Coping with a Disaster

  • Grades: 1-9
  • Lesson Plan

This lesson plan offers the teacher some tools for coping with the day after a disaster.

Introduction

This elementary school/middle school lesson plan offers teachers some tools for coping with the day after a disaster. Using students’ previous knowledge as a starting point, they are guided to learn more about the people and places associated with the disaster so that they can better express their feelings and thoughts.

Note: This lesson was written immediately after the Space Shuttle Columbia exploded, but it can be adapted.

Lesson objectives

Rationale:

The day of/after a disaster teachers are expected to be able to deal with the aftermath. Children are often scared and confused. This lesson is one way of using available resources to help your students cope.

Resources & Equipment needed

Materials:

  1. ย Create a chart with three columns: What We Know/What We Want to Know/What We Learned.ย Make copies to distribute to each student or student group.
  2. ย Pictures, headlines, and articles about the disaster (from newspapers or the Internet).
  3. Maps to identify the locations related to the disaster.
  4. Names and photographs of people and places involved in the disaster.
  5. Create a sample chart to share what you have learned about all of the people involved in the disaster. The columns can include People, Names, and Roles.ย Show students your example and then share a blank chart with each student or group.
  6. Glue

Procedure

  1. Hand out the What We Know/What We Want to Know/What We Learned chart and ask students to complete the first and second columns.
  2. Distribute articles, pictures, and headlines on desks.
  3. Students should look at material to prepare for the discussion.
  4. Divide students into discussion groups. They should use the following questions as a guide:
    • Where were you when this happened or when you heard about this disaster?
    • Who were you with?
    • What were you doing?
    • How did you find out?
    • Who did you talk to?
    • What did you do?
  5. Switch to a whole-class discussion.
  6. Map Activity (optional): Using the local/national/international maps, locate and mark the places in the news.
  7. People/Name/Role Jigsaw Activity (optional): Divide students into groups and hand out People/Name/Role charts. Each group searches for information online or in newspapers and fills out the chart.ย  Students can cut out photos and paste them on. After completion, groups compare charts and add appropriate information.
  8. Reflection: complete the What We Know/What We Want to Know/What We Learned chart.
  9. Select a concluding activity
    • Where were you when this happened or when you heard about this disaster?
    • Who were you with?
    • What were you doing?
    • How did you find out?
    • Who did you talk to?
    • What did you do?

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

ืžืœืš ื‘ืฉืจ ื•ื“ื ืฉื™ื•ืฆื ืœืžืœื—ืžื” ืขืœ ืื•ื™ื‘ื™ื• ืžื•ืฆื™ื ื—ื™ื™ืœื•ืชื™ื• ืœื”ืจื•ื’ ื•ืœื™ื”ืจื’ ืกืคืง ืื•ื”ื‘ ืืช ื—ื™ื™ืœื•ืชื™ื• ืกืคืง ืื™ื ื• ืื•ื”ื‘ ืืช ื—ื™ื™ืœื•ืชื™ื•, ืกืคืง ื”ื ื—ืฉื•ื‘ื™ื ื‘ืขื™ื ื™ื• ืกืคืง ืื™ื ื ื—ืฉื•ื‘ื™ื ื‘ืขื™ื ื™ื•, ื•ืืคื™ืœื• ื—ืฉื•ื‘ื™ื ื‘ืขื™ื ื™ื• ื—ืฉื•ื‘ื™ื ื‘ืขื™ื ื™ื• ื›ืžืชื™ื, ืฉื›ืœ ื”ื™ื•ืฆื ืœืžืœื—ืžื” ืžืœืืš ื”ืžื•ืช ื›ืจื•ืš ื‘ืขืงื‘ื•ืชื™ื• ื•ืžืชืœื•ื•ื” ืœื• ืœื”ืจื’ื•. ืคื’ืข ื‘ื• ื—ืฅ ืื• ืกื™ื™ืฃ ืื• ื—ืจื‘ ืื• ืฉืืจ ืžื™ื ื™ ืžืฉื—ื™ืช ื•ื ื”ืจื’ ืžืขืžื™ื“ื™ืŸ ืื—ืจ ื‘ืžืงื•ืžื•, ื•ืื™ืŸ ื”ืžืœืš ืžืจื’ื™ืฉ ื‘ื—ืกืจื•ื ื•, ืฉืื•ืžื•ืช ื”ืขื•ืœื ืžืจื•ื‘ื™ื ื•ื’ื™ื™ืกื•ืช ืฉืœื”ื ืžืจื•ื‘ื™ื. ื ื”ืจื’ ืื—ื“ ืžื”ื ื™ืฉ ืœื• ืœืžืœืš ื”ืจื‘ื” ื›ื ื’ื“ื•.

