Natural Hazards: Risk and Vulnerability
This lesson introduces Year 9 students to the concept of natural hazards, categorising them into tectonic and atmospheric types. Students will explore the Hazard Risk Equation and investigate why some populations are more vulnerable than others, considering factors like poverty, urbanisation, and climate change.
Learning objectives
- Define what constitutes a 'natural hazard' and distinguish between different types.
- Explain the factors that increase the risk to human populations.
- Analyse the relationship between a country's wealth and its capacity to cope with hazards.
Lesson plan (60 minutes)
Starter · 5 min
Do Now: Display images of a volcanic eruption, a storm, and a forest fire. Students list what they see and identify the 'danger'.
Introduction · 10 min
Teacher Explainer: Define natural hazards, types (Tectonic vs Atmospheric), and the concept of 'Risk'. Use the Hazard Risk Equation.
Development · 5 min
Vocabulary Match-up: Students define key terms from the board in their books.
Main Activity · 25 min
Main Task: Differentiated worksheets. Students work through Support, Core, or Stretch tasks based on prior attainment.
Case Study Discussion · 10 min
Case Study Snapshot: Brief look at why a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Haiti (LIC) killed more people than a 9.0 in Japan (HIC).
Plenary · 5 min
Multiple Choice Quiz: 8 questions to check understanding of key concepts.
Key vocabulary
- Natural Hazard
- A natural event that threatens people or has the potential to cause damage and death.
- Tectonic Hazard
- Hazards caused by the movement of tectonic plates (e.g. earthquakes, volcanoes).
- Atmospheric Hazard
- Hazards caused by weather and climate (e.g. tropical storms, droughts).
- Hazard Risk
- The probability or chance that a location will be affected by a natural hazard.
- Vulnerability
- How susceptible a population is to the effects of a hazard (e.g. living in poor quality housing).
Core worksheet (first questions)
- Explain the difference between a 'natural event' and a 'natural hazard'.
- Compare tectonic hazards and atmospheric hazards. Give one example of each.
- Describe the Hazard Risk Equation and what it tells geographers.
- Explain how urbanisation can increase the risk of a natural disaster.
Quiz (sample)
1. What is the definition of a natural hazard?
- A. A natural event in an uninhabited desert
- B. Something natural that can harm people or property
- C. A man-made disaster like a chemical spill
- D. Any weather event that happens daily
2. What are the two main categories of natural hazards?
- A. Tectonic and Atmospheric
- B. Water and Fire
- C. Wind and Earth
- D. Biological and Chemical
3. Which of these is an atmospheric hazard?
- A. Earthquake
- B. Tsunami
- C. Tornado
- D. Volcanic eruption
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