Learn About TG 1

Living and Staying Healthy

Book 1 Book 1 - Teacher's Guide

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Living and Staying

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Glasses and Contact Lenses

INTRODUCE

Explain to your students that when someone can’t see well, they need to find a way to see better. Ask students: How can someone try to see better? It could be that they need to wear glasses or get fitted for contact lenses. Ask students if they know anyone who wears eyeglasses or contact lenses? Discuss how this is a common occurrence, especially when you get older. Have students compare and contrast what they know about eyeglasses and contact lenses.

Draw two overlapping circles (Venn Diagram) and make them look like eye-glasses with arms. Compare and contrast the two.

Differences:

Contact Lenses

• thin plastic clear disks you wear on your eyeballs

• see better with a wider visual access

• aesthetically pleasing

• less distortion

• dirt particles can become trapped

• must remove them daily for cleaning

• made of chemicals

Eyeglasses

• wear them on the bridge of the nose

• express your personality

• limit your peripheral vision

• distort images

• convenient

• protect eyes from sun

• no limit on how long to wear them

Similarities:

• Both require eye exams

• Both correct your vision

• Both require a prescription that needs to be updated every year or every couple of years

As we read through the lesson, we will continue to add new information to our class diagram about corrective lenses. Ultimately, students will realize that as long as you can see clearly, it doesn’t matter which type of lens you wear. It is better to see than not to see.

ACTIVITY Create Your Own Protective Eye Gear Prototype Sketch

We all know the feeling of quickly blinking your eye if something sudden comes at your face. It is an automatic response used to protect the eye. Our natural reflexes are not always enough to protect our eyes, and sometimes we need to wear protective eye gear. Today we are going to brainstorm activities that may need protective eye gear. Why would you need protective eye gear? The eye gear prevents foreign objects or debris from damaging your vision. What are some activities or jobs where one should wear protective eye gear? Jobs in construction, like a welder or miner, would need protective eye gear. Dentists and firefighters may use them, too.

Let’s make a class list of hazards that could occur while completing an activity or working in a job.

1. Particles enter your eye from cutting wood in a construction job

2. Chemicals in the air if working in a lab

3. Moisture from the environment if working in a swamp

4. Debris from cutting metal if a welder

5. Embers from flames if fighting a fire

6. Water or food particles when cleaning teeth

7. Debris from the water if swimming

8. A ball hitting your eye in a sports activity

9. Small rocks

10. Tree branches

Now that we have come up with some hazards, our job today will be to brainstorm and design protective eye gear.

Let’s brainstorm design features of safety eye gear.

1. Large frames that fit, contoured to your face

2. Big lenses with UV protection

3. Plastic frames that won’t snap

4. Bright color that can be visible at night

5. Flashlight incorporated into frame

6. Camera attached to frame

7. Lightweight

8. Scratch resistant

9. Spring action arms on glasses

10. Curved smooth edges

Now that we have come up with different features for the protective eye gear, you are to create your own prototype sketch for a specific activity or job.

Think about the following questions:

• What job will require your type of glasses?

• What does the design do?

• What are the best features?

Make sure you discuss the frames, lenses, sides of the frames, arms, and bridge of the frames when making your sketch.

Next, complete the worksheet with a partner, utilizing all the brainstorming lists we have completed today.

Create a sketch along with a short two- to threesentence description of the prototype sketch.

Design Your Own Protective Eye Gear

Activity:

What does the protective eye gear do?

What are its special features?

What materials would you use to make it?

SKETCH of PROTECTIVE EYE GEARUse colored pencils

Add a 2 to 3 sentence description below.

Words to know ?

Glasses and Contact Lenses

Howis your eyesight? Chances are that even if you don’t wear glasses, someone in your family or class does.

How does someone know if they need glasses? Children may complain that they can’t see the blackboard in school or that things seem blurry to them. Sometimes people get frequent headaches. Frequent means something that happens often. A school nurse or an eye doctor may check their eyes and find that the child frequent –happening often focusing –concentrating on; paying attention to converts – changes professionals –specially trained people provide – give prefer - would rather

doesn’t see well. Other signs of needing glasses can be having watery eyes, rubbing your eyes frequently, needing to hold your book or paper close to you, or more.

People who need glasses can be either nearsighted or farsighted. Being nearsighted means you can see things close to you better than things that are far away. The medical word for being nearsighted is myopia. Shortsighted people have eyeballs that are too long. Being farsighted is called having hyperopia.

Farsighted people have eyeballs that are too short. Farsighted people can see better at a distance. They have trouble focusing and concentrating on things too close to them, which may cause headaches after looking at them for too long. Most people become farsighted when they get older because a part of their eye called the lens becomes a little stiff and doesn’t work correctly anymore.

How Do Glasses Help?

To understand how glasses work, we first have to learn a little about how we see. The sclera (SKLAIR-uh) is the white material covering most of the eyeball. The cornea

Did you know ?

Glasses date back to about 1284 CE. At that time, they were called reading stones.

Did you know ?

Babies have blurry vision until they are four months old. They also don’t see colors fully until then.

(KOR-nee-uh) is made of clear tissue. It helps the eye focus as light comes through it. Behind the cornea are the iris (EYE-riss), the colored part of the eye, and the pupil, the black circle in the center of the iris. The pupil allows light into the eye, and the iris controls how much light the pupil lets in. After the light enters, it hits the lens, which is clear and colorless. The lens focuses the light rays on the retina (RET-i-nuh) at the very back of the eyeball. The retina, a very thin layer of tissue, changes the light it receives into signals that the brain converts into vision. If light falls on the wrong part of the eye, your sight will be blurry or fuzzy. Glasses help people see more clearly by helping the eyeball focus light on the correct part of the retina.

Going to the Eye Doctor

There are three different types of specially trained people, called professionals, who can provide, or give, eye care. Ophthalmologists are eye doctors who have gone to college and had many years of training. They can treat eye diseases, prescribe medications, perform surgery, and fit eyeglasses and contact lenses. Optometrists can also perform eye exams, screen for eye problems, prescribe medications, and fit eyeglasses and contact lenses, but they are not medical doctors like ophthalmologists are. They don’t train for as many years as ophthalmologists do. Opticians

are not eye doctors and cannot give eye exams. They are trained to fit glasses or contact lenses but cannot treat eye diseases or write prescriptions. Opticians may have only one or two years of training.

Contact Lenses

Some people with vision problems wear contact lenses instead of glasses. Contact lenses are made of different plastic materials. They sit on the surface of the eye and can correct the same vision problems as regular glasses. Some people would rather wear contact lenses because they feel they look better without glasses. Others like them because they don’t interfere when they play or do other activities. And some people find they can see better with contacts than with glasses. There is no right or wrong way when it comes to glasses and contact lenses. Each person must decide the best and most comfortable way to improve their vision.

How to put contact lenses

Did you know ?

About 45 million people in the United States wear contact lenses.

Directions

CHAPTER

1. What are some ways people know they need glasses?

a. Their vision is blurry or unclear.

b. They have watery eyes.

c. They have frequent headaches.

d. All of the above

2. Which of the following is the medical term for being nearsighted?

a. Amblyopia

b. Triopia

c. Myopia

d. Hyperopia

3. In which way are optometrists different from ophthalmologists?

a. They cannot write prescriptions

b. They are not medical doctors

c. They cannot perform eye exams

d. All of the above

4. Which of the following can an optician do?

a. Fit glasses or contact lenses

b. Perform eye exams

c. Prescribe medication

d. All of the above

5. Why do some people prefer to wear contact lenses instead of glasses?

a. They’re cheaper

b. They don’t break as often

c. They don’t interfere with their activities

d. They come in more colors

Describe how you or someone you know realized they needed glasses.

I went to the doctor for a routine checkup, and my older brother came along. As I was standing in the doctor’s office, reading the eye chart with one eye covered, my brother said to my mother, “how come she can read the chart with one eye covered better than I can read it with both eyes uncovered?” My mother immediately made an appointment to have my brother’s eyes tested. It turned out that his vision was so bad that he hadn’t even known you could see birds flying in the sky or see the hands on a clock face! It was good that he came along when I went to the doctor!

Trivia Corner

Eyes are made up of over 2 working parts.

million

How Broken Bones Heal

INTRODUCE

Introduce the concept of how broken bones heal by first waving your hand in front of the class. Ask students what is underneath your skin and muscles that helps you be able to move your arm and wave. Bones are the correct answer. The bones in your body help you move. Are they soft or hard? Bones are made of hard dense material. But what happens if you break a bone? Pretend that I broke my arm. Now what I am unable to do that I just did before? I would not be able to lift my arm to wave. Or, if I could move it, it would hurt.

Today we are going to learn about the process of how when a bone breaks, we can make it heal successfully.

There are a few important steps we must take to make it happen. Has anyone here broken their arm or leg before? Can you share your personal experiences of how you took care of

your broken bone? Look for student responses.

Create a large class KWL chart: (what you know, what you want to know and what you learned). Ask students to share what they know about how broken bones heal. Students may suggest that wearing a cast or splint will help. Students may also discuss the importance of not getting the cast wet. Also, a student may have to remove themselves from certain activities if injured. All these items can be added to the “K” part of the chart.

For the “W” part of the chart, ask students what they want to know. Students may remark that they want to know how the bone actually heals.

Lastly, after the students finish reading the lesson, have them fill in the “L” part of the chart all together.

ACTIVITY

Sticks As Broken Bones - Making your own splint or cast

Students will be given one broken stick that they can fit back together by creating splints and/or casts using the materials provided.

A suggestion would be that students work at tables where there is a common area for all of the supplies. That way, each student pair does not need to take everything. They can just use trial and error with what works for them.

Provide each student pair with one broken stick. The goal is to get the stick back to its original form by

Materials

1 thin long stick between 8-12 inches long per student pair

(Sticks need to be dry so they break easily.) Tongue depressors, Toothpicks, Paper straws, Ribbon (variety of widths), Gauze, Tape, Scissors, Glue

using some or all of the materials provided. The stick is like a bone in our body. It needs to be fitted back together to heal correctly.

Ask students what we need to create to get our broken stick to fit back together like a puzzle. We will need to create a splint or a type of cast using the supplies provided.

Discuss why making a splint is necessary. Once students have finished their projects, ask them to explain what they used that worked and what did not work for them.

How can this compare to what we learned about how bones heal in the lesson? You may want to discuss the outcomes a day later to see if the student projects stayed intact.

How Broken Bones Heal

Words to know ? Broken bones happen quite often in children. They may occur during a fall on the playground or while riding their bike. The bone may fracture or break into small pieces or just crack. When a bone breaks, messages from the body immediately tell the bone to start healing.

fracture - a break in a bone

hematoma - a mass of clotted blood that forms after a fracture

callus - a soft bone that replaces the hematoma

physical therapist - a specialist who helps patients improve movement, gain strength, and reduce pain after an injury

diabetes - a disease in which the blood sugar gets too high

As soon as a bone breaks, a hematoma is formed. What is a hematoma? A hematoma is a collection of

clotted blood that begins to connect the ends of the broken bone. Sometimes you can see the hematoma forming underneath the skin. It may look bruised and be a different color. After about a week, a callus is formed around the fracture. A callus is a type of bone that is soft at first but hardens over time. This is not visible to the human eye. The callus replaces the hematoma. New bone forms over the next couple of weeks and replaces the callus. Over time, the new bone continues to form and reshape itself. Within a couple of months, the bone fracture heals completely.

Bones need to be held in place to heal properly. Doctors set the bone correctly and usually place a cast or splint around the injured body part. Caring for your cast is very important. You don’t want to get it wet if it is a hard cast. This can be challenging when you have to bathe. That is why doctors suggest covering the cast in a special plastic bag to prevent any damage to the cast from water. You also do not want to alter or change the cast in any way once it has been fitted. You probably will not be able to

Broken bones may take longer to heal in people who have anemia, a blood disorder in which there is an inadequate number of red blood cells.

Did you know ?

Did you know

Eating a healthy diet rich in vitamin D can help broken bones heal faster because it helps the blood take in and use calcium and build up the minerals in the bones.

?

participate in physical activities for a while. The bone typically takes a few months to heal fully, even though the healing process begins immediately.

Once the cast is removed, the muscles surrounding the injury may be weak or stiff. You may not be able to return to regular exercise or gym class at school for a little while longer. Your bones may still need time to get stronger. Sometimes, once the cast is removed, you may need to see a physical therapist. A physical therapist is a trained professional who helps with stretching and strengthening the injured area so you can improve your movement. In no time, you will be back to your active self.

The best way to heal from any broken bone is to practice a set of guidelines. Eat a healthy diet that includes calcium and vitamin D. These vitamins help make healing bones stronger. Take good care of your cast and splint. Follow what the doctor tells you to do. Do not get the cast wet if it is meant to stay dry. Lastly, make sure you rest and perform safe exercises recommended by your doctor.

Fracture repair

Sometimes, bones do not heal so well. This could be because of a severe break. If a person has other medical conditions, it may be harder for their bones to heal. If someone has diabetes, a disease in which there is too much sugar in the blood, bones may not heal as easily. Also, if someone lacks certain vitamins in their body, their bones may struggle to heal. But all in all, a broken bone is a common and treatable injury. Once the person heals, they will be back to their old activities in no time.

Did you know ?

Hematoma formation

Hematoma

Internal callus

External callus

New blood vessels

Bony callus of spongy bone

Healed fracture

Spongy bone trabeculae

Fibrocartilaginous callus formation

Bony callus formation

Bone remodeling

Directions

Read each question and choose the best answer.

1. Which of the following forms right away around the broken bone?

a. Cast

b. Hematoma

c. Callus

d. Nothing

2. How would you describe the callus when it first forms around the break?

a. Soft

b. Rough

c. Broken

d. None of the above

3. How long does it typically take for a broken bone to heal completely?

a. A year

b. A week

c. A few days

d. A few months

4. What does a physical therapist help you do once your cast is removed?

a. Strengthen your muscles

b. Increase your movement

c. Stretch your body

d. All of the above

5. Sometimes, bones do not heal quickly because

a. The bone break is severe

b. You ate too much food

c. You drank a lot of water

d. You kept your cast clean

Pretend you were going on a vacation to an island and you had just broken your arm. You went to the doctor and received a hard cast. Write about how you would care for your broken arm while vacationing.

