Emergencies and disasters can be scary, especially for children. Providing children with information and knowledge so they’re prepared and ready during a difficult situation can help reduce their fear, anxiety and stress.
Teach students to become Masters of Disasters
The free Master of Disaster classroom program, for British Columbia students in grades 4 to 8, teaches students about emergency preparedness. The program is designed to help students learn about emergency preparedness and covers the most common hazards in B.C.—like floods, wildfires, earthquakes and tsunamis—and shows students how to prepare themselves and, by extension, the people they live with.
Lessons
Developed in partnership with the First Nations Emergency Services’ Society and the Ministry of Education and Child Care, the Master of Disaster program aligns with the B.C. Curriculum (social and community health) and includes three lessons with the three steps to preparedness:
- Know your hazards
- Gather your supplies
- Make your plan
At the start of lesson one, students receive the colourful Get Ready Guide. It’s a beautifully designed workbook full of information on emergency preparedness, Indigenous traditional knowledge as well as some games and activities to make learning fun.
During lesson two, learners receive a drawstring bag to start their personal grab-and-go bag, and at the end of lesson three, they get a home emergency plan to fill out with the people they live with.
The program is meant to be flexible, and can be delivered in less than three hours or expanded for older grades.
Order the program for your classroom
Program materials can be ordered online. Teachers require one Teaching kit for themselves and a Student kit for each learner.
All program materials and shipping are free for B.C. educators and supplemented with online resources. Teachers can customize and send letters home, and a Master of Disaster certificate of completion is available to print and give to students.
Questions? Want more information?
For more information or an orientation to the program, email MasterOfDisaster@gov.bc.ca