Rising to the Occasion: Preparing for the Unexpected

Grade Level: 9-12

Academic Areas: Interdisciplinary

Duration of service: Year Long

Character Virtues: Responsibility, Civic Virtue and Citizenship

Service Areas: Human Services, Public Safety, Education/Tutoring

 

Service Learning Project:

High school students will understand that the roles of citizens change during times of crisis. At the completion of the project, students will have undergone training in crisis-preparedness and will have taken their knowledge back to their families and targeted community groups. As a first step, students will identify the type of emergencies most likely to befall their community based on a scientific study of natural disasters and a historical look at the area (MST 4, 7, 2 ELA 1). Students will then receive training from local first-response organizations in relevant preparedness skills, such as CPR /AED, first aid, home hazards, and fire safety. After demonstrating competency in these skills, students will be charged with designing a safety plan for their own homes. Finally, students will develop and teach emergency preparedness training for targeted community groups (e.g., younger students, disabled students, and senior citizens), procuring and delivering necessary materials themselves.

Goals and Objectives

Academic

Learning Goal: Earth Science/ Biology- Students will understand basic causes of natural disasters and requirements for survival (basic needs).

Standard: MST-2,4, and 7, PE-2

Learning Goal: Social Studies/ELA: Students will learn roles and responsibilities of citizens during previous disasters and gather and communicate knowledge to help prepare for future disasters.

Standard: SS-1,2,5 ELA-1,3,4

Service

Community need: Disasters happen in every community due to weather, fire, terrorism, etc. Most people are not prepared as they lack training and material resources necessary for adequate response.

Possible Community Partners: Red Cross (materials include Preparing for the Unexpected, Preparing for Emergencies, the Most Useful Book in the World, Your Family Disaster Plan and Pets and Disaster: Be Prepared), fire departments, first responders, younger students, and senior citizens.

Objective: Students will develop a disaster plan for their homes, their school, and vulnerable populations within the community.

Objective: Students will collect and distribute supplies to home and community partners.

Character

 Virtue: Responsibility

Objective: Students will learn to be self-reliant in times of crisis.

Virtue: Civic Virtue and Citizenship

Objective: Students will recognize that it is their responsibility to share their knowledge in order to ensure the safety of their community during times of crisis.

Key Activities

Key Planning Activities

  1. Students will identify the most likely disasters to befall the community; basic needs for survival in an emergency; and those populations deemed most vulnerable to crisis.
  2. Students will receive training (possibly from Red Cross or first responders) on AED/CPR, first aid, and disaster preparedness.

Key Service Activities

  1. Students will develop and test a disaster plan for their homes, their school, and for individuals with special needs.
  2. Students will put plan into place in their families’ homes and conduct trainings, distribute supplies, and implement plans in the homes of people with special needs.

Key Reflection Activities

  1. (oral – responsibility) Students will share what they found about their families’ preparedness in a class forum. They will identify common misconceptions/gaps in preparedness and knowledge across families.
  2. (written – civic virtue/citizenship) 1) Students will complete personal writing on the ways in which their level of preparedness has changed throughout the project and explain how it has affected their sense of safety. 2) Students will complete personal writing on their increased ability to work proactively in times of crisis and how this has affected their sense of community and sense of self.
  3. (performance – civic virtue/citizenship) After completing courses in safety/preparedness training, students will create a video, rap, etc. demonstrating knowledge of the material.

Celebration Activity

At a party to which parents and community members will be invited, awards will be presented to the students by first responders or local politicians for successful completion of training. Families and community members will bring their home disaster kits to the celebration for a disaster kit exhibition.