Save the Children Kit By Karen Fanning For the past two weeks, terrifying footage of South Asia's deadly tsunami has dominated American news programs. Horrifying stories of loss have flooded the airwaves. And frightening images of death and destruction have occupied the front pages of U.S. newspapers. American children have responded to the tragedy with mix of interest, concern, and action. While their reactions may vary, they all have questions—questions that adults sometimes struggle to answer. Save the Children has created "Earthquake Disaster in South Asia Teaching Tools" to help teachers, parents, and children cope with the catastrophe. The teacher's toolkit provides educators with an overview of the disaster and includes classroom activities to help students discuss their questions and concerns about the tsunami. The online resource also provides teachers, parents, grandparents, and mentors with valuable advice in the form of tips to help children understand and process the tragic events in South Asia. Lastly, for those students and young people interested in raising funds for the Save the Children's Asia Earthquake/Tsunami Relief Fund, they can e-mail the organization for more information.

Scholastic News Online offers teachers tips on how to introduce the tsunami in Southeast Asia in your classroom. Read about how to help students in grades 3-4 and grades 5-8 to understand the devastation caused by this disaster.

Helping Children in Grade 3-4 Cope
By Scholastic's Senior Child Development Consultant Adele M. Brodkin, Ph.D.

Before introducing the topic, do your own three-pronged research:

1) Learn whether any child in your class has been affected directly or indirectly by this tragic event. Are there relatives or family friends living or visiting the area who may or may not have been harmed? Are there even any family roots in the countries involved? Send a simple note to parents inquiring about these matters. Follow up with school-to-home communication about how the topic will be addressed in school.

2) Learn all that you can about Tsunamis to impart the facts to your students. Include information about just how rare these events are, and the unlikelihood of any such occurrence in your part of the country.

3) Learn what measures have been taken or will be taken to prevent such a tragedy in the future in your geographical area and elsewhere. With these facts on hand, you are ready to decide about whether and how to present them.

If any child is personally affected or frightened, limit or even eliminate whole classroom discussion, but make yourself available for questions or concerns. Sit with those who seem to need to talk about it either individually or in small groups. By this point in the year, you can probably predict which children will be curious and which will be worried.

Listen to the Children. If you do more listening than talking, you will know how best to handle the topic in your particular classroom. In many instances, presenting the facts briefly as a news event will be all that is needed.

Select a class or school-wide method for helping people in the area. School-aged children are comforted by the idea that they can help others in need, particularly other children. Your school may decide to work with one of the designated helping agencies. Collecting money through bake sales or comparable events is probably most appropriate. The agencies need cash to purchase the supplies in highest demand in each affected area.

Helping Children in Grade 5-8 Cope
By Scholastic's Senior Child Development Consultant Adele M. Brodkin, Ph.D.

Before introducing the topic, do your own three-pronged research:

1) Learn whether any child in your class has been affected directly or indirectly by this tragic event. Are there relatives or family friends living or visiting the area who may or may not have been harmed? Are there even any family roots in the countries involved? Send a simple note to parents inquiring about these matters. Follow up with school-to-home communication about how the topic will be addressed in school.

2) Have your students research tsunamis. Remind them that our human intelligence has allowed us to conquer natural threats like this one. Include information about just how rare these events are—that a tsunami of this magnitude has not occurred for about 3,000 years. Also tell them about the unlikelihood of any such occurrence in your part of the country. Children in these grades get more of their reassurance from their intellectual command of the topic. They can better understand the tragedy through science and history.

3) Have students research what measures have been taken or will be taken to prevent such a tragedy in the future in your geographical area and elsewhere. With these facts you and your students can hold classroom discussions.

If any child is personally affected or frightened, limit or even eliminate whole classroom discussion, but make yourself available for questions or concerns. Sit with those who seem to need to talk about it either individually or in small groups. By this point in the year, you can probably predict which children will be curious and which will be worried. Use your own good judgment in deciding how in-depth your classroom discussion and research should be.

Listen to the Children. If you do more listening than talking, you will know how best to handle the topic in your particular classroom. In many instances, presenting the facts briefly as a news event will be all that is needed. If there is no reason to hold back, such as a personal connection to the tragedy, the children can do rather complex research on the topic. Have them prepare reports on tsunamis in general or on different aspects of the relevant geology or history. Some can even do reports on what is currently happening and what is being done to provide aide to stricken countries.

Select a class or school-wide method for helping people in the area. Young people are comforted by the idea that they can help others in need, particularly other children. Your school may decide to work with one of the designated helping agencies. Collecting money through bake sales or comparable events is probably most appropriate. The agencies need cash to purchase the supplies in highest demand in each affected area.

Be sure the organization you are raising money for is legitimate. Check with your school administration to see if it already has a connection with some of these agencies. You can check out Scholastic News Online's list of agencies.