The Water Safety Code consists of four simple rules to remember when you're in, on or around water. Being prepared, tamariki being watched by adults, understanding potential dangers around water and how to recognise them, and how to stay safe in, on and around water will help tamariki and their whanau have a safe and enjoyable time in the water.
Students learn:
Students are able to:
Identify the different places we play and swim in water.
Work in a group to list the potential dangers of swimming or playing in a particular water body.
List safety rules for swimming and playing in a particular water body.
List the safety equipment needed for playing and swimming in a particular body of water.
Compare the dangers, safety rules and safety equipment for two different bodies of water.
This website, watersafety.org.nz and other water safety sector websites.
Waka ama is a great way to spend time on the wai with whanau and friends. Water safety is a key aspect of Waka ama. Watch these safety videos supported by Water Safety New Zealand.
Water Safety Code, brochures and booklets from harbourmasters and saferboating.org.nz
When at the beach, always swim between the yellow and red surf lifesaving flags. Click here for a list of patrolled beaches.
Students brainstorm then list the different places we swim or play in the water.
The class is then divided into six groups. Each group is given one place where we swim or play in the water as a focus e.g. sea, river, lake, swimming pool, stream, estuary.
Using their general knowledge, brochures, books and online resources, students list ideas under the following headings:
Dumping waves, debris, other swimmers, motorboats, jet skis, rips, rapids, currents, cold water, bad weather,
Lifejackets, beach flags, cell phone, vhf radio, adult supervisors
Learn Water Skills for Life at primary school
Set rules for safe play in the water
Always use safe and correct equipment and know the weather and water conditions before you get in the water.
Adults always pay close attention to children. Children, always make sure you have an adult supervising you in, on or around the water
Never swim or play in the water alone
Listen to advice from lifeguards or responsible adults
stay between the flags on the beach
Enter shallow or unknown water feet first and obey all safety signs and warning flags.
Know how to recognise a rip and be aware of rip currents
Consider other users of the swimming area
stay out if in doubt
don’t swim or surf when cold or tired;
Each group buddies up with another group (or reports back to the class) and shares their answers for their specific swimming area. Groups can offer suggestions to add to their buddy group’s list.
Staying with their buddy group, students then discuss the similarities and differences of potential dangers, safety equipment and safety rules for the two different swimming areas. Are there a lot of similarities?
The class combines their findings, displaying their information within circles by environments and activities depicting intersecting safety rules and equipment where applicable.
As an extension, you could do a class survey of the favorite places for swimming or playing in the water. Do a tally chart and graph the results. This will identify for students where water safety posters, signs or brochures could be placed for maximum effect. Students can easily obtain water safety brochures through their local council and download water safety education messaging through the Water Safety New Zealand website.
Work Sample – Students are able to compare the potential dangers, safety equipment and safety rules for two different bodies of water and accurately place at least six pieces of information onto the class diagram.
Water Safety New Zealand