ืื‘ืœ ืžืœื›ื ื• ืžืœืš ืžืœื›ื™ ื”ืžืœื›ื™ื ื”ืงื“ื•ืฉ ื‘ืจื•ืš ื”ื•ื ืžืœืš ื—ืคืฅ ื‘ื—ื™ื™ื, ืื•ื”ื‘ ืฉืœื•ื ื•ืจื•ื“ืฃ ืฉืœื•ื ื•ืื•ื”ื‘ ืืช ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืขืžื• ื•ื‘ื—ืจ ื‘ื ื• ืžื›ืœ ื”ืขืžื™ื, ืœื ืžืคื ื™ ืฉืื ื• ืžืจื•ื‘ื™ื ื—ืฉืง ื”’ ื‘ื ื• ื›ื™ ืื ื• ื”ืžืขื˜ ืžื›ืœ ื”ืขืžื™ื. ื•ืžืชื•ืš ืื”ื‘ืชื• ืฉืื•ื”ื‘ ืื•ืชื ื• ื•ืื ื• ืžืขื˜ื™ื ื›ืœ ืื—ื“ ื•ืื—ื“ ืžืขืžื ื• ื—ืฉื•ื‘ ืœืคื ื™ื• ื›ืœื™ื’ื™ื•ืŸ ืฉืœื. ืœืคื™ ืฉืื™ืŸ ืœื• ื”ืจื‘ื” ืœื”ืขืžื™ื“ ื‘ืžืงื•ืžื ื•. ื ืคืงื“ ื—ืก ื•ืฉืœื•ื ืื—ื“ ืžื™ืฉืจืืœ ื‘ืื” ืคื—ืช ื‘ืœื’ื™ื•ื ื•ืชื™ื• ืฉืœ ื”ืžืœืš ื•ื‘ืื” ืชืฉื•ืช ื›ื— ื›ื‘ื™ื›ื•ืœ ื‘ืžืœื›ื•ืชื• ื™ืชื‘ืจืš, ืฉื”ืจื™ ืžืœื›ื•ืชื• ื—ืกืจื” ืœื’ื™ื•ืŸ ืื—ื“ ืžืœื’ื™ื•ื ื•ืชื™ื• ื•ื ืชืžืขื˜ื” ื—ืก ื•ืฉืœื•ื ื’ื“ื•ืœืชื• ื™ืชื‘ืจืš.

ืœืคื™ื›ืš ืื ื—ื ื• ืžืชืคืœืœื™ืŸ ื•ืื•ืžืจื™ื ืื—ืจ ื›ืœ ืžืช ืžื™ืฉืจืืœ ื™ืชื’ื“ืœ ื•ื™ืชืงื“ืฉ ืฉืžื™ื” ืจื‘ื, ื™ื’ื“ืœ ื›ื— ื”ืฉื ื•ืœื ื™ื‘ื™ื ืชืฉื•ืช ื›ื— ืœืคื ื™ื• ื™ืชื‘ืจืš ื•ื™ืชืงื“ืฉ ื‘ืขื•ืœืžื•ืช ืฉื‘ืจื ื›ืจืฆื•ื ื•, ื•ืœื ื ืคื—ื“ ืขืœ ืขืฆืžื ื• ืืœื ืžื”ื“ืจ ื’ืื•ืŸ ืงื“ื•ืฉืชื• ื™ืชืขืœื” ื•ื™ืžืœื™ืš ืžืœื›ื•ืชื™ื” ืฉืชืชื’ืœื” ื•ืชืจืื” ืžืœื›ื•ืชื• ื‘ืฉืœื™ืžื•ืช ื•ืœื ื™ืชืžืขื˜ ืžืžื ื” ื—ืก ื•ืฉืœื•ื, ื‘ื—ื™ื™ื›ื•ืŸ ื•ื‘ื™ื•ืžื™ื™ื›ื•ืŸ ื•ื‘ื—ื™ื™ ื“ื›ืœ ื‘ื™ืช ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื‘ืžื”ืจื” ื•ื‘ื–ืžืŸ ืงืจื•ื‘, ืฉืื ืžืœื›ื•ืชื• ื’ืœื•ื™ื” ื‘ืขื•ืœื- ืฉืœื•ื ื‘ืขื•ืœื ื•ื‘ืจื›ื” ื‘ืขื•ืœื ื•ืฉื™ืจื” ื‘ืขื•ืœื ื•ืชืฉื‘ื—ื•ืช ื”ืจื‘ื” ื‘ืขื•ืœื ื•ื ื—ืžื” ื’ื“ื•ืœื” ื‘ืขื•ืœื ื•ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืงื“ื•ืฉื™ื ืื”ื•ื‘ื™ื ื‘ืขื•ืœื ื•ื’ื“ื•ืœืชื• ื’ื“ืœื” ื•ื”ื•ืœื›ืช ื•ืžืชืจื‘ื” ื•ืื™ื ื” ืžืชืžืขื˜ืช ืœืขื•ืœื.

