most questions they would like answers to. • Collect the photographs and bring the class together (pairs should sit together). • Hold up the photographs one by one and ask pupils what they think is happening in each photograph, what dangers the photo depicts, and what might be done to reduce danger from the hazard shown • Then ask pairs to say which photograph they found most frightening , which most concerning , and so on, and to explain the reasons behind their choice. Hold up photographs as they are raised in discussion so all the class can see. Encourage lively (but respectful) exchanges of opinion and argument between pairs at all times. • When it comes to sharing ideas on the photograph pupil’s felt raises most questions , write down pupils’ questions about the photographs on a big sheet of paper so they can be put to a visiting expert or community elder in another class session.

Curriculum Links

This activity connects to the General Studies – Our Environment curriculum at grade 5 (the Populations and Pollutions unit) and grade 6 (the Conserving the Environment unit). Its picture interpretation emphasis also meets some of the critical interpretation objectives of the Visual Arts curriculum and the listening and speaking objectives of the Language curriculum.

Hazard and Climate Picture Gallery: Sample Photographs 1

Source: Peter Korisa, National Disaster Management Office (NDMO)

Source: Peter Korisa, National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) 6

Source: Peter Korisa, National Disaster Management Office (NDMO)

Source: Vanuatu Meteorological and Geohazards Department

Source: Fumiyo Kagawa, Sustainability Frontiers

Source: Peter Korisa, National Disaster Management Office (NDMO)

Activity 5: Weather or Climate?

Explanation Pupils learn the difference between weather and climate so they can better understand and appreciate the seriousness of climate change

Time Needed

50 minutes (25 minutes for each stage)

Learning Outcomes

• Understanding the difference between weather and climate • Understanding that the terms get muddled but that we need to be clear about them to understand climate change • Understanding that climate change is much more fundamental than a change in the weather

Materials

• At least one copy of the Weather and Climate sheet but one per group of 4, if possible • A cut-up set of ‘ Weather or Climate?’ statements for each group of 4

Procedure

Stage 1: Weather or Climate?

• Ask pupils to form groups of four • Without giving any explanation of the terms, ask groups to discuss the difference between ‘weather’ and ‘climate’ finishing their discussion by negotiating and writing a one-sentence definition of each term • Have groups report back and then lead a discussion on the differences of opinion and issues that the reporting back has raised • When the time feels right, turn to (or distribute) the handout, and talk it through, discussing each section with the class and checking pupils’ understandings

Stage 2: Understanding Weather and Climate!

• Have the groups discuss each ‘ Weather or Climate?’ statement and decide whether the card is describing weather or climate. (For teacher’s information: “Weather” items are in left column marked with ‘x’, “Climate” items are in right column – marked with ‘o’) • Ask them to place the cards in separate ‘ Weather ’ and ‘ Climate ’ piles with a third pile for cards about which there is some doubt or disagreement about where they fit • Lead the class in a card-by-card discussion asking groups to share their decisions, doubts and disagreements ( note : to encourage discussion some 29

cards are written so that they can be read as either describing weather or climate) • Emphasize the importance of distinguishing climate from weather if we are to understand climate change and have everyone take it seriously • Emphasize, too, that a change in climate is something much more profound and fundamental than a change in the weather

Curriculum Links

This activity can be aligned with General Studies – Our Environment at grade 5 (Populations and Pollutions) and grade 6 (Adaptation to the Environment; Conserving the Environment)

Handout: Weather or Climate?

Everybody agreed that the Antarctica has always been day was just right for a freezing cold, even in picnic on the beach and summer time, for tens of swim. What a bright, sunny thousands of years. morning! o x November through to April ‘This ‘global warming’ idea is is the cyclone season in nonsense; it’s been wet and Vanuatu. cold all week,’ she said. O X

‘When I was a young boy, ‘In the past few years the fruit there were more cyclones, trees have come into flower but they didn’t seem as earlier,’ said the farmer. bad’ the old man said. o o

‘This is the second year of There are often afternoon heavy flooding with root showers in Vanuatu after a crops being spoilt,’ said the sunny morning radio announcer . x x

A tropical storm warning It was a very, very wet March was issued by the Vanuatu day on Efate. ‘I guess it’s Meteorological and that time of year,’ he sighed. Geohazards Department o w February is the warmest It was a cold July day in Port month on the islands of Vila

Vanuatu w o

Handout: Weather and Climate

WEATHER AND CLIMATE

Weather

Weather is what we see when we get out of bed in the morning and say ‘what a lovely day!’ or ‘It looks very dark and stormy; there might not be school this morning’.

