June Environmental Education Topic:
Outdoor Safety
Outdoor Safety
Just in time for summer days at the park we have a review of outdoor safety. Read on below for first aid, map reading, orienteering, and shelter building tips and activities.
Safety + fashion= fannypack
Summer Safety Tips
Detailed first aid information can be found on: http://www.scoutingweb.com/scoutingweb/Training/FirstAid.htm
First Aid Activities:
What's In the Box? Let each kid close their eyes and take out something from the First Aid box. They can guess what it is and how it is used. You can throw in some hilarious red herrings for comic relief. Use this activity to discuss safety considerations.
Safety Improv Give each group of kids a safety scenario written on a card. The kids will act out the scene and determine the appropriate course of action. This is most fun when the scenes are acted out in front of an audience. Props from the first aid kit can be used and costume pieces can add interest. After each skit the entire group can discuss.
Map Reading, Orienteering, and Shelter Building Activities:
These activities provoke awareness of geography and environmental surroundings. Though our kids may not need to build a shelter for the night or find their way home with a compass, learning back-country safety skills can be rewarding and fun.
Attention to environmental landmarks and hands-on use of natural materials will lead to further exploration, curiosity, and interaction.
Map Making
Gather kids around a map. What area is represented? What are the symbols? What do the colors mean? Give kids time to generate answers. Explain the purpose of the compass rose and legend. Discuss scale (e.g. 1 inch= 1 mile).
What kinds of maps do we use? Topographic maps, city street maps, world maps, emergency exit maps, and most importantly, treasure maps.
Kids can make their own map of the park using graph paper and colored pencils. Add a legend with symbols and the compass rose. Pairs can can hide an object, mark the spot on their map and exchange the map with another group. Can each group find the treasure? What was most helpful? The symbols? The scale?
Find maps and activity ideas on: http://geology.com/teacher/map.shtml
Compass Course
Pass out compasses to pairs of kids. What is this? How does it work? Why would we use a compass? Let kids explore and investigate before you explain. Demonstrate how to use a compass to take a bearing and travel in an intended direction.
Find out how a compass works on: http://www.howstuffworks.com/compass.htm For instruction on how to use a compass, go to: http://www.buckskin/Resources/Outdoor/compass1.htm
Place a marker or piece of candy on the ground. Hand out a compass course direction su
ch as this one written by Boyscouts of America:
Walk 5 paces to the North.
Walk 10 paces to the West.
Walk 20 paces to the South.
Walk 15 paces to the East.
Walk 15 paces to the North.
Walk 5 paces to the West.
The kids should return to the original marker.
Shelter Building
Many parks in King County have natural places where kids can find materials on the ground to build shelters. In survival situations people use shelters to stay warm and dry. Kids can have fun using their imaginations, working together, and problem solving.
Ask the kids to think about:
-wind direction
-how the shelter could keep them warm
-level of the ground
-sturdiness of the structure
-possible weather conditions.
Water can be poured from a water bottle to test the functionality of the structure. Kids can discuss and share. Before leaving the park the shelters should be dismantled and materials returned to where they were found.
Building a mini-shelter
Safety + fashion= fannypack
Summer Safety Tips
- Familiarize yourself and staff with your Club's Safety Protocol
- Bring a first-aid kit. All staff should know how to use the contents
- Prevent sunburn and dehydration
- Practice food safety
- Be aware of allergies and medications
- Don't lose anyone
Detailed first aid information can be found on: http://www.scoutingweb.com/scoutingweb/Training/FirstAid.htm
First Aid Activities:
What's In the Box? Let each kid close their eyes and take out something from the First Aid box. They can guess what it is and how it is used. You can throw in some hilarious red herrings for comic relief. Use this activity to discuss safety considerations.
Safety Improv Give each group of kids a safety scenario written on a card. The kids will act out the scene and determine the appropriate course of action. This is most fun when the scenes are acted out in front of an audience. Props from the first aid kit can be used and costume pieces can add interest. After each skit the entire group can discuss.
Map Reading, Orienteering, and Shelter Building Activities:
These activities provoke awareness of geography and environmental surroundings. Though our kids may not need to build a shelter for the night or find their way home with a compass, learning back-country safety skills can be rewarding and fun.
Attention to environmental landmarks and hands-on use of natural materials will lead to further exploration, curiosity, and interaction.
Map Making
Gather kids around a map. What area is represented? What are the symbols? What do the colors mean? Give kids time to generate answers. Explain the purpose of the compass rose and legend. Discuss scale (e.g. 1 inch= 1 mile).
What kinds of maps do we use? Topographic maps, city street maps, world maps, emergency exit maps, and most importantly, treasure maps.
Kids can make their own map of the park using graph paper and colored pencils. Add a legend with symbols and the compass rose. Pairs can can hide an object, mark the spot on their map and exchange the map with another group. Can each group find the treasure? What was most helpful? The symbols? The scale?
Find maps and activity ideas on: http://geology.com/teacher/map.shtml
Compass Course
Pass out compasses to pairs of kids. What is this? How does it work? Why would we use a compass? Let kids explore and investigate before you explain. Demonstrate how to use a compass to take a bearing and travel in an intended direction.
Find out how a compass works on: http://www.howstuffworks.com/compass.htm For instruction on how to use a compass, go to: http://www.buckskin/Resources/Outdoor/compass1.htm
Place a marker or piece of candy on the ground. Hand out a compass course direction su
ch as this one written by Boyscouts of America:Walk 5 paces to the North.
Walk 10 paces to the West.
Walk 20 paces to the South.
Walk 15 paces to the East.
Walk 15 paces to the North.
Walk 5 paces to the West.
The kids should return to the original marker.
Shelter Building
Many parks in King County have natural places where kids can find materials on the ground to build shelters. In survival situations people use shelters to stay warm and dry. Kids can have fun using their imaginations, working together, and problem solving.
Ask the kids to think about:
-wind direction
-how the shelter could keep them warm
-level of the ground
-sturdiness of the structure
-possible weather conditions.
Water can be poured from a water bottle to test the functionality of the structure. Kids can discuss and share. Before leaving the park the shelters should be dismantled and materials returned to where they were found.
Building a mini-shelter
