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EL Civics Objective 16 (Emergencies)
Levels: Intermediate High & Advanced
Task #2: Write an Emergency or Disaster Report
Language & Literacy Objectives:
1. Identify what constitutes an emergency or disaster, listing examples.
2. Read selections describing past or possible future emergencies. Discuss how people
responded/will respond and the role of assistance agencies.
7. Describe the appropriate steps to take in response to specific types of emergencies.
INTRODUCTION
In this lesson, students will read about past emergencies and disasters to learn what
steps were taken (or should have been taken) to deal with the situations. They will
learn how to write a report that summarizes the most important information about an
incident.
ASSESSMENT TASK
Students will complete an authentic writing task on a recent emergency or disaster (e.g.
a hurricane, tsunami, or earthquake) based on research from sources such as the
Internet or newspaper. [Report] will include steps that were taken or should have been
taken to deal with the emergency situation. (20 points possible)
SUGGESTED CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
Google search for articles and video clips on recent emergencies and disasters
AND/OR bring in articles from the local newspaper regarding recent emergencies
and disasters. Work as whole class, or in groups, to determine the main points
(who, what, where, why, when and how). Students then work individually to
summarize. Can do peer review of report drafts.
© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
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HANDOUTS PROVIDED
Handout
Handout
Handout
Handout
Handout
Handout
Handout
Handout
1:
2:
3:
4:
5:
6:
7:
8:
Vocabulary
Conversation Questions
Lesson Plan & Article Links (for teachers’ reference)
Introduction: Emergency and Disaster Reports
Example: Emergency and Disaster Reports
Practice: Writing Emergency and Disaster Reports
Answer Key: Writing Emergency and Disaster Reports
Template – Write an Emergency or Disaster Report
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
•
DVD available for checkout in the ESL Resource Office at HAC, plus each
additional main site (GAC, Hull).
“Seven Common Emergencies,” produced by Torrance Memorial Medical
Center. What you can do at home, and when to go to the emergency room.
Covers the following topics, presented by MDs:
o Using 911
o Bites & Stings
o Burns
o Fever
o First-Aid Pearls of Wisdom
o Fractures & Lacerations
o Stroke
COMPUTER LAB IDEAS
Google search for articles and video clips on recent emergencies and disasters.
Students practice 5Ws by creating poems:
http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/5wpoem.htm
© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
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Task 2 – Handout #1
VOCABULARY – EMERGENCY & DISASTER REPORTS
Adapted from www.dictionary.com
emergency: A sudden, urgent, usually unexpected occurrence or occasion
requiring immediate action; a state of need for help or relief, created by some
unexpected event.
report: An account or statement describing in detail an event, situation, or the like,
usually as the result of observation and/or inquiry.
template: A model or standard for creating something.
details: Individual pieces of information that make a story more interesting. Usually the
“how” and “why.”
topic sentence: The main sentence in a paragraph, often the first sentence. It briefly
conveys the essential (most important) idea of the paragraph.
concluding sentence: A sentence at the end of a paragraph which summarizes the
information that has been presented. It is a sort of topic sentence in reverse.
(take) steps: To set something into operation; begin to act.
© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
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© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
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TASK 2 – Handout #2
CONVERSATION QUESTIONS – EMERGENCY & DISASTER REPORTS
Adapted from http://iteslj.org/questions/disaster.html (Conversations for the ESL Classroom, I-TESL-J)
1. How much warning time do people normally have to prepare for hurricanes,
earthquakes, or tsunamis?
2. Where are some dangerous places to be during a disaster?
3. What are some safe places to be?
4. What are some things you should do as soon as possible after a disaster?
For example, watch TV news, check gas and water.
5. If you had the power to stop a natural disaster that has happened in the
past, which would you choose? Why?
6. What are some short-term problems people might have after a disaster?
7. What are some long-term problems people might have?
© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
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© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
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TASK 2 –Handout #3
LESSON PLAN: WRITING EMERGENCY & DISASTER REPORTS
Objective: Students will write a report about an emergency or disaster, including steps
which were or should have been taken.
Key Vocabulary: report, template, details, topic sentence, concluding sentence, steps.
Key Grammar: Wh- questions; should; should have.
Review/Warm-up: Review steps to take in an emergency and “Wh-“ question words.
