Disasters and emergencies teaching resources

Consider the impact of disasters and emergencies and help young people prepare for and cope with a crisis.

Explore the topic of disasters and emergencies with our free lesson plans and teaching materials, which are ideal for Citizenship, PSHE and Geography teachers.

Get primary and secondary teaching ideas about:


  • natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes and typhoons
  • emergencies such as terrorist attacks or transport accidents
  • extreme weather like droughts or flooding.

 

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Disasters and emergencies teaching resources

Teach about climate preparedness

Red, black, grey and white colours are used in a grid of cartoon people and the title 'weather together' in the middle of the screen with cloud, lightening and sun symbols

Weather Together: A climate change teaching resource

The British Red Cross toolkit to teach learners how to prepare for and cope with extreme weather, including flooding, heatwaves and eco-anxiety. Suitable for learners aged 10 to 16.

Teach with Weather Together

In the news

A man pushes a wheelbarrow through a huge area of land and homes badly damaged by Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas.

Newsthink: Hurricane Dorian

How have people been affected by the hurricane and what is the role of resilience? Suitable for learners aged 11 to 16.

Newsthink: Hurricane Dorian
Mans looks on at the aftermath following an earthquake

Indonesia earthquake and tsunami

In this discussion and photo activity, learners will review the earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia and explore the humanitarian work done to help. Suitable for learners aged 11 to 16.

Newsthink: Indonesia earthquake and tsunami
Lava covers the road.

Volcano in Hawaii

Secondary PSHE activities considering how to prepare for a natural disaster and living with the reality that this could happen. Suitable for learners aged 11 to 19. 

Newsthink: Volcano in Hawaii
Newsthink_laptop

All newsthink resources

Topical teaching resources exploring the news from a humanitarian perspective. Real-life examples through film clips, photographs and stories linked to the news to prompt discussion and to develop critical thinking and media literacy.

View all newsthink resources

First aid

A boy with a head injury holding frozen peas to the bump

First Aid Champions

A curriculum linked first aid learning website (available in Welsh and English) for children and young people to learn everyday first aid at home and school. Ideal for teachers who want first aid learning materials all in one place. Suitable for primary and secondary learners.

Teach with First Aid Champions

Further learning

Children learning earthquake safety advice

Introducing emergencies: Primary

Use these photo and discussion activities to help primary children understand what an emergency is, build their knowledge and develop skills that will help them be better prepared for emergencies in the future. Suitable for learners aged 5 to 11.

Introduce emergencies to primary school learners
Children standing in the aftermath of an earthquake

Natural disasters: earthquakes

A Geography curriculum-linked perspective on how individuals and communities prepare for, respond and recover from life-changing natural disasters, including exploring how earthquakes happen. Suitable for learners aged 11 to 19.

Teach about natural disasters and earthquakes
Helicopter landing

Alfa bravo charlie: The NATO phonetic alphabet

Memorise and practise using the useful alfa bravo charlie-style phonetic alphabet, used worldwide to make it easier to spell words over the radio. Suitable for learners aged 7 to 19.

Learn about Alfa bravo charlie
Crowd holding signs reading

Manchester attack: support for young people

Explore the ways that people helped each other following the explosion in Manchester, including the role of giving emotional support. Lesson plan suitable for learners aged 11 to 16.

Teach support with discussion activities

Support for teachers

Talking with children about a major emergency

Talking with children about a major emergency (Primary)

This resource provides guidance and activity ideas to help children explore their emotions following news of a traumatic event. Suitable for learners aged 5 to 11.

Find out more
Talking with young people about a major emergency

Talking with young people about a major emergency (Secondary)

A resource to help teachers support young people and explore how they and others may feel following news of a major emergency. Suitable for learners aged 11 to 19.

Find out more
A mother talks about difficult situations, such as a terrorist attack, to a small child

How to talk to children about a terrorist attack (article)

Read this article where Dr Sarah Davidson offers her advice on how best to talk to children about a terror attack.

Talking to children about a terrorist attack
Young people in classroom with teacher looking at presenter

Red Cross educator development

View all free learning resources to support teacher development and tools for productive classrooms.

View CPD resources