Weather is a brief moment in a long movie about the air conditions that surround us and that affect our lives. That one moment can’t be relied upon to give you a sense of the whole movie.

When you listen to a ‘weather forecast’ on the radio, the announcer will say what conditions people in different islands and local areas can expect based on satellite and other information collected by ‘meteorologists’ (weather scientists who study what is happening to the ‘atmosphere’, the air surrounding the earth). The forecast will say what temperature a place can expect; whether there will be light or heavy rain (what is called ‘precipitation’ - that which falls to the ground from the skies); whether it will be cloudy or sunny; how windy it will be and from what direction (north, south, east, west or in between the compass points); how far you will be able to see (what is called ‘visibility’); and how much moisture there will be in the air (what is called ‘humidity’).

So, weather is the mix of conditions and events that we experience over a short period of time: a day, a week, a few months. It is not the same everywhere. It might be hot, dry and sunny on your island, but wetter and colder on another. Changes in weather happen very quickly, like when you leave the house when the sky looks clear and then its rains on you and your friends! .

Climate

Climate is about weather patterns over a long period of time, usually 30 years. Meteorologists keep all the weather information - for example, daily temperature, rainfall measurements, wind speeds and directions - they have collected for each day of each year over a 30-year period and work out the average from past evidence, what climate is likely in any period of time in any place.

So, climate is about long periods of time. It is about weather averages. Knowing the climate of a place leads us to expect a certain kind of weather in a certain place at a certain time of year, for example knowing that in Vanuatu’s climate, the warmest temperatures happen in February and the most rain falls in March. But remember we are talking averages – there are sometimes cold days in February and quite dry days in `March!

Scientists also use the information they collect every day to see if the climate in a place is changing. For example, they may look at the thirty years of information for, say, 1970-2000 and then compare that to the thirty years of information for 1980-2010 to find out if there is a change in the average climate ”movie”. By doing suchcomparisons scientists were warned that temperature was rising around the planet and especially so in certain regions. This is what we call ‘global warming’ or ‘climate change.’ But, unlike weather, people cant see or feel the climate changing like they can with the weather.But we CAN experience the effects of climate change in the number and strength of extreme events (like cyclones) and climate variability (like long dry and wet periods).

Activity 6: Community Memories

Explanation

Pupils learn from older community members about their experiences of hazard and disaster, and how the community responded, recovered, and reduced their vulnerability to future events

Time Needed

Approximately 140 minutes (perhaps 40 minutes for opening discussion, preparing questions and practicing interviewing; 40 minutes for homework or interviewing in the community; 40 minutes for report preparation and oral presentations; 20 minutes for report writing)

Note: the activity can be attempted over three or four different class sessions.

Learning Outcomes

• Clearer understanding of past village/community life in general, of local people’s past experiences of natural hazards, and of what people used to do in times gone by to avoid danger from hazards • Enhanced interviewing and listening, spoken and written reporting skills

Materials

• Pens and paper

Procedure

Stage 1: Your community / village

• Discuss with the class how much they know about what their own community/village and the local environment were like before they were born. Do they know whether their local place looked different and, if so, how? Do they know if people did things differently from how they are done today? Do they know what dangers and threats were faced? Do they know what people did to avoid danger and keep safe from cyclones, volcano, earthquake, flood, landslide or any other hazards? ? • Having had pupils share what they know, have them work in pairs or small groups to plan the questions they would like to put to elders and other adults in their village to find out more about lifestyles and the natural environment in years gone by, how things have changed, hazards faced and what people did to avoid danger and keep safe. Give ideas for the types of question they might use (see box). • Explain that good interviewing is not just about asking pre-prepared questions one after the other but also means listening carefully to what people say and asking extra questions out of what they say to find out more. Role model and have pairs practice interviewing if necessary. 33

• Assign interviews as homework, or take the class out into the village to interview local adults (forewarning them ahead of time!),

Stage 2: Reporting on Findings • Back in class, give each group a big piece of paper and some marking pens and ask them to prepare their (name of village) hazard and climate variability calendar, including artwork (drawings, paintings, symbols) • Have groups repeat the exercise but this time devising a (name of village) hazard risk reduction calendar that gives each month an appropriate name and includes a description of what steps need taking in the month to reduce hazard danger. The calendar should again be woven together with artwork. • Have groups present their calendars to the class and/or to the school in an assembly, inviting along elders and other community members to comment and contribute.

