Risk Watch: Make Time for Safety

Fireworks Safety Role-Playing
Grades 7-8

Objectives

Given a scenario involving fireworks, students will plan and present a skit demonstrating decisions that could result in a risky situation.
After observing a skit, students will discuss the actions presented and recommend a decision that would show better judgement resulting in a safer situation.

Core Subject Integration

Language arts, health and safety

Procedure

Present the Risk Watch lesson fireworks lesson to your class. Explain why fireworks are dangerous (injuries, fires, and deaths) and common misconceptions. Explain that today's activity will put the students in decision-making roles.
Divide students into pairs and distribute a "Fireworks Safety Scenario" to each pair.
Students will read the scenario and prepare a presentation that demonstrates a decision that could result in a risky situation.
Ask each pair to present the scenario to the class. To set up the skit, one student will read the scenario to the other students, followed by the presentation.
Following the presentation, the pair of students will ask for feedback from classmates. What was the decision made that could result in a risky situation? What would have been a better decision? After this discussion, the pair will reenact the scenario using better judgement skills.
Following the presentations, lead a class discussion of real situations the students have encountered where good judgement, decision and safety sense were important.

Fireworks Safety Scenarios

Your friends are using fireworks in a wooded area and offer some for you to light. Your parents will not allow you use fireworks. One friend calls you a wimp for not using the fireworks. What should you do?
You are at a family gathering and relatives (amateurs) are using fireworks. What should you do?
While traveling on a group trip, you enter a state where fireworks are sold legally. Your friends suggest going in a nearby fireworks store and buying as many fireworks as possible. What do you do?
While walking through a park you and some friends discover fireworks that someone has left behind. What should you do?
After a public fireworks display you and your friends stumble upon smoking and charred fireworks. What should you do?
An adult stops you and some friends after school to see if you're interested in buying fireworks. What do you do?
You're helping a friend watch his/her younger sibling. The child is six years old and playing with a lit sparkler. Your friend insists that the sparkler is just a toy. What should you do?
You and a friend are working on a science project that demonstrates what causes a volcano. Instead of using vinegar and baking soda, your friend suggests using fireworks to simulate the eruption. What should you do?
It's your birthday and a friend decides to give you firecrackers as a gift. You don't want to hurt your friend's feelings, but you know that fireworks are dangerous and shouldn't be handled by amateurs. What do you do?
You and a friend observe some younger children throwing fireworks into a garbage dumpster. The fireworks are exploding just barely after they leave each child's hand, and the dumpster is filling with smoke. What should you do?

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