Jan. 3 – Jan. 9, 2013, Current Events Lesson Plan
Current Event:
Australia is enduring a heat wave and drought that, along with high winds, have created “catastrophic” fire conditions along the heavily populated eastern and southeastern coasts of the country. On January 7 and 8, Australia recorded its two highest mean national temperature days since record keeping began in 1911. Wildfires are currently raging across much of Australia. In New South Wales alone, firefighters are battling 130 separate bushfires.
Objective:
Australia is one of the largest countries in the world. The country is generally warm, and much of the country receives little rainfall. Australia lies south of the equator, so its seasons are opposite those in the Northern Hemisphere. Australia is currently experiencing summer, the country’s hottest and driest season, which lasts from December to February. The Behind the Headlines news story and related World Book articles explore Australia and the heat wave and fires it is now enduring.
Words to Know:
• Australia
• Brisbane
• Bushfires in Australia
• Canberra
• Fire
• Fire prevention
• Melbourne
• Meteorology
• New South Wales
• Sydney
• Temperature
• Victoria
Discussion Topics:
1. Australia is the only country that is also a continent. Ask your students what else they know about Australia. (They might say Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere; Australia was once a group of British colonies; Aborigines were the first inhabitants of Australia; Australia’s most famous native animals include kangaroos, koalas, platypuses, and wombats.)
(2) Many people die in fires each year. Ask your students if they can name some ways to prevent fires. (They might say don’t play with matches; store gas and paint away from heat sources; replace old wiring; don’t put clothes, blankets, towels on top of lamps.)
(3) Have your students debate the topic, “Australia’s recent heat wave and fires are the result of global warming.”
(4) Ask your students to use the World Book’s Timelines feature to create a timeline of other notable fires (for example the Chicago Fire, Great Fire of London, Great Fire of Rome, Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, etc.).