Weather and climate: Extreme weather

Planet Planners on Roblox is an engaging way for students to learn about some of the world's most pressing challenges – from preparing for natural disasters to managing large cities.

A decision-making exercise game with geographical thinking at its core, it also builds key skills such as teamwork, time management, resilience, problem-solving and decision-making.

It is accessed via Roblox – an immersive platform for 3D experiences. To learn more about Roblox and how it can be used in education, visit Get started with Roblox Education.

For more detailed information about the game, visit How to teach using Planet Planners on Roblox.

Play Planet Planners on Roblox.

In this scenario, players act as decision-makers responding to extreme weather events in a fictional town.

They must analyse data, make decisions and allocate resources to minimise damage and protect the community.

Players must think critically about water management, evacuation plans and disaster mitigation strategies.

Approximate location: Southern USA

Download/print the teacher notes for this scenario (PDF).

Teacher notes prepared in partnership with the Geographical Association.

Learning objectives

• To understand how climate change is leading to an increased frequency of extreme weather events.
• To examine the social, economic and environmental impacts of extreme weather events.
• To make decisions about how to prepare for and respond to extreme weather events.

Key decisions

• How should water supplies be managed during periods of drought?
• How can people be protected from extreme heat?
• How should wildfires be responded to?
• How can we protect people and property from flooding and the impacts of severe storm events?

Key geographical terminology

Climate change: When atmospheric conditions such as temperature and rainfall change over time. Currently, our climate is becoming warmer over time and this is called global warming.

Drought: A prolonged period of low rainfall and a high level of evaporation.

Flood: An overflow of water onto surrounding land after heavy rainfall.

Think, work and apply like a geographer

Encourage students to explore the links between gameplay and real-world job roles, such as:

• emergency response training
• meteorologists, climate change scientists and policy makers
• GIS and data science
• utility companies

Questions to explore

• How do meteorologists predict extreme weather events?
• What are the short-term and long-term impacts of droughts, storms and heatwaves?
• How can communities adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change?
• What role do emergency services play in disaster response?
• Should economic factors influence disaster response strategies?
• How do different parts of the world experience and manage climate crises?

Emotional and ethical considerations

Ethical decision-making: How should we identify who will be most affected by these events? Who should get priority in a disaster? How do we balance economic and environmental concerns?

Eco-anxiety: Acknowledge climate change concerns but focus on solutions and resilience.

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