Paper

Development of Disaster Management Education Program to Enhance Disaster Response Capabilities of
Schoolchildren at Time of Heavy Rainfall

Development of Disaster Management Education
Program to Enhance Disaster Response Capabilities of
Schoolchildren during Heavy Rainfall– Implementation at Elementary School in Nagaoka
City, Niigata Prefecture, a Disaster-stricken Area
[Dr16-7-rg-11467, 10263 words]
Masaki Ikeda*,†, Toshimitsu Nagata**, Reo Kimura***, Tai-young Yi*, Shingo Suzuki*, Shingo
Nagamatsu*, Takashi Oda****, Shun Endo****, Mitsuhiro Hatakeyama****, Seigo
Yoshikawa****, Satoru Adachi*****, Shinya Miura******, and Junya Take********

Disaster Resilience Research Division, National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience (NIED)†
Corresponding author, E-mail: m-ikeda@bosai.go.jp, 3-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken, Japan**
Niigata Local Meteorological Office, Meteorological Agency, Niigata-shi, Niigata-ken, Japan***
Faculty and Graduate School of Human Science and Environment, University of Hyogo, Himeji-shi, Hyogo-ken, Japan****Graduate School of Education, Miyagi University of Education, Sendai-shi, Miyagi-ken, Japan*****Snow and Ice Research Center, NIED, Shinjo-shi, Yamagata-ken, Japan******Disaster Information Research Division, NIED, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken, Japan*******Disaster Management Bureau, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan

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In this study, an education program for heavy
rainfall risk management was developed using theAnalysis, Design, Development, Implementation,
and Evaluation (ADDIE) model of instructional
design (ID) to enhance the disaster response
capabilities of schoolchildren to encourage them tothink and act responsibly to protect themselves
during a disaster following heavy rainfall. The
program’s effectiveness was evaluated by its
implementation at Nagaoka Municipal Senju
Elementary School in Nagaoka City, Niigata
Prefecture, which was devastated by the heavy
rainfall caused by 2019 Typhoon No.19. The
learning effect was confirmed throughout the
program. Furthermore, the program has improved
because of its implementation and evaluation.

17 Keywords: flood, elementary education, disaster18 management, instructional design (ID), ADDIE
19 1. Background and Objective of the Study
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1.1. Present conditions and problems associatedwith disaster education for heavy rainfall
Weather disasters have become more violent andfrequent worldwide in recent years, and have caused
serious harm to humans in Japan as well [1]. The
government revised “the Fundamental Plan for
National Resilience” in December 2018 [3],considering the lessons learned from the WesternJapan Heavy Rain Disaster in July 2018, whichclaimed the lives of 237 people [2]. This revision
incorporates disaster management education as the

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first of the 12 individual policies, which also includes
the policy that “enabling them be conscious about their
responsibility to protect their own life, and to takeevacuation behavior on their own judgement ...
disaster prevention exercises and disaster prevention
education will be promoted continuously throughschools, workplaces, local autonomous organizations,and other relevant organizations.”
In addition, “to surely link disaster management
information, such as weather information andevacuation information, with residents’ evacuation
actions” is alluded to as a lesson learned from disasters
in recent years. Furthermore, the Flood Control Act,
which plays a major role in flood control in Japan, wasrevised and implemented in 2017, following thedisaster resulting from heavy rainfall in recent years[4]. Following the implementation of the Act, rivermanagers advocated for a revision of flood hazard
maps and to increase public awareness amongresidents [5].
In “development of disaster management education
to nurture ‘Zest for Life,’” the Ministry of Education,
Culture, Sports, Science and Technology takes theabove into consideration and focuses on heavy rainfall
disaster management education, to set real examples
for learning about disasters resulting from heavy
rainfall [6]. Furthermore, the materials for school
disaster management prepared by the boards ofeducation across the country contain some examplesof heavy rainfall disaster management education [7].
However, the learning depicted in these documents
focuses on knowledge acquisition rather than how tojudge and behave to protect our lives, although it treats
the disaster as a learning opportunity.
1Development of Disaster Management Education Program to Enhance Disaster Response Capabilities of
Schoolchildren at Time of Heavy Rainfall
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Besides, the disaster management administrative
organizations, river offices of the Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and the Japan
Meteorological Agency have developed various
educational materials using their knowledge of rivermanagement and meteorological service specialists[8–9]. Additionally, researchers also have developed
educational materials incorporate expertise in disastermanagement, such as hazard maps, in their previous
research [10]. However, if teachers try use thesematerials in their classes, they require a significant
amount of time and effort, or support from experts.
As per past studies, despite the availability ofteaching materials for acquiring knowledge, there is alack of learning practices and teaching materials tofoster an awareness of "protecting our own lives.”
Considering the above, it is critical to develop
materials and programs that enable teachers to educate
children, which can enhance their ability to takenecessary actions based on their judgment andevacuate during disasters resulting from heavy rainfall.

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1.2. The objective of this study
In response to the issues raised in the previous
section, this study aims to develop and improveeducational programs to enhance the disaster response
capabilities of schoolchildren to ensure they can
respond actively to weather information based on their
judgment to protect their lives in the event of a disasterfollowing heavy rainfall. We also used the ADDIE(Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, andEvaluation) process of Instructional Design method
hereinafter referred to as ID, to develop an education
program on heavy rainfall disaster management,
hereinafter referred to as “the program.” We thenconducted a practical verification of the program forthe children in the target school, confirming thelearning effect and improving the program.
This paper discusses the outline of the program’s
development, the results of the evaluation throughimplementation, and how the program’s contents were
improved based on the evaluation results.

42 2. Study Method
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2.1. Development of education programThis program was developed based on the ADDIEof ID. ID is the learning theory used in the fields ofpedagogy, psychology, and educational technology
and is defined as “the models or the study fieldcompiling methods to make educational activities
more effective, efficient, and attractive, as well as theprocess to realize the learning environment byapplying such models and methods” [11].
According to the ID theory [12], better teachingmaterials can be prepared by identifying therequirements of learners, such as the learning purpose,the problem, and the learning objective, and as well as

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the learning materials, the learning environment, andthe knowledge required to be implemented, anddeveloping by following the ADDIE process (Fig.1).
Previous studies that applied the ID theory todevelop disaster management education programs
include studies by Nagata and Kimura [13–16], whodeveloped and generalized programs for earthquakes,
tornadoes, and volcanic eruptions with the learning
objective of "fostering the attitude to behave
proactively." They also discussed the development andgeneralization of a disaster management education
program for children with visual and cognitive
disabilities [17–18].

