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Current page navigation: Pandemic 1947 | What's the plan Stan? | Keep cool | Quakes that shake | South Asian earthquake | Cyclones and tornadoes | Ancient volcanoes | Storms and floods

Pandemic 1947

The polio pandemic of 1947 forced the closure of all North Island schools for over four months. A pandemic is an outbreak of an infectious disease that affects all people.

1. Read this comic strip about the discovery of the polio vaccine and how it changed the world.
2. Answer the following questions about the comic strip:
   • How did polio affect children's health?
   • What was the name of the doctor who discovered the polio vaccine?
   • What was the vaccine made of?
   • What was the name of the other doctor who improved the vaccine?
   • How was the vaccine improved?

Send in your answers to ed@tki.org.nz .

What's the plan Stan?

Do you and your family have a plan for when disaster strikes? Complete the following tasks so you can be prepared.

1. Read about what you should do in case of an emergency
2. Make a checklist of what you need (PDF 383KB) to survive. Add your own important things to this list.
3. Print and complete this Emergency Plan (PDF 724KB) with an adult in your home.
4. When you have finished keep your emergency plan somewhere safe where everyone can see it.
5. Test your general survival skills with this quiz.

Send your quiz results to ed@tki.org.nz.

Keep cool

When there is an emergency it is very important to keep cool and not panic. These websites will tell you what to do in case of an emergency.

1. Read these websites:
   • Calling an ambulance
   • Calling the police
   • Calling the fire service
   • Being safe at home
2. Make a PowerPoint to show children under five what they should do to if there is an emergency in at home. Your PowerPoint should include:
   • How to dial 111
   • Which service to ask for
   • Checklists such as this safe home list

Send your PowerPoint to ed@tki.org.nz .

Quakes that shake

New Zealand has a long history of earthquakes. A major earthquake happened on March 9 1929 in Arthur's Pass, measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale, but the most famous earthquake happened on February 3 1931 in Hawkes Bay and measured 7.8 on the Richter scale. It destroyed many buildings in central Napier and Hastings, with the loss of 256 lives.

1. Read about the quakes:
   • 1929
   • 1931
2. Open a Word document and brainstorm words and ideas to describe the damage shown in the photos for both places.
3. Write a commentary for this video clip showing the destruction and devastation caused by the Napier earthquake.

Send your commentary to ed@tki.org.nz .

South Asian earthquake

In 2005 a massive earthquake affected much of South Asia including Pakistan, Afghanistan and northern India.

1. Look at these scenes of devastation and read the captions under the pictures to get an idea of the impact of the earthquake.
2. Study this map to help you to complete these questions:
   • How big was the earthquake on the Richter scale?
   • Finish this sentence: 'The tremor was felt from ... to ...'
   • Where was the centre of the earthquake?
   • How many places can you find in the: 100 km; 200 km; 300 km circles?
   • Using the map and the information on the website, draw a graph that shows how many people died in each city. Use different colours to show different places.

Send your answers to ed@tki.org.nz .

Cyclones and tornadoes

In 1988 cyclone Bola affected many areas of New Zealand.

1. Look at this satellite picture of a cyclone
2. Read about New Zealand's Cyclone Bola
3. Listen to this news report on Cyclone Bola
4. Read about the force and damage caused by a hurricane or tornado

   In the Wizard of Oz there was a big tornado.

5. What is the difference between a cyclone and a tornado? Look at these websites:
   • How hurricanes work
   • How tornadoes work
   • Animated video of tornadoes
6. Make your own tornado
7. Open a Word document on your computer and write a list of differences between a cyclone and a tornado.

Send your list to ed@tki.org.nz .

Ancient volcanoes

Not every mountain is a volcano waiting to erupt. To understand why volcanoes erupt, you need to know about how the earth's surface works and the rock cycle.

1. Watch the animation of the earth's structure.
2. Watch the animation of the rock cycle then answer the quiz.
3. Play the quiz for each animation.

   Send your results to ed@tki.org.nz .

   Mt Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD and destroyed the Italian city of Pompeii.

4. Learn about ancient life in Pompeii.
5. Use the left-hand navigation links to find out:
   • What type of volcano Mount Vesuvius is
   • Look inside a volcano
   • Build your own Mount Vesuvius and watch it erupt.
6. Read about what the eruption looked like from this eyewitness account.
7. Open a word document and write an explanation for a school child from Pompeii of how and why Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79AD.

Send your explanation to ed@tki.org.nz .

Storms and floods

Stormy weather can cause a lot of damage.

1. Watch the animation about lightning and thunder then play the quiz.
2. Read more facts about lightning.

   Flooding happens after there has been a huge amount of rain in one location.

3. Read this page about floods.
4. Try flood maths.
5. How can you help your pet in a flood?
6. Build a survival raft.

Send digital photos of your survival raft to ed@tki.org.nz

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