Hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis can happen anywhere at anytime. The students I teach in New Jersey may not have experienced a devastating natural disaster first-hand and need to be made aware of disasters worldwide. Students should also be taught the science behind these events. Teaching the sciences should involve real-world examples. Using actual examples of natural disasters to teach Earth Science is a great way to make it real for the students.
Since many students in my school are Haitian, teaching earthquakes using the Haitian earthquake example seems to be an obvious choice. But what if any of the students have relatives and loved ones they lost in the earthquake? I am not sure if I am ready to confront that type of issue.
Instead, I would discuss ways in which we could help the people of Haiti. UNICEF helps the children of Haiti. I would like to have a fundraiser for the children of Haiti run by the science classes. The students could have a bake sale in the school to raise money for UNICEF.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI agree that using the earthquake in Haiti may not be the best idea given the possibility that it may be too personal for some students, and utilizing UNICEF sounds like an excellent alternative for helping students develop compassion for others while at the same time avoiding a potentially sensitive issue. I also wanted to suggest a website that might be helpful in assisting students to reach out to others in need, both in their community and around the world:
http://www.dosomething.org/
Amy :)
I like the idea of a bake sale. Would you ask all students to bring in baked goods or is there a club that would do this?
ReplyDeleteLynelle