Teachers are leaders. They can help educate our youth about terrorism and bioterrorism, and empower students, families and schools with information to promote preparedness and resilience.

Are We Prepared?

Two national surveys reveal the following*:

• Americans living in all parts of the country are concerned about the threat of terrorism.

• The majority of Americans have spoken with their children about the threat of terrorism.

• The demand for informational programs is widespread across the nation.

Yet**,

• Only 58% of parents are aware of any emergency or evacuation plans at their child’s school; only 19% were very familiar with the details of the school plan.

• Fewer than one in four (23%) families has a basic emergency plan with the bare minimum of components; at least two days of food and water, a flashlight, a portable radio and spare batteries, emergency phone numbers and a meeting place for family members in case of evacuation.

Teacher’s Guide

The Teacher’s Guide presents an easy-to-implement, hands-on activity that can be integrated into art programs, history, social studies, health or science classes. This project can be useful before an event to promote disaster preparedness. It can also be useful after a traumatic incident to help students make meaning of the event and create practical solutions for dealing with trauma through art.