|
Hundreds of families left their homes as storms and persistent heavy rain crossed the UK last weekend. Burst river banks brought severe flooding to many towns and villages. The northeast of England was badly hit, some areas receiving a month's rainfall in two days. In Morpeth, 900 homes were evacuated.
Press reports linked up to eight deaths to the storms. They included a 17-year-old girl on the final day of an adventure holiday in Powys, mid-Wales. She died when the 4x4 vehicle she was in was swept away as it tried to cross a stream in a forest.
Discussion ideas
> Some Morpeth residents were woken at 3am on Saturday morning to begin the evacuation. Most went to stay with relatives. Others took shelter in the local school or other rest centres. Where would students go if they had to leave at that time? What would they take with them? Would they have an emergency pack ready? Official advice is to avoid walking or driving through flood waters, keep children and vulnerable people away from it, and wash your hands thoroughly if you touch it. Discuss the reasons for each.
> Invite students to say what they have heard of severe weather elsewhere, such as the tropical storms in the Caribbean. Discuss the death tolls around the world. Which countries have evacuated residents, and which have not? Talk about the value of early warning. What difference does communication and a well-organised rescue service make?
More resources
>> Read the lesson plan based on one man’s experience during the Hurricane Katrina floods.
Civilian deaths increasing | Top |
Civilian deaths in Afghanistan from US and NATO airstrikes are increasing significantly, according to Human Rights Watch. Recent figures from the New York-based human rights organisation show a tripling of deaths between 2006 and 2007. This does not include deaths from an airstrike on the village of Azizabad in August, which the Afghan government and the United Nations have said killed 90 civilians.
In 2007 at least 321 civilians were killed by US or NATO airstrikes, compared with 116 the previous year. The number of civilians killed by Taliban or al-Qaeda attacks, including suicide bombings, was 950 in 2007, and 699 in 2006. Human Rights Watch has urged international forces to minimise civilian casualties.
Discussion ideas
> Do students think it is important to have rules about what is legal in warfare? Talk about the benefits. Civilians are protected from direct attack under international humanitarian law. Yet not all deaths of civilians in warfare are the result of an illegal act. The guiding principle in planning an attack is proportionality – meaning that the anticipated loss of civilian life must be proportional to the military advantage. Talk about the problems of such assessments in the heat of battle. Discuss the use of "human shields", when military forces are deliberately sited in civilian areas to discourage counter-attacks. Why is this also a serious violation of international humanitarian law?
> Airstrikes may cause significant destruction of civilian property. Invite students to think about the effect on local people. Such strikes have forced civilians to leave their homes, adding to the numbers of internally displaced people. What might be the political impact? How might it affect confidence and support for different sides in the war? Ask students to think of ways that civilian deaths might make peace harder to achieve.
More resources
>> Read the laws of war briefing for teachers and find out about international humanitarian law on the new citizenship curriculum.
Progress towards women's equality in top jobs is going at a snail's pace, according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Its latest report, Sex and Power, says for some positions of power and influence, women's numbers have fallen. They include cabinet members, MPs, editors of national newspapers, senior police officers and judges, and trade union general secretaries.
Nicola Brewer, chief executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, says young women's aspiration is in danger of giving way to frustration. "Many of them are now excelling at school and are achieving great things in higher education" she said. "But workplaces are putting too many barriers in the way."
Discussion ideas
> Talk about the barriers. What do students think prevents women achieving equality? Do students agree that young women feel frustrated when they do better at school but see young men taking more of the best jobs? Discuss the effect on women who miss out on opportunities. Talk, too, about the impact on society as a whole. In what ways does discrimination against women disadvantage everyone?
> The commission says a snail could walk the Great Wall of China in 212 years, a bit longer than the 200 years it will take for women to be equally represented in Parliament. Are students surprised at this? Discuss how to speed up the progress. Responsibility for looking after children is thought to be one of the major obstacles to women's careers. How might fathers be encouraged to take on their share of childcare? Do students think that women are also more responsible for other household tasks? How might that change?
Obsess it like Beckham | Top |
Nearly half the UK's 12 to 18 year olds are unable to name a single mental health condition. A consultant psychiatrist at Great Ormond Street hospital, which carried out the survey, has called the finding "worrying and surprising".
Great Ormond Street has launched a mental health section on its website aimed at young people. It offers information and advice on a range of mental health conditions from phobias , anxiety disorders and eating disorders to depression, and illnesses such as schizophrenia. The website has been supported by Hollyoaks’ Nico Mirallegro, whose character Newt has been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Discussion ideas
> Do students agree that lack of knowledge of mental health problems is worrying and surprising? Talk about the sources of information on mental health available to teenagers. Which ones are reliable, and which are not? Discuss the benefits of greater understanding. How might it help people with mental health problems – and their families and friends?
> Talk about the definition of a mental health problem - when we have difficulties in how we think or feel. It is not certain what causes them, but we do know that 1 in 3 people visiting their GP go because of some kind of mental health problem, such as stress and depression. The new website lists famous people who have experienced mental health problems, including Johnny Depp, Drew Barrymore, Halle Berry, Alanis Morissette and Kurt Cobain. David Beckham says he has problems with obsessive behaviour. Talk about how the stigma attached to mental health problems can discourage people from talking about their problems or seeking help. Might listing celebrities help that? Discuss the dangers of glamorising mental health problems by links with celebrities.
More resources
>> Read the mental health section of the Great Ormond Street website.
News think! is one of a number of free educational services produced by the British Red Cross. You can find more resources at www.redcross.org.uk/education
Have you used these topics to raise discussions or plan classroom work? Let us know your experiences or thoughts by emailing us at reducation@redcross.org.uk | 
