Safety Safari

Summary

Students take a virtual safari around their classroom to learn about safety.

Materials

• Take A Stand
• Anticipation Guidepdf
• Clipboard
• Empty toilet paper rolls
• 36-inch piece of yarn
• Tape
• Safety Safari Signspdf
• Dinosaurs, Beware! A Safety Guide
• Water Safety Anticipation Guide for Parentspdf

Additional Resources

Books

• Dinosaurs, Beware! A Safety Guide, by Marc Brown and Stephen Krensky; ISBN 0316112194
• Franklin's Bicycle Helmet, by Paulette Bourgeois; ISBN 0439121884
• Officer Buckle and Gloria, by Peggy Rathmann; ISBN 0590976439

Media

• Take a Stand, by Steve James Buckle Up! (Prevention Dimensions, something good, Inc.)

Organizations

• Utah Department of Health (VIPP), PO Box 142106 Salt Lake City, UT 84114-2106, phone 801-538-6864, http://health.utah.gov/vipp

Background for Teachers

According to the Safe Kids Worldwide Organization the leading causes of accidental injury-related deaths (for children ages 0-14) are: motor vehicle occupant 29%, airway obstruction 17%, drowning 16%, pedestrian 11%, fire and burns 10%, other causes 10%, bicycle 2%, poisoning 2%, falls 2%, and firearm 1%.

Students with limited reading skills should be paired with a partner who will be willing to help with the reading. Students will need to understand the meaning of the words: correct and incorrect. Students should recognize that they are using their background knowledge to answer the questions on the Anticipation Guide. They should answer to the best of their ability and are not expected to know all of the answers at the beginning of the lesson.

Students who may be tempted to change their first answer if it was incorrect could be asked to color over their answer with a yellow crayon to prevent erasing the first answer.

Intended Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate a positive learning attitude.
5. Develop social skills and ethical responsibility.

Instructional Procedures

Invitation to Learn

Listen to the song "Buckle Up!" From the Take a Stand CD.

Instructional Procedures

1. Set up the Safety Safari by randomly placing the Safety Safari Signs around the classroom. The signs should be placed at a level where the children can read them. The Safety Safari Signs each show one safari animal and give safety information.
2. Have students complete the Anticipation Guide by circling yes or no for each question. Tell the students to look for the *. We are only answering yes or no at this point. We will write in the other boxes later.
3. Make binoculars by taping the two empty rolls of toilet paper together and attach a string to either side.
4. Tell students to put the binoculars around their necks so they will be ready to go on a Safety Safari.
5. Assign students a partner. Give each student a clipboard.
6. Students should use their binoculars to find all 12 animals in the classroom.
7. After finding each animal they should read what the animal tells them about safety.
8. Then they should circle the corresponding answer on their Anticipation Guide. To find the correct section on the Anticipation Guide they should look for the animal graphic on the sign and then find the same animal graphic on the Anticipation Guide.
9. Next students should write a sentence that tells why their answer was correct or incorrect.
10. If students find all of the animals they will know the answers to all of the questions.
11. Read the book Dinosaurs, Beware! A Safety Guide to the class.
12. Help the children make connections from the Dinosaurs, Beware! A Safety Guide text to the Safety Safari Activity.

Extensions

• Students with limited reading abilities should be partnered with another child who can be of assistance.
• Focus on rules for playground safety. Discuss how we do not tie anything around our necks, we look before we jump, we don't climb up slides, we stay away from people who are swinging, etc.

Family Connections

• Students may take their binoculars home and conduct a Safety Safari in their home or neighborhood. They can look in their homes for smoke detectors, first aid kits, window and door locks, safe places to keep poisons (including medicines), etc. They can look in their neighborhoods for crosswalks, road signs, McGruff Houses, hazardous areas, etc.
• Families may create a fire safety plan. If they already have a plan they can practice their plan on a regular basis. Students could also locate and change batteries in smoke detectors throughout their home.
• Students may administer the Water Safety Anticipation Guide for Parents and discuss safety measures their families can use to prevent drowning.

Assessment Plan

• Go on a Safety Safari in your school. Have the children take binoculars and search for safety items in the classroom, hallway, playground, bus loading area, parking lot etc. Students may find exit signs, fire extinguishers, fire alarms, door locks, street signs, markings on sidewalks, etc.
• Students may draw pictures that show safari animals doing one thing that is not safe. Then students should write what is not safe about their picture on the back of the page. The pages could then be made into a classroom book called Spying Safari Safety. The students can use the book to identify where safety is needed.

Bibliography

Research Basis

Duffelmeyer, F.A. & Baum, D.D. (1992). The Extended Anticipation Guide Revisited, Journal of Reading, 35(8), 654-56.

This article discusses flaws found in teacher generated anticipation guides. Suggestions for effective anticipation guide creation are offered. The revisited anticipation guides require students to write or tell why their answer was correct or incorrect.

Polette, K. (2005). Read & Write It Out Loud! Boston: Pearson Education.

This book focuses on effective ways to teach students to become oral readers. One of the main literacy practices discussed and demonstrated in the book is the use of anticipation guides. Using anticipation guides helps teachers understand the background knowledge each child possesses regarding the topic. It also helps the students know what information they should be searching for.