Kids to the Rescue
Lesson Plan - Water Safety

Goals/ Objectives:

· Students will be able to name several safety rules that are important to follow regarding
water.
· Students will be able to demonstrate what to do if they see someone in trouble in the water.

Materials:

· Hula hoop or a length of rope arranged to form a circle
· A stick or rod
· Shirt or towel
· Chalkboard and chalk, or dry erase board and marker.

Procedure:

· Ask how many students like to go swimming.
· Ask students to name several important rules to be followed around water.
· As the students name these rules, write them on the board.
· Be sure the students explain why these rules are important. For example, people should not
swim soon after eating because it might cause abdominal cramps. Explain cramps to
students.
· Ask the students if they know what to do when they see a swimmer who appears to be
having trouble in the water.
· Have a student stand in the hula hoop or circle of rope. Tell the students the class is going to
pretend that the circle is a swimming pool, and that the person in the middle is in trouble.
· Have several students show you what they would do. Caution them that they should never
dive in after a drowning person. It might be dangerous for the rescuer.
· Explain that the best way to help a drowning person is to use something that they can grab
onto, to be pulled to safety.
· Allow students to take turns as both rescuer and swimmer.
· Rescuers should practice reaching out to the swimmer with the stick or rod, a shirt or towel.
· Reemphasize that the students should try not to get into the water to help.
· Students should never pretend to be drowning when playing in the water. Tell the story
about “the boy who cried wolf.”
· Encourage students to take swimming lessons at their local pool or gym.

Evaluation:

· Listen to the answers and watch reaching techniques.
· Students are to notice if goals were achieved.