Show students some emergency pictures such as earthquake, flood, heart attack, fall,
and ask them to name the steps to take in each situation. (Use PowerPoint
presentation available from EL Civics website: esl.tas.tusd.org). Ask students if any of
these emergencies have happened to them. Ask the questions, “What happened?”
“Where did it happen?” and “When did it happen?” to model the “Wh-“ questions.
Introduction: State the objective: You are going to learn to write a report about an
event. Use Handout #3 as your own reference to introduce report writing.
Presentation: Pass out Handout #4, “Examples: Emergency or Disaster Reports.”
Have the students go over the example report and ask the questions “What” “Where”
and “When.” Then, ask them what steps were taken (or should have been taken).
Practice: Use Handout #5. Also, bring in current magazines, newspapers, or pages
printed off the Internet about recent emergencies or disasters. Ask students to work in
groups answering the questions, including the steps to take. Ask the groups to present
the results to the class.
Evaluation: Have students choose their own emergency to write about. They will then
complete the Template page provided (Handout #8) in preparation for writing their
report on the assessment. Have students share their templates with each other to help
or make suggestions before the final writing. Using the computer, students can add
pictures or artwork.
Application: Students complete the task of writing an emergency or disaster report.
© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
Adapted with permission from Garden Grove Adult Education: http://www.eslhome.net/EL%20Civics%20Emergencies.html
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© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
Adapted with permission from Garden Grove Adult Education: http://www.eslhome.net/EL%20Civics%20Emergencies.html
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TASK 2 –Handout #4
INTRODUCTION: EMERGENCY & DISASTER REPORTS
I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.
--from “The Elephant’s Child,” Rudyard Kipling
To write a report on any topic, it is common in the US to apply the “Five Ws (and one H).”
The Five Ws is a journalism concept for information-gathering in news, research and
investigations. It is a formula for getting the "full" story on something. The idea of the Five
Ws (and one H) is that in order for a report to be considered complete, it must answer a
checklist of six questions, each of which begins with a question (or “Wh-“) word:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?
How?
A 5W poem is a good way to teach students to identify and focus on the five Ws of a
story or an event. (adapted from www.canteach.ca/elementary/poetry2.html)
Line 1: Who
Line 2: What
Line 3: Where
Line 4: When
Line 5: Why
Example:
Pracha,
moved to higher ground,
away from the beach,
during the tsunami,
because she wanted to survive.
Activity Idea: Use a poem generator online: http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/5wpoem.htm
© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
Adapted from wikipedia.org & http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/poetry2.html
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© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
Adapted from wikipedia.org & http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/poetry2.html
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TASK 2 – Handout #5
EXAMPLE: WRITING AN EMERGENCY OR DISASTER REPORT
January 2, 2009
Deer Causes Crash on I-15
Stanford, Colorado: State police say a deer caused a 2-car collision on the interstate highway Friday.
The first vehicle was traveling north on Interstate 15 when the driver swerved to avoid the deer. The car
spun around, hitting another car behind it. The accident was reported at 2:23 p.m.
Two people in the second car were taken to Carter Memorial Hospital with minor injuries. The deer was
unhurt. This week’s accident was the third involving a deer in the last year in Stanford. Officials are
looking into making the interstate through Stanford safer for both drivers and deer.
What: A deer caused a two-car accident.
Where: Interstate 15 in Stanford, Colorado.
When: January 2, 2009 at 2:23 p.m.
Other Details: Two people were hurt. The deer was not hurt. It was the third accident in a year
involving deer.
What steps should have been taken?
If you are in a car accident, you should:
1. Move to the shoulder, away from traffic, if possible,
2. Call 911 for medical and police help, and
3. Exchange names, addresses and insurance information with the other drivers.
Concluding Sentence: Two people were hurt in the accident, but they got help right away because
someone called for police and medical help.
Example: The Report
There was a two-car accident caused by a deer on Friday, January 2. The accident was on
Interstate 15 in Stanford, Colorado, at about 2:23 p.m. Two people were taken to the hospital, and the
deer was not hurt.
If you are in a car accident, first move away from traffic, if possible. Then, call for police and
medical help. Finally, get the names, addresses and insurance information of all the drivers. Two people
were hurt in this accident, but they got help right away because they followed these suggestions.
© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
Adapted with permission from Garden Grove Adult Education: http://www.eslhome.net/EL%20Civics%20Emergencies.html
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© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
Adapted with permission from Garden Grove Adult Education: http://www.eslhome.net/EL%20Civics%20Emergencies.html
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TASK 2 – Handout #6
PRACTICE: WRITING AN EMERGENCY OR DISASTER REPORT
Directions: Read the newspaper article below. Answer the questions that follow
(5Ws), and then write a report.
