We've brought together here a selection of websites that teachers may find useful in teaching about the earthquake in Haiti and the ongoing humanitarian response.
A year on from the earthquake, we've updated this page with links to more recent information and resources reporting on the current situation in Haiti (see A Year On... box below).
Please take time to look through the resources before presenting them in class, as some may be quite distressing. (See also the 'Handling emotional issues' section below for help with this.)
This video clip, posted on YouTube by UNICEF, features a group of Haitian boys using hip hop to inspire their fellow Haitians to rebuild the country. Even if your students can't understand the words, they're bound to love the music!
(If YouTube is not allowed in your school, then use this link for a 'safe share' version: www.safeshare.tv/v/Nc9uzaCfl-A.)
| A year on... | |
| ActionAid | ActionAid has written a schools blog post about its work in Haiti over the course of the year. |
| AlertNet | » One Day in Port-au-Prince and In Focus - Haiti combine pictures, video, graphics and text to put you in the shoes of ordinary Haitians with extraordinary stories of the earthquake and its aftermath. |
| British Red Cross | » Haiti earthquake collection of activities for secondary teachers keen to keep students in touch with what happens in Haiti. |
| Christian Aid | » Primary assembly on Haiti one year on » Secondary assembly on Haiti one year on |
| DFID | » Haiti: one year on from the disaster report - also has links to case studies, photos and videos showing the different ways the British Government has responded. |
| Humanity & Inclusion | This aid organisation works alongside disabled and vulnerable people. Their website has a page featuring stories from Haiti. |
| ICRC | » The International Committee of the Red Cross is still reuniting children with their parents |
| Inside Disaster | » Inside the Haiti Earthquake is a "serious game" created for educational purposes, suitable for older students. You can play the role of a survivor, a journalist or an aidworker; the choices you make influence how the story progresses. |
| Plan | » Haiti through teenagers' eyes - photo-slideshow and case studies showing Haiti from young people's own perspectives. |
| ShelterBox | » The ShelterBox website has photos and news updates reporting on their work in Haiti. |
| Teaching resources | |
| Association for Citizenship Teachers | » ACT has produced a page of resources for teachers to use to discuss the Haitian earthquake with secondary students (KS3&4). |
| British Red Cross | » Decisions for Recovery challenge takes you through all the decisions that Red Cross disaster response teams have to face. » The 20 January 2010 issue of the fortnightly Newsthink e-news has a briefing on the Haiti earthquake. You can sign up to Newsthink here: www.redcross.org.uk/signup |
| CAFOD | » CAFOD Assembly on Haiti Earthquake for primary schools. |
| Christian Aid | » Primary and secondary assemblies on the Haiti earthquake |
| Oxfam | » Oxfam Haiti Earthquake Assembly » Dealing With Disasters resource |
| About earthquakes | |
| Geographical Association | » Focus on Earthquakes |
| BBC | » How and why earthquakes happen, animated guide |
| Guardian | » Interactive Guide – how earthquakes happen |
| News, information and pictures | |
| CBBC Newsround | » Why was the Haiti quake so bad? |
| One World TV | » Earthquake follows years of turmoil |
| Guardian | » Interactive Guide – aid starts to arrive » Guardian Haiti Pages |
| Wikipedia | » Wikipedia Haiti page |
| LIFE | » Pictures of Haiti taken in December 2009, before the earthquake |
| Global Voices | A community of more than 200 bloggers around the world with an emphasis on voices that are not ordinarily heard in international mainstream media. » Haiti Earthquake coverage page » Haiti Teens' perspective |
| Humanitarian aid | |
| Disasters Emergency Committee | An umbrella group of 13 UK-registered aid agencies aiming to unite agency efforts in times of disaster, maximise funds raised and ensure they are spent in an effective and fully accountable way. You can donate to the Haiti Earthquake Appeal at: www.dec.org.uk. » British Red Cross teacher briefing on DEC |
| Red Cross | » British Red Cross blog explaining why the best thing to do in a disaster is to donate money » International Red Cross – FAQs on Haiti |
| UNICEF | » UNICEF's TAGD website for young people has a page on the Haiti earthquake |
| Handling emotional issues | |
| CBBC Newsround | » It's ok to be upset by the news |
| Understanding World Events | » Dealing with Crises and Teaching about Traumatic Events - Guides for helping children express themselves, deal with trauma, and build community from 'Educators for Social Responsibility', a US teachers' site. |
| Purdue University | » Talking with Children when the Talking Gets Tough (PDF) - guidance for teachers, parents and carers from child development specialist Judith A Myers-Walls. » See also the Purple Wagon website |
