I was unable to attend the lecture and workshops from the first week of looking at natural disasters. However, I have caught up with all the information I have missed out on and will discuss what I have learned.

A natural disaster is only classified when human society is impacted by social disruption, loss of lives and material damage. A disaster is an abrupt event which causes a community or society from being unable to function. There are a numerous number of natural diasters including: Earthquakes, Floods, Volcanic eruptions, Cyclones and Disease epidemic.

Humans have a massive impact on natural disasters. The constant growth of the urban environment has led to mass over consumption causing global warming, which leads to natural disasters.

I then made mind maps of how to prepare for a natural disaster, what to do during a natural disaster is occurring and how to recover as a community after a natural disaster has occurred.

Then we learned how to effectively teach about disasters. Teaching disasters at primary school level allows for children to get a better grasp and appreciation of the wider world. As a teacher I could practically introduce natural disasters into the classroom by showing media reports, encouraging fundraising in schools for charities and talking about what’s happening in the world and allowing children to lead with what they know already. There are also many curriculum links which relate to natural disasters. There are some listed below:

• I can describe the physical processes of a natural disaster and discuss its impact on people and the landscape. SOC 2-07b
• By exploring a natural environment different from my own, I can discover how the physical features influence the variety of living things. SOC 1-13b
• I can explain how the physical environment influences the ways in which people use land by comparing my local area with a contrasting area. SOC 2-13a

The next input focused on science investigative skills related to disasters. Investigative skills include: ask questions, carry out experiments, observe, collect measure and record experiments and present and report findings. All of these skills are important because they allow pupils to use practical experience to find out information and develop scientific literacy. Science skills will allow children to be open to new ideas and linking and applying learning. It allows pupils to think creatively and critically, make predictions, develop skills of reasoning and draw conclusions based on reliable scientific evidence.

There were then numerous examples of scientific investigative experiments which will be suitable to use in a teaching environment. For example, the baking soda and vinegar volcano experiment. The use of baking soda and vinegar creates a chemical reaction which looks similar to a volcanic eruption. This practical example allows children to get hands on with the experiment as well as expanding their knowledge on volcanos.