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Kathleen - For a delightful and educational Fire Safety theme manipulative, check out http://teachers.net/childwood and order the "Fire" story magnet set that includes 7 wooden magnetic figures, a reproducible mini-book, activity ideas and accompanying story. Use it as a learning center, Circle Time and/or take home bag activity. :-)
Kathleen - Evelyn, thank you for agreeing to do this session, and the one on grantwriting on October 1. :-)
Kathleen - I have the pleasure of welcoming Evelyn Kelley to Teachers.Net for a discussion of "Fire Safety Theme Activities". Hello, Evelyn. Thank you for doing this session for us tonight.
Kathleen - Evelyn, where do you start when introducing the fire safety theme?
Evelyn -AL/1st - The fire safety theme is to teach children the importance of calling 911, staying away from fire, and stop, drop and roll. All important things for life.
Evelyn -AL/1st - I like to talk about community helpers and have the firefighters visit the school. All ages are important here. All!
Kathleen - They are exactly the lessons that Childwood's "Fire!" set covers! http://teachers.net/childwood
Evelyn -AL/1st - Having a firefighers in my family makes me more aware and know that teachers are searching for good materials, cost effective and free
Evelyn -AL/1st - I have developed a page on my school web site with many researched pages for teachers of all grades to find resources there if they do not have the money to buy them. http://www.bhm.k12.al.us/schools/inglenook
Evelyn -AL/1st - One good place for any teacher to start in their own local fire department safety officer. Many have fire safety programs, but you have to call for help.
Evelyn -AL/1st - Some of the volunteer fire departments in communities also have excellent program resources and will be glad to help.
Evelyn -AL/1st - Are any of your familiar with the smoke safety houses by fire deparments?
Kathleen - Evelyn, do you believe that a trip to the firestation should be the beginning or the culmination of the unit?
Kathleen - I am not familiar with the Smoke Safety Houses, so tell us :-)
Evelyn -AL/1st - This can be done anytime. Fire does not know a time clock. This enhances any program for fire safety either at the beginning or end.
Evelyn -AL/1st - The Smoke Safety Houe is a mobile trailer where fire fighters come to the school and talk about fire safety and take the children into the trailer. They have artifical smoke come into the trailer and the children, stay low and go. They alwo show them how to evacuate through an upstairs window.
Evelyn -AL/1st - Often schools have to get on a waiting list, but it is worth the effort and time into the program. This puts the importance of an escape and meeting place which everyone should have.
Kathleen - Evelyn, that sounds VERY helpful. Must be expensive, not many cities would have them
Evelyn -AL/1st - By the way, the importance of smoke detectors is shown that every home should have one. Sometimes children have never seen or heard one alarm until they visit the trailer.
Evelyn -AL/1st - The cost is reachable by large metropolitan cities. The first trailer in our city was purchased by the local Childrens Hospital.
Evelyn -AL/1st - As a teacher, do you take smoke detectors into your classrooms and let them hear them alarm? We do not have them in our school building.
Sandy/k/mo - Evelyn.. we have a video that has it in it.. can't bring in actual alarm
Bob R/CA - I'd like to hear some actvities appropriate for various grades for fire safety week, and about handouts - I have a feeling many parents could be more fire smart too
Evelyn -AL/1st - There are interactive activities for many age levels at my web page. Do you need preschool or lower, upper elementary. There are many available at State Fire marshall pages. http://www.bhm.k12.al.us/schools/inglenook
Evelyn -AL/1st - One activity would be to have a contest of students drawing escape plans from their house. There is a national contest for this at the NFPA (web page). Others would be fireman fitness training. What age again?
Anne/K/FL - Evelyn, would you recommend the smokey the bear site for young children?
Kathleen - Smokey Bear, his middle name is not 'the' :-). He told me that.
Evelyn -AL/1st - Anne, there are many easy pages at the Sesame Steet Firehouse that you can print from your computer. Smoky's has a few pages, but for Fire Prevetion week, you can print CTW pages from the net. They will send the whole book to you by calling the 800 number.
Evelyn -AL/1st - The Tenneese State Fire Marshall has some excellent pages for many ages, as well as other pages from state fire marshalls listed onthe page.