Suggestions for Interview Questions

• Have the timing and length of the seasons changed? • Have changes in the climate brought new problems to the village? • How has the landscape changed in your lifetime (rivers, sea levels, safe places becoming dangerous places)? • What hazards and disasters eventshave taken place during your lifetime (earthquake, cyclone, flood, fire, volcano, tsunami, landslide)? • How did it affect the community and our environment? • How did the community respond and recover?

• What different measures have been taken to stay safe in case

each of these hazards hits again?

• What different situations do we find in wet and dry seasons? • Do you think there may be some hazards that you haven’t experienced, but that could happen in the future?

Variation • Invite a number of older community members to the school and have the pairs or small groups interview them there.

Extension • Arrange for older members of the community to take pupils on a guided tour of the locality to show how natural hazards have affected their home place in the past.

Curriculum Links An activity that can be used at grade 4, 5 or 6 to meet a range of Language objectives (communicating with others; listening and taking part in conversations; expressing opinions in speech and writing; obtaining and using useful information; writing in a logically ordered way).

Activity 7: Hazard and Climate Variability Calendar

Explanation

Pupils consider the pattern of natural hazards and climate variability across wet and dry seasons

Time Needed

Three 30-50 minute class sessions with time out in the community between each session; also time to present work done at the end of the activity.

Learning Outcomes

• Understanding of traditional nature-based monthly or seasonal calendars • Understanding of the calendar of natural and climate-related hazards likely to be faced by the community in any year • Understanding of the calendar of risk reduction, climate change adaptation and resilience building activities and when they should happen during the year • Ability to look at the local environmental year through natural sign and symbol

Materials

• A copy of the Mota Lava Island traditional calendar (see Fig.1) and Traditional crop calendar on Tanna or similar local traditional calendar drawn on the blackboard • 2 big sheets of paper and marking pens for each group of 4

Procedure

Stage 1: Traditional Calendars

• Remind the class that in the old days people on different islands and villages across Vanuatu had their own special traditional calendar based on things happening in nature at that time of year. Calendars differed from island to island depending on the different local environment. • Share with the class the monthly calendar of Mota Lava Island in Torba province, and Tanna Island traditional crop calendar as an example and, if available, a traditional calendar from another island or from your own island. • Divide the class into groups of four. • Explain to pupils that their task as a group is to devise a calendar for the year based on natural hazards that might have to be faced throughout the year. The calendar can be organized by months or by seasons. Each month or season should be given a special name and, like the Mota Lava or Tafea Tanna calendar, should include a description of what happens in the environment and the climate in each month or season. • Explain, too, that each group’s first job is to work on their own ideas for the calendar based upon their own local experience.

• Ask them to come up with a way to represent those hazards that could happen at any time. • Teacher note: You will be looking for those hazards that occur during a particular time of year (hurricanes, floods, landslides) and those that can occur at any time (earthquake, tsunami, volcano) etc.

Stage 2: Learning from Community Members

• After working in class, escort groups out into the community to share their ideas with and listen to the ideas of elders and other members of the community based on their long experience of the locality.

Stage 3: Planning to Reduce Hazards throughout the Year

• Back in class, give each group a big piece of paper and some marking pens and ask them to revise or redraw their (name of village) hazard calendar, this time including artwork (drawings, paintings, symbols) • This time, add a description of what steps needed to reduce hazard danger. The calendar should again be woven together with artwork. • Have groups present their calendars to the class and/or to the school in an assembly, inviting along elders and other community members to comment and contribute.

Curriculum Links

This activity connects to the General Studies – Our Environment curriculum at grade 5 (Ecology and Interdependence) but can also be used as an activity in the Visual Arts curriculum at grades 4, 5 and 6. It connects, too, with the grade 6 Language curriculum (Caring for the Environment) and various topics in Agriculture at grades 4, 5 and 6.

Fig. 1 .Traditional monthly names of the year - Mota Lava island

Month Traditional Happenings Name January Wetgoi The wild cane is ready to bear flowers

February Lemegtowowoh The wind open the wild cane’s top

March Tetnamwon The wild cane opens its petals

April Lemegdoidoi Wind blows constantly causing wild cane to produce lots of noise

May Bubultetdot Big high tide wash ashore many dirty and stone to a particular tree called natoto

June Wuivegsa After the seashore was dirty from the previous high tide, another high tide occurs to clean the dirty from the shore.

July Napdodomol The trees bear new leaf.

August Taktakleingon Appearance of first palolo worms on the sea shore

September Ningon The palolo worms reside in abundance on the sea shore and on the reefs but remain inedible as it is still consider sour.

