Earthquake vulnerability identification in Vancouver

Overview

This exercise requires senior students to select and defend a position on the threat that an earthquake poses to livelihood in a census tract (CT) in Vancouver. Using E-STAT, students select at least three characteristics from the 2006 Census that will support their argument. Data might include age of housing, household income, age of residents and education level. Data retrieved from E-STAT are used to create visual aids that support the student's position in a short oral presentation.

Contributor: Vincent N. Warry, Burnaby School District, British Columbia.

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Objectives

• To introduce students to E-STAT and its application in Geography
• To introduce students to real-world use of both statistics and Geography
• To help students understand the factors that make people vulnerable to natural hazards

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Suggested grade level and subject area

Secondary
Geography, Natural Hazards Unit

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Outcomes

Students will

• apply current computer technology to a relevant geographical issue;
• assess the effects of tectonic processes on cultural, economic, political and social activities; and
• access, interpret and present geographic information

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Vocabulary

Census tract — Census tracts (CTs) are small geographic units representing urban or rural 'neighbourhood-like' communities. They should be as homogeneous as possible in terms of socio-economic characteristics such as economic status and social living conditions. The population of a CT should range between 2,500 and 8,000, with a preferred average of 4,000.

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Materials

• Internet access to E-STAT
• Census tract map of Vancouver(2)          
• Handout: Instructions for accessing E-STAT
• Presentation software
• Student worksheet

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Resources

Website:
Census Geography

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Classroom instructions

1. Students will need an introduction to E-STAT before undertaking the assignment. If they have used it previously, a short review should be sufficient.
2. Discuss the concept of "livelihood vulnerability" for a least 15 minutes, linking previous studies on large earthquakes such as Kobe and San Francisco.
3. Students select a Vancouver census tract (CT) using their own knowledge of the city and the map supplied. Alternatively, a list of census tracts may be prepared, with students required to sign up one student per CT.
4. Students select and retrieve data from E-STAT for their CT, analyze the vulnerability of the CT to livelihood loss based on the data retrieved, and prepare an oral presentation on whether or not the CT is vulnerable to livelihood loss following an earthquake. Graphs and maps should be incorporated into the presentation. A software presentation package may be used to support the presentation.

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Evaluation

Student reports will be graded using the criteria-based reference assessment sheets. The assessment sheets are to be included in the student assignment package.

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Please e-mail comments or examples of how you used this exercise in your class.