As we continue to hold the people of Japan in our thoughts and prayers, we can also help our children understand the situation and develop a compassionate attitude toward others.
Love for Japan Printable from the TomKat Studio
There’s a lovely post, Learning Unit – Japan and Natural Disasters, from Families.com that offers ideas for a compassionate unit study. The unit study from Families.com is divided into studies in social studies (learning about Japan), science (learning about natural disasters), character (feeling sorrow for the people of Japan and finding ways to help), and preparation (being prepared in case of an emergency or natural disaster where we live).
Here’s a post from Education.com on 10 Ways to Talk to Kids about World Events in the News. It has suggestions for helping your child during any natural disaster or disturbing news event.
Here are some more resources that could be used in a unit study on Japan and natural disasters:
About Japan
Japan from ABC Teach
Japan Printables and links from About.com.Homeschooling
Japan: Peeps at History and Child Life in Japan from the Baldwin Project
Japan from the Happy Homeschool
Japan Lapbook by Ami on Homeschool Share
Japan and earthquake/tsunami unit study / lapbook resources from Random Creativity
Japan Unit Study from SnowDEN with the Fam’
About Earthquakes and Tsunamis:
Plate Tectonics free video from Brain POP
Earthquake and Tsunami Unit Study and Lapbook from Homeschool Mo
Why Do Earthquakes Happen? from UPSeis
Compassion and Ways You Can Help Japan
How You Can Help the Earthquake and Tsunami Victims in Japan from Time NewsFeed
{Free Printable Design} Love for Japan! From the TomKat Studio
Praying for Japan (excellent for preschoolers) from Watkins Every Flavor Beans
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Wow I really appreciate this, thanks!
You’re welcome, Sara! I loved finding so many great resources. Thanks for your comment! 🙂
Personally I have no idea how I will explain to my boys when they get older that they lived through this. Sure we don`t live in an area that was as hard hit as Tohoku (further North) but the last month has been insane for me/us none the less. I am kind of glad that they are not old enough to understand what is going on or understand the panic in my eyes everytime we have another tremor.
That said, for children that are older than mine, I can see how these resources would benefit them and how important it is for children to learn about other cultures and natural disasters such as this. Especially kids that live in earthquake prone countries should know how to be prepared and what to do in case of an emergency.
I am really enjoying your site- keep up the great work. I am very very new to montessori but am enjoying learning more and more each day.
Thanks so much for your kind words, Lulu! My heart breaks for you and all the people in Japan. I’ll be praying for you and everyone in Japan and hoping for help and healing.
Japan just had another earthquake, so the affects of the earthquake is still being felt. They need our prayers and compassion as they deal with losses that many of us will never be able to imagine!
Thank you for your comment. It’s so true that we can never truly imagine the losses the people of Japan are dealing with. I hope our prayers and efforts to help the people of Japan can make things at least somewhat better. And I hope we can help our children develop a compassionate attitude toward people everywhere.