Wondering how to teach fire safety to your students? Look no further than the excellent resources from the National Fire Protection Association. Tomorrow is the first day of Fire Prevention Week, and October is Fire Prevention Month. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has you covered when it comes to resources to teach fire safety in October and beyond!
Educators and parents can now access Fire Prevention Month and Fire Prevention Week resources from the NFPA. This year, Fire Prevention Week runs from October 6th to October 12th. On their website, you’ll find exclusive fire prevention week materials from NFPA. From videos to lesson plans, there is so much quality content to dig into!
How to Teach Fire Safety
The team at NFPA has created materials for students in preschool through elementary. On their teaching portal (linked here) you will also find updated resources and favorites for October. Regular readers of the blog (sign up here) might remember how I shared some of the fantastic NFPA resources in past years.
Teaching fire safety is essential. Sometimes it takes an awareness week or month to remind us of the importance of including this topic in discussions with students.
So as we mark the first day of Fire Prevention Week tomorrow, NFPA has high-quality resources, I hope you’ll dive into some of the powerful options they have created to educate students. This year NFPA has new resources like the Anchor Chart. I’ve embedded the corresponding video below.
Fire Prevention Education
Do you include fire prevention education on your list of school-wide goals? With the resources from NFPA, you can certainly integrate conversations on fire safety into your big goals for the school year. You will find high-quality resources on the Spark Schoolhouse teaching portal. They are perfect for elementary school-aged and preschool students. When you arrive at their website, there is even a drop-down menu that lets you sort content by grade level.
Fire prevention education is vital for students of all ages. Ready to dedicate time during October to share fire safety resources? It is a great way to bring your whole school together to discuss this important topic. This year you might make a connection to a social studies lesson. You can even share a video (like the one below) that discusses the history of firefighting.
Engaging Fire Safety Resources
On the Sparky Schoolhouse website, you’ll find special resources for this year’s campaign. For 2019’s Fire Prevention Week, the theme is, “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!” On this teaching portal, you can find a series of downloadable items, including:
- An escape plan grid that helps you make a home fire escape plan
- A fire escape checklist
- A lesson plan for students on how to be a fire safety hero
The Sparky Schoolhouse website also includes videos and resources for families. You might include the link to this portal in a monthly newsletter for families too. Do your students use mobile apps at home or in your classroom? NFPA also has mobile-friendly resources on their website. Here’s a breakdown of their mobile apps:
- With Sparky’s Fun House, kids can help Sparky the Fire Dog practice his home fire escape plan before going to a carnival
- Sparky’s Brain Busters is a free trivia app that challenges students to answer questions related to fire safety
- Sparky’s Firehouse App is brand new and includes connections to early math and literacy skills
- With Sparky’s Birthday Surprise students can play games aligned to Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts and math
Ready to get started with these excellent and free resources? Head over to the Sparky Schoolhouse website. You’ll find all of the resources for students, teachers, and families! If you have a favorite, share it in the comments below.
