Geography · Year 9

Active learning ideas

Earthquake Impacts: HICs vs. LICs

Active learning helps students move beyond abstract facts about earthquake impacts to tangible comparisons between HICs and LICs. By analyzing real events, debating causes, and mapping outcomes, students see how development shapes vulnerability in concrete ways.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS3: Geography - Tectonic Hazards
• KS3: Geography - Human Geography: Risk Management

• 30–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Case Study Analysis
• 35 min · Pairs

Case Study Pairs: Tohoku vs Haiti

Provide pairs with data cards on the 2011 Japan and 2010 Haiti earthquakes. They sort impacts into social, economic, environmental categories and complete a comparison table. Pairs present one key difference to the class.

Compare the vulnerability of HICs and LICs to earthquake impacts.

Facilitation Tip

During Case Study Pairs, assign students to different roles (e.g., urban planner, aid worker) to ensure active engagement with both the Tohoku and Haiti examples.

What to look for

Provide students with two short news headlines about recent earthquakes, one from a HIC and one from a LIC. Ask them to write one sentence comparing the likely primary impact (e.g., infrastructure damage vs. human casualties) and one sentence explaining why this difference might exist.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Activity 02

• Case Study Analysis
• 45 min · Small Groups

Debate Stations: Vulnerability Factors

Set up stations for building codes, wealth, and emergency services. Small groups prepare arguments at one station, then rotate to debate against others. Conclude with a class vote on the most influential factor.

Analyze how building codes influence earthquake damage.

Facilitation Tip

For Debate Stations, provide a timer and structured turn-taking to keep discussions focused on evidence from the case studies rather than personal opinions.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'If a country has excellent building codes but limited financial resources for immediate aid, which factor is more critical for saving lives after an earthquake?' Facilitate a class debate, encouraging students to use evidence from case studies to support their arguments.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Activity 03

• Case Study Analysis
• 40 min · Whole Class

Impact Mapping: HIC vs LIC Boards

Divide the class to map a generic earthquake on two large boards, one for HIC and one for LIC. Groups add impacts and responses with sticky notes, then discuss patterns as a whole class.

Evaluate the long-term recovery challenges faced by communities in LICs after a major earthquake.

Facilitation Tip

In Impact Mapping, circulate with colored markers to guide students in categorizing impacts by region, ensuring accuracy in representing HIC versus LIC differences.

What to look for

Present students with a list of 5-6 potential earthquake impacts (e.g., collapsed buildings, loss of power, displacement of people, economic recession, landslides). Ask them to categorize each impact as primarily social, economic, or environmental, and then briefly explain how this impact might differ in severity between a HIC and a LIC.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Activity 04

• Case Study Analysis
• 30 min · Small Groups

Recovery Role-Play: LIC Challenges

Assign roles like mayor, aid worker, resident in an LIC scenario. Small groups plan recovery steps, present obstacles, and propose solutions based on real LIC examples.

Compare the vulnerability of HICs and LICs to earthquake impacts.

Facilitation Tip

During Recovery Role-Play, assign clear roles (e.g., government official, displaced family) and provide scenario cards to keep interactions grounded in real challenges.

What to look for

Provide students with two short news headlines about recent earthquakes, one from a HIC and one from a LIC. Ask them to write one sentence comparing the likely primary impact (e.g., infrastructure damage vs. human casualties) and one sentence explaining why this difference might exist.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should anchor discussions in authentic data like death tolls, rebuilding timelines, and aid reports to avoid oversimplification. Avoid framing LICs as helpless; instead, highlight systemic barriers like debt or weak governance that worsen outcomes. Research shows students grasp inequity better when they analyze specific policies (e.g., building codes) rather than broad generalizations.

Students will explain how income level influences earthquake impacts, supporting arguments with evidence from case studies and mapping activities. They will also distinguish between immediate and long-term effects, showing awareness of social, economic, and environmental dimensions.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Case Study Pairs, watch for students assuming earthquakes damage HICs and LICs equally when comparing data like deaths or rebuilding costs.

  Direct students to highlight discrepancies in their case study tables, such as Japan’s 15,000 deaths versus Haiti’s 200,000, and ask them to explain the role of building codes in those differences.

• During Debate Stations, watch for students believing HICs recover instantly with no lasting effects.

  After the debate, ask groups to revise their arguments using evidence from the Tohoku case, such as economic strain or psychological trauma, to correct this oversimplification.

• During Impact Mapping, watch for students treating environmental impacts as separate from human ones.

  Have students draw arrows between layers on their maps, showing how landslides (environmental) worsen displacement (social) and economic losses in LICs, while HICs mitigate these connections through preparedness.

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Methods used in this brief

• Case Study Analysis