Understanding+the+Crisis+in+Japan

Before we can determine HOW we can help, we must understand what it is that has happened. Nothing that has happened in Japan is a first. Somewhere, sometime, others have suffered the same disasters. Our hearts must find compassion for those who are struggling to make sense of this crisis and our minds must seek to understand. Through knowledge, you, the children of this world, can hopefully find solutions to help the future world better cope and anticipate the forces of nature.

This link is FEMA for kids. It is a kid-friendly site that helps young minds begin to understand. Natural disasters can be frightening to both children and adults, so I wanted to find age-appropriate activities and sites to help my students learn about these natural events.

[|FEMA FOR KIDS]

Hear and see what other children who have lived through these natural disasters have to say on FEMA's Kid-to Kid Connection site: [|Kid-to Kid]

Here is a story about earthquakes: [|Taking a Shaky Vacation]

Here is a link to the European Space Agency for more information about natural disasters form a different viewpoint. [|ESA for KIDS]

Here is a simple to understand readiness page to help kids prepare for and understand most natural disasters: [|READY KIDS]

Here are some educational videos of storms and natural disasters. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THE PEOPLE IN THESE VIDEOS ARE EITHER CAUGHT IN THESE STORMS OR TRAINED TO TRACK THEM! DO NOT THINK THAT IT IS EVER, EVER, EVER OKAY TO IGNORE SAFETY PROCEDURES!!!! This is an educational video on Tsunamis : media type="custom" key="8755262"

Here is a rare look at a tornado and lightening : media type="custom" key="8755304"

HOW CAN WE HELP???

That is the question that has weighed on my heart these past several days.

I am listing three reputable organizations that are helping the Japanese and surrounding affected areas.

PLEASE HAVE YOUR PARENTS VISIT THESE SITES FIRST AND THEN WITH YOU IF THEY DEEM THEM APPROPRIATE FOR YOU TO VIEW!!!

These sites have videos and articles that might not be appropriate for young children to see.

[|The Samaritan's Purse] Samaritan’s Purse is helping provide physical and spiritual aid to survivors of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. [|﻿The American Red Cross] Your gift to the American Red Cross will support our disaster relief efforts to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific. On those rare occasions when donations exceed American Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters.

[|World Vision] World Vision is distributing relief supplies to thousands of people devastated by the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11. An emergency response team is on the ground in hard hit areas, providing water, blankets, and other urgently needed supplies to survivors.