B. Active Living / C. Movement Competence · Active Living and Movement: Train Smart, Respond Well, Play with Purpose

Safe Play for Everyone: Managing Risk and Preventing Concussion

B3 A1.1 A1.4About 45 minutes

Learning goals

I can spot hazards and rate risks by how likely and how serious they are.
I can choose ways to lower risk: remove, change, protect and supervise.
I can show behaviours that lower the risk of injury and concussion for me and for others.
I can manage my emotions so they don't lead to unsafe play.

Words to know

hazard
Something that could cause harm, like a wet floor, a tree near a toboggan run, or a loose shoelace.

risk
The chance that a hazard causes harm, together with how bad the harm could be.

likelihood
How likely something is to happen.

severity
How serious the harm would be if it happened.

risk control
An action that lowers risk, like removing a hazard, changing the activity, wearing equipment or adding supervision.

concussion
A brain injury caused by a hit to the head, face, neck or body that makes the head move quickly.

Remember from Grade 7

In Grade 7 you learned how concussions happen, ways to lower the risk (rules, fair play, heads-up play, skills, equipment, safe spaces, reporting), and what to say when someone wants to hide symptoms. You also planned for outdoor hazards like lightning, heat, cold, water, ice and ticks.

In Grade 8 you become a safety leader: you'll rate risks and choose the best ways to control them, for yourself and others, including younger kids you might lead.

Hook: the perfect toboggan hill?

The hill behind the school is steep and fast. Everyone loves it. But at the bottom there's a row of trees, and past them a road.

Is it safe? Not as it is. But that doesn't mean "no tobogganing". A safety leader asks: What could go wrong? How likely is it? How bad would it be? What can we change?

	Minor harm (bruise, scrape)	Moderate harm (sprain, cut)	Serious harm (concussion, broken bone, worse)
Likely	Medium risk	High risk	High risk: stop or change
Possible	Low risk	Medium risk	High risk: stop or change
Unlikely	Low risk	Low risk	Medium risk

A simple risk rating chart. Find the row (likelihood) and column (severity). High risks must be fixed before the activity goes ahead.

Four ways to lower risk

Remove the hazard: pick up sticks and rocks, clear toys from the yard, choose a hill with no trees or road at the bottom.
Change the activity: use a softer ball, a smaller space, slower rules, no-contact rules, or a different time of day.
Protect: the right equipment, the right size, worn properly. For a helmet, use the 2V1 fit check: about 2 fingers' width between eyebrows and helmet, straps make a V under each ear, and only 1 finger fits between the chin strap and chin.
Supervise and plan: a grown-up nearby, clear boundaries, a buddy system, and knowing what to do in an emergency.

The best plans use more than one of these.

The 2V1 helmet fit check: about 2 fingers between eyebrows and helmet, side straps form a V just under each ear, and only 1 finger fits between the chin strap and chin.

Preventing concussion: you and others

Play by the rules: no hits to the head, no pushing from behind, sticks and feet low.
Control your body: slow down near others, call "Mine!" and look before you move.
Respect everyone's safety: never target someone or try to "pay back" a hit.
Match the game to the group: if you're playing with younger or less experienced kids, use softer balls and remove contact.
Speak up and report: if someone may be hurt, tell an adult. If you're unsure, sit them out.

In Ontario, Rowan's Law is named after Rowan Stringer, a high school rugby player from Ottawa who died in 2013 after concussions. It requires sport organizations to have concussion codes of conduct and removal-from-sport and return-to-sport procedures.

Hot heads make unsafe play

Frustration, anger or showing off can lead to reckless moves. When you notice your face getting hot or your fists clenching: pause, take a slow breath, and refocus on your next play. If you're too upset, ask to sub out for a minute. Helping a teammate calm down is good teamwork too.

Worked example

Let's risk-assess the toboggan hill

Use the chart and the four controls to make the school toboggan hill safer.

Hazard 1: trees at the bottom. Likely to hit them at speed; serious harm. High risk. Control: remove the hazard by choosing a different, clear part of the hill, or change where people start so they stop before the trees.
Hazard 2: the road beyond. Possible to slide onto it; serious harm. High risk. Control: never use a run that could reach the road; use a hill with a long, flat, clear run-out.
Hazard 3: people walking back up the middle. Possible collisions; moderate to serious harm. Control: change the rules: walk up the side, and wait until the run is clear.
Hazard 4: head injuries. Control: protect with properly fitted helmets, sit feet first (never head first), and have a grown-up supervise.

