Danger Limestone!
In this issue of Geography in the News we will be looking at the risks and rewards faced by communities living in potentially dangerous environments.
In the final article we will ask the question: why do people choose to live in peril?
Dangerous environments have featured in the news recently because of two events in particular, one of which is truly tragic.
- On the 28th February 2013 a Florida man was swallowed by a sinkhole that suddenly opened up beneath his bedroom. Just a few weeks later another, shallower sinkhole opened in the same town.
- On 5th March 2013 Mount Etna on Sicily, an Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea, erupted. The volcano spewed lava and ash into the air in a spectacular display of Earth’s power.
In this first article we will take an overview of one of the potentially treacherous environments in which people choose to live: limestone landscapes.
Use the interactive feature below to find out about these environments and see some examples of potential dangers.
Flash Player Required
Pupil Activity
As an entry into the lesson, students should write words or phrases on sticky notes that indicate their current knowledge of limestone and limestone landscapes. These notes can be placed on the board or wall and referred back to throughout the lesson or in the plenary.
After reading the article ‘Danger – Limestone!’ students can start the following activity.
Working in pairs, choose one of the following features often associated with limestone landscapes and use textbooks and reliable online resources to find out more about them:
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Limestone pavements
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Limestone and chalk cliffs
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Uplands (hills)
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Fossil beds
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Caves
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Sinkholes
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Gorges
Choose some photographs which highlight important aspects of your chosen feature. Draw at least one diagram (either by hand or using a graphics package on a computer) to include.
Hand in your finished work to your teacher for marking.
