Grades 3 to 5 • Personal Health Series
Water Safety
Being in the water can be a lot of fun, whether it’s a pool, pond, lake, or ocean.
KidsHealth.org/classroom
But it also can be dangerous if you don’t follow a few simple safety rules. These
activities will help your students stay safe in the water.
Teacher’s Guide
This guide includes:
• Standards
Related KidsHealth Links
• Related Links
Articles for Kids:
• Discussion Questions
• Activities for Students Swimming
KidsHealth.org/en/kids/swim.html
• Reproducible Materials
Thunderstorms
KidsHealth.org/en/kids/thunderstorms.html
Swimmer’s Ear
Standards
KidsHealth.org/en/kids/swimmers-ear.html
This guide correlates with
the following National Health CPR: A Real Lifesaver
Education Standards: KidsHealth.org/en/kids/cpr.html
Students will: Jellyfish
• Comprehend concepts related KidsHealth.org/en/kids/jellyfish.html
to health promotion and
disease prevention to enhance Why Does My Skin Get Wrinkly in Water?
health. KidsHealth.org/en/kids/wrinkly-fingers.html
• Analyze the influence of
family, peers, culture, media,
technology, and other factors
on health behaviors.
• Demonstrate the ability to
access valid information and
products and services to
enhance health.
• Demonstrate the ability to use
Discussion Questions
interpersonal communication
skills to enhance health and Note: The following questions are written in language appropriate for sharing with
avoid or reduce health risks. your students.
• Demonstrate the ability to
use decision-making skills to
enhance health.
1. Do you know how to swim? When did you learn?
• Demonstrate the ability to use
goal-setting skills to enhance 2. Name some rules you need remember when you’re swimming.
health.
• Demonstrate the ability to 3. What is a lifeguard’s main job?
practice health-enhancing
behaviors and avoid or reduce 4. What other places besides pools do you need to follow rules for water safety?
health risks.
• Demonstrate the ability to 5. If you’re at the beach or pool and notice that there’s no lifeguard on duty, what
advocate for personal, family,
should you do?
and community health.
National Health Education
Standards:
http://www.cdc.gov/
healthyschools/sher/standards/
index.htm
© 2016 The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth. Reproduction permitted for individual classroom use.
Grades 3 to 5 • Personal Health Series
Water Safety
Activities for Students
Note: The following activities are written in language appropriate for sharing with your students.
Swimming Smarts
Objectives:
Students will:
• Identify safe swimming rules
• Create posters to promote safe swimming
Materials:
• Computer with Internet access
• Magazines, online photos
• Poster board or construction paper
• Markers
Class Time:
• 1 hour
Activity:
Today we’re going to help out some lifeguards by creating posters that clearly show a list of rules for staying safe in
the water. First, decide if you’ll be helping a lifeguard at a pool, a beach, or a lake or pond. Then make a poster of
the Top Three Safety Rules swimmers should follow when they’re swimming there. To get ideas, read the
KidsHealth.org article on Swimming. Keep the rules short and sweet so people will remember them. You can draw
pictures to illustrate your poster, or use photos from magazines or the Internet.
Extension:
[Note to instructor: If you have any students who don’t know how to swim, but would like to learn, create and
distribute a brief resource list with phone numbers of local places where swimming lessons are taught, such as
recreation centers, school district pools, or swim clubs. Have students bring the resource list home.]
© 2016 The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth. Reproduction permitted for individual classroom use.
Grades 3 to 5 • Personal Health Series
Water Safety
Whistleblowers
Objectives:
Students will:
• Learn water safety rules through role playing
Materials:
• Computer with Internet access
• Whistles
Class Time:
• 1 hour
Activity:
A lifeguard’s job is to watch swimmers and act immediately if a water safety rule is broken. First, read the
KidsHealth.org articles on water safety. Then, with a partner, decide who will be the lifeguard and who will be the
swimmer. The swimmer will act out three water safety rules, as well as break three water safety rules, in random
order. The lifeguard will blow a whistle when rule a broken and then call out the safety rule to the swimmer.
Extension:
Have a lifeguard visit the class to talk about water safety rules.
Reproducible Materials
Quiz: Water Safety
KidsHealth.org/classroom/3to5/personal/safety/water_safety_quiz.pdf
Answer Key: Water Safety
KidsHealth.org/classroom/3to5/personal/safety/water_safety_quiz_answers.pdf
KidsHealth.org is devoted to providing the latest children’s health information. The site, which is widely
recommended by educators, libraries, and school associations, has received the “Teachers’ Choice Award
for the Family” and the prestigious Pirelli Award for “Best Educational Media for Students.” KidsHealth comes
from the nonprofit Nemours Foundation. Check out www.KidsHealth.org to see the latest additions!
© 2016 The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth. Reproduction permitted for individual classroom use.
Personal Health Series
Water Safety
Name: Date:
Quiz
Instructions: Circle true or false after reading each statement:
1. True or false: If you’re a good swimmer, you don’t have to wear a lifejacket on a boat.
2. True or false: You should always swim with a buddy.
3. True or false: It’s OK to swim during a storm.
4. True or false: If you’re caught in a rip current, you should swim toward the shore.
5. True or false: You should always swim with an adult or lifeguard nearby.
6. True or false: Swimming in very cold water can be dangerous.
Fill in the blanks with words from the word box below:
7. If you don’t know how, it’s a good idea to learn how to .
8. Never near a pool. instead.
9. Before jumping into a pool, look for
markers so you know where it’s OK to swim and dive.
is the second most common cause of death from injuries for kids younger than 14.
depth drowning run swim walk
© 2016 The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth. Reproduction permitted for individual classroom use.
Personal Health Series
Water Safety
Quiz Answer Key
1. True or false: If you’re a good swimmer, you don’t have to wear a lifejacket on a boat.
2. True or false: You should always swim with a buddy.
3. True or false: It’s OK to swim during a storm.
4. True or false: If you’re caught in a rip current, you should swim toward the shore.
5. True or false: You should always swim with an adult or lifeguard nearby.
6. True or false: Swimming in very cold water can be dangerous.
Fill in the blanks with words from the word box below:
7. If you don’t know how, it’s a good idea to learn how to swim .
8. Never run near a pool. Walk instead.
9. Before jumping into a pool, look for depth
markers so you know where it’s OK to swim and dive.
Drowning is the second most common cause of death from injuries for kids younger than 14.
depth drowning run swim walk
© 2016 The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth. Reproduction permitted for individual classroom use.