If I was on vacation in a tropical place, wearing a cast may be a challenge. I would need to be prepared for what I may encounter once I was there. First, I would need to remember the rules my doctor gave me. The doctor said to take good care of the cast. That means I should not get it wet if it is a hard cast. I should bring a few plastic bags to cover my cast if I was going to be near the sand and water. I definitely should not try to swim with it. I should also try to eat healthy while on my vacation and to look for foods high in calcium like milk and cheeses. Also, I would need to get some Vitamin D. This would certainly be a challenge for me, but I am sure I could do it.

X-ray machines are used to determine if a bone is fractured. The first X-ray machine was invented in .

1895

Trivia Corner

Strep Throat

INTRODUCE

Introduce the topic of Strep Throat. Try to dress the part of a doctor with a white coat and/or a stethoscope. The school nurse may have these items to borrow for the lesson.

Write the word: Streptococcus (strep-tuh-KAH-kus) on the whiteboard. Tell the students we will be going on an imaginary field trip to the doctor’s office today, which is why you are dressed up like a doctor. Ask for a volunteer to pronounce the word streptococcus. Give out a sticker for each person that makes an attempt. Note that when children typically go to the doctor’s office, they receive a sticker after a good visit. If and when you finally get the correct response, write the pronunciation (strep-tuhKAH-kus) on the board and have everyone practice it with you and read each syllable aloud.

Ask the students what they think this word means. More than likely, they will not be familiar with the term. But, now

cover the “tococcus” part of their word with your hand and ask students if they have ever heard of the word strep or strep throat. More than likely, you will have a lot of confirmation. Tell them that “strep” is just an abbreviation. Ask students if they know what strep is or what it feels like if they get it.

Define for the class: “Strep throat is a disease caused by tiny rodshaped bacteria called Group A streptococcus.”

As a motivator for paying attention while reading, tell the students that you will pass around the stethoscope for students to wear around their neck while reading. Reinforce that they are not to put it in their ears. If they do so, you will take it from them, and they will not participate in the reading. This prop will keep them engaged while reading. Once a paragraph or two is read, have the student share the stethoscope with another reader.

You model for the students by reading the first paragraph of the text wearing the props. Next, call on someone who you know will be a

good participant and pass the “prop” to them so they can read.

While the students are reading, tell them that you will take notes like a doctor when you go for a visit. Write on the whiteboard content-based vocabulary words/ phrases that the students come across while reading. Say: “While we read the lesson, raise your hand when you come across a vocabulary word or groups of words that we should record on the whiteboard. I will write it down for all to see. After reading, we will discuss their meanings and write our own sentences based on the vocabulary. Words to look out for can be in bold, or they may not be bolded, but still can be important.”

Content-based vocabulary words/ phrases: streptococcus, bacteria, symptoms of strep throat, positive strep test, antibiotics

ACTIVITY

Once you finish reading the section with the class, complete the

vocabulary using context clues. Have the students look back at the words on the whiteboard and ask them to define them by referring back to the text. Use context clues to come up with the definition if it is not clearly stated. Answers can be given orally, and you write their definition on the whiteboard. Have students write a sentence of their own using each vocabulary word. Their sentences can be written underneath each definition. Have students share their responses.

Streptococcus - a type of bacteria that enters the body and causes illness

Bacteria - germs found on places likes doorknobs, pen, faucet, surfaces

Symptoms of strep throat - very sore throat, fever, white coating on the tonsils or tongue

Positive strep test - confirmation of strep after swabbing the sick person’s throat and performing a laboratory test to detect the presence of group A streptococcus

Antibiotics - medicines used to treat infections in the body

Symptoms of Strep Throat

Strep Throat

Words to know ?

confirms – proves; verifies bacteria – germs prevent – keep from happening indicate – show result – answer accurate – right; correct symptoms – signs; indications

Youwake up in the morning with a sore throat and maybe a slight fever. A quick trip to the doctor confirms it—you have strep throat. To confirm something means to say that it is right.

Not all sore throats are strep throats. Viruses or bacteria can cause sore throats, sometimes called germs. There are several differences

Swollen uvula

Glossopalatine arch

Pharyngopalatine arch

Uvula

Palatine tonsil

Tongue

Red swollen tonsils

Whitish spots

Throat redness

Gray furry tongue

Strep throat is caused by a bacteria called Streptococcus pyogenes or group A streptococcus

between viruses and bacteria, but the most commonly known difference is that bacteria can be killed with medicines called antibiotics while viruses usually cannot. That means that if bacteria cause your sore throat, you can take antibiotics and should start feeling better soon. But if a virus causes your sore throat, there’s not much you can do about it. You just have to wait it out until it clears up on its own.

Strep throat is caused by a bacteria called Streptococcus pyogenes or group A streptococcus. That means you can take an antibiotic; before you know it, you’ll feel as good as new. In truth, strep throat usually goes away on its own, even without treating it with antibiotics. But it’s best to

Bacteria on culture plate. If bacteria causes your sore throat, you can take antibiotics and should start feeling better soon

Did you know ?

Only 30 percent of sore throats in children are caused by group A streptococcus.

Red swollen tonsils

Throat redness

Viral

Did you know ?

Your hands spread more germs when they are damp than when they are dry. That’s why it’s important not only to wash your hands well with soap but also to dry them well afterward.

take medicine to prevent the infection from spreading to other parts of the body where it can do damage. To prevent something means to keep it from happening.

Sometimes, doctors can tell by looking in their patient’s throat if they have strep. Some things that indicate, or show, strep throat are a very red throat or red patches in the mouth. Sometimes the tonsils or tongue have a white coating. But doctors usually want to do a throat culture to confirm if the person has strep or if it’s just a virus. You are probably familiar with how a throat culture is taken. The doctor or a nurse rubs the back of the mouth with something that looks like a long Q-tip, called a swab. Next, the doctor or nurse will put the swab and some chemicals in a tube, dip in a test strip, and wait a few minutes. Depending on what they see on the test strip, they will know whether you have strep throat or not. If the answer, called the result, is positive, it means that you have strep. A negative result means that you do not. Sometimes, if the test is negative, the doctor will want

Use soap Rub each wrist Rub palm to palm with fingers Rince your hands Rub tips of fingers Dry your hands

to perform an additional test to be sure the result is accurate, meaning correct. This test takes overnight, so you will not know the result until the following day.

Symptoms of Strep Throat

As we mentioned before, some signs, or symptoms, of strep throat are a very sore throat, fever, and a white coating on the tonsils or tongue. A cough is not usually one of the symptoms, but many people have an upset stomach or sore legs when they have strep throat.

Another thing that often comes along with strep throat is swollen glands. You or someone else can tell if you have swollen glands by pushing on the front part of your neck. That is where your lymph nodes, or glands, are. If they feel swollen and sore to the touch, that can be a sign of strep throat.

How Do You Catch Strep?

Usually, people catch strep throat from someone else who has it. It could be from cough or sneeze droplets that traveled from the sick person. Sometimes you can catch strep by touching a surface that the sick person touched, such as a doorknob, pen, faucet, or something else. Then, if you touch your mouth or face after touching the object, the germs can get into your body and make you sick. Although you can get sick with strep any time of year, it is more common in the winter and early spring.

Did you know ?

Antibiotics were invented in 1928 by Alexander Fleming, a London bacteriologist (someone who studies bacteria).

Directions

1. What is the most known difference between viruses and bacterial infections?

a. Viruses are more common in the summer, and bacteria are more common in the winter.

b. Bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics, but viruses usually can’t.

c. Viruses spread from person to person, but bacterial infections don’t.

d. People don’t feel as sick when they have viruses as they do when they have bacterial infections.

2. Which of these is not a symptom of strep throat?

a. A very sore throat

b. A fever

c. Swollen glands

d. A strong cough

3. How do doctors test for strep throat?

a. They shine a strong light down their patient’s throat.

b. They call in the nurse and ask what she thinks.

c. They perform a throat culture.

d. They cut out a small piece of the patient’s throat and send it away to be tested.

4. How do people usually get sick with strep throat?

a. From going outside without a coat in the winter.

b. From exercising too much.

c. From not getting enough sleep.

Answer

d. From catching germs that spread from someone else who has strep.

5. Why is it a good idea to take medicine even if strep usually goes away by itself?

a. The drugstores need the business.

b. The more medicine you take, the better it is for you.

c. To prevent the infection from spreading to other parts of the body where it can do damage.

d. To keep you from getting strep again in the future.

What do you think our lives would be like if antibiotics hadn’t been invented? How would illnesses be treated?

Without antibiotics, many people would die all the time. Even mild diseases that we don’t worry about today could be enough to kill someone. Without antibiotics, illnesses would probably be left to go away on their own or treated with home remedies that don’t always help.

Trivia Corner

Penicillin

is the most commonly used antibiotic.

What is a Cavity?

Introduce the topic of cavities by asking students if they have ever been to the dentist. Why do we go to the dentist? What are we trying to prevent by going to the dentist? Cavities are what we are trying to prevent by going to the dentist.

Who knows what cavities are? Cavities are decayed parts of a tooth. A cavity is hole that can grow deeper and deeper over time. How do you think a cavity is formed? Cavities are formed because we have not cleaned our teeth well. In this lesson, the students will learn about good dental hygiene. The students will talk about what is good for your teeth and what is bad.

Ahead of Time: Gather Ten Food Items

Ahead of time, gather at least ten food items (soda can, water, cookies, coffee box, chocolate syrup, soy sauce, apple, lemonade, candy bar, banana, etc.)

Place ten items out in front of the class. Ask students which foods they think would cause cavities if they were not careful about brushing their teeth. Have

Materials

One cup/bottle of water for each student, Sugary / non-sugary food items

a volunteer come up and sort them. Next, ask students to explain how the items are grouped. Foods that are acidic or full of sugar should be in one group. Healthy foods should be in the other group.

Draw two pictures of teeth and write in Tooth #1: The foods that are bad for our teeth (soda, cookies, coffee, chocolate syrup, soy sauce, lemonade, candy). Write in Tooth #2: The foods that are good for our teeth (apple, banana, etc.)

Last, provide each student with a cup of water or a bottle of water. Have everyone take a sip. Ask students how they think drinking water helps with cavities. Drinking water helps us produce saliva. Saliva helps remove food from our teeth and neutralize acids that are made in our mouths. If there is less acid, there is less bacteria. Also, saliva contains fluoride, which also helps to prevent tooth decay.

ACTIVITY

Apple “TOOTH DECAY” Activity - Two Day Activity

This activity must be done in two parts over two days.

Day 1: In front of the class, show the students two apples. Have the teacher poke one apple with a sharp pencil and leave it for 24 hours in a brown paper bag. Take the second apple and place it in a brown paper bag without doing anything to it. This part of the lesson will take all of five minutes. Have students make predictions about both of the apples after the two days are up. Each student should write their prediction sentence on their whiteboard. Don’t erase because tomorrow we will revisit the predictions and come up with a conclusion.

Day 2: Take both apples out of the bags. Ask students to observe any physical differences in the apples after 24 hours. Ask for volunteers to make observations. The apple that was poked may be wrinkled, browned, smelly, etc. The apple that was untouched will look

Materials

2 apples

2 paper bags

exactly the same as it did originally. Now the teacher will cut the apples in half. What do the students notice on the inside of the apples? Were their predictions correct? Look back at their whiteboard predictions from the previous day.

Have a discussion with the students about how the apples are a model for our teeth. How can that be? The skin of the apple protects the apple from turning brown. It is like the enamel on a tooth. But once the skin is pierced, the apple changes. Similarly, once a cavity or hole eats through the enamel, decay can happen inside the tooth. Bacteria entered the apple through the hole like bacteria entering a cavity in a tooth.

How can you prevent what happened to the apple from happening to your teeth? You must brush and floss regularly to keep the enamel clean of bacteria. Have students erase their predictions and write a conclusion on their whiteboards instead.

Did you know ?

Everyone has plaque, even if you can't see it.

What is a Cavity?

Goingto the dentist is a normal part of growing up. Children start visiting the dentist as early as three years old so they can learn and practice good dental hygiene habits. But once you sit down in the dental chair, no one wants to hear the dreaded phrase, “You have a cavity.” A cavity is a hole in your tooth where food and bacteria get trapped. The hole can get bigger over time if not treated by the dentist. Cavities are also called dental caries (KARE-eez). So it is important to visit the dentist regularly to check for cavities.

Tooth Anathomy

How Are Cavities Formed?

Cavities form because plaque forms around your teeth. Plaque is a sticky, slimy substance that is full of germs. It stays on your teeth and the bacteria in your mouth starts to form acids. These acids cause a decay in the enamel, the outermost layer of the tooth. Once the enamel is worn away, the bacteria and acid can reach the next layer of your teeth, called dentin. This layer is softer than enamel and less resistant to acid. Dentin has tiny tubes that directly communicate with the nerve of the tooth, causing sensitivity.

Ouch! I Have a Toothache!

If you have ever had a toothache, that is because acid ate through the enamel, and decay entered deep into the

Did you know ?

Tooth decay affects 50 percent of all children ages 12 -15.

Words to know ?

cavity - hole

caries - dental cavities

decay - break down filling - material used to treat a cavity in a tooth

plaque - a sticky substance that forms on the teeth made from leftover food particles and saliva that mix in the mouth enamel - outermost layer of the tooth

dentin - the layer below the enamel that is typically softer and less resistant to acids

X-rays - special pictures of the inside of the body

anesthetic -

numbing medication neutralizescounteracts

Dentin

Pulp Cavity

Gums

Root Canal Bone Cement

Nerve and Blood vesseles

Crown

Neck Root

Did you know ?

There is no way to cure a cavity once it eats past the tooth enamel. The dentist must remove the damaged area and put in a filling.

CHAPTER 4 | What Is a Cavity?

The stages of tooth decay

tooth where there are nerve endings. This is why there is pain. Using an X-ray machine, a device used to see inside the body, a dentist can confirm the cavity. He can remove the damaged parts of the tooth using a special drill. He will then probe or test the area with his metal instruments to make sure all of the decay is removed. Then the dentist will begin to fill the missing piece of the tooth with filling. The filling is a material that is made to look like tooth and is shaped to fit into the spot where the decay once was. This may hurt a little, so dentists will give an anesthetic, which is a numbing medicine usually applied around the problem tooth and surrounding gums.

Once the filling is complete, the dentist will polish it.

Healthy tooth with plaque Decay in enamel Decay in dentin Decay in pulp

How Can Cavities Be Prevented?

