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Fire Safety Lesson Plan

🔥 Fire Safety: Lessons from the January 2025 California Wildfires

Subject

Health

Grade

6

Methodology

Direct Instruction

Duration (minutes)

45

Overview
  • Introduction: 5 minutes

  • Present New Material: 10 minutes

  • Guided Practice: 10 minutes

  • Individual Practice: 10 minutes

  • Assessment and Reflection: 5 minutes

  • Review and Closure: 5 minutes

Standards

Common Core State Standards for Science (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.3, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1)

Background Knowledge

Students should understand that wildfires are powerful natural disasters that can spread quickly under the right conditions, such as dry vegetation, strong winds, and high temperatures. The January 2025 California fires showed how devastating wildfires can be for both communities and the environment. To stay safe, students should learn how wildfires behave, why safety protocols are essential, and how to create a personalized fire safety plan. This knowledge not only helps them prepare for emergencies but also encourages critical thinking about how communities can work together to reduce wildfire risks.

Skills

Teamwork , Adaptability

Objectives

  • Understand the key concepts of fire behavior and safety protocols.

  • Create a personalized fire safety plan for home.

  • Reflect on the environmental and social impacts of wildfires.

Materials

  • Video Clip: "January 2025 California Fires" (3-minute video)

  • Multimedia Presentation: Slides with maps, photos, and infographics

  • Worksheets: Fire safety plan templates and evacuation checklists

  • Writing Materials: Notebooks, pens, and essay prompts

  • Visual Aids: Printed maps and infographics for group activity

Lesson Activities

Introduction (5 minutes)


Activity Name

What Would You Do?


Details

Start with an engaging hook by asking, "What would you do if a wildfire was approaching your home?" Show a brief, impactful video clip of the January 2025 California wildfires to capture students' interest and activate prior knowledge.


Teacher Note

Ensure the video is emotionally engaging but age-appropriate. Use this time to gauge students' initial understanding and concerns about wildfires.



Present New Material (10 minutes)


Activity Name

Story of the January 2025 California Wildfires


Details

Use storytelling to describe the events of the January 2025 fires, incorporating visual aids like maps, photos, and infographics. Explain key concepts such as fire behavior, safety protocols, and the science behind wildfires. Use a multimedia presentation to make the content engaging and memorable.


Teacher Note

Break down complex terms like "fire behavior" and "safety protocols" with simple, relatable examples. Encourage questions to ensure understanding.

Core Questions:"What factors contribute to the spread of wildfires?" "Why is it important to have a fire safety plan?"



Guided Practice (10 minutes)


Activity Name

Fire Safety Plan Creation


Details

Conduct a hands-on activity where students work in small groups to create a fire safety plan for their homes. Provide worksheets with specific scenarios and resources such as evacuation maps and checklists. Circulate the room to offer timely, specific feedback and support.

Teacher Note:Encourage teamwork and adaptability by assigning different roles within each group (e.g., map reader, checklist manager).


Core Questions

"What is the safest route out of your home?" "What items are essential to take during an evacuation?"



Individual Practice (10 minutes)


Activity Name

Personal Fire Safety Essay


Details

Assign students to write a short essay on what they learned about fire safety and how they would implement a fire safety plan at home. Encourage them to use scientific vocabulary and connect their writing to the concepts discussed.


Teacher Note

Provide sentence starters to help students organize their thoughts. For example, "One important thing I learned about fire safety is..."



Assessment and Reflection (5 minutes)

Activity Name

Class Discussion


Details

Facilitate a class discussion where students share their fire safety plans and reflect on what they learned. Use open-ended questions to encourage critical thinking and peer feedback.


Teacher Note

Look for students' ability to articulate their plans clearly and their understanding of key concepts. Encourage respectful and constructive peer feedback.


Core Questions

"How did creating a fire safety plan help you understand fire behavior?" "What changes would you make to your plan after hearing others' ideas?"



Review and Closure (5 minutes)


Activity Name

Summarize and Connect


Details

Summarize the key points of the lesson, emphasizing the importance of fire safety and preparedness. Connect the lesson to other subjects by discussing the environmental and social impacts of wildfires. End with a thought-provoking question: "How can we as a community better prepare for wildfires in the future?"


Teacher Note

Highlight how the skills learned today can be applied to other emergency situations, fostering a sense of broader preparedness.

Downloads

Rule Table

Rule Table

Presentation

Presentation

Task Cards

Task Cards

Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan

Evacuation Checklist

Evacuation Checklist

Worksheet

Worksheet

Resources

Los Angeles wildfires: Fresh evacuations ordered Friday evening after Palisades Fire flares up

News Article

Los Angeles wildfires: Fresh evacuations ordered Friday evening after Palisades Fire flares up
🔥 Fire Safety for Kids | Fire Prevention Week | Fire Drill at School | Twinkl USA

Video

🔥 Fire Safety for Kids | Fire Prevention Week | Fire Drill at School | Twinkl USA
Shocking images of Southern California wildfires destruction after savage blazes

Video

Shocking images of Southern California wildfires destruction after savage blazes
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