Material
Case-Study Cards: Extreme Events
A set of four printable case-study cards for the Lesson 9 group analysis — a cyclone, a flood, a tsunami, and a heatwave — each with real data (a key figure), the cause, effects on the surface and community, and how people responded. Used to support the cause/effect/response analysis activity.
Print and cut out these four cards — one per group. Each card has a key number , the cause, the effects, and how people responded.
Cyclone Yasi (2011) Key data: wind gusts around 285 km/h .
Cause: a severe tropical cyclone that crossed the north Queensland coast.
Effects: flattened crops and trees; storm surge eroded beaches and flooded towns.
Response: early warnings and evacuations meant no direct deaths from the storm.
Eastern Australia Floods (2022) Key data: some rivers reached record heights over 14 m .
Cause: weeks of heavy rain across NSW and Queensland.
Effects: thousands of homes flooded; moving water eroded soil and roads.
Response: emergency services rescued residents; levees and warnings used in later events.
Indian Ocean Tsunami (2004) Key data: a magnitude 9.1 undersea earthquake; waves up to 30 m high.
Cause: the seafloor suddenly lifted, pushing a huge volume of water.
Effects: coastlines reshaped; widespread damage across many countries.
Response: a network of warning buoys was built to alert coasts in minutes.
Black Summer Heat & Drought (2019–20) Key data: Australia's hottest year on record, with days over 45°C .
Cause: extreme heat and a long drought dried out the land.
Effects: raised bushfire risk; stressed plants, animals and water supplies.
Response: fire bans, water restrictions and total-fire-ban warning days.
For your group's card, find the cause, two effects, and one response — and pick out the key number to share with the class.