Rip Current Heroes (ATOM Study Guide)

Synopsis

A National Geographic Documentary about the Greatest Hazard on our Beaches 

Australia is an aquatic nation – 85% of our population live within 50 kilometres of the coastline. We pride ourselves on our beach culture, it's part of our national identity. Yet despite our love for the sand and surf most Australians know very little about the biggest danger that lurks along our beaches. It's called a Rip Current and these 'rivers of the sea' – claim more lives each year in Australia than cyclones, floods and sharks combined! 

This study guide is the first of its kind devoted to rip currents and uses a new documentary Rip Current Heroes to provide users knowledge of: 

• The science of rip currents: what they are, how they form and how they flow 
• The different types of rip currents and where they occur 
• How to spot rip currents 
• What to do if caught in a rip current 
• How to react when someone else is caught in a rip current 
• Approaches to educating communities about a natural hazard

Curriculum Links

Rip Current Heroes is suitable viewing for secondary school students at all year levels. For students in Years 7 – 10, Rip Current Heroes has relevance to units of work in the learning areas of Health and Physical Education, Science, Geography and English and addresses the general capability of Critical and Creative Thinking and the cross-curriculum priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures.