A Guide to Safety City s1
Kiwanis
A partnership between Kiwanis of Gainesville and the City of Gainesville
Lesson Title: "See and Be Seen"
Level: K - 3
Objectives: After completing this lesson, children will have the knowledge and skill to:
1) Name at least 2 items they can wear that make them visible when they ride;
2) Name at least 2 items they need to have on their bicycle for visibility;
Time Frame: 20 - 30 minutes
Materials:
Brightly colored vests, reflective tape, bicycle reflectors, reflector vests and stickers, Seeing and Being Seen brochures, flashlight, sunglasses,
Video(s):
None
Activity(s):
1) Children will put on reflective items used when riding their bicycle;
2) Children will see how these reflective items work by using a flashlight and a dark room;
3) Children will identify and locate where reflectors should be mounted on their bicycles for safety.
Assessment(s):
Children will receive a pre-quiz to determine knowledge about the safety aspects of being seen when riding their bicycle, administered by the classroom teacher. A post-quiz will be given at the conclusion of this lesson, consisting of the same material, only re-arranged. Other skills will be assessed by the instructor on children's participation, cooperation and willingness.
Background Info:
Visibility is a major contributing factor in many types of motor vehicle crashes, especially those involving motorcycles. It is no wonder then that children are injured or killed while riding their bicycle simply because motorists do not see the child on the bicycle until it is too late to avoid a collision. Whether it is due to their small size or the unpredictability of their movements, children are an extremely small target on the busy radarscopes of most motorists. There are ways that children can make a brighter "blip" on this screen, to help identify what they are, and allow motorists to identify, adjust and react to their presence. While specific riding behaviors will be addressed in other lessons, See and Be Seen is designed to teach children how they can outfit their bicycle and themselves to help motorists see them and avoid tragic collisions. Bright clothing, reflective material and reflectors are the best defense against invisibility while riding their bicycle.
Pre-Teaching:
Teachers will have the opportunity to introduce the subject matter prior to their visit, through exercises and/or video from the Risk Watch curriculum, or from The Traffic Safety Education Guide from the Florida Traffic and Bicycle Safety Education Program at the University of Florida.
Lesson Introduction:
Being recognized and identified as a cyclist by the motoring public is an important step in bicycle safety. Too many times, after a tragic incident involving a bicyclist and motor vehicle do we hear the words "I never saw them", "They came out of nowhere". How can cyclists, and particularly children, be more visible and hence, safer when they ride? Part of the safety equation should include wearing the proper clothing and having the proper equipment on their bicycle. This lesson will explore what children can wear and what bicycle equipment is necessary to reduce the risk of not being seen. However, despite all precautions, no child should ever be allowed to ride at night. No matter how visible you are, statistics show that riding at night, for children or adults, is extremely dangerous after the sun goes down.
Key Concept 1: What You Wear Helps Keep You Safe
Key Idea:
Make bright clothing and reflective materials a part of your riding uniform. It helps motorists see you and avoid hitting you when you ride your bike.
Key Questions:
Who can tell me what they wear when they ride their bike? (Responses should include helmet, at least, perhaps elbow pads, shorts, etc.) YES. You should ALWAYS wear a helmet! That is part your safety gear. What other kinds of things should you wear that would help keep you safe? Let me give you an example. What color is a STOP sign? Red. Why do you think a STOP sign is painted red? (Responses should be to make it easy to see). What color is a school bus? Bright yellow. Why do you think all school buses are painted yellow? (Responses should be so everyone knows it's a school bus, make it easy to see, etc.) What does a school bus have that flashes every time it stops? Bright lights. GOOD. School buses and Stop signs use bright colors to make them easy to see. Now, if you wanted everyone to see you while you're riding your bike, would you want to wear a bright color? Good. Bright colors are safer colors, because we can see them better, and they show up better than other colors. What are some other bright colors? (Responses could be blue, orange, etc.) When you wear bright colors, people driving cars can see you better, and more quickly, so they won't be as likely to not see you, and that could cause a crash.
What else have you noticed about signs that make them easy to see? Let me give you a hint: how can you see a road sign at night? What do road signs do when the headlights of a car shine on them? Does the sign shine right back? YES. Good. Signs have a special way of shining back when lights are shined on them. Do you know what that's called? REFLECTION. Good. When something is REFLECTIVE, it means it will REFLECT light back when light is shined on it. Signs have this special kind of paint that reflects light, or sometimes it is a sticky material that is stuck onto the sign. Do you think it would help the driver of a car see you if you had this kind of material on your clothes, or on your helmet? You bet. Even when you ride during the day, the sunlight will reflect off this material and make you "flash" and show up much better than if you didn't have it on. What are some things that are reflective? There are reflective vests that you can wear when you ride. You can also put reflective stickers on your bicycle, and on your helmet. You can also put stickers like this onto your riding clothes or jacket. Many of you might have on reflective sneakers! That's right! Many shoe companies are making shoes with built in reflective material that shines at night.
