Geogra3: November awareness days that link to Geography

As geography teachers, we often seek ways to make our lessons engaging, relevant, and impactful for our students. Incorporating awareness days related to geography is an excellent way to achieve this. In November, there are three noteworthy days that offer great opportunities for extra-curricular clubs, assemblies, or topical lessons. Let's delve into these and explore how we can make the most of them in our classrooms.

1. World Tsunami Awareness Day (WTAD) - 5th November

• Hashtag: #GetToHighGround #TsunamiDay

World Tsunami Awareness Day (WTAD) is observed on the 5th of November annually, aiming to raise awareness about reducing tsunami-related risks and enhancing community preparedness. This year's theme, aligned with the International Day of Disaster Reduction, focuses on fighting inequality for a resilient future.

Classroom Activities:

• Explore the reciprocal relationship between tsunamis and inequality.
• Discuss how poverty, inequality, and vulnerability contribute to the deadliness of tsunamis.
• Use the provided PDF to delve deeper into disaster risk drivers, beneficial for A-level students studying vulnerability and hazard management.

For more information and resources, check out the WTAD 2023 summary PDF.

2. Use Less Stuff Day - 16th November

• Use Less Stuff Day draws attention to our consumer habits and encourages us to be mindful of waste generation and environmental pollution, especially in anticipation of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals.

Classroom Activities:

• Encourage discussions on reducing waste and making conscious consumption choices.
• Introduce resources from "The Story of Stuff Project" to explore the impacts of our consumption on the environment, particularly plastic waste.

Discover more resources and educational materials on The Story of Stuff Project.

3. World Toilet Day - 19th November

• World Toilet Day emphasises the global sanitation crisis, advocating for safe toilets and water for all by 2030.

Classroom Activities:

• Raise awareness about the lack of safe toilets and its impact on health, especially in vulnerable communities by referencing the World Toilet Day website.
• Engage students by sharing a quiz on toilets from Gapminder, shared by Head of Geog (Duncan John) on X(Twitter).  Explore the quiz and related materials in the KS3 Development Dollar Street - toilets folder.

Bonus: Geography Awareness Week in the US - 13th-17th November

• Geography Awareness Week is observed in the US with a focus on "Place." While specific resources may be limited, let's collaborate and share ideas on how we can promote geography and celebrate this week in our classrooms.

By embracing these awareness days, we can infuse our geography lessons with real-world issues and engage our students in meaningful discussions and activities. Let's seize these opportunities to broaden our students' horizons and foster a deeper understanding of the world we live in.

Keep educating, keep inspiring!

PS - I love nothing more than supporting Geography teachers as we are a pretty awesome bunch.  
So here are three ways that I can help you….

The GTB Vault - the membership for Geography teachers! Inside you’ll find a library of worksheets and answers linked to documentaries, full units of work for KS3 and a brand new community hub so you can share ideas with other geography teachers.  Come and join us!
The Geography Teacher Box bookstore - boost your subject knowledge while supporting local independent bookshops
Tote-ally Geography - A newly created store with tote bags designed specifically for geography teachers - be proud of what you do!