Fig. 1 The ADDIE Process

In addition, Higashino and Yoshimoto [19]developed e-learning materials for elementary school
teachers by applying the ID theory and discussed theeffectiveness of the materials. Examples of previous
studies applying ID theory outside the field of
education include the study by Umeno and Asada [20],who developed a large-scale disaster training programfor medical institutions, the study by Ogasawara [21],who developed a learning support program for acompany, and the study by Ishii et al. [22], whodeveloped a technology management education
program for an engineering liberal arts course. As
previously stated, the application of the ID theory inJapan in recent years has been widespread beyond thefield of education. In this study, we referred to theseprevious studies and applied the concept of the ADDIE
process of ID theory to develop and evaluate a disastereducation program based on scientific methods.
This paper describes the development process of theeducation program against heavy rainfall disasters
according to ADDIE. As described in Section 1.1, we
analyzed the current situation and issues surrounding
heavy rainfall disasters and the knowledge of them inJapan. In Section 2.2, we identified the target school
and class of this study based on the information in
Chapter 1. Section 3.1 presents the analysis of thecurrent situation, issues, and requirements for disastereducation in the class under study. Consequently, weestablished the learning objectives of the program.
Section 3.2 depicts the program’s design based on theanalysis; Section 3.3 presents the evaluation method of
the program; Section 4.1 describes the implementationof the program in the target school; Sections 4.2 and4.3 reveal the evaluation results of the implementationin the target school, and Section 4.4 highlights the
problems and revisions of the program based on theevaluation results.
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Development of Disaster Management Education Program to Enhance Disaster Response Capabilities of
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2.2. Outline of the area for study
The Shinano River, also known as the Chikuma
River, is a class-A river1[23] that runs through Niigata
and Nagano Prefectures and is the longest river inJapan with a channel length of 367 km. This river has
suffered from several large-scale flood disasters in thepast. For example, the heavy rainfall in July 1896, also
known as the “Yokota burst,” with a death toll of 75,
the heavy rainfall in Niigata and Fukushima in July
2004 with a death toll of 15, and the heavy rainfall in
Niigata and Fukushima in July 2011 with a death tollof four [24]. In addition, during Typhoon Hagibis in
October 2019, the bank collapsed in Nagano City andthere was flooding along several tributaries [25].
In 2019, Typhoon Hagibis caused flooding in the
Shinano (Chikuma) River and some of its tributaries.
Fortunately, there was no major damage in Nagaoka
city. However, the Shinano River reached its highest
level ever, which raised awareness within the city
government and among the citizens about the ShinanoRiver flooding. Therefore, the "Heavy Rain Disaster
Management Project" was initiated in the Senju area,
located near the Shinano River in the city. As a part ofthe project, Senju Elementary School, whose school
district was included in the inundation hazard area (Fig.
2), was selected as a target school for the disastereducation program of this study. To select the school,
we analyzed the current status and issues with disastereducation in the target classes of the school.
The project members included researchers from the
National Research Institute for Earth Science andDisaster Resilience (NIED), experts from national
disaster management-related organizations, a teacher,and graduate students from the National University of
Education, led by the co-authors. They coordinatedwith the target school, prepared the program andlearning materials, and developing the Information
Communication Technology (ICT) tools.

Fig. 2 Senju Elementary School and flooding hazard map of
the Shinano River. Base map was made from the Fundamental
Geospatial Data and Digital Land Numerical Information.
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Rivers subject to the River Law are classified into Class A and Class
B rivers, depending on the importance of their roles. Class A rivers

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41 3. Design and Development of the Heavy
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Rainfall Disaster Management Program
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3.1. Designing targets and learning objectives
Using the ADDIE process in this study, wedeveloped an education program for heavy rainfall
disasters. First, we analyzed the current status andissues of disaster education in Niigata Prefecture,
where the target school is located.
The Prefectural Board of Education has preparedthe "Niigata Prefecture Disaster Management
Education Program," [7] hereinafter referred to as the"Prefectural Program," and 83% of the elementary
schools in the prefecture implement disastermanagement education using the Prefectural Program[26]. The prefectural program provides learningmaterials for students in grades one through six. The
flood disaster version of the program includes a riverobservation study by the third grade and a study
program on specific flood disasters by the fourth grade.
However, all the learning materials for the fourth
grade and above are aimed at acquiring knowledge,
and do not provide materials aimed at considering
evacuation behavior based on weather information,
evacuation information, and hazard maps.
Therefore, the existing prefectural programs are notcapable of implementing disaster education thatenhances children's ability to make their own decisions
and take independent actions during heavy rains. In
addition, interviews with teachers of the target classes,
who had firsthand experience with the dangers offlooding, revealed that they were aware of the dangers
caused by heavy rainfall disasters. They also
considered the lack of learning materials on heavy
rainfall disasters as a concern.
Consequently, the learning objectives of the
program developed in this study were established asfollows: to be aware of protecting one’s life fromheavy rainfall disasters; to understand weather
information, evacuation information, and hazard
maps; and to acquire the attitude to behave proactively
during heavy rainfall using the acquired knowledge.
The program assumed that the students had alreadyacquired the learning content presented in theprefectural program up to the fourth grade.

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3.2. Development of learning contents
In developing the learning content, we decided on athree-unit structure based on the findings of interviews
with homeroom teachers about the knowledge alreadyacquired by the target group and the amount of study
time that could be expected (Table 1). We developed
teaching plans, slide materials, and worksheets foreach lesson (Fig. 3) according to the unit structure. The
learning objectives and contents of each lesson are
illustrated below.
are managed by the national government (MLIT), prefectural
governor, or ordinance designated city mayor.

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Development of Disaster Management Education Program to Enhance Disaster Response Capabilities of
Schoolchildren at Time of Heavy Rainfall
Table 1 Unit structure table
Unit
Unit 1:
Prior
Learning

LessonLesson 1:
Let us learn aboutcharacteristics anddisaster control oflarge rivers
Lesson 2:
Let us learn how togather information
on dangerous rain
Unit 2:
Lesson 3:
ActiveLet us learn how to
Learning by protect ourselves
Individual from flooding (1)Lesson 4:
Let us learn how toprotect ourselvesfrom flooding (2)Unit 3:
Lesson 5:
ActiveLet us discuss how
Learning by to evacuateGroupaccording to thesituation (1)Lesson 6:
Let us discuss how
to evacuate
according to thesituation (2)Learning objective
 Understand the characterof large rivers.
 Be informed about theflood control facilities oflarge rivers.
 Understand the disaster
caused by heavy rainfall.
 Acquire information on
dangerous rainfall.
 Read the hazard map
correctly.
 Determine evacuation
actions based on flood
hazard at the spot.
 Consider how to evacuate
according to the situation.
 Discuss evacuation
actions within the group.
 Summarize and present
information on what you
have learned.
 Ask and discuss about
heavy rains with adults
living in the community.

