Student Worksheet

Adaptation And Mitigation

Students will...

… that natural hazards do not need to become disasters
… that buildings can be designed to resist natural hazards
… that there are strategies to avoid natural hazards becoming disasters.

Students can...

… work in a team to develop plans for solving design challenges
… critique the effectiveness of their designs and implement improvements
… collect results and analyse them
… identify ways humans can avoid, mitigate or adapt to the impacts of natural hazards.

Avoiding Disasters

1. While watching the video note down what you see, think and wonder below:

Stop natural hazards from becoming disasters (https://youtu.be/6go1Gi8mP0g)

STEM Challenges

2. For each challenge station, record your Results and answer the Discussion questions.

Storm/cyclone Station

Results:

Discussion:

Were any of your results surprising? What did you expect to happen?

What shapes did you need to use to make your structure stronger and more wind-resistant?

Did you improve the structure from your first test?

What other materials could you use to make the structure stronger and more aerodynamic?

How could you apply what you have learnt in this challenge to building design in areas with storm or cyclone natural hazards?

Propose why people live in areas with storm or cyclone natural hazards.

Flood Station

Results:

Discussion:

Were any of your results surprising? What did you expect to happen?

What shapes did you need to use to make your structure more flood-resistant?

Did you improve the structure from your first test?

What other materials could you use to make the structure more flood-resistant?

How could you apply what you have learnt in this challenge to building design in areas near a flood natural hazard?

Propose why people live in areas with a flood natural hazard.

Earthquake Station

Results:

Discussion:

Were any of your results surprising? What did you expect to happen?

What shapes did you need to use to make your structure more stable?

Did you improve the structure from your first test?

What other materials could you use to make the structure more stable?

How does what you have learnt relate to buildings that are earthquake-proof?

What are common building solutions to withstand earthquake vibrations?

Landslide/avalanche Station

Results:

Discussion:

Were any of your results surprising? What did you expect to happen?

What shapes did you need to use to make your structure more stable?

Did you improve the structure from your first test?

What other materials could you use to make the structure more stable?

How could you apply what you have learnt in this challenge to building design in areas with a landslide and/or avalanche natural hazard?

Propose why people live in areas with a landslide and/or avalanche natural hazard.

Hazard-Resistant Designs

Answer these questions:

What shapes and structures were most successful at withstanding each natural hazard?

Hazard-resistant structures are used in areas where a natural hazard exists, but what are ways humans can avoid a hazard or reduce the risk of the hazard to very low levels?

Hazards often affect tourists. When you travel to a new area what can you do to find out the hazard risks and prepare yourself in the event it turns into a disaster?

Extension opportunity: Draw a design of a house that could withstand a natural hazard (flood, earthquake, tsunami, cyclone, bushfire, landslide/avalanche, storms, excessive heat). Label the design elements that help the house resist the natural hazard.

Reflection

How could you have improved your designs for each challenge?

What are two things you want to learn more about in relation to designing for natural hazards?

Disaster Resilience - Adaptation and Mitigation

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Summary

Lesson guides and printables

In this lesson