Learning about bushfires

Session: Understanding the Fire Danger Rating System

Lower Primary (levels F-3)

Time: 50 minutes (approximately)

Curriculum area/s:

English

Personal and Social Capability

Science

Learning intention:

Students are encouraged to use their knowledge of how fires start (The Fire Triangle) to understand that there are many causes of bushfires. They will then explore the factors and conditions related to the Fire Danger Rating system used in Victoria, and how this is a safety system for alerting people to potential bush fire dangers.

Suggested resources:

Student workbooks or paper Pens, pencils or markers Poster paper Materials as selected for recording student responses. E.g. workbooks and markers, tablets, recording devices

etc. including notes pertaining to previous sessions Linked resources

Activities

Starting

Introduce the Fire Danger Ratings as a way the CFA informs the community of the bushfire danger.

Read through together the information About Fire Danger Ratings.

Conduct a brief discussion for students to share their ideas and responses about how this model is helpful and who needs to use it?

Bringing it together

Exploring each section of the Fire Danger Rating:

Divide students into six groups to explore and discuss each of the sections on the Fire Danger Rating model. Provide each group with the CFA's Fire Danger Rating brochure.

© Victorian Curriculum and Assessment A uthority 2015

Learning about bushfires

On poster paper, draw and cut out a blank template for each of the six sections of the Fire Danger Rating model. Allocate one rating to each group, and provide them with the large size template for their rating section (which will then assemble to form the semi-circle display model of the Fire Danger Rating scale).

On the segment provided, each group needs to record the appropriate heading and colour coding. They then populate the rest of the segment with the main aspects related to that particular danger rating. For example this may be words, sentences, images and safety reminders.

Each group will share and present their section to the class. Each of the six completed sections will then be assembled correctly to become the students own representation of the Fire Danger Rating model.

Extending

A weather and Fire Danger Rating report:

Students make up a weather report and link it to the appropriate Fire Danger Rating. Describe conditions and how they relate to the chances of bushfires.

Word Wall:

Have the students brainstorm or provide a list of the major concepts such as fire season, wind speed and direction, slope of the land, drought, humidity, fire fuel, fire speed and embers. Then working in small groups or individually, students need to define, explore and explain the particular term with attention to how it relates to how a bushfire. Display the completed word exploration as a word wall to demonstrate and reinforce the key terms of this area of study.

Finding out about our local Fire Danger Rating:

© VCAA 2015 Page 2

Use the linked resources below to assist students to read and investigate

how people find out about bushfires

who to contact if they wanted to find out about current fire weather warnings

Fire Danger Ratings

fire incidents

fire restrictions

total fire bans in their region

Linked resources:

Bureau of Meteorology Bushfire Weather

Bureau of Meteorology Fire Weather Warnings

CFA About Fire Danger Ratings

CFA Find Your Fire District

© VCAA 2015 Page 3