Once cavities form, it is hard to stop them without treatment from the dentist. We can try to prevent them by practicing proper dental hygiene. Brushing with fluoride toothpaste and flossing regularly are the best preventative practices, especially at nighttime. Use circular motions while brushing. Don’t forget to lightly brush your tongue, too. Limit your sugar intake from soda or juice. Drink water. Water helps produce saliva. The saliva neutralizes, or counteracts, the acids in your mouth and helps to wash away food from your teeth. And, don’t forget to visit your dentist twice a year for a cleaning!

Did you know ?

Teeth are as unique as fingerprints! Even identical twins have different dental patterns.

ABOUT Answer Key

CHAPTER

4 | What Is a Cavity?

1. What is a cavity?

a. A sign of tooth decay

b. A burn on your skin

c. A cut in your mouth

d. A irregular bruise on your arm

2. What is the outermost layer of tooth called?

a. Resin

b. Enamel

c. Decay

d. Filling

3. When a dentist fills a cavity, they may give the patient to help with the pain.

a. water

b. fluoride

c. anesthetic

d. None of the above

4. How often should you floss your teeth?

a. Once a month

b. Once a week

c. Once a day

d. Never

5. Which one of these items should you AVOID so you don’t get cavities?

a. Apple

b. Carrots

c. Soda

d. Water

Write a paragraph about how to prevent cavities. Provide at least three ways to stop cavities from developing.

Cavities are a result of tooth decay. Cavities are holes in your teeth that can grow over time. There are a few ways to prevent cavities. The first way to stop cavities from developing is to brush your teeth regularly. Another way to avoid cavities is to not eat or drink sugary or acidic foods like soda and candy. Flossing your teeth regularly is also another way to prevent cavities. Make sure you do not smoke either. Smoking can yellow the teeth and damage the mouth. These are a few ways to prevent cavities.

In a lifetime, the average American spends approximately total days just brushing their teeth.

Trivia Corner

38.5

Poison Ivy

INTRODUCE

Introduce the topic of poison ivy. Explain to your students that when someone makes contact with a poison ivy plant, they may develop a physical reaction to the plant’s oils. Ask the students if anyone they know ever had poison ivy. Do they know any of the symptoms of poison ivy? See if students can quickly brainstorm some of the reactions to poison ivy.

Teacher will draw a large “threeleafed plant” that resembles poison ivy on a whiteboard or chart paper. Make sure each leaf is large enough to write “signs” at the top in one leaf, “symptoms” at the top in another leaf, and “treatment” at the top in the third leaf. Label each leaf as noted above. Student responses about poison ivy knowledge will be categorized and written into the appropriate leaves. Now ask the students what they know about poison ivy and have the class determine which leaf to write the comment in. For example, if a student says poison ivy makes your skin itchy, write “Makes skin feel itchy” in the

“symptom” leaf. If a student says the plant has shiny leaves grouped into three, add that to the “signs” leaf. If a student says that you should not scratch it, add this to the “treatment” leaf. See if you can get one response for each leaf.

Now tell students that the purpose of reading this text is to identify from it the signs, symptoms, and treatment of poison ivy. While reading, if students come across a fact that they feel is relevant and should be put into the “three-leafed” chart, have them “wave” their hand “like a leaf.” Have the student give the fact and categorize it. Possible answers to the “three-leafed” chart are: Signs: three leaves, small and pointed, grow from the same stem, can be on a vine, green in the summer, red in the spring, yellow in the fall; Symptoms: rash, skin redness, itchy, swelling, blisters, straight lines on your skin; Treatment: wash skin immediately, apply rubbing alcohol, non-prescription or anti-itch creams, apply cool water, take an oatmeal bath, may require prescription in severe cases.

ACTIVITY

After reading the entire section in the text, go back to the chart and add any additional facts not mentioned by the students during the reading.

After the students have finished reading the section, have them create an ACROSTIC poem about poison ivy.

An acrostic poem uses the letters in a topic word to begin each line. All lines of the poem should relate to or describe the topic word. The purpose of an acrostic poem is to show what you know about the topic you have studied.

Poison ivy should be written down the left margin of the paper. Each line on the paper gets only one letter in the words poison ivy. See sample on right.

Each phrase or sentence in the poem must start with the letter on that line. So if you are at the beginning of the poem, you must

come up with a sentence or phrase that talks about poison ivy using the letter “P” for the first letter of the first word in that sentence. Include facts from your “three-leafed” chart or other information from the text.

Below is a sample of an Informational ACROSTIC poem.

P rotect your skin when outside

O il from poison ivy causes a rash

I tchiness is a symptom

S welling can happen on your body

O utdoors in the forest there can be poison ivy

N ever touch it with your bare hands

I dentify the three-leafed plant

V ine-like

Y ear round, poison ivy is contagious

Teachers can model each line with their students as they do their own poem. Again, refer to the “three-leafed” chart, which is an excellent resource for the poetry writing.

Poison Ivy

Words to know ?

Whenwe say someone has poison ivy, we usually mean the itchy rash people get when they touch a poison ivy plant. This rash is a reaction to a plant oil called urushiol. A reaction is a result of something happening. The rash is contact dermatitis, a skin inflammation or swelling from touching something. You can also develop a rash from touching other things with plant oil on them, such as clothing, gardening tools or a pet’s fur. You can also spread the rash from one part of your body to another by touching it with your fingers and then touching a different part of yourself. It doesn’t take much urushiol to cause a poison ivy rash. An amount less than a grain of salt is enough to cause a reaction. How bad the rash is depends on how much urushiol gets on your skin.

What Are the Symptoms of Poison Ivy?

The most common symptoms, or signs, of a poison ivy rash are skin redness, itching, swelling and blisters.

Poison ivy often appears as a straight line on your skin from where the plant brushed against it. But, the rash could be more spread out if you got poison ivy from touching something else, such as a pet or piece of clothing with urushiol.

How Long Does Poison Ivy Last?

The rash usually starts 12 to 48 hours after coming exposure to, meaning coming in contact with, the urushiol. It lasts about two to three weeks. Not everyone who touches urushiol gets a poison ivy rash. Some people are more sensitive to the oil than others, which means they are more likely to get a reaction.

How is Poison Ivy Treated?

If you know that you’ve touched a poison ivy plant, wash your skin right away. Applying, or rubbing on, isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol can also help strip away the oil from the skin or any other object with the oil on it.

Mild, or not very bad, cases of poison ivy can be treated with non-prescription anti-itch creams or lotions. Applying

Did you know ?

Poison ivy’s favorite place to grow is where there is just a little bit of shade, such as along forest edges, especially along the edges of bike paths.

Did you know ?

The urushiol in a poison ivy plant remains active for up to five years after the plant has died.

Symptoms of Poison ivy

cool water or taking an oatmeal bath might also soothe the itchiness. If the rash is more widespread, you might need a doctor’s prescription to help treat it.

Although the rash is very itchy, try not to scratch it. Scratching makes it feel better at first, but it can make the skin break open and get infected.

Who Is Most Likely to Get Poison Ivy?

Some people are more likely to get poison ivy than others. These include gardeners, farmers, hikers, campers, roofers and forest workers. They spend more time outdoors and are more likely to touch a plant with urushiol.

Is Poison Ivy Contagious?

Poison ivy is not contagious and cannot be spread from person to person. The only way a person can catch it

Difficulty breathing, if you’ve inhaled the smoke from burning poison ivy

Redness, swelling, itching, blisters

from someone else is if they touch any part of their body or clothing that still has urushiol on it.

What Do Poison Ivy Plants Look Like?

Poison ivy plant leaves have three leaflets, small pointed leaves that grow off the same stem. Poison ivy plants grow as shrubs, which are small bushes, or vines. Their leaves are green in the summer, reddish in the spring, and yellow, orange, or red in the fall. The plants may also have white berries.

Other Rash-Causing Plants

Poison oak and poison sumac are two other plants whose oils can cause itchy rashes. Poison oak leaves also have three leaflets, but their tips are rounded. These plants also grow as shrubs and sometimes have yellow or white berries. Poison sumac leaves have clusters of seven to thirteen smooth leaflets that grow in pairs. They are small trees or tall shrubs with drooping bunches of green berries. There are also non-poisonous sumacs with upright, red berries, but these do not cause allergic reactions.

Did you know ?

Poison ivy shrubs grow to about three feet 11 inches tall, and its vines grow from 3.9 to 9.8 inches tall.

Poison Sumac

Poison Oak

Directions

Read each question and choose the best answer.

1. What is the best way to avoid getting poison ivy?

a. Take medicine ahead of time.

b. Take hot baths every night.

c. Avoid touching plants.

d. Don’t own any pets.

2. Which of the following is not a symptom of a poison ivy rash?

a. Itchiness

b. Skin redness

c. Painful legs

d. Blisters

3. Which of the following people are most likely to get poison ivy?

a. Gardeners

b. Campers

c. Forest workers

d. All of the above

4. What are some ways to treat poison ivy?

a. With cool water or oatmeal baths

b. With warm water and lots of soap

c. By drinking lots of alcohol

d. By scratching wherever it itches

5. Which of the following describes how poison ivy plants look?

a. They have drooping bunches of green leaves.

b. Their leaves have seven to thirteen leaflets growing in pairs.

c. They grow as tall trees.

d. Their leaves have three pointed leaflets.

Did you or someone you know ever have poison ivy? How did you get it? What did it feel like, and how long did it last?

I once got poison ivy after my camp went hiking in the woods. I had a rash all over my arm, and it drove me crazy! I couldn’t stop scratching it even though I tried not to. My brother told me that I even scratched myself in my sleep! It lasted for about ten days. Boy, was I glad when it cleared up!

Contact dermatitis is responsible for about doctor visits yearly.

5.7 million

Trivia Corner

What to Do in a Fire

INTRODUCE

Introduce the lesson: What to do in a fire. Draw a large handprint on the whiteboard. Write on the palm of the handprint “ FIRE.”

Tell students that today we are going to discuss what to do in a fire and how using our five senses can help us stay safe in a fire. If we know what to do in a fire, we can stay calm and get to safety.

Discuss how each finger on our whiteboard “hand” represents one of our senses.

Ask students to name the five senses:

• Smell

• Sight

• Touch

• Taste

• Hearing

Write one sense at the tip of each finger. Now ask students what they can smell if there is a fire. Students will answer smoke. Write smoke in the “smell” finger. What do they see? Flames could be written in the “sight” finger. Continue until all of the fingers are filled in. Below are sample responses.

Smell - Smoke

Sight - Flames/colors

Touch - Heat from the fire

Taste - Smokey flavor

Hearing - Crackling from the fire

Tell students that using our senses when in

a fire will help us get to safety. As we read along in the text, raise your hand if you find information that would be helpful that we could add to our handprint chart. For example, we will be reading about how you should check the heat of the doorknob to determine if a fire is nearby. The heat of the doorknob could be added to the “touch” finger on the handprint. So, let’s begin reading now.

ACTIVITY

“Stay Low and Go” and “Stop, Drop, and Roll” Activities

Materials

Discuss with students that you will practice “Stay Low and Go” and “Stop, Drop, and Roll.” Ask students what they think these activities mean. When would you use each?

When you hear a fire alarm sound (ring your bell or blow your whistle), tell students to never ignore it.

Use “Stay Low and Go” where there is an active fire in your location and you need to get out as quickly as possible. You want to stay low so you are away from the smoke and flames. Use this procedure when smoke is in the room.

“Stay Low and Go”

1. Don’t panic, and try to stay calm.

2. Move or crawl as fast as you can.

Bell or whistle, Smoke alarm

3. If people are asleep, yell, “Fire! Everyone out!”

4. Don’t go back for valuables.

5. If you have to open the door, carefully feel the doorknob first.

6. Exit as quickly as you can through open hallways and doors to the outside. Look for exit signs if you are in a building.

7. Do not try to extinguish the fire yourself. Let the firefighters do their job.

Teachers can prepare each of these items on a sentence strip. Affix each item on the whiteboard or bulletin board as you discuss it. Once all items are discussed, ask for a few volunteers to act out “Stay Low and Go” situations.

Scenario #1: You are sleeping in your bed at home and are woken up by the sound of the smoke detector in the hallway outside your bedroom. You smell smoke and realize your family must still be sleeping. Your bedroom door is shut. What should you do?

Scenario #2: You live in an apartment building. You hear someone yelling, “Fire! Everyone out!” You can hear the building fire alarm sounding in the distance. What do you do?

Scenario #3: You are at school. The school fire alarm goes off. You are not sure if this is a fire drill or a real fire. You don’t see any smoke or smell anything. You are sitting at your desk in the classroom with the rest of the class and

your teacher. What should you do? Optional: Have students write a scenario of their own after listening to your scenarios.

Once you have a few students successfully model “Stay Low and Go,” now review what “Stop, Drop, and Roll” means. When should you use this technique? If your clothes or hair catch fire, you should use “Stop, Drop, and Roll” immediately. Have sentence strips prepared with the following rules.

1. Stop right away.

2. Drop to the ground.

3. Cover your face.

4. Roll over and over until you smother the flames.

5. Use a towel or blanket to help smother the flames.

6. After the flames have been smothered, try to cool the burned area with water.

7. Call for help.

Ask for two volunteers to act out “Stop, Drop, and Roll.”

Scenario #1: I am cooking dinner, and my shirt sleeve accidentally touches the burner on the stove and catches fire. What should I do?

Scenario #2: I lit a row of colorful candles. When I leaned over them my hair fell right into the flames. What should I do?

After each student acts out the scenario, reinforce that the most important thing to do is smother the flames and then get help.

Words to know ?

event - chance

Ideally - preferably; the best way designatedchosen; picked devise - come up with; think up consider - think about collapsible - able to be folded smother - put out; extinguish

What to Do in a Fire

Noone likes to think about having a fire in their home. But, unfortunately, sometimes houses do catch on fire. That’s why it’s important to know what to do in such a situation. Being prepared ahead of time gives everyone a better chance of staying safe in a fire.

Having family fire drills makes it more likely that everyone in the family will know what to do in the

event of, meaning chance of, a real fire. Ideally, the drills should be held twice a year. Ideally means the best way to do something. Everyone in the family should know where and how to exit the house. There should also be a designated place, a place picked ahead of time, where everyone knows to gather once they are safely outside. Getting out and meeting outside in less than three minutes is a good goal.

Each family has to think of, or devise, a plan for exiting their home. A family living in a one-story house will have different plans than a family living in a tall apartment building. Some things to think about, or consider, are where the home’s exits are and what to do if one exit is blocked by fire or smoke. Is there a way to climb down from an upstairs window if the stairway is blocked? Some people keep collapsible, or folding, ladders in upstairs bedrooms to use if the stairway is blocked. Children should be taught how to unlock and open the windows and remove the screens.