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Fig. 3 Examples of worksheet (A) and slide (B)Journal of Disaster Researchsubmitted

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Unit 1 is a prior learning unit aimed at making
children conscious of protecting their own lives fromheavy rainfall disasters and acquiring knowledge of
the weather and the evaluation information necessary
for proper judgments during heavy rainfall. This unit
is divided into two lessons.
The learning objectives of Lesson 1 “Let us learn
about characteristics and disaster control of large
rivers” are to “understand the characteristics of rivers
and the dangers of floods” and “learn about thepreventive measures against flooding of large rivers.”
By reviewing the third-grade students' learning fromthe river observations, understanding the features oflarge rivers, how a flood occurs, the measures against
the flooding of a large river, and their limitations, thelearning materials help the schoolchildren understandthe importance of their early behavior based on their
judgment while residing near a large river that is prone
to low- frequency large-scale disasters.
The learning objectives of Lesson 2: “Let us learn
how to gather information on dangerous rain” are to“understand the disasters caused by heavy rainfall”
and “know about the dangers caused by heavy rainfall.”The learning objectives are to understand theimportance of making decisions based on theinformation by learning how difficult it is to recognize
the relation between rainfall intensity and to intuitively
recognize the danger of a disaster through video
materials, etc., and to understand the probability of adisaster depending on the topography, the weather
information, and the evacuation information.
Unit 2 adopts active learning and consists of lessons
that students learn how to make evacuation decisions
during heavy rainfall using a flooding hazard map.
Active learning is a learning method recommended by
the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Scienceand Technology (MEXT) based on new courses ofstudy, in which students work independently andactively, using their knowledge and skills to discoverproblems and deepen their thinking to solve them [27].
Lesson 3: “Let us learn the behavior to protect
ourselves from a flood, part 1” and Lesson 4: “Let us
learn the behavior to protect ourselves from a flood ,part 2” are the two lessons of this unit. The learning
objectives for Lessons 3 and 4 are to “read hazard map
correctly” and “judge evacuation actions according to
the danger at the spot.” Students learn how to use an
ICT tool to confirm the expected flooding depth atone’s own home on a flood hazard map, as well as toassess the evacuation destination and route during
heavy rainfall. The ICT tool “YOU@RISK Your
Flood Evacuation” [28], developed by NIED with theaim of “providing the opportunity to learn what should
be known and how to behave against risk in the eventof a disaster,” has been used in this program. ICTbased learning is thought to have a strong affinity for
active learning [29] and is being introduced into thefield of education based on the IT policies of educationand the infection control measures against COVID-19.
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Development of Disaster Management Education Program to Enhance Disaster Response Capabilities of
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Unit 3 is an active learning unit to develop theattitude to behave actively when learners recognize
heavy rainfall weather information.
The learning objectives for Lesson 5 “Let us discuss
how to evacuate according to the situation, part 1” areto “consider an evacuation action according to thesituation,” and “discuss evacuation actions in a group.”
The learning style is group discussion, and groups areformed in the basis of their home location. The
situation assumed is that when children go to Nagaoka
Station, heavy rains will increase the risk of the
Shinano River flooding. They confirm the expectedflooding depth using the above-mentioned ICT tool,
discuss each idea on evacuation actions, and decide theevacuation destination and route.
The learning objectives for Lesson 6 “Let us discuss
how to evacuate according to the situation, part 2” are“To summarize what you learned and explain this toother people,” and “To ask an adult living in the area
any questions.” By presenting what the schoolchildren
have learned to representatives from each area andquestioning each other to exchange opinions, theschoolchildren can connect their thoughts with thelocal flood history and the behavior of local residents
in the past to learn how to behave as members of thelocal community.

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3.3. Method for the program evaluation
The effectiveness of the developed program isevaluated using a “learning questionnaire” based on
the learning objectives. In ID theory, Robert M. Gagne
states, “the program performance is definitely definedby the evaluation of the learner” [30]. Following thisconcept, a method to quantify the effectiveness using
a learner questionnaire was adopted in this study. In
addition, Nagata and Kimura evaluated the learners'
performance by using pre- and post-questionnaires tomeasure the effectiveness of their educational program[13–18].
As for the question items, questions corresponding
to the three units were formulated, six questions perunit, totaling 18 questions.
The question items for Unit 1 are as follows: Q.1“Do you know what kinds of flood hazards exist
depending on the characteristics of the river?” Q.2 “Do
you know what kinds of disaster risks due to heavy
rain exist along the nearby river?” Q.3 “Do you know
how flood control facilities, such as levees, function
during heavy rain?” Q.4 “Can you imagine what will
happen to your neighborhood in a disaster following
heavy rains?” Q.5 “Do you know what kinds ofinformation is available about disaster risks due toheavy rain?” and Q.6 “Do you know how to collectinformation about disaster risks due to heavy rain?”
The question items for Unit 2 are as follows: Q.7“Can you use a hazard map to find out the estimatedflooding depth in a certain area?” Q.8 “Do you know
where the safe evacuation sites are located in yourneighborhood during heavy rain?” Q.9 “Do you know

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where to avoid going during heavy rain?” Q.10 “Canyou make evacuation decisions according to therainfall situation?” Q.11 “Are you ready to decide
what you do if you know it will rain heavily in a few
hours?” and Q.12 “Can you instruct people around youwhat to do during heavy rain?”
The question items for Unit 3 are as follows: Q.13
“Can you look up evacuation sites and routes forvarious situations using YOU@RISK?” Q.14 “Canyou organize opinions discussed in groups about
evacuation during heavy rain?” Q.15 “Can you
evacuate correctly when a river is likely to flood?”
Q.16 “Can you make a presentation of what you
observed and thought about the flood?” Q.17 “Can you
explain what you found out and thought about floods
to your family members,” and Q.18 “Can you ask
questions and discuss about floods with neighborhood
residents?” In addition, Q.13 to 16 evaluates thelearner’s ability to behave proactively based on theirknowledge and skills.
The schoolchildren responded with a 4-point Likert
scale: “Think so or can do so-4 points,” “Think so alittle or can do so a little-3 points,” “Don’t think somuch or cannot do so well-2 points,” and “Don’t thinkso or cannot do so-1 point.” Moreover, the program isalso evaluated on this 4-point Likert scale.

85 4. Implementation, Evaluation, and86
Improvement of the Education Program
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4.1. Implementation of the program
The program was implemented over three days for
52 fourth-grade students of Nagaoka Senju
Elementary School, in two classes. The lessons aretaught twice for each of the three units (45 min × 2),
for a total of six lessons. The questionnaire wasdistributed a total of five times before and after each
unit to measure the effectiveness (Table 2).
Table 2 Schedule of the implementation and evaluation
I/E
Contents
Date
E 1st learning questionnaire
Nov. 10, 2020
I Unit 1, Lessons 1 and 2 (45 min × 2) Nov. 11, 2020
E 2nd learning questionnaire
Nov. 12, 2020
I Unit 2, Lessons 3 and 4 (45 min × 2) Nov. 25, 2020
E 3rd learning questionnaire
Nov. 26, 2020
E 4th learning questionnaire
Dec. 21, 2020
I Uni. 3, Lessons 5 and 6 (45 min × 2) Dec. 22, 2020
E 5th learning questionnaire
Dec. 23, 2020
I: implementation, E: evaluation

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Unit 1 was implemented on Nov. 11. The lesson was
conducted by the class teacher in a mass-teaching styleusing a blackboard and slides according to the teachingguide. The students wrote down their learning on theworksheet. A part of the lesson was implemented as ateam-teaching activity with the authors (Fig.4).
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Unit 2 was implemented on Nov. 25. After theteacher demonstrated the model for using the ICT tool
using a PC, the students examined the inundation
depth, the evacuation site, and the evacuation routenear their own homes. They then completed theworksheet with their learning (Fig.5).
Unit 3 was implemented on Dec. 22 as a grouplearning exercise. The presentations and questions
with the residents of the Senju Elementary School
district were conducted using the Zoom web
conference platform to prevent the spread of Covid-19(Fig.6). The eight participating residents gathered at
the Senju community center near the elementary
school to watch the children’s presentations and tointeract with each group online.

