Session: Causes and effects of a bushfire
Middle and Upper Primary (levels 4-6)
Time: 50 minutes (approximately)
Curriculum areas:
- English
- Science
Learning intention:
The students will come to understand and be able to identify the main causes, processes and effects of bushfires, as well as grassfires, costal and scrub fires,in Victoria.
Suggested resources:
- Student workbooks or paper
- Pens, pencils or markers
- Materials as selected for recording student responses. E.g. workbooks and markers, tablets, recording devices etc.
- Linked resources
Activities
Starting
Engage students in a discussion or think-pair-share strategy to draw revise student’s knowledge about:
- How can bushfires start?
- What conditions (heat, dry etc.) impact the chances of a bushfire?
- What happens during a bushfire?
- What is left after a bushfire?
- causes
- processes
- effects
Exploring
With a partner or in small groups, have students complete the World Wonders TV show: bushfire interactive (a copy is also available from ‘Videos/Audio, Factsheets and Research Articles’ section, Resources/Bushfires Education website).
This interactive starts with a presenter introducing ‘Bob’, a TV host, who is reporting on the causes, processes and effects of bushfires. The students' work through a series of interactive tasks reading and sorting information to build Bob's script about bushfires for a television show. Students ‘help’ a researcher to sort facts and pictures.
Students use a model structure, sample text and images to build an explanation. They include sections on causes, processes and effects. They connect ideas in the script by adding words to form noun groups such as 'many hectares' and 'surrounding trees'.
Bringing it together
Presentation of the causes, processes and effects of a bushfire:
Using the news report created and knowledge from previous sessions, students to present the three steps (causes, processes and effects) of bushfires. This may be a flow chart or diagram, using a digital program, on a poster or as a recorded news report alike to the digital activity explored.
Extending
Bushfire Weather:
ReviewtheBushfire weatheron the Bureau of Meteorology website.
With a partner or in a small group answer the following questions:
- What months are the most dangerous for bushfires in Victoria?
- Thinking about what you have already learned about factors that cause a bushfire, why do you think it is these months?
- How does Victoria's major fire danger period compare with those in other states and territories?
- Why do you think different states have different fire danger periods?
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