D. Healthy Living · Healthy Living

Making Safety Guidelines: Outside the Classroom and Online

D2.2 A1.6 A1.4About 40 minutes

Learning goals

I can spot possible dangers in places outside the classroom, like the playground, a field trip, near water and ice, and online.
I can write clear safety guidelines for a place or situation.
I can explain why each guideline keeps people safe.
I can use safe and kind guidelines when I go online or play games online.

Words to know

guideline
A rule or tip that tells people how to do something safely.

hazard
Something that could cause harm, like thin ice or a broken swing.

buddy system
Staying with a partner so you can look out for each other.

privacy
Keeping your personal information to yourself and trusted adults.

password
A secret word or code that keeps your account safe.

cyberbullying
Bullying that happens online, like sending mean messages or sharing embarrassing pictures on purpose.

Be a safety planner!

In Grade 2 you learned lots of safety rules for home, outdoors and online. This year you get to make your own safety guidelines. A good safety planner does three things:

Look for hazards: What could go wrong here?
Plan a guideline: What should people do to stay safe?
Explain why: How does the guideline protect people?

Three steps to make your own safety guideline: look for hazards, plan what to do, and explain why it works.

Place or situation	Possible hazard	Safety guideline	Why
🛝 Playground	Falling, crashing into others	Go down slides feet first, one at a time. Wait your turn.	Prevents falls and head bumps.
🚌 Field trip	Getting lost in a crowd	Use the buddy system and stay with your group. Know the meeting spot.	Adults always know where everyone is.
🏊 Pool or beach	Drowning	Swim only when an adult is watching. Wear a lifejacket if you are not a strong swimmer, and on boats.	Water accidents can happen fast and quietly.
🧊 Frozen pond or creek	Falling through thin ice	Stay off ice unless a trusted adult says it has been checked and is safe.	Ice that looks strong can be thin.
🐕 A dog you don't know	Being bitten	Ask the owner before petting. Stand still if a dog runs at you.	Some dogs get scared and bite.

Safety guidelines for places outside the classroom.

Safety guidelines online

Going online is like going to a giant place full of people. You need guidelines there too:

Keep personal information private: full name, address, school, phone number, birthday and photos of yourself.
Keep passwords secret from everyone except your grown-up. Even best friends don't need them.
Ask first before downloading an app, clicking a pop-up or buying anything in a game.
Online gaming: only chat with people you know in real life, and only if your grown-up says it's okay.
Think before you post or send: would you say it face to face? Is it kind?
Ask before sharing someone's photo. It's their picture; they get to decide.
Tell a trusted adult about anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, including cyberbullying. Don't reply to mean messages; save them to show an adult.
Balance screen time with active play, sleep and family time.

A good guideline is...

Clear: easy to understand ("Walk on the pool deck" not "Be careful").
Positive: tells what to do.
Short: easy to remember.
Has a reason: people follow rules better when they know why.

Worked example

Let's make a guideline for the school bus

Make safety guidelines for riding the school bus.

Look for hazards: kids standing while the bus moves, crossing in front of the bus, things in the aisle.
Plan clear, positive guidelines: "Stay seated facing forward." "Keep bags out of the aisle." "Cross 10 giant steps in front of the bus where the driver can see you."
Explain why: sitting keeps you from falling if the bus stops quickly; a clear aisle prevents tripping; the driver can see you in front.

Three clear guidelines with reasons: stay seated, keep the aisle clear, cross where the driver can see you.

Crossing in front of the school bus: walk about 10 giant steps ahead of the bus first, so the driver can see you when you cross.

Worked example

Let's solve an online problem

Noor is playing an online game. A player she doesn't know writes: "You're good! What school do you go to? I'll send you free coins."

Hazard: a stranger is asking for personal information and offering a prize. That is a warning sign.
Guideline: never share personal information; don't accept offers from strangers online.
Action: Noor doesn't answer, leaves the chat or blocks the player, and tells her grown-up.

Noor should not answer, should block or leave, and should tell a trusted adult.

Just for fun

Why did the password go to the gym?

It wanted to become a strong password!

Hands-on activity

Family safety guide

You need: paper, markers, and a grown-up.

Choose two places or situations outside your home: for example the park, the beach, the skating rink, a bike ride, or online gaming.
For each, walk through Look, Plan, Explain. Write 3 guidelines that are clear, positive and short, with a reason for each.
Ask your grown-up to read them. Would a younger child understand them?
Post your online guidelines next to the computer or tablet.

Your turn

What are the three steps of being a safety planner?

What is the buddy system?

Name two pieces of personal information to keep private online.

Who can know your password?

Write a clear guideline for swimming at the beach.

A pop-up says, "You won! Click here!" What do you do?

Why should you ask before sharing a photo of a friend?

More practice: warm-up

Should you go on a frozen pond by yourself?

What should you wear on a boat?

Is "Be careful" a clear guideline?

What is cyberbullying?

If something online makes you uncomfortable, who should you tell?

More practice: on your own

Change "Don't run around at the pool" into a positive guideline.

Write a guideline for the playground in winter and give a reason.

Someone sends you a mean message in a game chat. Give two things to do.

On a field trip, you can't see your group. What should you do?

Why is it important to balance screen time with other activities?

Challenge

Write three safety guidelines for a family bike ride, with a reason for each.

A player you met online asks you to send a photo of yourself and to keep it a secret. What's wrong, and what should you do?

Look at your classroom's online rules or your family's screen rules. Add one new guideline that would make it safer or kinder, and explain why.

Check your understanding

Quiz

Which is the clearest safety guideline?

What is the buddy system?

Someone you don't know online asks for your school's name. What should you do?

When is it safe to go on a frozen pond?

Who should know your passwords?

Why should a guideline include a reason?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: The Grade 3 expectation asks students to apply their understanding of good safety practices by developing safety guidelines for a variety of places and situations outside the classroom, including online (D2.2). Children move from following rules to making them.

How to help at home:

Before an outing (beach, rink, trail, mall), ask, "What could go wrong here, and what should we do?"
Write family online guidelines together: which apps and games are allowed, who they can chat with, and when devices are turned off. Use parental controls and keep devices in shared spaces.
Say often: "If anything online makes you uncomfortable, tell me. You won't be in trouble."
Water safety: actively supervise children near water at all times, and use lifejackets on boats. Grown-up note: children should never test ice themselves.

Common difficulties: writing vague rules ("be careful"); thinking friends can know passwords; not realizing game chats include strangers.

This lesson also builds critical and creative thinking (A1.6) and healthy relationships (A1.4), including consent before sharing photos.