General Preparedness 3-5 Lesson Plan Adaptations

Lessons and activities in the Masters of Disaster curriculum kit are complete and ready for use the moment you open the box. We know, however, that at times teachers and others working with children adapt activities to meet the needs of their students. We want to pass these creative and innovative ideas on to you! You will find adaptations of Masters of Disaster lessons and activities listed below as suggested by users of the curriculum. If a lesson plan is not listed, we have not yet received a suggested adaptation for that lesson. If you have a suggestion of your own, please let us know.

Lesson Plan 1, "Building a Family Disaster Supplies Kit" Activity, pp. 7-8

• Lists of disaster kit items - When listing items to include in a Disaster Supplies kit, discuss why those choices were made. Priorities may demonstrate regional differences.
• Have students design a collage to show items belonging in a disaster supplies kit.

Lesson Plan 1, "Building a Family Disaster Supplies Kit" Activity, Home Connection, pp. 7-8,

• Ask families to create a Comfort Kit. Individual Comfort Kits are filled with items that are familiar, therefore comforting, to students. Supply instructions with examples of items to be included to keep kits minimal in size (a small stuffed animal, a family picture, etc.). Ask parents to include a letter to their child to help them feel comforted in case of a disaster. Store the Comfort Kits with the classroom Disaster Kit.

Additional General Preparedness ideas for all grade levels:

• Have students keep a Masters of Disaster Journal to record ideas while learning. Ask students to take the journal home and share it with a parent. Request that the parent write a response back to the child.
• Use older students to help younger students during disaster training activity. D. Begley, Stetson Middle School, Philadelphia, PA.
• When practicing evacuations, block an exit so participants will have to make alternative plans. Ray Gessner, Red Cross Volunteer, Laconia, NH.