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displays a statistically significant increase with a meanscore from 2.67 pre-learning to 3.40 post-learning (t(44) = 4.77, p < .01). Q.4: "Can you imagine what will
happen to your neighborhood in a disaster due toheavy rain?" does not reveal a statistically significant
increase with a mean score from 3.14 pre-learning to
3.36 post-learning (t (43) = 1.65, n.s.). Q.5: "Do you
know what kinds of information is available about
disaster risks due to heavy rain?" displays astatistically significant increase with a mean scorefrom 2.71 pre-learning to 3.13 post-learning (t (44) =3.76, p < .01). Q.6: "Do you know how to collectinformation on disaster risks due to heavy rain?"displays a statistically significant increase with a meanscore from 2.38 pre-learning to 3.38 post-learning (t(44) = 7.04, p<.01).

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Fig.7 Measurement results of the learning effect on Unit 1

Fig. 4 Lesson of Unit 1

Fig. 5 Lesson of Unit 2

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Fig. 6 Lesson of Unit 3

4.2. Evaluation results of the program throughimplementation
As mentioned earlier, the "learning questionnaire"
was administered to the children before and after the
program study to assess the learning effects of each
unit. The paired t-test was used as a statistical analysis
method.
The learning effect of Unit 1 was measured before(Nov. 10, 2020) and after (Nov. 12, 2020) the learning.
The results are presented in Fig.7. Q.1: "Do you knowwhat kinds of flood hazards exist depending on thecharacteristics of the river?" displays a statisticallysignificant increase with a mean score from 2.93 prelearning to 3.58 post-learning (t (44) = 5.82, p < .01).
Q.2: "Do you know what kinds of disaster risks due toheavy rain exist along a nearby river?" displays astatistically significant increase with a mean scorefrom 3.09 pre-learning to 3.57 post-learning (t (43) =3.33, p < .01). Q.3: "Do you know how flood control
facilities, such as levees, function during heavy rain?"

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In Q.4, a statistically significant increase is notrecognized. However, the mean score of the prelearning at 3.14 is already high. It seems that theschoolchildren acquired the knowledge concerned
because the class teachers taught the lesson on local
flood history before this program.
Next, the learning effect of Unit 2 was measured
before (Nov. 10, 2020) and after the learning (Nov. 26,
2020). The results are presented in Fig.8. Q.7: "Canyou use a hazard map to find out the estimatedflooding depth in a certain area?" displays astatistically significant increase with a mean scorefrom 2.87 pre-learning to 3.59 post-learning (t (45) =3.86, p < .01). Q.8: "Do you know where the safe
evacuation sites are located in your neighborhood
during heavy rain?" displays a statistically significant
increase with a mean score from 2.96 pre-learning to3.30 post-learning (t (45) = 2.27, p < .05). Q.9: "Doyou know where to avoid going during heavy rain?"displays a statistically significant increase with a meanscore from 2.91 pre-learning to 3.26 post-learning (t(45) = 2.19, p < .05). Q.10: "Can you make evacuation
decisions according to the rainfall situation?" displays
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Development of Disaster Management Education Program to Enhance Disaster Response Capabilities of
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a statistically significant increase with a mean scorefrom 2.37 pre-learning to 3.02 post-learning (t (45) =4.45, p < .01). Q.11: "Are you ready to decide what to
do if you know it will rain heavily in a few hours?"
displays a statistically significant increase with a meanscore from 2.78 pre-learning to 3.20 post-learning (t(45) = 2.68, p < .05). Q.12: "Can you instruct people
around you what to do during heavy rain?" reveals astatistically significant increase with a mean scorefrom 2.65 pre-learning to 3.11 post-learning (t (45) =3.31, p < .01).

Fig.8 Measurement results of the learning effect on Unit 2

Paying specific attention to the questions onlearning with ICT, which is the merit of this learning,
the average score of Q.7 increased by 0.68, and that of
Q.10 increased by 0.65, indicating a larger increase
than other questions, indicating a particularly highlearning effect.
Finally, the learning effect of Unit 3 was measured
before (Dec. 21, 2020) and after the learning (Dec. 23,
2020). The results are presented in Fig.9. Q.13: "Canyou look up evacuation sites and routes for various
situations using YOU@RISK?" displays a statisticallysignificant increase with a mean score from 2.69 prelearning to 3.31 post-learning (t (48) = 3.37, p < .01).
Q.14: "Can you organize opinions discussed in groups
about evacuation during heavy rain?" displays astatistically significant increase with a mean scorefrom 2.88 pre-learning to 3.14 post-learning (t (48) =2.10, p < .05). Q.15: "Can you evacuate correctly whena river is likely to flood?" displays a statisticallysignificant increase with a mean score from 3.08 prelearning to 3.35 post-learning (t (48) = 2.29, p < .05).
Q.16: "Can you make a presentation of what you
observed and thought about the flood?" indicates astatistically significant increase with a mean scorefrom 2.92 pre-learning to 3.22 post-learning (t (48) =2.46, p < .05). Q.17: "Can you explain what you foundout and thought about the flood to your family
members?" does not reveal a statistically significant

Journal of Disaster Researchsubmitted

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increase with a mean score from 3.29 pre-learning to3.51 post-learning (t (48) = 1.97, n.s.). Q.18: "Can you
ask questions and discuss about floods withneighborhood residents?" indicates a statisticallysignificant increase with a mean score from 2.94 prelearning to 3.37 post-learning (t (48) = 3.46, p < .01).

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Fig.9 Measurement results of the learning effect on Unit 3

Paying attention to the questions about ICT learning,
the increase in the average score of Q.13 is 0.62, whichis the highest, and therefore, the effect of ICT learning
is confirmed. In Q.17, a statistically significant
increase was not recognized. Furthermore, the averagescore of Q.17 before the learning was higher at 3.24.
This could be attributed to the fact that the homeroom
teacher instructed the students to have a home study ofthe discussion on the learning of Unit 2 with theirfamily, which was not included in the program, so thatthe students' ability related on Q.17 was high even
before the learning of Unit 3.