Did you know ?

A typical house fire doubles in size every minute as long as the heat, oxygen, and fuel levels stay the same.

Did you know ?

Fires need fuel, oxygen, and heat to burn. Firefighters turn off a building’s electricity to remove the heat source.

In Case of a Fire

In a fire, the most important thing is to get out as quickly as possible. Do not stop to take anything along, no matter how valuable it is. Many people feel terrible leaving a beloved pet behind. But nothing is as important as human life. After the firefighters come, they can try to save the pet. Children should be told not to hide under a bed or in a closet, no matter how frightened they are. This will make it harder for the firefighters to find them.

If flames or smoke trap someone in a room, they should put blankets, sheets, or clothing along the bottom of the door. This will keep heat and smoke from coming into the room. Do not open the door if smoke is coming in under it or it feels very warm or hot to the touch. Put a towel or a piece of clothing over your mouth to keep from breathing in the smoke. If the door and doorknob do not feel warm, open the door slowly. If no heat or smoke comes in, try to escape, staying as low as possible. Heat rises, so try to stay below it, even if you have to crawl to get out.

Steps to Take If Someone Is on Fire

Someone can catch on fire even if their house is not on fire. They can be lighting the stove or a candle, and their clothing catches on fire. The first steps to take are stop, drop, and roll. Stop means don’t move. Moving can make the fire get bigger. Drop means the person should drop to the ground and try to lie down. They should also cover their face with their hands to protect it. Rolling on the ground can help put the fire out. If there is a rug or blanket nearby, they can wrap it around themselves to try to smother , or put out, the flames. Stop, drop, and roll should only be used if a person is actually on fire. If a fire alarm is sounding, warning of a fire in the house or building, the first thing to do is get out as quickly as possible.

Did you know ?

Directions

Read each question and choose the best answer.

1. What is the best thing families can do to make it more likely everyone will know what to do in case of a fire?

a. Read lots of books about fire safety

b. Talk to people who have had house fires

c. Have routine fire drills

d. Ask firefighters for advice

2. What are some things to consider when planning how to exit a home?

a. Where the exits are located

b. How you can take out your valuable items

c. Where the closest fire hydrant is

d. How many children sleep in each bedroom

3. What is the most important thing to do in a fire?

a. Grab all your money on your way out

b. Get out as quickly as possible

c. Hide under a bed or in a closet

d. Make sure you have your toys with you

4. Why should you try to stay as low as possible when escaping a fire?

a. So none of the neighbors will notice you

b. So your clothes won’t smell of smoke

Answer Key

c. So you can find your toys faster

d. So you will be below the level of the heat

5. What are the first steps to take if someone catches on fire?

a. Roll

b. Stop

c. Drop

d. All of the above

Does your school have routine fire drills? What do you do when the fire alarm sounds? Why is it important to have fire drills?

Our school has fire drills every few months, but we don’t know beforehand when they will be. When the fire alarm sounds, we all stop what we are doing, line up, and follow our teacher outside. We wait there quietly until we are told that we can go back inside the building. It is important to have fire drills so everyone wil know what to do in case of a real fire.

A candle flame typically burns at around Degrees Fahrenheit.

1800

Trivia Corner

How to Handle An Emergency

INTRODUCE

Everyone take a deep breath with me and then count to ten in your head. How do you feel? Today we are going to learn about how to handle medical emergencies, and the first step is remembering to stay calm. Taking a deep breath before you react to an emergency may help you figure out how to handle an emergency situation. You need to feel in control.

I am going to share with you an emergency situation we will call role play #1. I will need one volunteer to come up front and read the part of the caller. Listen carefully and tell us what you think the caller did right.

911 Operator: Hello, 911. What is your emergency?

Caller: Hi, my name is John Smith. My friend, James, can’t breathe and is unable to speak. He is lying on the ground in front of a house.

911 Operator: John, listen to me carefully. Where are you located? Can you give me an address?

Caller: We are at the corner of West Street and North Drive. James is laying in front of the house numbered 12 West Street. We are across the street from the town bakery.

911 Operator: What happened to your friend?

Caller: We were running home from the ice cream store and all of sudden, James fell to the ground. I am not really sure if he choked on something or not.

911 Operator: I am sending over an ambulance. Do not move James. Just stay calmly next to him.

Caller: I will not leave him.

911 Operator: Stay on the phone with me while you are next to James. Keep me updated if anything changes with him. You can hang up when the ambulance arrives.

Caller: Okay. I see the ambulance now.

Thank you for volunteering to participate in the role play. Can you describe what John, the caller, did while on the phone with the 911 operator? Elicit responses from the students.

Possible responses could be:

• Called 911 on his phone

• Stayed calm

• Gave his name

• Gave the address

• Explained his approximate location

• Listened carefully

• Followed directions

Make a DOs and DON’Ts T-chart. Place all possible responses that John did correctly on the “DO” side of the T-chart. What could John have done incorrectly if he did not know how to respond? Place all the “DON’Ts” on the other side of the T-chart.

• He may have left the accident without calling 911.

• He may have tried to move James.

• He may have felt very anxious and not in control.

• He may have been unable to tell his location.

• He may have hung up the phone before giving enough information.

If you decide to call 911 in a medical emergency, you need to be prepared about what to say to the operator. Today’s lesson will teach us how to be better prepared in emergency situations. If you feel prepared, you will be able to act calmly and respond to the emergency effectively while staying safe yourself. So, let’s get started.

ACTIVITY How to Handle Emergency Scenarios and Creating an ICE (In Case of Emergency) card

Today we are going to practice how to handle a few emergency situations. Familiarizing ourselves with potential emergencies will help us stay calm and reduce anxiety if there ever is a real emergency.

In some of these scenarios, you will need the help of 911 and first responders. In other scenarios, you will not need to call 911. We want you to be able to distinguish what is a real emergency and what is an urgent situation that may require help from a parent or another adult. Let me give you a few situations and let’s see if we need to call 911 or not.

Make a T-chart and title it WHEN TO CALL 911.

Write Emergency on the left side of the T-chart and NOT an Emergency on the right side of the T-chart.

Give the following short situations and have students tell on which side of the chart the situations should be placed.

Interchange the red and green words when asking where to place each situation.

EMERGENCIES

• Fire

• Smoke in the house

• Intruder in the house

• Robbery

• Bad injury

• Broken bone

• Can’t talk

• Can’t breathe

• Fainted and lost consciousness

NOT EMERGENCIES

• Lost pet

• Rainstorm

• Cough

• Fight with friend

• Running late

• Bitten by a bug

• Mad at your sister

How To Handle An Emergency

Emergency # 1

Emergency # 2

Now students will break up into small groups and discuss in detail the scenarios worksheets.

Once there have been discussions in small groups about how to handle these situations, students should come together to share their observations. Three out of the four situations required a call to 911.

Lastly, distribute an emergency card for students to begin filling out and which should be finished up at home with the help of their parents.

Know the numbers

You are eating lunch in the school lunchroom. You notice that at the table next to you, a child is coughing hard. It seems they are choking on something. You don’t know if they can breathe.

• What should you do?

• Who should you call?

• What should you say?

Emergency # 3

Your neighbor’s house at 10 Crest Road is on fire. You see smoke coming from the front window. You notice your neighbor running out of the front door coughing.

• What should you do?

• Who should you call?

• What should you say?

Emergency # 4

Parent: Cell: Work: Parent: Cell: Work:

Home: My cell:

Sibling: Cell: Sibling: Cell:

Adult: Home: Cell: Neighbor: Home: Cell: Neighbor: Home: Cell:

Out of state friend / relative: Home: Cell:

You see a car accident happen at the corner of White Street and Garden Place. You notice that a person is lying on the ground by the car and his scooter is next to him. He is not wearing a helmet and seems to be confused.

• What should you do?

• Who should you call?

• What should you say?

Your brother is riding his bicycle and cuts his knee. He is able to get up and walk his bike home.

• What should you do?

• Who should you call?

• What should you say?

reassuringcalming; soothing; comforting unpredictableuncertain; unsure; doubtful

How to Handle An Emergency

Emergencies

happen when we least expect them. Knowing what to do can help you act fast when needed.

If there is a medical emergency, immediate medical attention must be provided. You can help someone get help when there is a medical emergency. If you are in this situation, the first and most important step is to call for help while staying calm. Follow these steps when making an emergency 911 call.

• Stay calm by taking a deep breath. (Count to ten if that helps.)

• Make sure you are somewhere safe before calling 911.

• Use the phone to call 911.

• Tell the person answering the phone that there is an emergency. Tell the phone operator what type of first responder is needed. You may need the police, first-aid squad, ambulance, or fire department.

• Give your name and the exact address of where

the emergency is. It is important to be as clear as possible.

• Explain what the emergency is. Giving as many details as possible will help the first-responders.

• Listen carefully to the person answering the phone for their directions.

• DO NOT HANG UP THE PHONE. Wait until you are told to do so.

Your immediate reaction may be to help the injured person. You must stop and look at the situation first. It may not be safe for you or the injured person if you get involved. Wait in a safe place until help arrives.

Did you know ?

In a firstaid class, students may learn how to handle bleeding, burns, poisoning, shock, and breathing emergencies.

Did you know ?

An EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) is also a medical professional who rides in an ambulance. They can control bleeding, conduct CPR, or give oxygen, among other things. Their level of training is less than that of a paramedic.

If you believe the situation is safe, you can stay with the injured person. Try to stay calm and listen to the injured person. Talk to them and tell them you have called for help. Be reassuring by telling them you will stay by their side until help arrives. Try to remove the injured person’s fears by telling them help is coming. Do not attempt to move the person. That may cause them more harm. You never know if they have a neck injury or a broken bone. The best advice is to wait for help from the first responders.

Being Prepared for an Emergency

Being prepared will help you stay calm and in control. Below are some ways to prepare yourself in case of an emergency.

• Know your home address. Make sure your house number can be seen clearly on the outside of your house.

• Know how to call 911 for help, but never call just for fun.

• Learn first aid through local organizations like your local

hospital. Your school nurse or your pediatrician can teach you about first aid.

• Always seek help from adults if they are present.

You should never call 911 for information or to pay for a car ticket. Calling for the wrong reason or for non-emergencies could delay sending emergency services where they’re really needed. In many places, dialing 911 as a prank is a crime.

If you are ever unsure, it is best to call 911 and tell them you are unsure if this is an emergency. If it is an emergency, they will send the help needed. If it is not, they will guide you what to do.

Accidents can happen, and it is important to be prepared. Situations can be unpredictable or uncertain. If you stay calm and call 911, you will be able to get the injured person the help they need. You can make a difference.

Did you know ?

A highly trained medical professional who rides in an ambulance is called a paramedic. They can perform complex procedures while in the ambulance. They can also administer medication.

1. If you see a medical emergency, the first step in getting help is:

a. Moving the injured person

b. Staying calm and calling 911

c. Waiting for someone else to help

d. Leaving the situation and doing nothing

2. What important pieces of information should you give the 911 phone operator?

a. Your address

b. Your name

c. Description of the emergency

d. All of the above

3. After calling 911, when should you hang up the phone?

a. After you give your name

b. After you describe the emergency

c. When the 911 phone operator tells you to do so

d. None of the above

4. If it is safe to stay with the injured person, how should you behave?

a. Talk too much

b. Listen to them and try to keep them calm

c. Walk away

d. Move the person

5. Where can you learn first-aid?

a. Pediatrician

b. School nurse

c. Local hospital

d. All of the above

Write about a time in your life where you witnessed an emergency or were part of an emergency. Who did you call and how did you handle the situation? Would you have done anything differently if you knew what you know now? Can you relate what you have learned in this lesson to your personal experiences?

I remember the time I heard a loud bang in the kitchen one evening. My parents were washing the dishes after dinner. I ran into the room to see that my father had slipped on a wet dish towel that had fallen on the floor. My dad hit his head on the counter as he fell to the ground. He seemed very confused and unable to move. My mom tried to assess the situation quickly, yet calmly. She called for my brother to bring her the phone and she dialed 9-1-1. She explained to the 9-1-1 operator what had happened, what our address was, and how we needed an ambulance. Now that I have read this lesson, I know my mom did exactly what she should have done. She stayed calm and called 9-1-1. She did not move my dad. My dad was transported to the hospital and had to stay a few days to get better. But, my mom’s quick response certainly saved my dad.

The first ambulance ever used in the United States was in in 1869. It was a horse-drawn ambulance filled with blankets, bandages, sponges, and splints.

New York City

Trivia Corner

What Is an Ear Infection?

INTRODUCE

Introduce the topic of ear infections by asking the following question: What problems can people have with their ears? The teacher should point to their ears while asking this question. See what prior knowledge the students can provide.

Tell students that ears are sense organs. What does that mean? Our ears detect sound. When we have problems with our ears, our ability to hear can change, especially when we have an ear infection.

Today we are going to learn about two specific types of ear infections (swimmer’s ear and middle ear infections), what the signs of ear infections are, how to treat them, and even how to prevent them from happening.

Can anyone give us a definition of an ear infection? An ear infection is when germs get caught inside the ear.

What might you feel if you have an ear

infection? You may feel pain, have a fever, or even have difficulty hearing.

You will need two volunteers. Ask for volunteer #1 to come up to the front of the class. Have volunteer #1 hold their hand tightly to one ear so they can’t hear from that ear. Now, ask for volunteer #2 to stand up from their desk and say a word aloud. Example words could be: eardrum, outer ear, middle ear, ear canal, etc. See if volunteer #1 can identify what is being said. What do they notice when trying to hear the word? Volunteer #1 may say that it was difficult to hear, sounds seemed muffled, words were not clear.

Explain to students that this is sometimes a symptom of an ear infection. Hearing becomes more difficult. We will learn today that when pressure develops in the ear, sounds are more challenging to distinguish.

Create a class chart called “FACTS ABOUT EAR INFECTIONS.” As students come across important facts about ear infections while reading, write each as a bullet point. These facts will be used

later to complete independent poster activity.

So, let’s begin to read the lesson about ear infections. Listen carefully for symptoms of ear infections, so we can add facts to our chart.

ACTIVITY

Create a WARNING POSTER FOR EAR INFECTIONS.

Tell the students that they are to create a warning poster about ear infections that could be displayed in a doctor’s office. The purpose of this warning poster is to explain to parents how to detect if their child has an ear infection and what symptoms they should look for.

Students should look back in the lesson for key points that should be written on the poster.