October Ninyig The palolo worms are reduced in number. Only few remain on the seashore and on the reefs.

November Ninlap The worms reappear but this time bigger than taktakleingon and these worms are then become eatable.

December Ninwei People eat the pallor worms for the last time to say farewell to the old year.

Taken from Vanuatu Red Cross, Together, Becoming Resilient! DIPECHO Project: Traditional Knowledge. (undated).

Fig. 2 Traditional Tanna Crop Calendar

Taken from Crop Calendar on Tanna - Willie Iau, Peter Iesul, Noel Stephen, DARD and SPC-GIZ

Activity 8: Efate Future Hazard Scenarios

Explanation

Pupils consider future hazard, disaster and climate-related scenarios on Vanuatu (Efate in particular) and consider what can be done now to protect for the future

Time Needed

80 minutes (10 minutes working individually; 15 minutes in pairs; 25 minutes in groups of six; 30 minutes whole class discussion).

Note: The activity can also be done over three separate sessions of 25, 25 and 30 minutes.

Learning Outcomes

• Understanding that there are both positive (more resilient) and negative (more vulnerable) hazard and climate change scenarios for the future and that what we do now can help the positive happen (build resilience) and stop the negative from materializing (reduce vulnerability) • Develop ideas for practical steps to increase resilience and reduce vulnerability • Enhanced ability to discuss, to explain one’s views, to evaluate and critique the views of others • [Extension] Experience in interviewing and reporting back on what has been learned

Materials

• A copy of the Efate Future Hazard Scenarios handout for each pupil • A big sheet of paper and marker for each group of 6 (for the two brainstorming tasks)

Note 1: You can write the scenarios on the blackboard instead of running off handouts, with pupils noting down their decisions on their own piece of paper.

Note 2: Scenarios 1-11 were developed with Silas Robson Tigona, Vanuatu Meteorological and Geohazards Department. Scenarios 1-7 have a 50% probability = very likely Scenarios 8-9 have a 40% probability = likely Scenarios 10has a 10 % probability = possible According to international scientific reports, Scenarios 11-13 have a more than 50% probability = very likely There are NO impossible scenarios here. This information can be shared with pupils at the very end of the activity.

Procedure

• Have pupils work on their own to complete the Efate Future Hazard Scenarios handout. • Ask them to decide whether each of the ten scenarios is very likelylikely, possible (might happen), or impossible (definitely won’t happen) andindicate this by drawing a circle round the word they choose. • Have pupils form pairs to share, explain and discuss their choices, how they feel about this, and what ideas they have to reduce the negative impacts on people. If they are convinced by their partner, they can change any of their choices by circling a new word and crossing out the first • Ask pairs to join one other pair and make groups of four.Then ask the groups of four to choose one scenario in which members all agree that the future described is probable and share their thoughts about it . Ask them to brainstorm ideas on their big sheet of paper of things they and their community could do to reduce the negative impacts, and make the outcome as good as possible. • Hold a whole class discussion, first asking for reports, group by group. Ask others to comment on what the reporting group says. Do they agree? Disagree? Why? • If you have time, ask the class to select another scenario and do another round and another discussion. • .

Extension

• Take pupils go out into the community. Ask the class to work in their original pairs and interview two people they meet about the likelihood of each scenario, and what can be done about it. [30-40 minutes] • Back at school, have pairs report back on the answers they received and use reports as a stimulus for class discussion. [30-40 minutes] • Have pupils write a short essay focusing on possible and desired futures and how to achieve them. [20-30 minutes]

Curriculum Links

This activity connects to the General Studies – Our Communities curriculum at grade 6 offering a future-oriented look at Vanuatu ‘developments since independence’; it also connects with the General Studies – Our Environment curriculum at grade 6 (Conserving the Environment) and the Language curriculum at grade 6 (Caring for the Environment, in particular). It also aligns with the listening and speaking objectives of the Language curriculum and links to various topics in the Agriculture curriculum at grades 4, 5 and 6.

Handout: Efate Future Hazard Scenarios

1. By 2040, Efate island will experience a significant decline in rainfall during the dry season (May to October) and the west part of the island will be much drier than now; farming will be much more difficult and crop yields much smaller.

VERY LIKELY LIKELY POSSIBLE IMPOSSIBLE

IDEAS:

2. By 2040, roads, bridges, villages, cultural sites, villages on the coast of Efate island will be severely threatened, even destroyed, by sea level rise.