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4.3. Analysis on retention of learning effect
Next, the repeated measures analysis of variance, or
ANOVA, was applied to the four measurements ofUnits 1 and 2 to verify if the knowledge and skills
acquired by the implementation of the program could
be retained across time and other conditions. The
results are presented in Figs. 10 and 11.
As for the learning from Unit 1, the results of theanalysis of variance display statistical significance infive items except for Q.4, where the average score washigh before the learning. Therefore, the learning effectwas verified throughout the program. As for Unit 2,
statistical significance was confirmed in three items of
Qs.7, 10, and 12. Qs.7 and 10 are related to ICT
learning, and it is thought that the expected learning
effect was achieved. In Q.12, it is thought that theeffect was enhanced by explaining the learning results
in class and at home. Except for Qs.8 and 9, in ten
items, the mean score decreased slightly in the third
effectiveness measurement. However, the reduction in7

Development of Disaster Management Education Program to Enhance Disaster Response Capabilities of
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learning effectiveness over time was minor and had noeffect on the effectiveness of the overall program.
However, after the learning of Unit 3, the averagescore of these items increased again at the fourth
measurement. Although Qs.8 and 9 are not statisticallysignificant, the mean scores continued to increase overthe four measurements. This suggests that there was alearning effect, as awareness and attitudes changed
through learning, and safe and dangerous spots weremore apparent.
From the above, it is confirmed that the grouplearning activity and the exchange with the local
residents conducted in Unit 3 could retain the learning
effects of Units 1 and 2 and deepen the understandingof the schoolchildren.

Fig.10 Results of ANOVA for Unit 1

Fig.11 Results of ANOVA for Unit 2

Journal of Disaster Researchsubmitted

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4.4. Revision of the program based on evaluation
From the above evaluation results, the learning
effect of this program can be substantiated.
Furthermore, to enhance the learning effect of theeducation program, it was improved based on theanalysis results. Specifically, the program is improvedby summarizing the challenges as follows: focusing on
the items where the average score is low after thelesson and increases only a little between before andafter the lesson, and referring to the opinions of theclass teachers.

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4.4.1.

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4.4.2.

Improve understanding of weather
information
In Unit 1, the average score of Q.5 “Do you knowwhat kinds of information is available on the disasterrisks due to heavy rain?” is the lowest, and the increasein the average score between before and after thelearning is likewise minor at 0.43. A meteorologicalexpert who observed the class noted that the program
was not designed to teach students through the flood
occurrence process, from rainfall as the trigger, torivers as the land factor and that this might have led toa lack of understanding of the importance of weather
information. The homeroom teachers also agreed withthis observation.
Accordingly, Unit 1 of the program has been revised
to begin with Lesson 1 “Let us learn about disasters
caused by heavy rain,” while Lesson 2 “Let us learn
about disaster control of large rivers” in Table 3 hasbeen moved ahead of Lesson 3 “Let us learn about the
information on dangerous rainfall” in Table 3. In
addition, to deepen the practical visualization and theunderstanding of heavy rainfall disasters, as per theteachers' suggestions, the lessons on how heavy
rainfall disasters occur based on “Where rainwater
goes and the conditions of the ground”, the learningmaterials for science for the fourth grade, and thematerials to watch videos of heavy rainfall disasters
that have occurred in recent years have been added.
Enhance ability to make decisions in
response to weather situations
In Unit 2, the average score of Q.10 “Are you readyto make a decision on evacuation depending on thesituation of rain etc.,” is the lowest at 2.94, and theincrease in the average score of Q.11 “Have you
already roughly decided what kind of behavior you
should display if you know that it would rain heavily
after several hours” is minor at 0.38.
Accordingly,
following
improvement
was
examined to enhance the judgment on the behavior
depending on heavy rainfall and its timing. The
learning to treat the timeline indicating the issuance of
weather information, evacuation information, and thetime the flood that occurred during heavy rainfall
disasters in recent years has been added as materials to
the contents of Lesson 2 of Unit 1 “Let us know about
dangerous and heavy rainfall and how to collect the8

Development of Disaster Management Education Program to Enhance Disaster Response Capabilities of
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information. Moreover, according as the teachers’
suggestion, a teacher will ask a question to children
about evacuation decision making based on weather
information and situation, and they will discuss these
topics in pairs or small groups in Unit 2.

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4.4.3.

Retention of the ability to think and express
evacuation actions
The increase of the average score of Q.12 in Unit 2“Can you instruct people around you what to do during
heavy rain?” is minor at 0.43 and the average scoreafter the lesson is also low at 3.08. However, statisticalsignificance is recognized in the repeated measures
because after learning Unit 2, the teachers instructed
the students to explain their learning achievements, themap, and the worksheet in which the lessons wererecorded at their homes and to engage in discussions
about the topic.
Therefore, according to the teachers' suggestion, it
was added to Unit 2 of the program to offer homework
to the students and to discuss the learning outputs with
their families following the lesson.
Based on the above improvements this program wasrevised. 1) Unit 1 has been changed as follows toenhance understanding of weather information. Unit 1
consists of three lessons-Lesson 1 “Let us know about
the disaster caused by heavy rainfall;” Lesson 2 “Letus know about the characteristics of large rivers andflood preparedness;” and Lesson 3 “Let us know how
to collect the information on heavy rainfall.” In Lesson
1 “Let us know about the disaster caused by heavy
rainfall” has been added to review “Where rainwater
goes and the conditions of the ground,” in school
textbooks of science for the fourth grade, and learn
about heavy rainfall disasters in recent years by videos.
Moreover, in Lesson 3 “Let us know how to collectinformation on heavy rainfall,” the learning has been
added to which treats the timeline demonstrating therelease of weather information and the evacuation
information during the floods following heavy rainfall
in recent years. 2) To enhance students' ability to makedecisions in response to weather situations, questions
have been included in the teaching plan of Unit 2. The
questions ask students to make decision based on
weather information and situation, and they discussthem in pairs or small groups. 3) Furthermore, forretention of the ability to think and express evacuation
actions, an instruction has been added to assign themhomework to explain the map and the worksheet to becreated in the Unit 2 lessons to their family members,
and discuss these with them. The unit structure tablereflecting the above modifications is shown in Table 3,
and the instructional plans is shown in Figures 12-16.

