Age Group
ITEAR
Teaching Strategies
School District
School or Organization
Topic
Topics: Street safety and signs in our neighborhoods
Purpose: To explore how street signs keep us safe in our neighborhoods and help us find our way.
Prior Knowledge: shapes, colors and some basic knowledge of street signs
Materials
Signs:
Stop sign-octagon
Yield-upside down triangle
Warning- triangle
Go-circle
Bus stop-rectangle
Cross walk-rhombus
Costume piece-glasses, hat or bookbag
Hook/Engage
Soundscape: neighborhood sounds
1. “Today we are going to explore our neighborhoods and the different things we see and hear in them. What are some sounds you hear in your neighborhood?” If they are struggling, prompt them: “In my neighborhood, there are a lot of dogs! Can we all make a dog sound? Does anyone else hear fire trucks in their neighborhood? What does that sound like?”
2. After you have collected some sounds, ask the students to help build a soundscape using all of their neighborhood sounds. Assign sounds to groups of 3-4 children “You are going to make the sound of a firetruck. Let’s practice. I will point to you and you will make your sound.” Assign all children sounds based on their suggestions.
3. Hold up the ‘Go’ sign and instruct the students when they see this sign they will begin. Hold up the ‘Stop’ sign and instruct students when they see this sign they will stop. Show them accompanying hand signals for volume—hand up high means loud, hand down low means quiet.
4. Begin the soundscape and change the volume levels a few times. Stop the soundscape.
Transition: "Alright friends, now we are going to meet a character that needs your help. Do you think we can help them? When (teacher) puts on (costume piece) he/she is going to become a character named_____________." (Teacher puts on costume piece and enters in role)
Explore
Teacher in Role
(One teacher in role and other teacher holds various signs.)
(Shyly and nervously) Hi, I’m____________. I just moved here from California. I don’t know anything about this neighborhood yet. My mom had to go to work and she told me to go to the bus stop at the end of the street to catch the school bus. Only...only...only... (starts to cry) I can’t read the signs and I’m lost. It’s my first day of school and I am lost already! How will I ever get to kindergarten!
Wait. Have you lived in the neighborhood long? I bet you know how to read the signs! Do you think you could help me find the bus stop? (Wait for students to respond)
Well we should get going, I don’t want to miss my bus! Which way should we go?
(Start walking with students around the classroom. Other teacher watches the walking for a moment, then steps in front of the group with a STOP sign.)
What shape is that sign? What color? What does this sign mean? Oh, it means to stop! Well let’s all practice moving around.... (shake and move!) and (teacher holds up sign) STOP! (Repeat if they enjoyed it!)
(Start walking with students around the classroom. Other teacher watches the walking for a moment, then steps in front of the group with a GO sign.)
What shape is that sign? What color? What does this sign mean? Oh, it means to go! Can we all run in place? (Teacher flashes STOP sign) STOP! (Teacher flashes GO sign) GO! (Repeat)
(Start walking with students around the classroom. Other teacher watches the walking for a moment, then steps in front of the group with a WARNING sign.)
What shape is that sign? What color? What does this sign mean? (If they need help, examine the sign further. If needed, define what an exclamation mark is. Say it as a group and define.) Oh, it means warning! Can we all put our binoculars on and look for trouble? (Pantomime binoculars. Look for trouble, but coast is clear.)
(Start walking with students around the classroom. Other teacher watches the walking for a moment, then steps in front of the group with a YIELD sign.)
What shape is that sign? What color? What does this sign mean? Oh, this sign means to yield! Let’s try it! (Teacher flash GO sign.) Everyone run in place! (Teacher flash YIELD sign.) Everyone sloooooowwww down! (Teacher flash STOP sign.) Everyone STOP! (Repeat.)
(Start walking with students around the classroom. Other teacher watches the walking for a moment, then steps in front of the group with a CROSSWALK sign.)
What shape is that sign? What color? What does this sign mean? Oh, this sign means that we can cross the street! Let’s try it! (Teacher flash CROSSWALK sign.) Let’s cross the street! (Walk from one side of the classroom to the other. Flash STOP sign. Flash CROSSWALK sign. Walk from one side of the classroom to the other.)
(Start walking with students around the classroom. Other teacher watches the walking for a moment, then steps in front of the group with a CROSSWALK sign.)
What shape is that sign? What color? What does this sign mean? Oh, it’s my bus stop! Finally! I was so worried I would miss my bus. Thanks so much, friends! I will see you around our neighborhood. Bye!
Teacher removes costume piece steps out of role.
Transition: "Great work friends, thanks for all of your help!"
Reflection
Describe: What did we do today? Who did we meet? What was his/her problem?
Analyze: How did you help him/her? What kind of signs did you see in the neighborhood? Why do you think the street signs are different shapes?
Relate: If we wanted to let people know an important road is coming up ahead, what would our sign look like? What kind of drawing do you think you could make for a new sign to tell help people who are lost find their way?