K-12 Education Resources

The following links and resources are intended to provide information for educators and/or parents interested in homeland security education for children. 

Resources for Children

Ready Kids-- The Department of Homeland Security and FEMA’s resource for children to prepare for natural disasters, fires, and terrorism.  The site is designed to provide children with information on how to create survival kits, facts about the various types of threats that exist, as well as how to plan and prepare for these threats.  Information is also available for parents and teachers, on how to present preparedness and homeland security related material to children. 

“Masters of Disaster” Child Training Modules—Created by the American Red Cross, this training is designed so that it can be administered by both parents and educators, with content that is specific for various grade levels.  The training provides information about a wide range of natural and human created disasters, with activities that encourage students to think about the threat, how to prepare for and recover from it.  There are also lessons that are designed to help children deal with the psychological impacts of disasters, including feelings of fear and loss.  The Red Cross has also developed a supplemental guide for educators and parents that focuses specifically on dealing with anxiety and fear felt by children in times of disasters.  This supplemental guide is entitled “Facing Fear”, and can be ordered or downloaded by clicking here. 

US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Students’ Corner—The Nuclear Regulatory Commissions’(NRC) “Students’ Corner” section of their webpage provides students with a detailed explanation of nuclear power plants, including how they generate power, as well as the differences in the various types of nuclear power plants.  The site also provides users with general information about the NRC, what its role is, and how it works to ensure environmental and public safety.  Also included in the website are lesson plans for teachers that wish to discuss nuclear power, radiation, and other topics relating to the NRC. 

Resources for Parents/Teachers

FEMA Training for Teachers— The Federal Emergency Management Agency's website that provides emergency management and response training targeted towards teachers and educational professionals.  Courses cover topics such as the Incident Command System, multi-hazard emergency planning, and earthquake preparation.  Some courses are available online, and the website also provides teachers with training modules for students.

US Department of State for Youth—While this website has resources for students as well, it is designed primarily for teachers, or older students.  The site has in depth essays and lesson plans for teachers on topics such as terrorism, the Vietnam War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis.  The site also provides information on the various educational programs that it sponsors, such as Model UN, scholarship programs, and professional development programs.  Users can also use the site to find links to other State Department resources, such as the Secretary of State’s webpage, or international news. 

America Responds: PBS Kids—Provides parents with tips and strategies about how to provide children with answers to difficult questions about terrorism, and their safety.  The website provides parents and teachers with lesson plans, activities and discussion prompts to help them better answer difficult questions that are often posed to them by children. 

The Immigration Debate in the Classroom – Acknowledging the fact that children will be aware of the contentious debate that is currently surrounding immigration in the US, this website provides teachers with resources on how to use this current media attention into a productive discussion of civics, government, and current events, and avoid fights and shouting matches.  Here teachers can find links to statistics about immigration, the full text of bills that are relevant to a discussion of immigration, and numerous articles about the immigration debate.  Lesson plans and classroom activities are also provided, so that teachers can ensure an active and engaging discussion of the often controversial issues surrounding immigration.

Homeland Security and K-12 Service-Learning—Provides a list of service learning programs for children that have a HLS focus.  These programs include projects designed to increase community safety, disaster preparedness, conflict resolution, and emergency awareness.  The website provides links to examples of successful service learning projects, as well as sites that provide other HLS education resources.

Top 10 Things You Should Know about Children Coping with Terrorism-- Provides information to adults about the psychological impacts that terrorism can have on children.  The website gives information on what signs adults should look for that may indicate that children are having a difficult time dealing with a disaster, or is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, as well as what steps an adult may take to ensure a child receives proper psychiatric care. 

Federal Resources for Educational Excellence—The website provides teachers with resources to augment the design of curriculum and course lessons in a wide variety of topics ranging from visual arts, to World War II.  These resources come from governmental sources, such as the Library of Congress, NASA, or the National Science Foundation.

School Preparedness Resources

Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance Center— Maintained by the US Department of Education, this website provides educators and school administrators with information on a wide rage of school security issues.  The website also provides information on technical assistance grants funded through the Department of Education, that are designed to allow schools to prepare for all types of disasters and emergencies.   

US Department of Education, Emergency Planning--  This website provides educators with information about a wide range of relevant homeland security issues, including: planning for emergencies, information about relevant laws and regulations, and examples of best security practices for educators.  The website also provides educators with links to webcasts about school safety procedures. 

The White House’s School Safety Resources—Provides links to reports and conferences on school safety sponsored by the White House.  The website also provides links to a numerous other public and privately funded resources on school safety, and preparedness.

Texas School Safety Center--  Operated by the Center for Safe Communities and Schools of the State of Texas, the website provides teachers and administrators with access to safety standards, audits and reports about school safety, as well as links to school safety training and conferences. 

Grants for Educators—There are numerous grant opportunities available for educators and administrators that are interested in homeland security related issues.  While opportunities will obviously vary over time as grants expire and new grants are created, several useful places to begin looking for education grants include: The Department of Homeland Security School Preparedness, Grants.gov, the National Science Foundation, The Charles A. Dana Center Teacher Quality Grants, The Texas Education Agency, and The US Department of Education.