D. Healthy Living · Healthy Living

Staying Safe at Home, at School and Outside

D1.2 D2.4 D3.1About 40 minutes

Learning goals

I know important safety information, like my full name, my address and how to call 911.
I can follow safety routines at school, like fire drills and playground rules.
I can spot dangers at home, in my community, outdoors and online, and know what to do.
I know that medicine is only taken from a trusted grown-up.

Words to know

emergency
A dangerous situation where someone needs help right away, like a fire or a person who is badly hurt.

911
The phone number to call for police, firefighters or an ambulance in an emergency.

trusted adult
A grown-up you know who keeps you safe, like a parent, caregiver, teacher or grandparent.

fire drill
Practice for leaving the school quickly and safely if there is a fire.

medicine
Something that can help when you are sick. It can hurt you if you take it the wrong way. Only take it from a trusted adult.

personal information
Things like your full name, address, school, phone number and photos of you.

Be a safety detective 🔍

Grown-ups work hard to keep you safe. But you can help keep yourself safe too! Safety detectives know important information, follow safety routines and spot dangers before anyone gets hurt.

Important things to know

Your full name
Your address (house number and street, and your town or city)
A phone number for your parent or caregiver
Who your trusted adults are
How to call 911 in an emergency: say what is wrong and where you are, and stay on the phone

Only call 911 for a real emergency, like a fire, someone who is badly hurt and can't wake up, or someone in danger.

Safety at school

Fire drill: when the alarm rings, stop what you're doing, line up quietly, walk (don't run) out with your teacher, and go to your class's meeting spot. Stay with your class.
Other drills: your school practises other safety drills too. Listen to your teacher and follow the steps.
Playground: follow the rules, take turns, stay inside the play area, and tell the teacher on duty if someone is hurt.
Bus: stay seated, wait for the bus to stop, and stay far from the bus wheels.
Arriving and leaving: go only with the grown-up who is supposed to pick you up.

The fire drill in four steps. Walk, don't run, and stay with your class the whole time.

Place	Danger	Safe choice
Home	Medicine and vitamins	Only take medicine from a trusted adult. Medicine is not candy.
Home	Cleaning products	Don't touch. Look for danger symbols on bottles and tell a grown-up.
Home	Matches, lighters, hot stove	Don't touch. Tell a grown-up if you find matches or a lighter.
Community	Crossing the street	Cross with a grown-up at the corner or crosswalk. Stop, look left, right and left again, and listen.
Community	Getting lost in a store	Stay where you are, or ask a store worker or a parent with children for help.
Outdoors	Water	Swim only with a grown-up watching. Wear a lifejacket in a boat.
Outdoors	Ice on ponds and lakes	Stay off unless a grown-up says it is safe.
Outdoors	Sun	Hat, sunscreen, water and shade.
Outdoors	Wild plants, berries, mushrooms	Never eat them unless a grown-up says they are safe.
Online	Strangers, scary or upsetting things	Don't share personal information. Tell a grown-up right away.

Crossing the street with a grown-up: stop, look left, look right, look left again, and listen. Then cross at the corner or crosswalk.

Medicine safety

Medicine can help us when we are sick. But too much medicine, or someone else's medicine, can make you very sick.

Only take medicine from a trusted adult, like your parent, caregiver or doctor.
Some medicines and vitamins look or taste like candy. They are not candy.
If you find pills or medicine, don't touch them. Tell a grown-up.

Worked example

Let's practise a 911 call

Grandma falls down and won't wake up. Nobody else is home. What does Noor do? (This is just practice. Never call 911 to play.)

Decide: is this an emergency? Yes. Grandma is badly hurt and won't wake up.
Call 911 on the phone.
Say what is wrong: "My grandma fell down and won't wake up."
Say where you are: give your address.
Listen and answer the questions. Stay on the phone until they tell you to hang up.

Noor calls 911, says what is wrong and where she is, and stays on the line. Knowing her address helps the ambulance find her fast.

Worked example

Let's spot the dangers

Theo is home after school. He sees: a bottle of pills on the counter, his big sister's game asking for his address, and a pot on the stove with the handle sticking out. What should he do?

Pills: don't touch them. Medicine is only from a trusted adult. Tell a grown-up.
Game asking for his address: that is personal information. Don't type it. Tell a grown-up.
Pot on the stove: don't touch. Tell a grown-up so they can turn the handle in.

Theo doesn't touch any of them and tells a grown-up about all three. That's what safety detectives do!

Just for fun

Why did the chicken cross the road?

To show everyone the safe way: stop, look left, right and left again, and listen! 🐔

Hands-on activity

Make a safety card and a home escape map

You need: paper, crayons, a grown-up.

Safety card: with a grown-up, write your full name, address and a grown-up's phone number. Practise saying them out loud every day this week until you know them by heart.
Escape map: draw your home. With a grown-up, draw two ways out of your bedroom, and your family's meeting place outside (like a tree or the neighbour's mailbox).
Practise: with your family, walk the escape route to the meeting place.
Hunt: walk through your home with a grown-up and find where medicines and cleaners are kept. Check they are up high or locked away.

Your turn

What number do you call in an emergency?

Say your full name and address to a grown-up.

What do you do when the fire alarm rings at school?

You find some pills on the floor. What do you do?

Who should you take medicine from?

A game online asks for your home address. What do you do?

How do you cross the street safely?

More practice: warm-up

Is medicine candy?

Should you run or walk during a fire drill?

Should you swim without a grown-up watching?

What should you wear on a sunny day?

Name one trusted adult in your life.

More practice: on your own

You get lost at the grocery store. What can you do?

You spill something and see a bottle of bleach under the sink. Should you use it to clean up?

Is a scraped knee a reason to call 911?

It's January and the pond looks frozen. Can you walk on it?

You see something online that scares you. What should you do?

Challenge

Your friend says, "These vitamins look like gummies. Let's eat some!" What do you say and do?

Explain why your family needs a meeting place outside in case of a fire.

Name one danger in each place: home, community, outdoors, online.

Check your understanding

Quiz

What number do you call for help in an emergency?

Which is an emergency?

Who should give you medicine?

During a fire drill you should...

A website asks for your address. What do you do?

What should you do before crossing the street?

You find matches on the floor. What do you do?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Grade 1 students learn essential personal-safety knowledge and practices, take an active role in their own safety at school (drills, playground and bus routines), and learn how to stay safe and avoid injuries at home, in the community, outdoors and online.

How to help at home:

Practise your child's full name, address and a phone number until they know them by heart.
Make and practise a home fire escape plan with a meeting place. Check smoke alarms.
Store medicines, vitamins and cleaning products up high or locked, and never call medicine "candy". In Ontario, the Ontario Poison Centre can help if a child swallows something they shouldn't; in an emergency, call 911.
Practise 911 with a pretend phone, and explain it is only for real emergencies.
Set up devices together and agree on a rule: "Ask before you click, never share personal information, tell me if anything upsets you, and you won't be in trouble."

Common difficulties: not knowing their address, thinking 911 is for small problems, and not telling an adult about something online for fear of losing the device. Reassure your child that telling is always the right choice.