With a clear run-out, walk-up lanes, feet-first sliding, helmets and supervision, the risk drops from high to low or medium.

The toboggan hill before and after the safety leader's changes. Choosing a run with a long, clear run-out (no trees or road), adding a walk-up lane on the side, and sliding feet first with helmets and supervision lowers the risk.

Hands-on activity

Be the safety leader: audit a play space

You need: a notebook, a pencil, and a grown-up to come with you to a park, schoolyard or your own yard.

Warm up with a brisk 5-minute walk around the space as you look.

Walk the space and list at least six hazards (for example: holes, broken glass, slippery spots, low branches, nearby roads, hard surfaces, poor lighting, water or ice).
Rate each with the chart: likelihood and severity, then low, medium or high risk.
For each medium or high risk, write a control: remove, change, protect or supervise.
Choose a game for younger kids (for example, tag or soccer) and write three safety rules you'd give them before starting.
If you can, lead the game for 15 minutes with a grown-up present. Afterwards, write what worked.

Safety: Don't pick up broken glass, needles or sharp objects; tell the grown-up, who can report them to the city or park staff. Stay out of water and off ice unless adults say it's safe.

Just for fun

Doing the 2V1 helmet check takes about ten seconds. Choosing which hoodie to wear can take ten minutes. Only one of those decisions protects your brain.

Your turn

What's the difference between a hazard and a risk?

Name the four ways to lower risk.

Use the chart: something is likely to happen and the harm would be minor. What's the risk level?

Explain the 2V1 helmet fit check.

Give three behaviours that lower the risk of concussion for others.

Your teammate is angry after a bad call and starts playing rough. What could you say?

Why should you sit feet first, not head first, on a toboggan?

More practice: warm-up

Give an example of a hazard in a backyard.

Is a helmet a remove, change or protect control?

True or false: Rowan's Law is an Ontario law about concussion safety.

What should you do if you aren't sure whether a player has a concussion?

Name one way to calm down when you feel angry during a game.

More practice: on your own

Rate this risk and suggest a control: playing ball hockey on a driveway that slopes down to a busy street.

You're leading a game of tag for 6-year-olds. Write three safety rules.

Explain why the best safety plans use more than one control.

Why does matching the game to the group help prevent injuries?

Name two things that make a concussion more likely, and one behaviour that prevents each.

Challenge

Design a safe snow-fort and snowball area for a family winter afternoon. Identify at least three hazards, rate each, and give a control.

A coach says, "In our league, a little head contact is just part of the game." Respond using what you know about concussion and fair play.

Explain how emotions and risk are connected in sport. Give two strategies a team could agree on.

Check your understanding

Quiz

Something is unlikely to happen, but the harm would be serious. On the chart, the risk is:

Choosing a toboggan hill with no trees or road at the bottom is an example of:

In the 2V1 helmet check, the "1" means:

Which behaviour lowers concussion risk for others?

Rowan's Law is:

You feel angry after a bad call. The safest first step is to:

For parents and teachers

Big idea: In Grade 8, students demonstrate behaviours and apply procedures that maximize safety and lessen the risk of injury, including concussion, for themselves and others. This lesson teaches a simple risk rating (likelihood × severity) and four types of controls.

How to help at home:

Do the safety audit together at a local park; let your child lead.
Check helmet fit with the 2V1 rule for bikes, scooters, skating and tobogganing.
Talk about how emotions can lead to risky play, and agree on calm-down strategies.

Common difficulties:

Thinking safety means "no fun". Show how controls make fun activities possible.
Over-relying on helmets. Helmets protect against serious head injuries but can't fully prevent concussion; safe behaviour matters most.

Sensitive note: Rowan Stringer's story involves a death. If your child has questions, answer simply and emphasize that the law exists to protect young athletes.

Social-emotional learning: Managing anger and frustration during play builds emotion management (A1.1); protecting others and leading safely builds healthy relationships (A1.4).