ืื ื›ืš ืื ื• ืžืชืคืœืœื™ื ื•ืื•ืžืจื™ื ืื—ืจ ื›ืœ ืื“ื ืฉืžืช, ืงืœ ื•ื—ื•ืžืจ ืขืœ ืื—ื™ื ื• ื•ืื—ื™ื•ืชื™ื ื• ื”ื ืื”ื‘ื™ื ื•ื”ื ืขื™ืžื™ื ื‘ื ื™ ืฆื™ื•ืŸ ื”ื™ืงืจื™ื ื”ืจื•ื’ื™ ืืจืฅ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืฉื ืฉืคืš ื“ืžื ืขืœ ื›ื‘ื•ื“ ืฉืžื• ื™ืชื‘ืจืš ื•ืขืœ ืขืžื• ื•ืขืœ ืืจืฆื• ื•ืขืœ ื ื—ืœืชื•. ื•ืœื ื–ื• ื‘ืœื‘ื“ ืืœื ื›ืœ ื”ื“ืจ ื‘ืืจืฅ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื”ื•ื ืžืœื’ื™ื•ื ื• ืฉืœ ืžืœืš ืžืœื›ื™ ื”ืžืœื›ื™ื ื”ืงื“ื•ืฉ ื‘ืจื•ืš ื”ื•ื ืฉื”ืคืงื™ื“ื• ื”ืžืœืš ืฉื•ืžืจ ื‘ืคืœื˜ืจื™ืŸ ืฉืœื•. ื ื”ืจื’ ืื—ื“ ืžื”ืœื’ื™ื•ืŸ ืฉืœื• ืื™ืŸ ืœื• ื›ื‘ื™ื›ื•ืœ ืื—ืจื™ื ืœื”ืขืžื™ื“ ื‘ืžืงื•ืžื•.

ืœืคื™ื›ืš ืื—ื™ื ื• ื›ืœ ื‘ื™ืช ื™ืฉืจืืœ, ื›ืœ ื”ืžืชืื‘ืœื™ื ื‘ืื‘ืœ ื”ื–ื”, ื ื›ื•ื•ืŸ ืืช ืœื™ื‘ื ื• ืœืื‘ื™ื ื• ืฉื‘ืฉืžื™ื ืžืœืš ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื•ื’ื•ืืœื• ื•ื ืชืคืœืœ ืขืœื™ื ื• ื•ืขืœื™ื• ื›ื‘ื™ื›ื•ืœ, ื™ืชื’ื“ืœ ื•ื™ืชืงื“ืฉ ืฉืžื™ื” ืจื‘ื” ื‘ืขืœืžื ื“ื™ ื‘ืจื ื›ืจืขื•ืชื ื•ื™ืžืœื™ืš ืžืœื›ื•ืชื™ื” ื•ื™ืฆืžื— ืคื•ืจืงื ื™ื” ื•ื™ืงืจื‘ ืžืฉื™ื—ื™ื”. ื•ื›ืŸ ื›ืœ ื”ืคืจืฉื” ื›ื•ืœื”. ื•ื ื–ื›ื” ื•ื ื—ื™ื” ื•ื ืจืื” ืขื™ืŸ ื‘ืขื™ืŸ, ืขื•ืฉื” ืฉืœื•ื ื‘ืžืจื•ืžื™ื• ื”ื•ื ื‘ืจื—ืžื™ื• ื™ืขืฉื” ืฉืœื•ื ืขืœื™ื ื• ื•ืขืœ ื›ืœ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืืžืŸ.

 

When a king of flesh and blood goes to war against his enemies, he sends his soldiers to kill and to be killed. He may love his soldiers or he may not love them. He may have regard for them or he may not have regard for them. Even if he has regard for them, however, he regards them as dead, for the angel of death is close upon the heels of a man who goes to war, and accompanies him to kill him. When he is cut down and slain by an arrow or a sword or any of the instruments of destruction, another man is put in his place. The king does not feel that someone is missing. After all, the nations are many and their troops are many. If one of them is killed, the king has many replacements.

But our king, the King of Kings, the Holy One, Blessed Be He, wants life and loves peace and pursues peace and loves His people Israel. He chose us, and not because we are a large nation, for we are one of the smallest of nations. We are few, and owing to the love with which He loves us, each one of us is, for Him, an entire legion. He does not have many replacements for us. If one of us is missing, heaven forfends, then the kingโ€™s forces are diminished, with the consequence that His kingdom is weakened, as it were. One of His legions is gone and His greatness is lessened.

For this reason, it is our custom to recite the kaddish when a Jew dies. Godโ€™s Name will be magnified and sanctified in its power so that there will be no loss of strength before Him…and sanctified so that we need not fear for ourselves, but only for the splendor and the pride of His Holiness.

If this is what we pray and what we say for every individual who dies, how much more shall we pray it and say it for our brothers and our sisters, the lovely and pleasant and dear children of Zion who were slain for the land of Israel, whose blood was spilled for the honor of His blessed name, for His people and His land of Israel and for His heritage! Indeed everyone who dwells in the land of Israel is one of the legions of the King of Kings, the Holy One, Blessed Be He, whom the King has appointed a watchman over His palace. When one of them is killed, He is bereft of others to put in his place.

And so my brothers in the house of Israel, all of you who mourn in this mourning, let us direct our hearts to our Father in Heaven, the King of Israel and its Redeemer, and pray for ourselves and for His, as it were: โ€˜Magnified and sanctified may His great Name beโ€ฆโ€

– S. Y. Agnon, 1947. Translation by Leon Wieseltier, Kaddish (New York: Knopf, 1998)