Teaching kindergartners through High School

[Just Plain Ruff]

I have the unique opportunity to join a Homeschool Co-op education group that meets on Fridays every week starting in Mid-August.

I have offered my services and they have tentatively accepted.

I am planning on providing a general EMS/healthcare education class weekly titled "What to do in an Emergency"

I am looking to gear it on the kid's level. I think that the class will be broken up into elementary school age, junior high school age and High school age.

I am under no disillusion that it will have to be very very basic for the elementary age students especially the kindergartner thru third grade level.

I am looking for ideas on what to cover each week.

I am looking for insight from whoever may have done something like this in the past.

Any suggestions are helpful.

[spenac]

All age groups should get taught when and how to call 911. All can learn CPR and how to help someone that is choking. With the younger children make some large props such as a huge phone and allow them to use it to dial 911. They get a laugh, have fun, and remember the number.

[Aeromedic]

Well, high school is easy... I teach through a public access defibrillator program and I do mostly the CPR in Schools program here. Personally, I think the Jr/Sr High can both handle the basics of CPR, wound dressing etc... I also get asked sometimes to do little seminars in Athletic Medicine for high school sports trainers etc... and those are really useful skills too for the older ones (grade 10/11/12) things like wrapping/taping, splinting.

I think doing little scenarios would be a great way to get them involved in a hands on way, and keep them occupied and having fun. Little ones can deal with calling 911 and identifying an emergency (heck, even look at the "stranger danger" sorta thing too if they'll let you) and then work up to projects for the older ones like planning escape routes in the house, identifying fire hazards, identifying poison hazards and maybe even the basics of using a fire extinguisher.

[Gypsy]

:: Puts on teacher hat:: Stranger danger and Safe Stranger are too great ones. It's great if they know not to talk to to a stranger but they need to do who they can talk to. Police, fire, ambo people etc. How to dail 911 and what info they will be asked. What is a fire danger? How to get out in a fire. These are all things all those ages can handle.

Do mini senarios. Have a child be "hurt" and take care of them so they can see what to expect. Now don't go doing a trauma alert on the younger ones that might be alittle much pending how you do it. I'm a huge one for explaining what a vital sign is and what it tells me. Think meat and potatos hold the salt and butter. Take away the fear of, "Why are you doing this and what is that". You might be shocked at how much they can understand. ( No joke I have a 3 year old that knows if he's coughing alot and he can't breath to ask for his dino mask.... which is his nebulizer. ) With the older kids see if anyone has any conditions you can use. Even if you dont' use them directly. If Billy Bob is allergic to oh bees ( a common thing in Florida) then make a character that is and what you would do to help him if you got called to him after being stung.

Water safety water safety water safety. This seriously can not be mentioned enough. It's summer time these guys are going to pool parties. Going over how to be safe in the water and what do to if someone is drowning would be very good ideas.

Ask parents to take part. Make it an assignment to come up with a fire plan and emergency numbers.

I"m sure if I sat down and really thought about it I could come up with more if not give you a flipping lesson plan. Ok that's my current 2 cents. Off to cook dinner.