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capabilities of schoolchildren by encouraging them tothink about and behave proactively to protect theirown lives during disasters resulting from heavy
rainfall. The program was evaluated through an
implementation at Nagaoka Municipal Senju
Elementary School in Nagaoka City, Niigata
Prefecture, which was affected by floods caused by
Typhoon No.19. Thus, the statistical significancebetween before and after the learning was recognized
and the learning effect was verified throughout the
program. The program was further improved throughits implementation and evaluation.
This program is planned to be developed atelementary schools in Nagaoka City by the NPO
Hometown Future Creation Hall in the city, acooperator of the study, through a city-commissioned
project called “Disaster Management Treasure Box.”
It is expected that by repeating the cycle of
implementation, evaluation, and revision for local
elementary schools with similar high flood risk as
Senju Elementary School, the program would beenhanced, and its effectiveness would be increased in
the future. We also want to develop a program forheavy rainfall disaster management education treatingurban inundation and sediment disasters in hilly andmountainous areas.
Table 3 Revised unit structure table
Unit
Unit 1:Priorlearning

Learning
Learning objective
Lesson 1:
 Understand the disaster caused
Let us learn about
by heavy rain.
disasters caused Create a concrete image of theby heavy raindisaster caused by heavy rain.
Lesson 2:
 Understand the characteristics of
Let us learn about
large rivers.
the disaster control  Know the measures againstof large rivers
floods in large rivers and theirlimitation.
Lesson 3:
 Know the information on
Let us learn about
dangerous rainfall.
the information on  Consider the judgment to act
dangerous rainfall
based on the information.
Unit 2:
Lesson 4–5:
 Read hazard maps correctly.
ActiveLet us learn how  Determine the evacuation action
learning
to protect
based on the flood hazard at the(individual) ourselves fromspot.
flooding
Unit 3:
Lesson 6–7:
 Summarize and represent what
ActiveLet us discuss how you have learned.
learning
to evacuate Ask questions and discuss about(group)according to theheavy rains with the adults living
situationin your community.

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53 5. Conclusions and future development
54
In this study, an education program for heavy
55 rainfall risk management was developed using the56 ADDIE process of ID to enhance the disaster response

Journal of Disaster Researchsubmitted

9Development of Disaster Management Education Program to Enhance Disaster Response Capabilities of
Schoolchildren at Time of Heavy Rainfall
1

Lesson 1: Let us learn about disasters caused by heavy rain
Time ･:Learning process, T:Teaching and questioning of teacher,
table C:Expected response of children, *Learning aim*

Fig.12 Revised teaching guide for Lesson 1 of Unit 1*Learn about the measures against the flooding of large rivers andtheir limitations* Show slides explaining the flood control facilities.
T: In large rivers, we prepare for floods by building dams andbanks. Many agencies, such as the central and prefectural
governments and construction companies are involved in suchprojects. Even with these measures, heavy rainfall beyond theirlimits could cause flooding. Do you think these measures areunnecessary?
C: I do not think it is unnecessary.
T: Why do you think so?
T: They can not only prevent flooding, but also provide a time
gap. What will you use that time for?
C: Evacuation
T: Then, when should you evacuate?
C: I do not know
 Ask children how they can notice a disaster about to happen andtake action to protect themselves and let them discuss in pairs or
small groups.
 Tell children to get information on heavy rainfall in the next lesson.

Summary
10 min.

Summary,
10 min.

*Summarize the learning contents*･Make the children write a summary of the learning contentson the worksheet, as shown below.
Disaster hazards vary according to location.

*Understand the characteristics and flood risk of large rivers* Distribute the worksheets and get the children to fill the blanks withthe characteristics of rivers.
T: What word can be used to fill the blanks in the worksheet about
the width of large rivers?
C: WideT: Which river increases more rapidly during heavy rainfall, a wideriver or a narrow one?
C: Narrow river
T: Large rivers are wide and rise slowly during heavy rainfall.
T: How high is the bank of a large river?
C: High
T: Which is more likely to overflow during heavy rainfall, a riverwith high bank or low bank?
C: Rivers with low banks
T: When a large river has high banks, even if water increases
during heavy rainfall, it is difficult for the water to overflow.
T: The Shinano River is the longest river in Japan. Which
prefectures does this river run through?
C: Niigata and Nagano prefectures
T: The Shinano River can flood even with rainfall in the distant
Nagano Prefecture. This can be compared to a person
maintaining a friendship with people far away.
T: Now that you understand the characteristics of large and small
rivers, which one will be more frightening during heavy rain?
C: Both
T: Small rivers are scary because they are like an intolerant andimpatient person. Large rivers are scarier, like a person who
seldom gets angry but gets really angry once annoyed. Whenlarge rivers flood, a lot of water overflows and causes deep
inundation over a wide area.
Who prepares during the flooding of a large river and how?

Process 2, 10 min.

Process 2, 10 min.

*Image of the actual disaster caused by heavy rainfall* Explain the differences in disasters according to the locationby using slides and other materials relating to neighboringareas.
 Display videos on heavy rainfall disasters in recent years.
 Display the chronological flooding of the Shinano River.
T: How do you feel after watching the video and chronology?
C: Frightened, terrible if it occurs, it has occurred repeatedly,etc.

*Take an interest in the characteristics of rivers* Display pictures of large and small rivers during normal situation
using slides.
T: What do you know or think about the Shinano River?
C: Many insects and plants outside the bank.
C: The Shinano River is the longest river in Japan.
T: What do you know or think about the Kaki River?
C: Flood occurred repeatedly at Kaki River.
C: There are no banks, or the bank is low along the Kaki River.
*Change the river’s name to match your school’s region.
 Use the image map to organize the children’s remarks.
 Show pictures of rivers during disasters.
What are the conditions in large and small rivers during heavy rain?

Process 1, 15 min.

Process 1, 15 min.

*Understand how disasters are caused by heavy rainfall*
T: How does the volume of rainwater sink into the ground
during heavy rainfall?
C: Increase
T: If the volume of rainwater seeping into the groundincreases, how does the soil react?
C: Become mushy, soft, etc.
T: How is the ground softened when the water flows on asteep slope?
C: Collapse
T: Disasters caused by the collapse of slopes are called“landslides”
T: How is the volume of water flowing into drainage?
C: Increase
T: What happens when the water level increases and cannot
drain?
C: Overflow
T: Disasters caused by an overflow on the ground when thewater cannot be drained is called “inundation.”
T: If the volume of water flowing from the drainage into theriver increases, how does it flow?
C: River water overflows.
T: Disaster caused by overflow of river is called “flood.”
T: As explained above, how the disaster occurs differs
depending on the location.
･Have the children write the lessons in the worksheet.

Introduction, 10 min.

Introduction, 10 min.

･Review “Where does rainwater go and the conditions of thegroundT: How does the rainwater drain?
C: Sink into the ground
C: Flows from high locations to low ones
C: Flows into drainage systems and rivers
C: Flows into the sea･Show the video materials etc. if you have time.
･Have the children write their learnings in the worksheet.
What will happen to the ground and rivers during heavy rain?

Lesson 2: Let us learn about disaster control for large rivers
Time ･:Learning process, T:Teaching and questioning of teacher,
table C:Expected response of children, *Learning aim*

*Summarize the learning contents*
A large river seldom overflows; however, it can be a lethal
disaster. Flood control facilities such as dams and banks
have been built to prevent floods, and many people are
involved, but we should evacuate when it rains dangerously.

Fig.13 Revised teaching guide for Lesson 2 of Unit 1

Journal of Disaster Researchsubmitted

10Development of Disaster Management Education Program to Enhance Disaster Response Capabilities of
Schoolchildren at Time of Heavy Rainfall
Lesson 3: Let us learn about dangerous rainfall
Time ･:Learning process, T:Teaching and questioning of teacher,
table C:Expected response of children, *Learning aim*

1

Introduction,
5 min.
Process 1, 15 min.
Process 2, 15 min.
Summary
10 min.

