Checkpoint+1

=Monica's Feedback:= Great job Group 11! Wonderfully articulated and nice integration between the health issue and the classroom. My only concern is that you are covering way too much information in a very short amount of time (60 minutes). I suggest sticking just to your topic of street and home safety. In pervious semesters the groups with this topic sometime chose to focus on just street or home safety because they found the amount of information to be overhelming. I strongly suggest you remove the fire and water topics as these are very indepth. It's up to your group, however, to select which subtopics you'd like to cover. If you want to cover all the home issues as well as street and car safety, that's fine. Just keep in mind you have a 60 minute time limit. Overall, this is amazing work. I can't wait to see more! Kudos on a job well done.

= **DUE: Friday, May 14th, 3:30 pm** =
 * AIMS**
 * Home/Street Safety**

In the box provided please **//paste//** a clear description of your in-service project aims. I suggest you use Word (or similar program) to write **//a half to one page description//** of how you will address your topic. The aims should include:
 * a few sentences on the scope of the problem/issue as it relates to students
 * a description on how your group plans to make the issue so relevant to teachers that they will want to include the subject in their classroom. [In other words, why should the teachers care to include it?]
 * a list of various subtopics relating to the issue that you plan to cover.
 * a short description on the types of activities you will be including to address the issue (class activities, lessons, etc.)

Remember this is just a short, broad view of what your plans are. I just want to get an idea of what each group is thinking. This will also help guide your research for the next project checkpoint. **Only one submission per group so please make sure you are**
 * ready to paste your final submission**.

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Home and street safety is a critical topic that severely affects the lives of children all over the United States; therefore, this topic should not be forgotten in an elementary level curriculum. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that unintentional injuries, in and/or out of the home, are the “leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children in the United States” (CDC, 2009). With this, the Home Safety Council reports that home safety impacts “an average of 2,096 children in the United States” each year (Home Safety Council, 2010). The studies done by this council show that these children die from causes related to “fires and burns, choking and suffocation, and drowning and submersions” (Home Safety Council, 2010). Deaths that result from these causes are often unintentional, especially among children under the age of 15. Other potential causes of unintentional injuries include “burns, drowning, falls, poisoning and road traffic” (CDC, 2009). This report more specifically states that injuries resulting from transportation are “the leading cause of death for children” (CDC, 2009). These studies show that the children involved in these fatal transportation accidents ranged from ages 5 to 19 and were typically “occupants of motor vehicles in traffic” (CDC, 2009). These studies also show that a large number of children involved in these fatal transportation accidents, were “pedestrians and pedal cyclists” (CDC, 2009).

Based on the above facts teachers can see that this is an issue that affects the lives of each of their students. Being an educator is multifaceted and involves educating children in all aspects of their lives, including academics and life skills. Basic knowledge of fire, burn, poison, and traffic safety are necessary for children to live long and healthy lives. These skills are also applicable in classroom situations, including field trips and classroom etiquette. Futhermore, home and street safety can be easily integrated into "core" academics, such as reading, math and science, with a little creativity.

Some of the subtopics that we plan to cover include:

1. Dangers in the Home - Poisoning, Electricity, Falls (i.e. stairs) 2. Stranger Danger (dealing with strangers) - Buddy System, Calling/Answering the doors/phone calls (emergency numbers), Door Locking 4. Street Safety - Road Signs, Sidewalk Safety, Street Crossing

Our lessons will involve the following types of activities:

1. Role Playing: Role playing is crucial to student learning in that it allows students to experience a variety of situations and practice the proper procedures and reactions for each situation. This will prepare students to overcome dangerous situations and to take precautions against these situations. For example, students who role-play a situation in which a stranger approaches a child will be better prepared to react appropriately.

2. Visual Literacy: In many of these dangers, visual literacy, or the understanding of visual cues, is very important to student safety. For example, students need to recognize that red or yellow labels usually indicate a dangerous substance. Accordingly, teachers need to help students become aware with the common visual representations of danger.

3. Mnemonics: Mnemonic devices, including acronyms, songs, and hand motions, can help students remember important information regarding dangerous situations. For example, "Stop, Drop, and Roll" is a mnemonic device that helps children remember how to behave when they are on fire.

4. Hands-on Activities: Hands-on activities cater to a variety of learning styles in students. These activities promote student engagement and put learning literally into the hands of the students; that is, students will create and own the knowledge about home and street safety.

5. Integration with other subjects: A final focus of this project is to provide teachers with ideas for integrating home and street safety into other subject areas, such as math and language arts.

 Works Cited

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009, July 31). CDC Childhood Injury Report. Retrieved May 13, 2010, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/safechild/Child_Injury_Data.html

Home Safety Council (2010). Unintentional Home Injury in the United States. Retrieved May 13, 2010, from the Home Safety Council Web site: http://www.homesafetycouncil.org/AboutUs/Research/re_sohs_w013.asp