The poster should be an 8 x 11 piece of paper. The following items should be displayed on the paper in an organized and informative fashion:

CHECKLIST:

TITLE: on poster

GRAPHICS: Have at least three images on the poster (picture of ear, thermometer, baby, etc.)

TEXT:

• Symptoms of ear infections - name three (fever, pain, decreased ability to hear)

• Go to doctor right away if: (Fever over 102 degrees Fahrenheit, dizziness, red, swollen external ear, etc.)

WHITE SPACE and COLOR: The poster should have a layout that is clear, neat, bright, and easy to read.

Remind students that the purpose of the poster is to identify symptoms of ear infections and when you should seek a doctor’s assistance.

Words to know ?

infection - germs that get inside the body

Eustachian tubesconnect the middle ear to the back of the throat. They keep the pressure from building up by letting air move in and out of the middle ear

otoscope - medical tool with a special flashlight that helps to see the eardrum

eardrum - a thin membrane between the outer and middle ear

antibiotic - medicine that helps get rid of bacteria or germs

What Is an Ear Infection?

Does anyone remember ever having an ear infection? You more than likely have had an infection of the middle ear even if you don’t remember it. Most children have at least one infection of the middle ear before the age of two. The symptoms of a middle ear infection are pain and pressure in the ear and a fever.

Types of Ear Infections

Ear infections are a common childhood medical concern. Infections are when germs get inside the body, in this instance, the ear. These germs can spread throughout the ear and cause fever and pain.

The ear is made up of three parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. When germs cause problems in the outer ear canal, it is called swimmer’s ear. People can get swimmer’s ear if water remains in the ear after swimming. The water creates a moist environment for bacteria to grow. Ear drops are usually the form of treatment for swimmer’s ear.

With middle ear infections, germs get behind the eardrum. This area can be filled with fluid-like pus that contains germs. The pus builds up and starts to cause pressure in the ear. This pressure can hurt, especially in young babies when they lie down. The chances of an eardrum bursting can increase with a middle ear infection.

How Did I Get the Ear Infection?

The Eustachian (you-stay-shee-un) tubes connect the middle ear to the back of your throat. You have Eustachian tubes on each side of your head. The tubes keep the pressure from building up by letting air move in and out of the middle ear. They also help drain fluid. In children under the age of three, the tubes are smaller and have a harder time keeping air and fluid out of the middle ear.

Did you know ?

Five out of six children will have at least one ear infection by their third birthday.

The older the children become, the longer the Eustachian tubes get. The tubes tend to work better at keeping out germs. Children still get ear infections, just not as frequently. When children have allergies or even get colds, the Eustachian tubes often become blocked, and germs get inside the middle ear. The germs will grow inside the ear and cause an ear infection. Sometimes the tubes clear up on their own, but not always.

Ear infections are not contagious. You cannot catch an ear infection like you can catch a cold. But, if you do catch a cold, it could lead to an ear infection. Symptoms of ear infections are fever, ear pain, and even trouble hearing clearly. If you have any of these symptoms, let your parents know. Children may need to go to the doctor if their fever is over 102 degrees Fahrenheit, they have a stiff neck, feel dizzy, have severe pain, have external redness or swelling of the ear, or are a baby under six months. They may be given medicine to stop the infection.

How Can the Doctor Help?

If you go to the doctor to get relief for your ear infection, the doctor will use a medical tool with a special flashlight called an otoscope (OH-te-skope). The doctor will be able to see your eardrum. The eardrum is a thin membrane between the outer and middle ear. Doctors sometimes use a special kind of otoscope to blow a puff of air into your ear to see if your eardrum moves in

Did you know ?

If you hear your ears “pop” when you yawn, you are actually hearing the Eustachian tubes open.

a healthy manner. If it is infected, the eardrum may not move correctly. The doctor will also look for signs of an infection, like a red, bulging membrane or even a clear, yellow, or greenish drainage.

If you do have an ear infection, the doctor will suggest your parents give you some pain medication. The doctor may also prescribe an antibiotic (an-ty-by-AH-tik) to help get rid of the bacteria or germs. This type of medicine makes it hard for bacteria to grow and multiply. In a few days, you will most likely feel better and have less pain.

How Can I Prevent Ear Infections?

It would help if you stayed away from people who have colds. Wash your hands, especially after coming in from outdoors. Do not touch your face.

Swimmer’s Ear Eardrum infection in ear canal

Outer

Directions

1. What are symptoms of an ear infection?

a. Fever

b. Pain in the ear

c. Loss of hearing

d. All of the above

2. Swimmer’s ear can be treated with .

a. Ear drops

b. Water

c. Nothing

d. Ear wax

3. Eustachian tubes connect the middle ear to the back of your .

a. Outer ear

b. Throat

c. Ear lobe

d. None of the above

4. What tool helps doctors see your eardrum?

a. Stethoscope

b. Otoscope

c. Tongue depressor

Answer Key

d. Microscope

5. How can you prevent ear infections?

a. Wash your hands

b. Stay away from people who have colds

c. Do not touch your face

d. All of the above

Which do you think are more dangerous: outer ear infections like swimmer’s ear or middle ear infections? Give one reason why with an explanation.

Outer ear infections and middle ear infections can both be painful. Middle ear infections are probably more dangerous if left untreated. What happens in the middle ear is that bacteria grow behind the eardrum. This causes pus to form and causes a lot of pressure in the ear. It could even cause the eardrum to burst, and you could lose some hearing. Swimmer’s ear is when germs grow in the ear canal. The middle ear infection is certainly the more dangerous of the two types of infections.

The otoscope was invented in the . French inventor Jean-Pierre Bonnafont found that by directing a light source into the ear using a mirror, he could see into the ear canal better.

1830s

Trivia Corner

Lungs and Respiratory System

INTRODUCE

Begin the lesson by posing this riddle: I am part of the air. I enter your lungs when you breathe in. Your body needs me to survive. What am I?

If you guessed oxygen, you are correct. The body needs oxygen in order to survive. Today we are going to learn about the main parts of the body that allow us to breathe: the lungs and the respiratory system. We will learn about all of the parts of the lungs and the gas exchange that happens during respiration, the act of breathing.

Ask the students where they think the oxygen is going when we breathe it in. If the students answer the lungs, they are correct. But, the oxygen does not immediately go into the lungs. It travels through a couple of different pathways first.

Draw a silhouette of a person. Have a volunteer come up and draw the facial features from where oxygen enters the body (nose/mouth).

Once oxygen enters the body, where does it travel next? Draw the windpipe (trachea) and clarify that this is not the throat where food goes when we swallow. This is a different tube. Oxygen

eventually reaches the lungs. Draw a set of lungs. The right lung should be slightly larger than the left lung. The reason for this is that the left lung needs to be a bit smaller to leave room for the heart. Draw a heart shape next to the left lung.

As we read the lesson, we will learn about the anatomy of the lungs. When we come across new information about the lungs, we will add it to our silhouette of the person. Make sure to label the parts and discuss the functions when filling in the silhouette.

ACTIVITY

Track your Breathing Activity Rate with Exercise

Students will record how the number of breaths they take per minute changes depending on the type of activity they complete. Students will then transfer the data into a bar graph and a written conclusion.

Materials

The normal respiration rate of a person at rest is 12-20 breaths per minute. Ask students if completing exercises changes our breathing or respiration rate. What do you think happens in terms of breathing? Do you breathe slower? Do you breathe faster? Do you

Timer / watch with second hand, Jump rope

breathe more through your mouth and less through your nose? Where does the oxygen go? Do your lungs work harder? Does your heart work harder? Let’s find out the answers to these questions by completing some exercises.

Students can be paired up. One student completes the activity and the other student counts the number of breaths per 60 seconds or one minute and records the data.

Model for the students with this first activity. Ask for a volunteer to come up to the front of the class and sit in the teacher’s chair. Have the student do nothing but sit quietly for one minute. Tell the class that you are going to use a stopwatch, and for 60 seconds you are going to watch/count how many breaths were taken by the student.

Who can guess how many breaths the volunteer will take while sitting in my chair? Record the estimates on the whiteboard so you can go back and compare once the 60 seconds are up.

Have the classroom organized into different stations, making sure there is enough room for movement during the activity. Student pairs will rotate from station to station once they complete the activity. Students can alternate who completes the action and who records the data.

Stations: (All activities should last 30 seconds.)

• Sitting in a chair

• Running in place

• Jumping jacks

• Laying down

• Sit ups

• Hopping on one foot

• Reading a book

• Skipping

• Jumping rope

• Walking in a straight line back and forth across the room or hallway

The teacher will use a stopwatch with the entire class so everyone starts and stops at the same time. Have all students give a “thumbs up” when they are ready to start the activity. Have students record the activity and the number of breaths in their journals or on their individual whiteboards. Once the data is collected, have student pairs create a bar graph showing the data. Title the graph: Does Activity Change Your Breathing Rate?

Label your x-axis “Activities.” Label your y-axis “Number of Breaths.” Along your x-axis, list each activity directly under the bar graph it represents. On the y-axis, the scale should go by 1s or 2s.

Once the bar graphs are completed, have students write a conclusion about what they noticed when completing the activity as related to their breathing rate.

Lungs and Respiratory System

Everyone knows that in order to survive you must be able to breathe in air. But do you know what organ in the body is needed for breathing? It is the lungs, which are a part of the respiratory system. If you take a deep breath in, you will feel your lungs expand. The air we breathe in is called oxygen. Oxygen is necessary to help provide our body with energy. We breathe out carbon dioxide, which is the body’s waste product.

Breathe In!

Oxygen travels to the lungs by way of the mouth and nose. Once oxygen enters the body, it travels down the trachea (TRAY-kee-uh) or windpipe. The trachea is a tubelike structure within the neck and upper chest. It transports air to and from the lungs.

At the bottom of the trachea are two large tubes called the main stem bronchi (BRONG-kye). Bronchi are tubes that connect to each of the lungs. One tube goes to the right lung, and one tube goes to the left lung. These tubes break down into smaller and smaller tubes called bronchioles (BRONG-kee-oles). They look like branches on a tree. There are about 30,000 bronchioles in each lung. Each bronchiole is as thin as a strand of hair. The bronchioles’ function is to carry air to small sacs in the lungs called alveoli (al-VEE-oh-lie). These tiny balloon-like structures move oxygen and carbon dioxide into and out of the bloodstream. The walls of the alveoli are very thin, which allows oxygen and carbon dioxide to pass easily into the capillaries (KAP-ill-er-ees), which are small blood vessels. The capillaries, which transport the blood, are where oxygen and nutrients are exchanged for carbon dioxide and waste.

When you breathe in, your diaphragm (DY-uh-fram), a dome-shaped thin muscle that sits at the base of the chest, contracts and flattens out. The diaphragm moves down, which allows your lungs to have more space to fill up with oxygen. When you exhale, your diaphragm

The right lung is larger than the left lung in humans. The left lung is smaller to leave room for the heart.

Did you know ?

Women and children have faster breathing rates than men.

A person usually breathes an average of 13 pints of air every minute.

relaxes, which causes carbon dioxide to be pushed out of the lungs. When you breathe in, as air moves down the windpipe or trachea, it travels near cilia (SILL-ee-uh). Cilia are tiny hair-like projections that push mucus out of your trachea. You either expel the mucus or swallow it. Cilia help keep debris out of your airways.

Breathe Out!

When we exhale and breathe out carbon dioxide, everything happens in a reverse order. The diaphragm will relax and push carbon dioxide out of the lungs. The blood now carries the waste products and carbon dioxide through the capillaries into the alveoli. From the alveoli, the air now travels back through the bronchioles, bronchi, trachea, and mouth or nose. I am sure you have noticed that when you exhale, your breath is warm and moist. Why is this the case? When the air travels back through the body, it picks up heat along the way. Nothing gets stuck when your lungs fill and empty, because the lungs are surrounded by pleural membranes. These membranes provide the lungs with the lubrication, or slipperiness, and cushioning needed to inhale and exhale. Pleural membranes reduce any friction which may develop between the lungs, rib cage, and chest cavity.

Lungs and Voice!

Did you know that your lungs are important for talking as well? The larynx (LAIR-inks), or voice box, is a part of the respiratory system and is located right above

Mechanism of Breathing

Words to know ?

diaphragm - a dome-shaped muscle that works with your lungs to allow you to inhale and exhale

trachea - windpipe

bronchi - major air passages that come from the trachea and connect to the lungs

the trachea or windpipe. The larynx is involved in swallowing, breathing, and voice production. It has two tiny ridges called vocal cords, which open and close to make sounds. Sound is produced when the air passing through the vocal cords causes them to vibrate, or move quickly and repeatedly, and create sound waves in the pharynx, nose, and mouth. The air that comes from your lungs when you exhale determines how loud a sound will be and how long a sound will last.

Staying Healthy!

Exercise is the best way to keep your lungs and heart healthy. Stay away from smoking, which can damage your lungs.

bronchioles - minute branches into which a bronchus divides alveoli - tiny air sacs at the end of the bronchioles

capillaries - very small blood vessels

cilia - tiny hairs that keep mucous and dirt out of the lungs

pleural membranes - special slick layers that provide lubrication and cushioning to the lungs

larynx - voice box vibrate - move quickly and repeatedly

lubricationslipperiness; greasiness

Directions

Read each question and choose the best answer.

1. What is another name for the windpipe?

a. Alveoli

b. Trachea

c. Bronchus

d. Lungs

2. Which of the following contracts and flattens out as you breath?

a. Heart

b. Diaphragm

c. Windpipe

d. Cilia

3. What do the capillaries carry?

a. Blood

b. Water

c. Nitrogen

d. Dirt

4. What gas is expelled when you exhale?

a. Oxygen

b. Helium

c. Chlorine

d. Carbon dioxide

Answer Key

5. The lubricate and cushion the lungs when you inhale and exhale.

a. Trachea

b. Bronchi

c. Pleural membranes

d. Windpipe

Can you think about a time that you held your breath? What was happening around you? What did you feel inside? Write about the situation and the emotions that you felt.

I can remember a time that I didn’t realize I was holding my breath. I was in line to get on a ride at the local amusement park. This was one of the biggest rides in the whole county. I buckled myself in, pulled down the handlebars, and was getting ready to take off on this wild ride. I started to feel a little lightheaded and dizzy, but the ride hadn’t even started. I realized that I was holding my breath. I was terrified about what was ahead of me. Was I going to like the ride? Was I going to be sick? Would I look like a scared little kid? I felt a whirlwind of emotions at that moment.