*Review of the previous lesson*
T: Because many measures have been taken, does disaster notoccur?
C: Could occur
T: What should you do in such case?
C: Evacuate, protect myself.
T: Then, when should you evacuate?
How do you notice a disaster about to happen?
*Gather information on heavy rainfall*
T: It is difficult even for an adult to judge how much damage heavy
rainfall will cause. Hence, it is important to collect the
information issued by specialized agencies.
T: How can you collect such information?
C: Television, radio, municipal radio, publicity advertising car,smart phone, etc.
T: What kind of information do you have?
 Distribute the worksheets and show the slides.
T: “Weather information on disaster mitigation” released by theJapan Meteorological Agency (JMA) indicates the level ofdanger from rain, etc. This includes flood warnings and tropical
cyclone forecasts. Flood Warnings and Advisories can also be
released along the designated rivers. This is broadcast on
televisions and radios, found on the JMA's website, and sent
through early warning e-mails and a smartphone app such asYahoo! JAPAN Disaster Alert.
 Have children repeat the name and explain the information fromthe JMA.
T: Municipalities release “evacuation information” to help makedecisions about evacuation, referring to information from JMA.
T: Warning levels are defined in weather information on disastermitigation and evacuation information to make it easier to judge
how dangerous the situation is and when to evacuate.
・Have C repeat warning levels and its explanations.
*Consider how and when to respond based on information*
T: Which level do you think is the best to start evacuation?
 Have C raise their hands to the warning level they think is the bestand let them explain why.
 Show the timeline of the floods and the relay of information issued
in recent disasters with slides or other materials.
* The following is an example of Nagano City during Typhoon
Hagibis in 2019.
T: The bank of the Chikuma (Shinano) River was breached at
Nagano City during Typhoon Hagibis in 2019. The timeline of
the information issuance at that time was as follows, Oct, 11, 11:00 a.m., Press Conference by JMA(possibility of issuing an emergency warning) Oct.12, 3:30 p.m., Heavy Rain Emergency Warning in Nagano
Prefecture, etc.
 Oct.12, 5:30 p.m., Flood Warning of Chikuma River in Ueda City
 Oct. 12, 6:00 p.m., Evacuation Advisory in Nagano City
 Oct.12, 11:40 p.m., Evacuation Order in Nagano City
 Oct. 13, 1:40 a.m., the Chikuma River Overflowed in Nagano City
 Oct.13, 2:12 a.m., The bank of the Chikuma River was breachedin Nagano City
T: The evacuation advisory was issued before the flood. In the
Naganuma district, Nagano city, residents evacuated quite early.
However, two deaths were reported due to the delayed
evacuation at Naganuma district, Nagao City. The evacuation
was delayed because the evacuation advisory and order were
issued at night.
T: When referring to these materials, when the orders are issued,
we should examine which information to consider to evacuate.
 Ask C when they think it is best to start evacuation.
* Have C discuss in pairs or small groups if you have time.
T: The evacuation would be difficult if information was not issued
on time, did not reach the residents appropriately or was issued
at night.
T: Protect your life, by yourself. For this purpose, it is important tocollect not only the evacuation information but also the various
information including the weather information and respond intime for our safety.
*Summarize the learning contents*
 Collect information first if heavy rainfall is expected.
 Judge not only based on evacuation information but
also based on information from various sources.
 Take action earlier to protect yourself.

Fig.14 Revised teaching guide for Lesson 3 of Unit 1

Journal of Disaster Researchsubmitted

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Development of Disaster Management Education Program to Enhance Disaster Response Capabilities of
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Lesson 4-5: Let us learn how to protect ourselves from flooding

Time ･:Learning process, T:Teaching and questioning of teacher,
table C:Expected response of children, *Learning aim*

Process 2, 15 min.

*Look up the expected flood depth at your home*
T: Switch the menu of YOU@RISK to 2. Then, the flood
hazard map will be displayed. What do you think the colorsof the hazard map mean?
C: Depth of the flood. Location of inundation.
 Distribute the worksheet.
T: Let us read the description of the expected flood depth.
T: When it rains more heavily than expected, the flood area
can be wider and deeper than these colors.
T: Next, observe the evacuation decision flowchart. If theestimated flood depth is less than 50 cm, raise your hand.
Will you evacuate or stay at home if the Shinano Riverfloods?
C: Stay home.
T: Although your homes will possibly be flooded below thefloor level, you will be able to stay home safely.
T: If the flood depth is between 50cm and 3m, raise yourhand. Till which floor could your home be flooded?
C: Till the first floor
T: If the first floor of your home will possibly be flooded, andif your home is only one floor high, should you evacuate?
T: If the flood depth is between 3m and 5m, raise your hand.
Till which floor could your home be flooded?
C: Till the second floor
T: The second floor may be flooded, so if your home is morethan three floors high, you may be able to evacuate to theupper floors.
T: If the flood depth is between 5m and 10m, raise your hand.
Till which floor could your home be flooded?
C: Third floor or higher
T: You cannot stay in the place if the flooding depth is 5 to
10 meters. Evacuate to a safer place.

Summary
10 min.

Process 1, 20 min.

*Find your home on the map*
T: How deep do you think your home will be flooded if the
Shinano River floods? Look at the hazard map on acomputer.
 Explain how to operate YOU@RISK on your computer.
T: Start “YOU@RISK” on your computer.
T: Find our school on the map, and then zoom in.
T: Find your own home. Next, click “My home” button. Thenclick on the location of your home on the map, and thehome icon ( ) will appear at the point you clicked.
T: Switch the base map to satellite imagery.

Process 4, 25 min.

 Show and explain the flood hazard map of the municipality.
T: Do you know what this is?
C: Hazard map
T: This is a hazard map made by the municipality. You cansee where and how deep the Shinano River will flood whenit overflows, and to where you can safely evacuate.
*Change river’s name to match your school area.
Find out dangerous spots and safe sites to evacuate if a large
river floods.

Process 3, 10 min.

Introduction, 10 min.

*Review of the previous lesson*
T: What kind of disaster do you think you should beconcerned about near a river during heavy rainfall?
C: Flood
T: What should you do first if heavy rainfall is expected?
C: Collect information
T: It is important to collect various information to judge andtake action earlier.
* If there is time, have C discuss in pairs or small groups about
their actions based on the information to protect themselves
by asking questions as follows:<Examples of questions> A heavy rain advisory was issued when you are out withfriends. Will you go home? Call your family?
 You plan to go out during the weekend, but a typhoon isapproaching. Will you change the destination? Or will you
cancel your plan?