December 15, 2008
Fire in Rolling Hills Damages House
ROLLING HILLS, California: A non-injury fire broke out Monday afternoon in a Rolling Hills home.
Authorities said it severely damaged the roof and attic, leaving the residence uninhabitable.
It took about 30 minutes to put out the fire, which started at 4:35 p.m. at the home on Rockinghorse Road
and Palos Verdes Drive East, said Captain John Brown of the LA County Fire Department. The fire
started in the garage, where old newspapers were stored. No one was injured, although the family was
home at the time.
What: _____________________________________________________________________________.
Where: ____________________________________________________________________________.
When: ____________________________________________________________________________.
Other Details: ______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________.
What steps should have been taken?
If you are caught inside during a fire, you should:
1. _________________________________________________________________________,
2. _____________________________________________________________________, and
3. _________________________________________________________________________.
Concluding Sentence: _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________.
© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
Adapted with permission from Garden Grove Adult Education: http://www.eslhome.net/EL%20Civics%20Emergencies.html
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© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
Adapted with permission from Garden Grove Adult Education: http://www.eslhome.net/EL%20Civics%20Emergencies.html
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TASK 2 – Handout #6
PRACTICE: WRITING AN EMERGENCY OR DISASTER REPORT (cont.)
Directions: Read the newspaper article on page 13, and answer the questions that
follow. Write a two-paragraph report on the event here. Include these details:
First Paragraph:
What happened
When it happened
Where it happened
Who was affected
Second Paragraph:
Steps taken OR steps that should have been taken
Concluding sentence
Begin your writing here (continue on back of page if necessary):
© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
Adapted with permission from Garden Grove Adult Education: http://www.eslhome.net/EL%20Civics%20Emergencies.html
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© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
Adapted with permission from Garden Grove Adult Education: http://www.eslhome.net/EL%20Civics%20Emergencies.html
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TASK 2 –Handout #7
PRACTICE: WRITING AN EMERGENCY REPORT (ANSWER KEY)
December 15, 2008
Fire in Rolling Hills Damages House
ROLLING HILLS, California: A non-injury fire broke out Monday afternoon in a Rolling Hills home.
Authorities said it severely damaged the roof and attic, leaving the residence uninhabitable.
It took about 30 minutes to put out the fire, which started at 4:35 p.m. at the home on Rockinghorse Road
and Palos Verdes Drive East, said Captain John Brown of the LA County Fire Department. The fire
started in the garage, where old newspapers were stored. No one was injured, although the family was
home at the time.
What: A house fire.
Where: Rolling Hills, CA. Rockinghorse Road and Palos Verdes Drive East.
When: December 15, 2008 at 4:35 p.m.
Other Details: The fire started in the garage. No one was injured.
What steps should have been taken?
If you are caught inside during a fire, you should:
1. Stay low and away from smoke,
2. Get out of the house, and
3. Call 911 from a neighbor’s house after you are out.
Concluding Sentence: The house was damaged, but no one was hurt because this family knew what to
do in a fire.
The Report:
There was a house fire in Rolling Hills on December 15. The fire started at about 4:35 p.m. in a
house at Rockinghorse Road and Palos Verdes Drive East. The fire started in the garage. No one was
injured.
If you are in a fire, you should stay low and away from smoke. Get out of the house immediately.
Finally, call 911 from a neighbor’s house. In this case, the house was damaged, but no one was hurt,
because the family knew what to do in a fire.
© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
Adapted with permission from Garden Grove Adult Education: http://www.eslhome.net/EL%20Civics%20Emergencies.html
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© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
Adapted with permission from Garden Grove Adult Education: http://www.eslhome.net/EL%20Civics%20Emergencies.html
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TASK 2 –Handout #8
TEMPLATE—WRITING AN EMERGENCY OR DISASTER REPORT
What (topic sentence):
Where:
When:
Other Details:
What steps should have been taken?
1.
2.
3.
Concluding Sentence:
© 2009, Torrance Adult School • EL Civics: Emergencies – Winter 2009 (16.7, IHADV)
Adapted with permission from Garden Grove Adult Education: http://www.eslhome.net/EL%20Civics%20Emergencies.html
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