Corner 80 years old

A person who lives until will take 672,768,000 breaths in a lifetime.

Trivia

Casts

INTRODUCE

Introduce the topic about casts. Explain to your students that when someone breaks the arm or hand they write with and have to get a cast, they have to find a different way to write. It could be that their grip changes or that they would have to write with their other hand.

Ask your students what would have to change if they broke their leg. How would they get around? They might mention that someone would have to use crutches or a wheelchair.

PROS OF WEARING A CAST

* Your bones will heal properly

* People want to help you with things

* Your friends can sign your cast

CONS

* It’s hard to sleep comfortably

* You can’t go swimming

* You have to change the way you do things

Explain to students that even though it may seem unfortunate to wear a cast, there are also many benefits. On a piece of chart paper, create a T-chart like the one below to make a pros and cons list to wearing a cast. Some sample responses have been included for your reference.

As you read through the lesson about casts, continue to add to the pros and cons list. Ultimately your students should realize that the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to getting a cast to heal your bones!

INTRODUCE

Before you introduce the lesson about casts, have your students take out a piece of paper and a pencil. Tell them to write their name with the opposite hand that they write with. If they are right-handed, tell them to write with their left hand, and if they are left-handed, tell them to write with their right hand.

Now have your students write their name with their regular writing hand and compare it to what they wrote with their opposite hand. With a partner or in a small group, have them discuss the following questions.

• Were you able to read your writing clearly?

• What was difficult about writing with the opposite hand?

• Was it faster or slower to write with your opposite hand? Why?

• Could you write like that all day? How about for six weeks?

Casts

Alittle boy is riding his bike down the street. Suddenly a pothole causes him to crash and fall to the ground! When he tries to get up, he realizes that his arm is broken. It hurts very badly, but the good news is a cast can help his bone heal properly and quickly.

A cast is a hard bandage that helps your bones heal properly by keeping them from moving around. Some people get casts when they break a bone or after some surgeries.

Putting on a Cast

When a doctor puts on a cast, he’ll first wrap some soft material around the injured limb to protect the skin from irritation. Depending on the injury, the doctor will decide whether to put on a cast made of fiberglass or of plaster of paris.

Fiberglass casts are most common since all you have to do is wet the plastic material in warm water to make it flexible, then wrap it carefully around the soft material. For plaster of paris, a white powder is mixed with water into a paste, then it is applied to the soft wrapping for a cast. Either way, the cast has to harden before the patient can leave the doctor’s office.

Did you know ?

Children between the ages of 2 and 14 were found to have more than 41 percent fractures happen at home. This was followed by 26 percent at playgrounds, 18 percent at sports facilities, and 13 percent at schools.

Did you know ?

Taking Care of a Cast

When wearing a cast, it’s important to take care of it so the bone can heal correctly and no infections happen. Here is a list of different ways to prevent any problems while wearing a cast:

• Don’t pick at the cast or pull out any of the lining.

• Use something like tape or moleskin to protect skin from any sharp edges the cast may have.

• Never put anything inside a cast, even if it’s itchy. Scratching can lead to infection.

• Most casts are not waterproof, so make sure to cover it properly before taking a bath. Keeping the cast dry is easier when taking a bath than a shower.

• If a cast gets wet, or if it’s a waterproof cast, a blow dryer set to cool can be used to get the water out gently.

There are times when a parent may need to call the doctor, especially if the cast begins to feel too tight, the wearer feels pain or discomfort, fingers or toes begin to feel numb, become swollen, or change color, or if there’s a bad smell or strange liquid coming from under the cast. If the cast is not waterproof and gets very wet, the doctor should be called for that as well. He will most likely need to replace the cast.

Up to 20 percent of bone fractures will not heal properly.

Keeping the cast dry is easier when taking a bath than a shower

Taking Off a Cast

The cast has been on for weeks, there are signatures all over it from caring friends and family, and it’s finally time to have it removed! At the doctor’s office, they will most likely use a small electrical saw to take off the cast. The skin that was under the cast may look pale and flaky, and the limb may feel lighter after the cast is gone. Even though the muscles under the cast are weaker, everything will return to normal within a few weeks.

Did you know ?

As you get older, fractures happen more easily. People 85 and older are four times more likely to break a bone than those between the ages of 65 and 75.

Directions

Read each question and choose the best answer.

1. Why do people sometimes need casts?

a. To treat a bad scratch

b. When a bone is broken

c. Because they fell

d. If their arm hurts

2. What happens first when wrapping a cast around your arm?

a. You wait for the cast to get hard.

b. The doctor removes your cast.

c. A soft liner is wrapped around your arm.

d. Fiberglass or plaster of paris is applied to your arm.

3. It’s important to keep the cast .

a. Wet

b. Fancy

c. Dry

d. Warm

4. What should someone do if their fingers or toes become swollen when wearing a cast?

a. Call their doctor

b. Tap them on a hard surface

c. Scratch them

d. Nothing

5. When a cast comes off, the muscles under the cast .

a. May feel stronger

b. May be bigger

c. May change color

d. May seem weaker

Many kids have had a cast on their arm or leg–and maybe you’re one of them! An important part of having a cast is taking care of it so you don’t get an infection and your bones heal correctly.

Imagine that you injured yourself and had to get a cast on your arm or leg. Write a paragraph about what you would need to do to take care of your cast. Include information on how you can keep it dry and prevent infection.

If I had a cast on my leg, I would make sure that I didn’t put anything inside of it, even if it was itchy. I wouldn’t try to mess it up by picking at it. I would keep it dry at all times. My mom could help me wrap my cast in plastic so that it stays dry during a bath. I would let my mom and dad know if my cast started to feel tight or smell funny so they could call the doctor.

Trivia Corner

There are about visits made to hospital emergency departments for broken bones each year.

3.5 milion

Braces

INTRODUCE

Begin your lesson by asking the students to raise their hand if they have braces or they know someone who has had braces. Most likely, almost all of the students will have their hand raised.

Draw a large smiling mouth with upper and lower teeth. Make sure the teeth are large enough to write small phrases inside. Ask the students what they know about braces and write their ideas inside the “teeth.”

orthodontist, foods are limited when having braces.

While reading, if the students want to add additional facts from the text into the “teeth,” please have them raise their hand to contribute. Tell them by the end of the section you want to have all of the teeth filled in with facts about braces.

ACTIVITY Braces Menu

After reading the text, design a menu for a child who just got braces.

Say: “Now that you know a little more about braces, or maybe you have braces yourself, create an ideal menu for someone who may have braces.”

Here is an example of a simple drawing you could make on your whiteboard. Student responses could be that braces straighten teeth, braces are metal, braces have wires, braces are put on by the

Next, talk about the food challenges with braces. Make a whiteboard T-chart. Title it “GOT BRACES?” One side of the T-chart should be labeled “Friendly Foods,” and the other side of the T-chart should be labeled

“Unfriendly Foods.” Good food options could be:

• Scrambled eggs

• Soups

• Pasta

• Soft vegetables

• Mashed potatoes

• Soft cheese

Unfriendly food options could be:

• Chewy foods — bagels, licorice

• Crunchy foods — popcorn, chips, ice

• Sticky foods — caramel candies, taffies

• Hard foods — nuts, hard candies

• Foods that require biting into — corn on the cob, apples, carrots.

Hold a sheet of paper “landscape” style. Fold the paper in half. Have the cover be the name of your restaurant. If they want to market it to people who have braces, they can advertise it in the name of the restaurant and have pictures related to braces. An example of a restaurant name that incorporates

braces into the title could be “The Brace Yourself for Good Food Cafe.”

Inside the “menu,” have three separate sections. One can be for breakfast, one for lunch, and one for dinner. For example, on the inside left side of the menu, start with the heading “Breakfast” in colorful or bolded lettering. Underneath the heading, have a list of three or four friendly for braces foods with a short description. The foods can come from the class T-chart or foods they decide on themselves. Make another heading for lunch with three or four menu ideas, and lastly, have a heading for dinner with three or four menu ideas with short descriptions. Students can draw a few pictures inside their menus to help illustrate the types of food they serve. Both inside pages of the menu should be completed.

If they have additional space left inside their menu, have a section for drinks/smoothies and desserts, too.

Braces

Did you know ?

Look

all around you. How many people do you see with perfectly straight teeth? Probably not very many, and that’s why braces are a pretty common sight. Braces are used to straighten crooked teeth or teeth that are not aligned properly. Aligned means just what it sounds like–lined up or arranged. You or someone you know might have braces now or had braces in the past. Braces have been used for many years. Archaeologists are people who study the remains of ancient civilizations. Archaeologists have found evidence that toothstraightening equipment was used even in the olden times. They found ancient bodies with gold wires tied

Braces types

around their teeth to make them move closer together and close any spaces, or gaps, between them.

Over the years, braces changed in how they look and are used. They started to be called braces in the early 1900s, but they were different from today’s braces. Dentists would wrap bands around each tooth and connect them with a wire. The wire was adjusted, or moved slowly, to put pressure on the teeth and move them slowly into place. Sometimes the bands were made of ivory, wood, copper, or zinc, but gold was the material that all dentists preferred. Preferred means liked better. It wasn’t used too often because most patients couldn’t afford it. Instead, many dentists used silver since it was cheaper than gold and was easier to work with than the other materials.

In the 1970s, a dental adhesive, or glue, was invented. Now dentists could attach brackets to the teeth without having to wrap a wire around each tooth to keep the brackets in place. Brackets are small squares attached to the teeth to keep the wires in place. At around the

aligned – arranged; positioned

archaeologists –

people who study the remains of ancient civilizations

gaps – spaces adjusted – moved slowly

preferred – liked the most adhesive – glue; sticky material brackets – small squares attached to the teeth to hold the wires

strain – stress; overwork

joint – place where two bones fit together

clenching – closing tightly

orthodontists –dentists who treat tooth and jaw problems

Words to know ?

Removable Braces

Invisalign Braces Metal Braces

Did you know ?

The thin, flexible wires orthodontists use for braces was developed by NASA in 1959.

same time, dentists started using stainless steel instead of gold or silver. The patients liked it because it was much cheaper, and the dentists liked it because they could shape it easily. Another improvement at that time was putting brackets on the inside of the teeth instead of the outside. They worked just as well, but no one could see them.

Invisalign

Invisalign braces were invented by two college students in 1997. Invisalign uses clear plastic tray straighteners that put pressure on certain parts of the teeth. This causes the teeth to slowly move into a better position. People like Invisalign braces because they fit over the teeth and aren’t as noticeable as the brackets and wires. They also like that they can take them off when they eat or drink or want to brush and floss their teeth. Invisalign became so popular that the company makes over $560 million every year!

Reasons for Getting Braces

Many people get braces because they are not happy with how they look. They would like their teeth to be straighter,

Invisalign uses clear plastic tray straighteners that put pressure on certain parts of the teeth

giving them a nicer smile. But sometimes, getting braces is necessary for medical reasons. When the teeth do not meet as they should, it can cause strain, meaning stress, on the jaw muscles. This can cause jaw and joint problems and also sometimes headaches. Joints are places where two bones fit together. Teeth that are not aligned properly can also lead to other issues, such as clenching, which means closing tightly, or grinding the teeth while sleeping. This can cause the teeth to become worn down. Also, it can be hard to clean teeth well when they are crowded or overlapping. This makes it more likely for people to get cavities or gum disease.

Who Gets Braces?

Children are not the only ones who get braces. Sometimes adults do as well. They may have needed them when they were younger, but perhaps their parents couldn’t afford to pay for them. Maybe they were afraid to have them when they were younger, but once they become adults, they decide to go ahead with it. Orthodontists, dentists who treat tooth and jaw problems, report that they now sometimes have patients in their 60s, 70s, and even 80s with braces!

Did you know ?

Almost four million people in the United States alone wear braces. About 25 percent of them are adults.

Directions

Read each question and choose the best answer.

1. How do we know that braces have been around for a long time?

a. Our grandparents told us.

b. Archaeologists dug up an old dental school.

c. Archaeologists found ancient bodies with wires around their teeth.

d. Everyone in ancient times had straight teeth, so they must have had braces.

2. Why did dentists start making braces out of silver?

a. It was cheaper and easier to work with.

b. People liked how they looked with a silvery smile.

c. Food didn’t get stuck in them as much.

d. Silver lasted longer than any other material.

3. What makes Invisalign so popular?

a. The trays can be removed while eating.

b. The trays can be removed for brushing.

c. They aren’t as noticeable as wires and brackets.

d. All of the above

4. Which of the following is NOT a possible result of having misaligned teeth?

a. Cavities

b. Nosebleeds

Answer Key 1.

c. Headaches

d. Gum disease

5. Why do many adults get braces?

a. They want to feel young again.

b. They are jealous of their children.

c. They can afford them more easily.

d. Their grandchildren tell them to.

Imagine you had a friend who really needed braces but was afraid to get them. What would you say to your friend to convince them to get braces?

I would tell my friend that they would look so much better after they had braces. They would have a much nicer smile and would feel better about themselves. I would also tell them that if they don’t get braces now, they might regret it in the future. They might start having trouble with their teeth and gums, and no one wants that! So they would be much smarter to be brave and get braces now, then later, they’ll be glad they did!

Corner

Every tooth has its own nerve, which is contained in the .

dental pulp

Trivia

Going to the Dentist

INTRODUCE

Introduce the topic about going to the dentist by asking the students if they have ever visited the dentist. Explain to the students that we are going to learn about what happens when we visit the dentist. Ask students what a dentist is. A dentist is a doctor who examines and takes care of teeth, gums, and other tissues in the mouth.

Begin by creating a class KWL chart to assess what knowledge students have about visiting the dentist. Make three columns on the whiteboard (K-what you KNOW, W-what you WANT TO KNOW, and L- what you LEARNED).

Ask students what they know about the dentist and try to obtain at least five pieces of information for the “K” column. Next, brainstorm questions that the students may want to know about a visit to the dentist. Try to obtain at least five questions.

As we read through the lesson, keep in mind what can be added to the “L” part of the chart. Ultimately, students will realize that to practice good dental hygiene, you must visit the dentist regularly.

ACTIVITY

Egg Enamel Experiment - 2 DAYS - Required

The shell of a hard-boiled egg is similar to the

enamel or outer coating of a tooth. If the tooth is not brushed regularly, the enamel will wear away, especially if you eat sugary or acidic types of foods or drinks. The wearing away of the enamel makes it easier for bacteria in your mouth to enter the tooth and start to form a cavity. Dietary choices have an impact on our dental health.

