Date: May 15, 1997

Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1

Subject(s):

• Health/Safety

Description:

Children need to learn how to handle situations where something is not safe when dealing with fire. This will show them what to do when they come across a situation where there is a possible problem.

Goal:

Students will learn to "Say no to pyro."

Objectives:

To handle situations where other people neglect fire safety rules. To practice social responsibility.

Background Information:

The basic information that you will already be covering in your fire safety unit. (usually in October)

Materials:

No materials needed

Procedure:

Ask students if they have ever been in a situation where someone else was doing something dangerous. What should you do when people do something you thing will harm themselves, others, or property? The answer is to say "no" and to know and communicate the reasons why the action is dangerous.

Give and solicit examples of potentially dangerous situations:

• A friend wants to play with a cigarette lighter.
• A brother or sister is lighting candles near curtains.
• A parent is smoking in bed.

If available, use pictures from magazines or newspapers. Pair off the students and have each pair enact a short conversation. One person, named Pyro (from the Greek word for Fire) pretend he/she is doing something that will create a fire or fire hazard. The other person, named "No," wants to stop Pyro from causing harm.

Have the students presents their conversations in front of the class and discuss their tactics.

Assessment:

For the assessment you can just observe what the students give for answers to the situations. If you feel that they are appropriate then they have done good. If not you will need to work on them more.

Useful Internet Resources:
* Staying Alive
Staying Alive is a non-profit organization that promotes public safety education. Staying Alive has developed a successful age-appropriate curriculum program targeted at K-8 students to raise awareness about fire safety.
http://www.stayingalive.ca/

* American Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org/

* USFA - United States Fire Administration Kids Page
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/kids/index.htm

* FEMA for Kids (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
http://www.fema.gov/kids/

* Teacher's/Parent's Guide to the FEMA Kids Page
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/kids/tchindex.htm

* National Safe Kids Campaign
http://www.safekids.org/