Decision Making

Overview

A decision-making exercise where students will realize all the factors necessary in determining which groups are most needy of emergency help.

Contributors: Debbie Linkewich, Doug MacLean

Objectives

• To analyse statistics so that students can determine how decisions are made during an emergency situation

Suggested Grade Levels and Subject Areas

Grade 9 – Geography: climate
Grade 11 – Physical Geography

Materials

• ice storm maps from Statistics Canada
• news article to introduce ice storm
• additional resources if groups would like to do research

Classroom Instructions

1. Introduce class to ice storm, and divide class into groups.
2. Give each group one map from the set.
3. Have group study/analyse map and decide if a given area will be helped based on the statistics they have studied.
4. Have each group present to the class.
5. Have class discuss the differences in the decisions made (why there are differences).
6. Have each student write a paragraph to explain which area they would help and why.

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