Team FUNtastic 4:

Brianne Fitzgerald
Eva Morris
Miguel Medina
Diego Barraza-Avila

Vygotsky Scenario: You are a community leader tasked with ensuring that everyone in your
neighborhood knows what to do when disaster strikes. As a group, construct an instructional
approach in keeping with the Cultural Historical Theory. Be sure to justify why these activities
and approaches meet the tenets of the theory.

Sharknado Emergency Preparedness

Scenario
Climate change is causing an increase in the frequency and intensity of tornadoes. More and more,
sharks are frequently being sucked up into tornadoes and rained down on oceanside communities.
The neighborhood in this seaside community consists of mostly adults (30% children, 15% seniors).
The goal of the disaster preparedness training is to ensure all members respond appropriately when
disaster strikes.
Assessing Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
Multiple emergency scenarios are introduced. The community leader determines learners level of
understanding by asking how they would respond to each of the scenarios. Community members
also share their own sharknado experiences. In addition, key words, terms, and hazards that
accompany the sharknado disaster are defined and discussed. Common hazards are:
getting sucked up into the tornado
getting struck or otherwise being harmed by flying objects (e.g., sharks)
flooding
loss of life and/or limbs

Instructional Approach
In response to the assessment, the community leader develops an emergency response system that
is being rolled out to all members in the neighborhood. A uniform emergency signal, which alerts
community members of an impending sharknado disaster, is established that is mutually understood
by everyone. The signal, a red flag raised on a flagpole up on a hill in the neighborhood playground
and that is accompanied by the soundtrack of Jaws, is the universally recognized symbol of an
impending sharknado. Appropriate responses are:

covering of windows and other openings of homes and buildings

strategically placement of sandbags to prevent flooding
shark-attack avoidance techniques (ducking, fighting the shark off with a
pitchfork, punch it in the nose, jump it and ride it to safety, etc.)

Guided Learning
More experienced community members are identified, and placed into mentor roles to guide the less
experienced individuals in the community. Mentors are taught scaffolding skills in order to help their
mentees with the appropriate level of guidance. Learners must be challenged for learning to occur,
to avoid boredom, and reach the next level in the process, but not too challenging for them to
become frustrated. The mentors (1) demonstrate how to respond to the emergency in step-by-step
mock drills, then (2) observe the mentees repeating the emergency response process, and (3)
provide immediate feedback, and repeat the response process if necessary. Once the appropriate
response has been solidified, meaning that the learner is responding in an appropriate manner, the
learning is no longer in the ZPD. It is important that mentors understand they must present
challenging tasks to their mentees to move them outside their comfort zone. They then build on the
new knowledge to move on to the next level, so when disaster strikes and the mentor is not around,
they are able to act independently and get themselves--and potentially others--to safety. A section of
the training focuses on the limited abilities of children and seniors. Training is pared down and
adjusted to their knowledge and ability levels, so they feel included and can contribute to the overall
disaster emergency readiness.
Implementation
The learners will engage in discussion activities so that they make a connection from what they have
learned to their personal environment. For example, are there precautions that must be put in place
to help children, pets, or disabled family members? The learners must also identify and evaluate
items in their household that could potentially help them in the event of a sharknado, such as axes,
machetes, pitchforks, etc.
Many of the skills that people learn in this training can be applied to similar disasters, such as
gatornados, zombie tsunamis, or hippo hurricanes. Additionally, for future drills, the learners can
then transition into mentor roles for new members of the community.