Natural Disasters

Subject: English
Grade: 10**
Topic: Natural Disasters
Type of lesson: Integrated (Reading, Speaking, Writing, Listening)
Duration: 80 minutes
Teacher: Ezbayeva Ranagul Rozakhunovna, teacher of AUES College

Learning objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify and describe different types of natural disasters and their consequences.

2. Expand vocabulary related to the topic “Natural Disasters”.

3. Understand and use the Past Simple and Past Continuous tenses to describe past events.

4. Express opinions and discuss ways to prevent or minimize the impact of natural disasters.

5. Develop teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Expected outcomes

Students will:

• Know basic terminology connected with natural disasters;

• Be able to discuss causes, effects, and safety rules;

• Demonstrate speaking and writing fluency on the topic;

• Collaborate effectively in pairs and groups;

• Reflect on environmental and social responsibility.

Vocabulary

Warm-up (5–7 min)

Teacher’s activity:

• Greet students, introduce the topic.

• Show pictures or short video clips of different disasters (earthquake, flood, tornado, etc.).

• Ask guiding questions:

  • What can you see in the picture?

  • What do you think happened?

  • What types of disasters are common in Kazakhstan?

Activity: “Guess the Disaster” — students match images to the names of disasters.

Aim: Activate prior knowledge and vocabulary.

Reading Activity (10–15 min)

Text:

In 2011, Japan experienced one of the most powerful earthquakes in history.
The earthquake caused a huge tsunami that destroyed many towns and villages.
Thousands of people lost their homes. After the disaster, people all over the world sent help to Japan.

Tasks:

1. Read the text and underline the natural disasters mentioned.

2. Answer the questions:

   • When did it happen?

   • What were the consequences?

   • How did people react?

Post-reading discussion:

• What can we learn from this situation?

• How can we prevent or reduce the damage caused by such events?

Speaking Activity (15 min)

Pair work / group discussion:

• Which natural disaster do you think is the most dangerous? Why?

• How can people prepare for such disasters?

• What should we do during an earthquake or flood?

Useful phrases:

• I think the most dangerous disaster is...

• People should... / shouldn’t...

• In case of a flood, we must...

• It’s important to stay calm and help others.

Extension:
Students create a Safety Poster in pairs — “What to do during a natural disaster.”

Writing Task (15–20 min)

Task:
Write a short report (100–120 words) about a natural disaster that happened in the world or in your region.

Structure:

1. Introduction (What happened? Where? When?)

2. Main part (What were the consequences?)

3. Conclusion (What lessons can we learn?)

Example:

Last summer, there was a big flood in my region. The river rose after several days of heavy rain. Many houses were damaged, and people had to leave their homes. Volunteers and rescue teams helped to evacuate families to safe places. This disaster showed how important it is to be ready and help each other in difficult times.

Grammar Focus (10–12 min)

Topic: Past Simple vs. Past Continuous

Exercise:
Complete the sentences with the correct tense.

1. The ground ______ (shake) when people ______ (run) out of the buildings.

2. Many houses ______ (be) destroyed by the hurricane.

3. It ______ (snow) heavily when the avalanche ______ (start).

Listening (Optional, 10 min)

Play a short BBC Learning English video “Natural Disasters”.
Task:

• Listen and match each disaster with its description.

• Discuss how people can stay safe in such situations.

Assessment Criteria

Reflection (3–5 min)

Students answer:

• What new words did you learn today?

• What did you find the most interesting?

• How can we help people during a natural disaster?

Teacher summarizes and gives feedback.

Conclusion

Developing students’ awareness of natural disasters not only improves their language competence but also strengthens their civic and social responsibility. The topic motivates learners to think globally and act locally — understanding how human actions affect the environment and how to behave in emergency situations.