Ask students what foods or drinks might stain our teeth or ruin the enamel on our teeth. What type of drinks would not harm our teeth? Do you think brushing immediately after consuming these foods or drinks would be helpful to the teeth?

Here we will see how putting hard-boiled eggs into certain liquids will change the surface of the egg shell over time. Remember that the shell of the egg is similar to the enamel on our teeth. We can think of this experiment as if we drank a soda and then went to bed without brushing our teeth. What may happen to our teeth’s enamel overnight?

Boil a few extra eggs in case of cracking.

Students will practice using the scientific method while completing this egg experiment. Students will try to figure out what will happen to the egg if it sits in a certain kind of liquid for an extended period of time.

Materials

4 cooled, hard-boiled eggs with shells on for each group of students, 4 clear glass or plastic jars for each group of students, Cold coffee, Soda such as Coke, Water, Vinegar Spoons/Tongs, Rubber gloves

Students will first pose a question. “What will happen to the shell of the egg if it sits in liquid for two days?” Provide each student with a copy of the scientific method document so they can all write down the posed question. Ask students to make a statement or prediction of what they think will happen to the egg shells over the two days they sit in the liquid. This is called the hypothesis. Everyone can record their own hypothesis.

Now have students list materials they will need for the experiment on their document. Have supplies grouped for students prior to the completion of the experiment. Each group should have four members, which will allow each student to have a turn placing an egg in and out of the liquid. Allow students to come together to touch and examine the materials before they record them.

Once the materials have been recorded, have each student place one egg into each of the plastic or glass jars. With teacher guidance, have the students pour liquids over the egg. Doing it this way will eliminate the cracking

of the egg or splashing of the liquid while dropping in the egg. Use one liquid per plastic or glass jar. Don’t mix the liquids.

Have the students record the procedures on their documents.

*LEAVE EGGS OVERNIGHT FOR A DAY OR TWO BEFORE COMPLETING THE EXPERIMENT*

After two days, have students reconvene with their groups to examine what has happened to the eggs. Using a spoon or rubber gloves may be helpful in removing the eggs. Discuss the changes they see in each of the eggs. Ask what they think happened. How could you get eggs back to their original shade of white once they have been stained? Record individual results for each egg in the “results” section of the scientific method document.

As a whole class, discuss and then record the students’ thoughts in the “conclusion” part of the scientific method document.

What they may conclude is that soda and vinegar can erode the shell, similar to eroding tooth enamel. By taking preventative measures like brushing teeth after eating or drinking sugary or acidic substances, changes in tooth enamel are less likely.

Did you know ?

The term dentist first appeared in 1728 with a French dentist named Pierre Fauchard who wrote about dental disease.

Going to the Dentist

Keepingyour teeth healthy is one of the best things you can do for your overall health. Brushing with fluoride, using dental floss daily, and going to the dentist regularly will help your teeth stay healthy.

A Dentist’s Job

A dentist is a doctor who examines and takes care of teeth, gums, and other tissues in the mouth. Dentists will check for any problems inside your mouth and look at how the teeth are developing. Visiting your dentist every six months is recommended so they can check that you are taking good care of your teeth and gums.

At the Dentist

At the dentist’s office, you often have to sit in the waiting room until you are called. Once in the exam room, you will notice a large chair similar to a recliner where you will sit. Attached to the chair is usually a tiny sink that you will use for rinsing your mouth after having your teeth cleaned.

How Are Teeth Cleaned?

A dental hygienist will usually greet you once you are in the chair. The dental hygienist knows how to keep your teeth and gums healthy. They will clean and polish the teeth or assist the dentist in doing so. A bright overhead light will shine inside your mouth while the dentist and hygienist are working. They will use tools like a tooth scraper, a tiny mirror, and a powered toothbrush. The tooth scraper will help remove plaque from your teeth. Plaque is a thin, sticky layer that coats the teeth and contains bacteria , or germs. Over time, if the plaque is not removed, the teeth will get cavities , which is decay.

Once the plaque has been removed, the dentist or hygienist will use the powered toothbrush that has a rounded bristle tip. Then they will floss your teeth and model for you how you should do it at home. Dental floss is a waxed string that gets in between the teeth and helps to remove food particles that your toothbrush can’t reach.

Words to know ?

dentist - doctor who examines and takes care of teeth, gums, and other tissues in the mouth plaque - a thin, sticky layer that coats the teeth and contains bacteria

bacteria - germs

cavities - decaying parts of the tooth bite - how the bottom and top teeth come together fluoride - a natural mineral that makes teeth strong and helps prevent future cavities

orthodontistspecial dentist that corrects the position of the teeth using braces or other orthodontia

Did you know ?

Checking for Cavities

When your teeth are all cleaned and polished, the dentist will look for signs of cavities. They may use an X-ray machine which helps to see cavities hiding between your teeth and underneath your gums. Taking an X-ray does not hurt. The hygienist will usually place a heavy, thick blanket over your chest before taking the picture. This blanket protects your body from high-energy waves that come from the X-ray machine. The hygienist will place a piece of plastic that holds the X-ray film inside your mouth. Next, you will bite down very carefully onto the plastic, hold completely still for a few seconds, and the dental hygienist will snap the picture using the X-ray machine. The dentist will then study your X-rays, looking for cavities or other problems.

Dentists will also look at your bite. This is how the bottom and top teeth come together. If there is a problem, the dentist will refer you to an orthodontist. An orthodontist’s job is to position the teeth correctly using braces or other orthodontia.

Once the teeth have been cleaned and checked for cavities, the dentist or dental hygienist may apply a fluoride treatment. Fluoride is a natural mineral that makes your teeth strong and helps prevent future cavities. Fluoride is a gel or foam that is applied to the teeth. It can come in fun

Child’s dental x-ray. Notice the adult teeth waiting for the baby teeth to fall out so they can come in

Before toothbrushes were invented, people would use twigs and rags to scrape or wipe their teeth.

How to use dental floss

flavors like bubblegum and grape. It only takes a few minutes to apply, but the dental hygienist will ask you not to eat or drink for half an hour after the treatment.

I Have a Cavity!

If the dentist finds a cavity, you will have to come back to have it fixed. The dentist will usually numb the area around the tooth first. Then the dentist will use a tool to remove the decayed part of the tooth. That area will be filled with a new material so your tooth will stay strong and healthy. The filling can be tooth-colored or silver.

Leaving the dentist is always the fun part. Usually there are some prizes for you, like a toy from the surprise box, a new toothbrush, and a small tube of toothpaste.

Did you know ?

Tooth

enamel is the hardest part of the entire body, even harder than bone. One third of your teeth are underneath your gums.

Tear off the thread and reel over your fingers

Thread between dental spaces

Clean gently, trying not to injure the gum

Don’t forget to brush the gaps between the far teeth

Directions

Read each question and choose the best answer.

1. How often should you visit the dentist?

a. Once a year

b. Once every six months

c. Every two years

d. Every three months

2. What is the thin, sticky layer that coats the teeth and contains bacteria?

a. Gums

b. Plaque

c. Rot

d. Fluoride

3. What is dental floss used for?

a. To tie one tooth to another tooth

b. To clean food from in between the teeth

c. To keep braces in place

d. None of the above

4. What substance makes your teeth strong and protects your teeth from future cavities?

a. Chewing food

b. Water

c. Milk

d. Fluoride

5. If the dentist is going to fill a cavity, what will they do first?

a. Numb the area around the tooth

b. Brush the gums

c. Use dental floss

d. Use the tooth scraper

Pretend you are going to teach a child how to brush their teeth for the first time. Write about what supplies they would need and how to go about brushing their teeth correctly.

You should brush your teeth at least twice a day. To do this, you need to have a few different supplies. You should have some toothpaste and a toothbrush. You may also want a small cup of water, too. First, stand in front of your bathroom mirror so you can watch yourself brush. Next, turn on the faucet and get your toothbrush wet. Then, turn off the water and put a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on your toothbrush. After that, begin brushing your teeth up and down and in a circular motion. Be sure to take the time to get on the sides of your teeth, your back teeth, and even your tongue. The goal is to remove the plaque and food particles that are stuck in your teeth. Finally, once you have brushed for about one to two minutes, use your cup of water to rinse your mouth of the toothpaste. You don’t want to swallow any of the toothpaste. Rinse your toothbrush and put all of your supplies away once you are finished.

Trivia Corner

43

17

It takes muscles to frown and muscles to smile. Show off those pearly whites!

How to Use 911

INTRODUCE

Introduce the topic about using 9-1-1. Explain to the students that different emergency situations may require a child to call 9-1-1 if there is no adult around. Start by drawing a large 9 -1- 1 on the whiteboard or chart paper. Label it “Reasons to Use 9-1-1.” Make sure each number is a “bubble number” so you can write ideas inside of them. Ask students to come up with situations that you would need to call 9-1-1. Examples of responses could be: Fire, medical emergency like a heart attack, car accident, stranger danger, pool drowning, falling off a roof, etc. If students give examples that should not be included, be clear that these are not 9-1-1 emergencies. Do not write them on the chart.

As you read the section, have students identify other reasons to call 9-1-1 that are written in the text. Have students give a “thumbs-up” if they found another good reason to use 9-1-1, and

you can add the situation to the 9-11 chart. If students identify a reason why you should not call 9-1-1 for this situation, have them give a “thumbsdown.” Reinforce to the students that after they finish reading this section, they will know when to call 9-1-1 and what they should be prepared to say to the 9-1-1 dispatcher.

ACTIVITY

Sorting Activity: After reading the text, the students will be able to sort when to use 9-1-1 and when not to use 9-11. Students will be given a worksheet with images inside squares that need to be cut out. There will be a “When to call 911” chart with two columns labeled: Call 911 and DO NOT Call 911. Students will sort events into the two categories. Glue cards into the correct columns. Examples: Car accident, Bad fall on a bike, Falling into a frozen lake, Spilled drink, Argument with your little brother or sister, Bruise on your knee, For fun, Stuffy nose, House fire.

Did you know ?

If you call 9-1-1 on a cell phone, the dispatcher can probably track your location if you are unable to speak.

How to Use 911

Afather

and his children were walking home from an evening at the local park. When the family got to the street they lived on, the father noticed that flames were billowing out of the neighbor’s second story window. What should the father do?

He first got his children and himself away from the fire. He called 9-1-1 on his phone. He clearly stated that help was needed from the fire department. He calmly gave his name and the exact location of the emergency. He listened carefully to the dispatcher’s instructions and was able to answer with great detail. He waited safely across the street from the fire until the fire trucks arrived within five minutes.

The father acted appropriately, or correctly, because he knew what to do in an emergency. An emergency is a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate attention. The father was trained to use 9-1-1. 9-1-1 is an emergency phone service where a caller can ask for serious help from a first responder. Every child and adult should learn how to use 9-1-1, when it is appropriate to call 9-1-1, and what situations are not emergencies.

How to call 9-1-1

Take a deep breath now. This is the first step when calling 9-1-1. You must stay calm. If you call on a landline phone, all you need to do is lift up the handset, listen for the dial tone, and then press 9-1-1. If you are calling on a cell phone, you must first press 9-1-1, then press the call button. The 9-1-1 dispatcher who answers your call is trained to collect the information needed to get you help quickly. The best way to handle the emergency is to respond clearly and calmly to the dispatcher.

Have the important facts ready in your mind. The three most important pieces of information are:

Words

to know ?

appropriatelycorrectly emergency - a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate attention

Did you know

?

If you call 9-1-1 and hang up, the 9-1-1 dispatcher is required to call you back. If you don’t answer, the 9-1-1 dispatcher will send police to wherever the call was made from.

• What is happening? (accident, fire, injury)

• What do you need? (police, fire department, ambulance)

• What is your location? (address, cross street, landmark)

Staying on the phone with the dispatcher is very important. Do not hang up until they tell you to do so. The dispatcher is in communication with emergency services and is able to give updates while you wait for the first responders.

When to Use 9-1-1

Emergency services take 9-1-1 calls very seriously. These calls are for emergencies only. They are not for “pretend” calls. Think about some situations that you should call 9-1-1. Passing out while running in a race may require a call to 9-1-1. Getting in a serious car accident that requires help to exit the vehicle may require a 9-1-1 call. Being struck by lightning is serious enough to require a call to 9-1-1.

When Not to Use 9-1-1

Sometimes events in your life may seem like an emergency to you but are not serious enough to require emergency services. Think of some situations where someone was hurt, but it did not require a call to 9-1-1.

A little boy falling off of his bike and skinning his knee would not be a reason to call 9-1-1. Getting into an argument with your brother over a toy is not a reason to call 9-1-1. Getting a parking ticket is not a reason to call 9-1-1 for help. All of these situations should be handled with the help of a parent or another adult, but calling 9-1-1 should not be an option. All 9-1-1 services should be for serious emergencies only.

Have a conversation with your family about how to use 9-1-1. Tell them what you learned and how the use of 9-1-1 will keep them safe and protected.

Did you know ?

You can be charged with a crime if you call 9-1-1 as a prank.

Directions

Read each question and choose the best answer.

1. What phone number should you call if you have an emergency and you need the police, fire department, or ambulance?

a. 0

b. 9-1-1

c. 888

d. 4-1-1

2. For which of the following should you call 9-1-1?

a. A bump on your knee

b. A cut on your elbow

c. A house fire

d. A lost dog

3. When should you NOT call 9-1-1?

a. When you are bored

b. To ask for directions

c. To pay a parking ticket

d. All of the above

4. What information should you know if you have to call 9-1-1?

a. Your first and last name

b. The location of the emergency

c. What type of emergency it is

d. All of the above

5. How should you act when you call 9-1-1?

a. Yell

b. Cry

c. Scream

d. Remain calm

If you ever have to call 9-1-1 for an emergency, you should remember some important pieces of information. Write a paragraph about what you should do and say if you are on the phone with a 9-1-1 dispatcher.

If I have had to call 9-1-1, these are some important steps I would need to take. First, I would need to look carefully at the situation. I should make sure I am safe and look around to see what kind of danger is in front of me. Next, I should try to remain calm and not panic. I should know my location. What street am I on? Are there any important landmarks near me? When I begin talking to the dispatcher, I need to give as much medical information as I can. For example, if an injured person is not breathing or seems unconscious, that is important to tell the dispatcher. Lastly, I should listen carefully to the dispatcher’s instructions and remain on the phone until help arrives. These are important steps I should take if I have to call 9-1-1.

