Disastrous Decision Making
Provided by: Columbia Climate School International Research Institute for Climate and Society|Published on: November 7, 2022|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 6, 7, 8
Type: Lesson Plans
Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences, Civics, Geography
Authors: Columbia Climate School International Research Institute for Climate and Society
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This resource has students act as mayor, social advisor, and science advisor in a town that is vulnerable to flooding.
- Students will learn about social vulnerability, mapping tools, and how decisions are made during flood events.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This activity is hands-on and engaging for students.
- Everything a teacher needs to implement this lesson is ready in the resource.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should have prior knowledge of flooding, natural disasters, and how governments function during disasters.
- The PDF document has a link to a brief introduction video for the activity.
Differentiation
- Cross-curricular connections can be made in social studies classes discussing civics and language arts classes working on collaborative discussion and debate.
- Try having students rotate through the roles in the game for a complete understanding of the activity.
- As an extension, have students research the government response to different flooding events and what they could have done differently.
The guide has students understand the concept of social vulnerability and how local hazards affects people's livelihoods. They learn ways to use data and map outputs to assess vulnerability levels in their communities. Students develop and recommend strategies and contingency plans for policymakers and decision-makers to mitigate or respond to flood, hurricane, and other natural disaster events in their communities. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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