FIRE SAFETY AND PREVENTION

Presented by Sara Naylor and Robin Newberry

INTRODUCTION    TASK    PROCESS     EVALUATION    CONCLUSION    CREDITS

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INTRODUCTION

Fires are very dangerous. Every year there are thousands of people who are either injured or killed in fires.

Even though fires are very scary, there are ways that we can stop them before they start. This is called fire prevention.

In this WebQuest, you will learn different fire hazards to look for in your house. Fire hazards are different things that could possibly start a fire if they are not taken care of. You will also learn what to do if a fire should start in your house. Knowing what to do could save both you and your family if you ever are in a fire.

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TASK

This WebQuest was created for a third-grade audience, and meets the following Tennessee state standards for health:

Standard 11: The student will understand attitudes and behaviors for preventing accidents and injuries.

                    11.2 identify ways to reduce the risk of accidents and injuries.

Standard 13: The student will understand the appropriate action to take when personal safety is threatened.

                13.2 demonstrates self-protection skills and identify appropriate resources for help.

The purpose of this WebQuest is to help children become familiar with fire prevention and safety. This WebQuest will allow students to find answers to the following questions:

• What is fire safety?
• How can I be safe from fire?
• Why is home fire escape planning important?
• What do I do if I’m trapped in a room by a fire?
• How do I escape from the second or third story of my home?

Preceding events of instruction would include students having a clear understanding of how to navigate the Internet to locate specific Web sites.  Students would also need to be aware of what is expected of them in answering fire safety questions, and  how much detail is to be included.  Students should also be familiar with general fire safety rules and guidelines. 

In modeling a fire escape plan, the teacher might have a classroom discussion to develop a fire escape plan for the class. Students could give input and the teacher would draw/design the escape route on the chalkboard.  The teacher could also ask questions during this process to determine the student’s understanding of the purpose of an escape route/plan.

Ensuing events of instruction would include a review of what students found in navigating fire safety websites (what did they learn that they didn’t already know), as well as answering any questions they might have about fire safety. Students could be grouped into small groups to review individual fire escape routes they’ve designed for their families. The fire prevention checklist and escape grid will be provided to students who may not have Internet access at home in order to obtain the materials. 

This product should help improve learning by allowing students to actively participate in creating a fire escape plan for their families.  In exploring the Internet to search fire safety Web sites, students will become aware of, and learn about, many fire safety issues.  Students who are actively involved in the learning process are more likely to retain what they’ve learned.

This activity might be improved or expanded by having students provide fire safety Web sites that are not listed in the WebQuest.  Students might also be asked to provide a summary of one (or more) of their favorite fire safety Web sites.

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PROCESS

1.  Have students brainstorm fire safety.

2. Group students into small groups to allow for discussion about

    what students know concerning fire safety.

 3. Students will then be assigned a partner with whom to work.

 4. Students will use the following site to gather information to answer

    questions concerning fire safety:  http://www.statefarm.com/kidstuf/smoke/home/home.html

 5. Conduct a whole group discussion so that students can share