Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
of many different types of maps and examination of various issues in the modern
world, from systematic geography to regional geography approaches.
Additionally, the use of maps and fi eld surveys should refl ect features of the
school community.
The National Curriculum Standards include content about disasters that should
be imparted through various means in classroom instruction of Social Studies and
Geography. Besides these, there are explanations on how disasters should be dealt
with in moral education, Health and Physical education, Science, Basic earth
science, the Integrated Studies, and special activities. It is important that every class
subject provide guidance on disasters.
11.3.2
Implementing Geography Classes on Disaster
Prevention
The fundamentals on how geography treats disaster education do not differ from
how other phenomena and facts are taught. The basis of the geographical way of
seeing and thinking about the world includes the inquiry process with questions
“Where is it? What is it? How can it be seen? Why is that? Is that true?” Field survey
offers students indispensable opportunities to practice these geographical tech-
niques. Simply working at a desk does not help students attain a geographic mind-
set. However, when students are carrying out a local survey, it is possible that
awareness of their community increases, prompting them to take on local problems
as their own.
The 1960 special edition entitled “The Sanriku Tsunami,” published in the
monthly journal
Chiri
, mentioned ties between geography and disasters. Since then,
this journal has often featured disasters in special editions, recently in issues devoted
to disaster education (August 2007), “geographic education standing up against
earthquake disaster” (February 2009), “the Great East Japan earthquake” (June 2011),
and “thinking about disasters and children” (May 2012). These issues have reported
on topics such as the signifi cance and status of geographic education and disaster
prevention, as well as classroom implementation.
In the example below, I report on the classroom implementation experience of a
teacher at Higashi Katsushika Prefectural High School in Chiba. Yuji Koseki
undertakes instruction with enthusiasm and does progressive work. The following
synopsis is based on an interview with him.
Instructional Goals
At Koseki's former teaching post at Chiba Nishi High School,
his goal in the Geography B class was to link the natural environment and a fi eld
survey. Through learning about regional characteristics of natural disasters, his aim
was to instill in students the means of coping with such disasters.
Lesson Plan Elements (Spread Over Six Classroom Hours)
(1) In the classroom,
understanding regional characteristics of natural disasters; (2) Students survey their
routes to school; (3) Learning about the local area using disaster prevention maps;
