#1510. Winter survival kit

Health, level: Elementary
Posted Tue Nov 7 07:16:25 PST 2000 by Barbara McKee (hcjh@grove.iup.edu).
Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana Pennsylvania

Topic: Winter Survival Kit
Grade: Fourth
Subject: Winter safety
Time: 10:00-11:00
Date: Wednesday, October 3, 2000

Materials
1. empty coffee cans
2. a large candle (tall and fat)
3. wooden, waterproof matches
4. brightly colored flag
5. dried soup, candy bars, other nonperishable foods
6. gloves, socks, hats
7. cup, knife, spoon
8. sweater, jacket, sweatshirt, etc.
9. paper and pencil

Objectives
1. The fifth grade students will be able to construct a winter emergency kit for their parents' car, after a lecture on winter safety, with 100% accuracy.
2. The fifth grade students will be able to list five things to do or not to do when stranded in a car during the winter, after a lecture on winter safety, with 100% accuracy.
3. The fifth grade students will be able to identify and list 10 pieces of clothing one should wear during winter, after a lecture on winter safety, with 100% accuracy.

Procedure

Introductory Activity
Divide the class into groups of 4 or 5 to conduct a self regulated discussion about yesterdays lesson on winter. Have each group appoint a recorder for their discussion and a reporter to tell the entire class what they discussed after the group is finished. Make sure the students address the following: What is winter? When does it occur in the northern hemisphere? What causes winter? What are winters affect on people? How do people deal with winter? What activities do people do in the winter? How do people dress in the winter?
Gather the class together after all the groups have finished discussing the questions. As a class discuss their answers and write a list on the board as the reporter tells what was discussed.

Primary Activity
Ask the students "How do we travel in winter?" Have the students respond. Introduce the topic of what to do if we ever become trapped in our cars during winter. Tell the class the following:
1. Crack a window to allow fresh air into the car and used air out.
2. Tie a brightly colored flag or piece of cloth to the antenna to attract attention of passersby.
3. Put on as much extra clothing as possible, including blankets, to stay warm and keep our body heat in. Sitting close to others is also good.
4. Light a candle and place it in a window, which can be seen from outside the car to attract help in the dark.
5. Eat food only when necessary and never eat snow. The cold snow uses your body heat to melt it and drops your body temperature and makes you cold. Melt the snow first.

Closing Activity
Have the children list some items, which would be necessary to carry in the car if they were to become trapped. Have the students construct an emergency kit using the listed objects as a class.

Homework
Have the students construct an emergency kit at home for their parent's car. Have them bring it to class by the end of the week for evaluation.

Assessment
1. The emergency kits
2. The lists from the discussion groups
3. A test later in the unit

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

Backcountry Medicine: Hypothermia
http://www.cyberbroders.com/outdoor-enthusiast/bcmed1.htm

FEMA for kids
http://www.fema.gov/kids/

Hypothermia
http://www.adventuresports.com/asap/ski/skihypo.htm

FEMA for kids-teacher's guide
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/kids/tchindex.htm

Winter survival in your car
http://www.tiresplus.com/info/tpu/wintsurv.htm