Activity: "Reflection"
Concept Review:
Why is it important to be seen when you're riding your bicycle? How can you be more visible? Why are bright colors better than other colors? Is reflective clothing and stickers a good idea to wear when you ride your bicycle?
Key Concept 2: Your Bicycle Can Help Keep You Safe
Key Idea:
Bicycles should have reflectors on the front and back, and on the wheels for added safety.
Key Questions:
We've already seen how we can dress in clothing that will make us stand out and be visible to the drivers of cars and trucks. But can we use our bicycle to help make us more visible too? YES. Remember how we talked about REFLECTIVE things that we can stick on our helmets, or clothes? That same kind of material can be made out of plastic, and put on your bicycle, to reflect and make your bicycle look shiny. There are red reflectors, and white reflectors, but they can really be any color (blue, orange, green, etc.) Where do you think is a good place to put reflectors on your bicycle? On the front? The back? GOOD. Where else have you seen reflectors on a bicycle? Maybe on the wheels? YES. Most bicycles have reflectors attached to the spokes on both wheels, so when they spin, they flash and shine.
Concept Review:
How can your bicycle help you be more visible? Where should reflectors be located to do the best job?
Lesson Summary:
Visibility is an extremely important factor to consider when children ride their bicycle to school or around the neighborhood. Children can make themselves much more visible and safer by wearing bright colored clothing, reflective tape or stickers on their helmets or riding jackets, and have reflectors on the front, back and wheels of the bicycle. Children should also never be allowed to ride their bicycles at night. The risk of crashing skyrocket during this period, even with proper lighting and reflective clothing. This lesson is intended to teach children the importance of being visible to the driver of a motor vehicle - even during the day. It is also intended to provide a link to upcoming riding skills lessons; visibility is strongly enhanced when children ride in the right place and in the right way.
Follow-Up Activities:
1) Helmet decoration. Children are supplied with reflective stickers and material to colorfully decorate their helmet, or their riding clothes, backpack or fanny pack. Children can vote on the best creation, or make a display using colorful and reflective supplies.
2) Can You See Me Exercise. Utilizing a dark colored bed sheet, children will conduct a test to see what colors are the most easily seen. 2-3 children will put on various colored clothing hidden behind the sheet held at each end by 2 other children. With the classroom lights turned off, the sheet is quickly dropped, then pulled back up. Other children in the classroom will vote on what colors caught their eye the most.
Evaluations/Assessments:
1) Children will be required to take a "Picture Quiz", with illustrations showing correct and incorrect behavior as it pertains to lesson objectives. Children need only circle the picture showing the correct behavior.
2) Approximately 2 - 4 weeks after they attend Safety City, teachers will be asked to "test" the children once again, to achieve a measure of retention. There will be instructions in the Teacher Packets on how to best re-visit this topic. Some options include: re-take of the Picture Quiz or giving the quiz verbally and recording average scores on a checklist. The teacher will be advised to review the material with the class before they administer the re-evaluation. The results will be sent to GFR as feedback and inclusion in reporting and statistical analysis.
Take-Aways:
1) For CHILDREN; an extensive goody bag containing coloring/activity/story books pertaining to the lesson, personalized Certificate of Achievement, healthy snacks, safety poster, "Be Cool" sunglasses, t-shirt, hat, other related safety material FOR PARENTS TO READ, Safety City information and upcoming events or fun contests to enter. A GROUP PICTURE will be taken before the end of class.
2) For TEACHERS; topic-related review material for post-lesson assessment & mail-back, personalized Certificate of Achievement, Safety City schedule of events, follow-up activities/information, other safety-related material and a Letter to the Principal (explaining Safety City goals, objectives, accomplishments, background and invitation to join the supporting cast).
Attention Teacher:
There are many ways to prepare children for their educational experience at Safety City. Prior to the scheduled class, information about each lesson will be sent to the school in order for them to introduce the subject matter, familiarize children with Safety City, and briefly discuss the roles, responsibilities and ground rules for an enjoyable, "hands-on" learning experience.
For More Information:
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"See and Be Seen"