The first 9-1-1 call was made in Alabama on February 16,

1968.

Trivia Corner

Bike safety

INTRODUCE

In this lesson, the students will learn about the ways to keep themselves safe while riding a bike. When introducing the lesson, draw a large circle about the size of a large bike tire. Say: “Today I want you to put on your thinking caps or bike helmets and think of ways to be safe while riding your bike.” Have all of the students pretend to put on their bike helmets and click the chin strap. The teacher could even have a model of his or her own bike helmet in class to wear as a prop. Make a small center circle labeled BIKE SAFETY in the middle of the large circle and draw straight lines from the center circle to the edge of the larger circle. The teacher will be drawing a “bike tire,” and each straight line will be a “spoke” of the bike tire. Try to make at least ten spokes. Brainstorm with the students ways to model bike safety. Write the students’ ideas on each of the spokes. Ask for about five ways to show bike safety. Tell the students that the purpose of reading will be to recognize other ways to show bike safety and add them to your bike tire’s spokes while reading. To keep the students engaged, have them tap the top of their pretend helmet when they come across an example of bike safety while reading. Add it to the bike tire spoke.

ACTIVITY

After reading the text, review with the students the way a cyclist should place their arm/hand when making a turn or stopping on their bike. While riding a bike, all of the hand signals are done

with your left hand even if you are making a right turn. Tell the students to put on their imaginary helmets and get ready for a ride filled with rights, lefts, and stops. Show the students: To make a left turn, put your left arm straight out to the left away from your body. Model for the students and have everyone follow along with your demonstration. Next, show them that making a right turn means using your left arm, bending your elbow into the shape of an “L.” Your palm will be “looking” in front of you. Model for the students and have the whole class imitate. Last, to stop a bike, show the students that you must use your left arm again and your arm will be bent, making an upside down “L.” Your palm will be looking behind you. Model and have the class imitate.

Next we will play the “Simon Says: Bike Signals” Game. Have students turn their chairs around, sit backwards on their chairs, and pretend the backs of their chairs are the handlebars. The teacher will say: “Simon Says: Show a Left Turn.” Everyone must make the correct hand signal. “Simon Says: Show a Right Turn.” Everyone must make the correct hand signal. Continue with this “Simon Says” game, mixing up right, left, and stop hand signals. Remember to mix it up and don’t always say “Simon Says.” Students will be eliminated from the game if they make the wrong hand signal or make a hand signal when the teacher doesn’t say “Simon Says.” When the student gets out, have them turn their chair back around to the correct position. If you want to make it a little more exciting, after a while, have a student take charge of the “Simon Says” game and have the teacher participate.

Did you know ?

Your bike chain should always be well-oiled and rust free. 84

Bike Safety

Bike

riding can be a fun activity to do with your friends. It is a wonderful form of exercise and can be a great way to bond with others. To have a positive experience, a cyclist must practice bike safety so accidents can be prevented. Read on to learn different ways to practice bike safety.

What should I wear on my head?

should fit snugly. Any bike store can help you find the right size. Your forehead must be covered, the helmet should be level, and never wear a hat underneath it. Make sure you can see easily with the helmet on. Then take the chin straps and affix them underneath your chin. Add a few reflective stickers to the helmet, too.

You can perform the shake test once the helmet is snapped in place. Shake your head up and down and side to side. If your helmet does not move, it is correctly fit in place. Remember that the purpose of the helmet is to prevent your head from serious injury. If you are in a bike accident and your helmet is damaged, it is time to replace it.

What is the right bike for me?

To stay safe while riding, you should be sized correctly for the right bike. Straddle the main bar across the bike so your feet touch flat to the ground. You may have to raise or lower the bike seat.

bike helmet - a specialized hard hat to protect your head right turn hand signal - bend your elbow, holding your arm up in an “L” shape, and ride forward slowly left turn hand signal - hold your arm straight out to the left and ride forward slowly stop hand signalbend your elbow, pointing your arm downward in an upside down “L” shape, and come to a stop

Hand signals

Left turn hand signal

Right turn hand signal Stop hand signal

Did you know ?

Every bike should have a rear reflector so drivers can see you at night.

Everytime you ride your bike, you should familiarize yourself with the equipment on the bike. Do I have enough air in my tires? Do my brakes lock and release easily? Paying attention to the parts of the bike are preventative measures to staying safe. If your brakes were locked in place, you wouldn't ride the bike. If you have low air in the tires, you can easily use a bike pump to fill them with air.

Cycling glasses

What should I wear while riding a bike?

You should always wear closed-toed shoes or sneakers. Wearing slippers or just socks is not a safe way to ride a bike. Wear well-fitted clothing so nothing gets caught in the bike chain. If you have to ride at night, even though daytime bike riding is preferred, wear reflective clothing. Have a bike light while you are out riding at night and never use headphones. You must be alert to all of your surroundings while riding.

Should I learn bike signals?

When riding your bike, you must ride with the flow of traffic. Sometimes you will need to make a turn on your bike when cars are around. Knowing the proper hand signals while riding will keep you safe. All hand signals are done with the left hand. For a left turn: You should check behind you, hold your arm straight out to the left, and ride forward slowly. For a right turn: Check behind you, bend your elbow, holding your arm up in an “L” shape, and ride forward slowly. For a stop: Check behind you, bend your elbow, pointing your arm downward in an upside down “L” shape, and come to a stop. Following all of these instructions will help keep you safe while biking.

Did you know ?

A cyclist can get a ticket if they disobey the law while riding a bike.

Directions

Read each question and choose the best answer.

1. What should you wear on your head when you ride a bike?

a. Winter hat

b. Cap

c. Bike helmet

d. Nothing

2. What part of the bike should be checked often so you can stop safely?

a. Brakes

b. Handlebars

c. Reflectors

d. Seat

3. Which one of these items should you wear while riding a bike?

a. Slippers

b. Sneakers or shoes

c. Socks

d. Open-toed sandals

4. When is the best time to ride your bike?

a. During a snow storm

b. In the rain

c. On a sunny day

d. In the nighttime

5. Which one of these rules of the road is safe?

a. Use hand signals when making a turn

b. Ignore stop signs

c. Ride your bike across an intersection

d. Listen to music on headphones

Write a paragraph about the ways to practice bike safety. Give at least four examples.

You must always practice bike safety while riding your bike. There are many ways to stay safe while out on your bike. First, you should always wear a properlyfitting bike helmet with the chin strap buckled. Next, you should always check your tires for air, look at your chain, and make sure your brakes work when pressed. Adjusting the height of your seat so that your feet touch the ground is also important. Wearing sneakers or shoes is a must. Also, using the proper hand signal when turning is necessary. Riding with the flow of traffic is expected. Lastly, using reflectors and reflective clothing at night while riding your bike should be enforced. These are just a few ways to practice bike safety while riding in your neighborhood.

The first bike helmets were invented in by Bell Sports.

1975

Trivia Corner

Hey! A Bee Stung Me!

Introduce to the topic of bee stings. Yell, “Ouch! Something just stung me, and it really hurts!” Have a fly swatter ready and pretend to swat something in the air. Ask students what they think we will be learning about today, based on your actions. Tell students we will be reading about bee stings and other insects that sting.

Ask students how they feel about bees, especially when they sting. Have them show you with a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Does anyone have any idea why bees sting? It is a defense mechanism, because they feel threatened in some way. Let’s make a list of situations why bees sting.

Draw a picture of a bee and list the reasons inside one or

two of the bee’s wings. Leave the other two wings open for adding additional information during the reading of the lesson.

Reasons why bees sting:

• You are stealing their honey.

• You are bothering their nest.

• You are swatting at them.

• You step on them.

• You make a sudden movement around them.

Now, we will read the lesson and learn more about bees and other insects that sting. If you come across facts that you would like to add to the bee’s wings, raise your hand, and we will add the point to the bee.

INTRODUCE

Being a Defender!

Students will identify how other plants and animals defend themselves.

Ask students how bees defend themselves. The students should respond with “They sting.” We are going to brainstorm plants and animals that have ways to defend themselves. It could be that the animal has a hard shell so a predator cannot eat it. It could also be a response to an attack by a potential predator, like a bite from a dog when it is being threatened.

Have students use a blank piece of white paper. Fold the paper in half so there are two columns. Title the first column: Animal or Plant. Title the second column: Protection / Response to Threat.

Have students in pairs come up with at least ten animals and plants that may have a protective physical characteristic or action that keeps them safe, like the bee has a stinger.

Examples: Animal or Plant Protection / Response to Threat

1. Turtle Hard shell

2. Dog Bite with sharp teeth

3. Cactus Spines

4. Snakes Venom

5. Cat Scratch

6. Horse Kick

7. Deer Runs away when frightened

8. Bear Claw

9. Cricket Hops away

10. Beetle Plays dead

Ask students: Why do plants and animals need these characteristics and responses? What might happen if they did not have these options? Are all of these reactions necessarily bad? Or are they bad for some creatures and good for others? Explain.

Honeybees respond to danger and threat with a sting. They tend to lose their stingers. Once this happens, the bees die. This is an unfortunate consequence for the bees trying to protect themselves.

Hey! A Bee Stung Me!

Whenpeople say they have been stung by a bee, they really mean that they have been stung by a flying insect with wings and a stinger. Besides bees, wasps and flying ants also fly and sting.

Bees are fuzzy insects found worldwide. There are thousands of types of bees, but the kind we are most familiar with is the honeybee. Bees collect nectar and pollen from flowers. Nectar is a sweet, syrupy liquid produced by flowers, and pollen is dust-like particles found in flowers. Bees turn the nectar into honey for food in their hives. Some of the pollen is used as protein for baby bees. The rest is carried from one plant to another, so more plants will grow.

Wasps are similar to bees. Besides nectar and pollen, wasps also eat the meat of dead animals, other insects, and spiders. They are skinnier than bees and look shiny and smooth, not fuzzy like bees. Like bees, there are thousands of types of wasps, but two of the most common types are bald-faced hornets and yellowjackets.

Bald-faced hornets are black with white markings, and

yellowjackets have yellow and black striped bodies. They are smaller than hornets and honeybees.

Ants are usually found in the ground, but some have wings and can fly. Some, like the fire ant, can also sting! Fire ants live in nests under the ground. They are reddish-brown and tiny.

Ouch!

Bees, wasps, and fire ants all look different and live in different natural homes, called habitats, but they have one thing in common. They all sting when they’re upset or feel threatened. Being stung by any of them feels like getting a shot, except worse. The pain can last from one to two hours. The area around the sting feels hot and may be itchy. There may be swelling, which can last up to seven days. After a bee or wasp sting, a red bump surrounded by white skin will develop around the sting site, or area, lasting up to three days. A fire ant sting turns into an itchy blister.

Honeybees have special hooks on their stingers, so the stinger stays in the person’s skin. When the honeybee tries to fly away, the stinger

The bee’s stinger continues to pump venom into you after it’s no longer attached to the bee. That’s why you should remove as soon as possible without squeezing it.

nectar – sweet, syrupy liquid secreted by flowers pollen – fine, dustlike particles found in flowers habitats – natural home site – area

antihistamine –medicine used to treat allergies and reactions

venom – poison reaction – response severe – very bad symptoms – signs; indications

Words to know ?

Bee

Wasp

Fire ant

Bee

gets torn out of its body, and it dies. Wasps and other kinds of bees can sting more than once because they can pull their stingers out without harming themselves.

What To Do After Being Stung

After being stung by a honeybee, pull the stinger out of the skin as soon as possible. Wash the area with soap and water, apply ice, and take medicine to relieve the pain. Call the doctor if there is a lot of itching, redness, or swelling. They might suggest taking an antihistamine, a medicine used to treat allergies, to help relieve those issues. They are caused by the bee poison, called venom, which the stinger shoots into the skin.

Some people are allergic to bee stings and might need to get a shot from a doctor to keep them from getting

venom has medicinal properties and is used to treat muscle and joint pains.

Remove stinger Apply ice Wash sting site with soap Apply antibiotic

a reaction to the sting. A reaction is a response to some action or event. Anaphylaxis is a severe, meaning very bad, reaction to a bee sting that can be life-threatening. Its signs, or symptoms, are difficulty swallowing and breathing starting within two hours of being stung. Fortunately, this only happens to four out of every 1,000 people. People who are very allergic sometimes carry a medication called an EpiPen with them so they can use it quickly if they are stung.

Preventing Bee Stings

No one likes to be stung, so what can you do to prevent it? If you’re spending time outdoors, don’t wear anything sweet-smelling, including perfumes, lotions, or hair products. But DO wear shoes! Don’t wear bright-colored or flower-printed clothing. Keep your food covered as much as possible, and check your soda cans before drinking from them. Sometimes yellowjackets like to climb inside for a sip too! If a bee or wasp flies near you, stay calm and don’t swat at it since this will make it upset and more likely to sting.

Did you know ?

Only the worker honeybees, the females, sting. The males, called the drones, do not have stingers.

Honeybees, the females

The drones, the males

Directions

Read each question and choose the best answer.

1. Which of the following is NOT a flying, stinging insect?

a. Fire ant

b. Honeybee

c. Tarantula

d. Wasp

2. How are wasps different than honeybees?

a. They are not fuzzy

b. They can sting multiple times

c. They eat spiders and other insects

d. All of the above

3. Which of the following does NOT occur after a bee sting?

a. Redness

b. Insomnia

c. Itchiness

d. Swelling

4. Which of the following is a symptom of an anaphylactic reaction?

a. Difficulty breathing

b. Double vision

c. Difficulty swallowing

d. A & C

5. Why shouldn’t you swap at a bee or wasp flying near you?

a. You might scratch yourself on their stinger.

b. They might think you’re telling them to come closer.

c. They might feel threatened and sting you.

d. They might tell the rest of their friends to come.

Describe a time when you were stung or were afraid you would be stung by a bee.

We were having a family picnic with all our cousins at a park. First, all the kids ran around and played games together while the mothers got the food ready. When it was time to eat, we all sat down. We were all enjoying the hotdogs, potato salad, pickles, and watermelon until the bees decided to join us. As soon as they came, all the little kids started crying and running away. We tried covering as much of the food as possible, but it didn’t help much. My baby cousin, who was sitting in a highchair, saw a bee on the highchair tray and thought it was a piece of food. He even picked it up and started putting it into his mouth! You should have heard his mother screaming! He got so scared that he let go, and the bee flew away without stinging him. After that, we packed everything up and went home. That was enough excitement for one day!

Trivia Corner

Queen bees lay around eggs per day.

1,500