Anne/K/FL - Thank you Evelyn, we are aleays looking for good resources for Fire Safety.
Evelyn -AL/1st - Fireman fitness could be crawling under chairs for stay low and go. Taping a ladder tape on the floor and climbing it with your hands and fit. Tossing a hoop on a 3 liter bottle for rope rescue.
Anne/K/FL - As teachers what can we do to help parents educate their children about fire safety?
Evelyn -AL/1st - This is by sending home those color sheets, getting handouts from the local fire stations, sending home smoke detector inventories, having talkes by firemen in you room, ...
Kathleen - I send a family homework sheet home, asking child to count the smoke detectors, find out where the family meeting place is, what the escape routes are, etc. so that the family will be reminded to discuss those issues. Oh, and it asks the parent to sign to indicate that the child demonstrated Stop, Drop, Roll
Kathleen - and how to dial 911
Sandy/k/mo - Luckily I have a parent that is a fireman, he brought in his uniform.I think it is very important that they see. it is very scary for the kids to hear him breathe or see the mask..
Evelyn -AL/1st - Please contact your local fire education officer. If you need other leads for infor, they are out there and free.
Anne/K/FL - What books would you recommend for reading to a K or 1 class ?
Evelyn -AL/1st - Sandy, this is so true. The firesafe house also has a 911 simulator for children to call 911. There are some insurance firms that have these to borrow also.
Gumbo/K/La - Sandy-----great idea!! It is scary for the little ones to see them in all their turnout gear!!!!
Kathleen - having a dispatchor come in to role play a call to the fire station would be a good activity..extending beyond just dialing 911.
Evelyn -AL/1st - There are two fire dog books by Scholastic Press and another called Firefighter. I do not have the names with me, but I can get them tomorrow if you will email me.
Evelyn -AL/1st - Many local children's hospitals will have fire safety or safety color books with fire safety in them. These are usually free, and children learn from these as well.
Evelyn -AL/1st - The local Red Cross also has disaster color books which include fire and the affects of fire.
Kathleen - You can use an old section of vauccum cleaner hose for fire hose prop in the classroom dramatic play area
Grace/IL - In our district the school the kindergarten students attend is close enough to the fire house to walk there for a field trip. At the first grade level, the firefighters bring the truck out and explain it to the children. They also do a simulation activity during a school assembly.
Kathleen - For a delightful and educational Fire Safety theme manipulative, check out http://teachers.net/childwood and order the "Fire" story magnet set that includes 7 wooden magnetic figures, a reproducible mini-book, activity ideas and accompanying story. Use it as a learning center, Circle Time and/or take home bag activity. :-)
Evelyn -AL/1st - Many large metropolitan fire departments will donate old helmets to schools if you call and ask. Gracie, follow this up with the importance of calling 911 and getting out fast.
Bob R/CA - Clifford the Firehouse Dog: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0590484192/
Anne/K/FL - All of this activities can be reinforced in the dramatic play area. I also have a fireman puppet.
Evelyn -AL/1st - Bic corporation has an excellent fire kit available to teachers with firemen in their regular clothes and in turnout gear. There are age appropriate activities for grades k-1.
Evelyn -AL/1st - Excellent Bob - Clifford is wonderful. There is also a fire tape with Barney for those fans.
Anne/K/FL - Some districts provide performances geared for fire safety and awareness.
Evelyn -AL/1st - We have a science demonstration about fire from Robert Krumpf from St. Augustine. He comes to your school and does another safety program, in a science demonstration. Web site on my URL.
Evelyn -AL/1st - The Illinois Fire Marshall has some execellent resourses Gracie.
Kathleen - Does anyone use any form of evaluation at the end of the fire safety unit?
Kathleen - I was thinking that allowing the kids to put together and act out a skit would be a good evaluation technique
Sandy/k/mo - just group.. observation not formal
Evelyn -AL/1st - The NFPA has excellent evaluation post tests in their booklets. Having children demonstrate what to do in case of a fire is a good evaluation. Also, play out the 911 with a play telephone.
Anne/K/FL - I would be interested in using one.
