Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 1

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Find dangerous things at home and school
• Tell the difference between safe and unsafe places to play
• Know which grown-ups to trust for help
• Use the 'No, Go, Tell' safety rule

Lesson summary

Overview This lesson focuses on a crucial aspect of a child's development: understanding and practising safety at home and at school. For Grade 1 learners in South Africa, home and school are their primary environments. These spaces should be havens, but they can also contain hidden dangers. This topic is vital because it empowers young children with the knowledge to identify risks and the confidence to seek help. We will explore common household dangers, from hot stoves in the kitchen where Gogo might be cooking umngqusho, to cleaning chemicals often stored under sinks.

Lesson notes

This is the main teaching section of our lesson. We are becoming Safety Superheroes today! A superhero's number one job is to keep people safe, and that starts with keeping ourselves safe.

Concept 1: What Does 'Safe' Mean? 'Safe' means being protected from getting hurt. When you are safe, your body has no 'ouchies', and you feel happy and relaxed. 'Unsafe' or 'Dangerous' means something could hurt you. Our safety rules are like a superhero's shield – they protect us!

Concept 2: Safety at Home Our homes are wonderful, but they have some things that are only for grown-ups. Let's look at them.

Dangerous Objects (Grown-up Tools): Fire Starters (Matches and Lighters): What: These make fire. Fire is very, very hot and can burn your skin, clothes, and home.

Why it's dangerous: A small match can make a very big, scary fire that is hard to stop.

Superhero Rule: Never touch matches or lighters. If you see them, tell a grown-up.

Cleaning Chemicals: What: These are liquids grown-ups use to clean the house. They can be in bottles that look like cooldrink (e.g., blue, green, or yellow liquids).

Why it's dangerous: They are poison! If you drink them, they will burn your tummy and make you extremely sick.

Superhero Rule: Never touch, open, or drink from bottles with cleaning chemicals. Sharp Things (Knives, Scissors, Tools): What: Grown-ups use these to cut food, paper, or fix things.

Why it's dangerous: They are very sharp and can easily cut your skin and make you bleed.

Superhero Rule: Only use special children's scissors with a grown-up. Never touch big knives or tools.

Electricity (Plugs and Wires): What: Electricity gives power to the TV and lights. It moves through wires and comes out of the plugs in the wall.

Why it's dangerous: Electricity can 'shock' you, which is a big jolt that hurts your whole body very badly.

Superhero Rule: Never put your fingers or any objects into the plug holes.

Safe and Unsafe Places to Play at Home: Safe Places: Your room, the living room floor, a safe garden or yard where a grown-up can see you.

Unsafe Places: The kitchen when someone is cooking on a hot stove, near a heater, near the main gate or road, inside a cupboard or chest where you could get locked in.

Concept 3: Safety at School School is for learning and playing, and we have rules to keep everyone safe here too.

Safe Places: The classroom with your teacher, the playground on the equipment (used correctly!), the library, the sports field with a coach.

Unsafe Places: The car park where cars are moving, behind buildings or toilets where no one can see you, in any classroom without a teacher, near the school gate by yourself.

Concept 4: Trusted Adults Trusted adults are the grown-ups in your life whose job is to help and protect you. You can always talk to them if you feel scared, sad, or unsafe. Who are they at home? Mama, Papa, Gogo, Grandpa, an aunty or uncle who lives with you. Who are they at school? Your teacher, the principal, the secretary in the office, the security guard at the gate.

Concept 5: The Superhero Body Safety Rule: No, Go, Tell! This is the most powerful superhero move you have. You use it if anyone—even someone you know—tries to touch you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable, asks you to keep a secret that feels wrong, or tries to get you to go somewhere with them. NO!

How: Use your big, loud 'superhero voice'. Put your hand up like a stop sign and shout "NO!" or "STOP!" Why: This tells the person that you do not like what they are doing. It is your body, and you are the boss of it. GO!

How: Run away as fast as you can. Get away from the person or the situation.

Why: Moving away keeps you safe from immediate harm. TELL!

How: Go straight to one of your trusted adults and tell them what happened. Use your words to explain.

Why: Trusted adults can help you and stop the unsafe thing from happening again. If the first adult doesn't help, you keep telling other trusted adults until someone listens and helps you. Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question 1: The 'Safety Detective' Game The teacher holds up picture cards of different items. For each item, the class must shout out "SAFE!" or "DANGEROUS!".

Picture Card 1: A sharp kitchen knife.

Picture Card 2: A soft teddy bear.

Picture Card 3: A bottle of bleach with a skull and crossbones symbol.

Picture Card 4: A soccer ball. Worked Solution and

Commentary: Knife: The teacher asks, "What is this?" (A knife). "Is it for children to play with?" (No!). "So is it safe or dangerous?" (DANGEROUS!). "Why?" (It's sharp and can cut you).

Teddy Bear: "What is this?" (A teddy bear). "Is it safe or dangerous to play with?" (SAFE!). "Why?" (It's soft and made for cuddles).

Bleach: "What is this?" (Cleaning stuff/poison). "Even if it's in a nice bottle, is it safe or dangerous?" (DANGEROUS!). "Why?" (It's poison and will make you very sick if you drink it).

Soccer Ball: "What is this?" (A ball). "Is it safe or dangerous to play with in the right place?" (SAFE!).