WORTH THE RISK?
Examining the Dangers and Rewards of Living in High-Risk Areas Throughout the World
Grades: 6-8,9-12
Subjects: Current Events, Geography, Language Arts, Social Studies
Related New York Times Article
"Fires From Hell, Views From Heaven, By MICHAEL JANOFSKY", June 14, 2002
Overview of Lesson Plan:: In this lesson, students learn about the reasons people have chosen to live near Colorado's Pike National Park despite the common occurrence of forest fires. Then, they explore the drawbacks and benefits of living in other high-risk areas.
SUGGESTED TIME ALLOWANCE: 45 minutes - 1 hour
OBJECTIVES:
Students will:
- Speculate about how they would react to an evacuation of their homes.
- Examine the effects of the Hayman wildfire on people living nearby by reading and discussing the article "Fires From Hell, Views From Heaven."
- Research certain high-risk areas; create brochures for potential residents of these high-risk areas.
- Interview a person living in a high-risk area; present group brochures to the class.
RESOURCES / MATERIALS:
- pens/pencils
- paper
- student journals
- classroom board
- copies of the article "Fires From Hell, Views From Heaven" (one per student)
- resources with information about high-risk areas around the world (encyclopedias, social studies and geography textbooks, almanacs, computers with Internet access)
ACTIVITIES / PROCEDURES:
- WARM-UP/DO NOW: In their journals, students respond to the following prompt (written on the board prior to class): "A forest fire has been slowly traveling toward your home. For the past few days, you have been waiting it out, hoping the flames would be extinguished before the fire reached you. The fire service has informed you that the fire is likely to reach your home, and you have an hour to evacuate to safety. If you could save only five things on your way out, what five things would they be?" After giving students a minute to generate their lists, have some students share their responses with the class. Were the choices based on sentimental or material value? Would the students choose to rebuild their homes on the same endangered land or would they choose to live elsewhere?
- As a class, read the article "Fires From Hell, Views From Heaven," focusing on the following questions:
- What call came at 4 p.m. on Monday in Edalia, Colorado?
- What did Kurt Kyle and his family do when they heard the news?
- What did President Bush assure Bill Owens?
- Where did the Hayman fire erupt?
- How many acres has the Hayman fire consumed so far?
- What factors add to the difficulty of fighting the Hayman fire?
- Why have so many people moved to the Pike National Park area?
- How does Mrs. Tomkins feel about the possibility of her house burning down?
- As a class, brainstorm a list of high-risk areas in which people live and the chief factor that makes each area considered "risky," (e.g. a natural disaster, a war, or political unrest). Divide students into groups of three or four, assigning each group one of the high-risk areas from the brainstorming session. Using all available resources, students research their assigned area to learn the answers to the following questions:
- What are the risk factors associated with living in this area?
- What dangers do these risk factors pose?
- What precautions do people take against these dangers? How successful are these precautions?
- Despite the risks, what positive factors make this area a desirable place to live?
- What reasons do people give to explain their choice to continue living in such a hazardous area?
- WRAP-UP/HOMEWORK: At home, each student interviews at least one person from his or her group's high-risk area about the pros and cons of living in that area. Students may try to contact private citizens directly or may want to contact local government officials for information. In a later class, groups reconvene and incorporate at least one quote from each group member's interview into their brochure. Groups should then present and display their brochures to the class.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- Would you live somewhere that you knew was within range of frequent forest fires?
- Have you ever seen a forest fire? If so, how did it make you feel? If not, what do you imagine it would look like first-hand?
- For what type of environment would you withstand the risks inherent to that area?
- What would you spray paint on the side of your horses if you were Linda Eisen?
- Would you want to be a firefighter? Why or why not?
- What is the original meaning of the word "utopia"? Based on this meaning, would the area near Pike National Forest qualify as "utopia"? Would you want to live in the original "Utopia"?
EVALUATION / ASSESSMENT:
Students will be evaluated based on journal entries, thoughtful participation in class discussions, participation in group research, creation of group brochure, and documentation of interview.
VOCABULARY:
evacuate, eerie, endangered, humidity, scenic, ambient, utopia, interface, fiscal, vulnerable, err, periodic, jangle
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:
- Construct a timeline of the Hayman wildfire by following its development in the news. Include sections of articles and pictures of the fire as it progresses or diminishes.
- Learn about another famous fire in history, such as the Great Chicago Fire or the Great Fire of Rome. Write a fictional "first-hand" account of the event from the point-of-view of an eyewitness.
- Learn about the relief aid available to help combat the Hayman wildfire from sources such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency or other private organizations. Identify which organizations offer aid to help rebuild and reforest after forest fires. Create a reference guide listing the various organizations and the aid they provide.
- Interview a fire fighter from your local fire department. Make sure to ask questions regarding the health risks involved in the profession, stories of heroism or other significant events he or she has witnessed, and why he or she decided to become a fire fighter. Submit your interview to the school newspaper.
INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS:
American History- Mrs. Tomkins explains, "This is the American West. We'll rebuild from our ashes." Research the perils that confronted the original American pioneers to the West, such as conflict with native residents, hunger, and disease. Also, examine the pioneers' relationship with the land. Then create a guide to being an American pioneer incorporating your findings.
Civics- Much of the difficulty fighting the Hayman fire has been inadvertently created by the increased population in the vicinity. Conduct a debate on government control of private housing (location, size of plots, etc), especially as it pertains to currently uncultivated lands. What role, if any, should the government play to ensure people's safety and to preserve wildlife?
Economics- Research the type and nature of insurance that is available to people living near Pike National Forest? How will their insurance respond if their homes are burnt down? Will their rates go up? What type of compensation will they receive? Create a pamphlet for residents near Pike National Forest on what to expect from an average insurance policy in the wake of the Hayman fire.
Science- Learn about the nature of forest fires. Write a paper explaining the various causes of forest fires, why they are so difficult to contain, and what effects they have on the immediate environment and on the ecosystem as a whole.
Technology- How has fire-fighting technology advanced in the last century? Create a poster displaying the different types of vehicles, hoses, and other fire-fighting devices used throughout the last century.
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