Evelyn -AL/1st - Having a post test would also have the chidlren draw a description of each word - Stop,Drop, Roll - Stay Low and Go,
Anne/K/FL - We have in our area a program called Safety Town where the children visir stations and an adults lead children through various emergency techniques very successful in our area.
Evelyn -AL/1st - There are some evaluation tests at the many fire marshall pages listed on my URL. One is Tennessee, and the get an official Junior Fire Marshall certificate. First Alert provides this as well, and State Farm Ins.
Evelyn -AL/1st - Fire Safety can also be taught by the Police and sheriff,and do not forget the EMT's Rescue/Ambulance drivers. They too can provide reinforcement here. They come when the fire trucks come in a medical emergency.
Anne/K/FL - Evelyn, you have a wealth of knowledge I am very impressed and thankful to have such a wonderful resource available for Teachers.net.
Evelyn -AL/1st - Thanks Anne, as I said, I have two firefighters in my home, and am involved in our local volunteer fire deparments. Please do not forget these valuable resourses as well.
Anne/K/FL - Evelyn, do many towns rely heavily on volunteers?
Evelyn -AL/1st - Yes, in our rural community, there are 16 volunteer fire deparments. We are northeast of Birmingham.
Mary K&1 - Our local Volunteer Firefighters come every year and do a great job. They even bring a bid red fire truck and explain about all of the equipment. They also leave a video for us to see. A video to use - Adventures in Fire Safety VHS Tape http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/6303977995
Evelyn -AL/1st - 16 in the total county area. This is great Mary. They are dedicated and trained. Many people do not realize all they have to do is ask them to come. They are appreciated during Fire Prevention Week by asking them to tell us to be safe from fire.
Evelyn -AL/1st - As a teacher, do you know if your students have smoke detectors in their homes? Do you have them?
Kathleen - I give each child a construction paper fire cutout, they glue it to paper, create an ilustration around it, dictate a story to accompany it.
Anne/K/FL - If there was a fire I would __________ but I wouldn't____________ is another example of a good activity for children to do.
Mary K&1 - Hector the Smoke Detector - good video - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/6304143915
Anne/K/FL - There appears to be many valuable resources available to educate children of all ages for Fire Prevention.
Kathleen - I think it is equally important to remind parents how important it is to go over safety rules and emergency procedures with their children
Anne/K/FL - You could post suggestions in your class or school newsletters to remind parents.
Evelyn -AL/1st - Yes, getting the parents involved in important. This is where the children get reinforcement at home. Sometimes having parent volunteers assist at programs about fire safety will aid this.
Mary K&1 - A Kid's Guide to Staying Safe Around Fire (The Kid's Library of Personal Safety)Discusses the dangers of a fire, what to do if caught in a fire, and how to plan an emergency exit for a family. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0823950778
Evelyn -AL/1st - There is another excellent resource by the Oklahoma City Fire with an excellent curriculum. And, by all means, the National fire Protection Association. Incorporating the curriculum with language arts, science, music, art, and social studies is the key to successful fire safety education.
Evelyn -AL/1st - Any other questions. Again, please visit my web page. I will be adding additional resources, and teacher activities here later. I enjoyed the discussion and have a safe, National Fire Prevention Week, October 4th-10th
Anne/K/FL - Evelyn, you have given us a wealth of information, data, and resources for Fire Prevention and safety thank you for your expertise and I hope everyone reviese all the wonderful resources and let us know if they found them helpful.
Kathleen - Thank you, Evelyn! Lots of good resources. And Mary, thank you for the links to materials, too:-). This will be a helpful transcript to add to our Archive!
Evelyn -AL/1st - http://www.bhm.k12.al.us/schools/inglenook - I teach first grade at Inglenook Elementary in Birmingham, Alabama. Thanks again. If no one has any other questions,
Mary K&1 - We're Responsible : A Children's Guide to Fire Safety (Aware Bears Series) http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0899762050
Kathleen - Goodnight all! Thank you!!
Mary K&1 - This has been a hot topic!
Mary K&1 - Good night! and Thanks
Evelyn -AL/1st - Everyone check their battery in their smoke detector.
Evelyn -AL/1st - Good night