Time ･:Learning process, T:Teaching and questioning of teacher,
table C:Expected response of children, *Learning aim*
T: Besides the colors indicating the flooding depth, there areshaded areas. The pink shaded area indicates the homes
where the ground has been torn away and are at risk ofcaving in. Is anyone living in this area? Will you
evacuate?
C: Yes, I am. I will evacuate.
T: All people living in this area must evacuate.
T: The purple shaded area indicates that wooden homes areat the risk of collapsing because the water flow is fast. Is
anyone in this area? Will you evacuate or stay home?
C: Yes, I am. I will evacuate.
T: People living in wooden homes in this area must evacuate
earlier. If you are not sure whether your home is made ofwood, ask your family later.
*Consider the evacuation destination and route*
T: You have confirmed the expected flooding of your homeon the hazard map. If your home is in danger, whereshould you evacuate to? Read the explanation of theevacuation site.
 Have C read the explanation of the evacuation site together.
T: Switch the menu of YOU@RISK to 3 to view evacuationsites where you can safely evacuate from your home. Finda safe evacuation site as close to your home as possible,
which is as little flooded as possible.
T: Click the "concentric circle" button to view the circle
centered on your home to confirm the distance.
T: If you select an evacuation site, click "Evacuate here".
*Find out dangerous areas to avoid during the evacuation*
T: Switch the menu of YOU@RISK to 4 to view areas ofdanger. Exclamation mark ( ) indicates an underpassand bridge mark ( ) indicates a bridge. These are
dangerous spots where people or cars cannot go throughif they are inundated, or the river rises during heavy
rainfall.
T: Click the “evacuation route” button to view the routefrom your home to the evacuation site you have selected
and the altitude graph. If you want to change theevacuation site, go back to menu 3 and select theevacuation site again.
T: Finally, determine the best evacuation destination androute and write the name and route on the worksheet.
＊If there is time, pair with someone nearby, share what is
written on the worksheet, and listen to the opinions of yourpartner.
*Summarize the learning contents*
 Collect various information and take action earlier if the
Shinano River is about to flood.
 If you cannot evacuate far enough away early, evacuate
to a safe place nearby, paying attention to the depth offlooding, underpasses, bridges, etc.

Fig.15 Revised teaching guide for Lesson 4–5 of Unit 2

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Development of Disaster Management Education Program to Enhance Disaster Response Capabilities of
Schoolchildren at Time of Heavy Rainfall
1

Lesson 6-7: Let us discuss how to evacuate according to thesituation

Time ･:Learning process, T:Teaching and questioning of teacher,
table C:Expected response of children, *Learning aim*

*Address the question to the adults in your neighborhood
about flood preparedness *T: Today the representatives of your neighborhoods havecome, so please ask them any questions you have.
C: (Ask the questions as per the questionnaire that has been
prepared in advance according to the theme.)< Example questions: Theme 1>
・Describing the past floods that have occurred in thelocal community.
・Other questions about the Shinano and Kaki rivers< Example questions: Theme 2>・How was the local community at the time of the
Typhoon Hagibis in 2019.
・Questions about disaster preparedness activities inyour community at present.
T: Question time is over.

Summary, 10 min.

Process 1, 30 min.

*Discuss in groups about the evacuation destination androute*
 Work in groups according to each neighborhood
association.
 Distribute tablet PCs and large maps for group work.
T: Identify the station on the map and put a blue seal on it.
Next, look at the expected flooding depth at the station by
operating menu 1 of YOU@RISK. Is it safe to stay there?
C: No, it is not safe. Need to evacuate.
T: Then, look up evacuation sites near the station by
operating menu 2, and discuss where you can be safe.
 Monitor the progress of each group’s discussion.
T: After deciding on the evacuation destination, operate
Menu 4 to check for any dangerous spots and determine
the evacuation route. After discussion, the destination can
be changed by returning to Menu 3.
T: After deciding the evacuation destination and route, markthe destination on the map with a green sticker and theroute with a green pen. If there are any dangerous spots
near the route, put a red sticker on it. Then, complete thetext by writing the name of your group’s neighborhood
association, the name of evacuation site you chose, thedangerous spots near the route, and the reason forchoosing the destination and route in the blanks of theworksheet. The activity should be completed bydiscussing with group members.
T: If your group completed the text, practice thepresentation.

*Make a presentation on the results of the group discussion*
T: The representative from each neighborhood should joineach group. Before the presentation, please introduce
yourself to your neighbors.
T: The children have learned about the Shinano River's
flood control measures. Today they discussed safe
evacuation sites near the Station by using the hazard map.
Now please listen to the presentations. Each group,
please begin your presentation.
C: (Each group will make their presentation.)
T: Presentation time is over. If you have any questions orcomments, please feel free to ask them. If there are any
questions from your neighborhoods, please answer themwith your leader.
C: (Questions and answers in each group.)

Process 3, 25 min.

Introduction, 15 min.

*Review up to the previous lesson*
T: We learned about two rivers for comparison. What are
their names?
C: Shinano River and Kaki River
T: Which one is larger?
C: Shinano River
T: What are the characteristics of large rivers?
<The characteristics of large rivers regarding flood>
A large river seldom floods because it is wide and protectedby flood control facilities such as high banks and dams.
However, if it rains heavily beyond their limits, flooding
may occur and cause lethal damage.
T: What is the first thing to do when heavy rain or flooding
is about to occur?
C: Collect information
T: We learned it is important to collect various informationand take action early to protect our own lives.
 Distribute the worksheet.
T: In the last lesson, we learned how to act when we are athome and it is about to rain heavily. The decision on theevacuation destination and route will vary depending on
the situation. Read the situation in the handout.
<Example of situation>
A group of our class members on holiday, gathered in
front of the station to prepare for the school festival. A
large monitor in front of the station showed informationthat it was raining heavily in Nagano and otherprefectures and a flood warning had been issued for
Nagaoka City. The group discussed and decided to go toa safe place nearby to wait until A' s family came to pick
us up. Where is the safe place near the station?
T: Let us discuss in groups and determine the safe
evacuation destination and route.
Discuss in groups how to act according to the situation.

Process 2, 10 min.

Time ･:Learning process, T:Teaching and questioning of teacher,
table C:Expected response of children, *Learning aim*

*Summarize the learning contents*
T: What kind of stories did you hear about the flood in thepast and the activities of disaster preparedness in yourlocal community?
C: (Children representing each group share their questions
and answers.)
T: You have all learned about past floods and local disaster
preparedness activities. From now on, it is important foryou to keep learning by fielding questions toneighborhoods and telling them what you know, so that
we can all learn together and be prepared for floods.
T: Finally, let us give special thanks to the people who havecome here today.
C: Thank you very much.
 The end.

Fig.16 Revised teaching guide for Lesson 6–7 of Unit 3

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Development of Disaster Management Education Program to Enhance Disaster Response Capabilities of
Schoolchildren at Time of Heavy Rainfall
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Acknowledgments
The authors express their gratitude to the two teachers and 52
fourth-grade students of Nagaoka Municipal Senju Elementary
School, for implementing the disaster management education inthis study, as well as other school officials and the members of
the Senju Town Planning Promotion Department who assistedwith the lessons.
The authors also express their gratitude to Nagaoka City's
Crisis Management Disaster Prevention Headquarters, as wellas the NPO Hometown Future Creation Hall, for coordinating
the implementation of this study.

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