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Choose Active Transport

A Teacher's Resource for Year K-7 students to promote walking, cycling and other forms of active transport to and from school.

Title: Choose Active Transport

SCIS NO: 1485266 29/10/2010 Choose Active Transport Ringbound

SCIS NO: 1485268 29/10/2010 Choose Active Transport Online

ISBN: 978-1-921648-14-4 01/10/2010 Choose Active Transport Ringbound

ISBN: 978-1-921648-13-7 01/10/2010 Choose Active Transport Online

Produced by the Western Australian Physical Activity Taskforce, in collaboration with the

Department of Transport, National Heart Foundation (WA Division) and the Department

of Education. The resource was funded by the Department of Health (WA) and

Department of Sport and Recreation (WA).

Reproduction of this work in whole or part for educational purposes is permitted within an

educational institution on condition that it is not offered for sale.

For further information please contact:

08 9492 9630 or www.beactive.wa.gov.au

© Copyright State Government of Western Australia.

Please note that the website hyperlinks listed in this resource were correct at time of printing. In the unlikely event that a hyperlink malfunctions, teachers are advised to type the generic address of this website into a search engine such as Google and search for the hyperlink from the Homepage of the site.

All of the initiatives and events included in this resource were correct at time of printing. These may change in the future.

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Foreword

It also has positive impacts on the healthy development and growth of children with developing independence, social skills, promoting movement and reducing the effects of sedentary behaviour.

This resource provides a range of whole-school approach ideas and developmentally appropriate classroom based activities for Years K-7 students to foster more active transport use at your school.

This resource has been a collaborative effort across the government and community whom all support the implementation of this resource and strongly urge teachers, parents and communities to become involved supporting active transport initiatives.

Hon Terry Waldron, MLA

Chair of the Physical Activity Taskforce and Minister of Sport and Recreation.

1. Martin, K., Rosenberg, M., Miller, M., French, S., McCormack, G., Bull, F., Giles-Corti, B., Pratt, S. Move and Munch Final Report. Trends in physical activity, nutrition and body size in Western Australian children and adolescents: the Child and Adolescent Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (CAPANS) 2008. Western Australia: Western Australian Government; 2010.

The Physical Activity Taskforce was established in 2001 to oversee the development and delivery of a whole of government and whole of community approach to increasing physical activity levels in Western Australia. It comprises government, non-government, academic and local government agencies.

Physical inactivity is a leading contributor to Australia’s increasing burden of diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and obesity. There are some disturbing trends of increased overweight, obesity and inactivity among Australian children resulting in adverse health and social effects.

For good health, the National Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that children between 5-12 years:

Need at least 60 minutes (and up to several hours) •of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.

Should not spend more than two hours a day using •electronic media for entertainment e.g. computer games, TV, internet, particularly during day light hours.

Unfortunately, Physical Activity Taskforce research shows that only 41% of primary school aged boys and 27% of primary school aged girls are meeting the physical activity guidelines. In addition, 71% of primary school aged boys and 75% of primary school aged girls are exceeding the two hour per day of recreational screen-based activity recommended in these guidelines. 1

ForallWAchildrentoactivelyparticipateinsufficientphysical activity for good social and physical health, a concerted response from our community is needed.

Schools provide an excellent avenue to foster positive attitudes and skill development to enable out-of-school participation in physical activity among children and their parents, thereby acting as catalysts for change in the broader community.

WA primary school students are encouraged to increase their physical activity by walking, cycling, scootering or using public transport to and from school. These modes of transport are known as active transport.

Active transport options are fun, economical and healthy.Theyalsoprovideadditionalbenefitssuchas lowering greenhouse gas emissions by reducing caruse,reducingtrafficcongestionandencouraginga more vibrant community with more people walking and cycling in the neighbourhood.

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Acknowledgements

Choose Active Transport is a collaborative project of the Department of Transport, National Heart Foundation (WA Division), Department of Education and the Physical Activity Taskforce. It is proudly funded by the Department of Health (WA) and Department of Sport and Recreation (WA).

The collaborators would like to acknowledge the organisations and individuals who provided assistance in the development of this teacher resource:

Connolly Primary School

Currambine Primary School

Dunsborough Primary School

Little Grove Primary School

Mt Tarcoola Primary School

Wembley Primary School

York District High School

Public Transport Authority

South Metropolitan Public Health Unit

School Drug Education and Road Aware

Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative

Child and Adolescent Community Health

Environmental Health Directorate

Cancer Council of WA

Bikewest

Writer: Kim Chute: Titan Consulting

Illustrations and design: Shannon Melville: Lemon Zest Design

IMPORTANT: The following activities should only be undertaken in accordance with policies and procedures relevant to the Department of Education (WA), Catholic Education Office and Association of Independent Schools WA.

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Contents

Foreword iAcknowledgements iiIntroduction 1What is active transport? 1

What is the aim of the Choose Active Transport resource? 1

Why is it important to encourage an active transport philosophy in your school? 1

What does our school need to consider when planning a whole-school active transport program? 2

Curriculum 2

Ethos and Environment 3

Parents and Community 3

Sample parent information letter 5

How does the resource link to the WA Curriculum Framework and the K-10 syllabus? 6

Overview of the Choose Active Transport resource 6Early Childhood Overview 7

Middle Childhood Overview 12

Planning a whole school active transport curriculum 18Early Childhood Planning 18

Middle Childhood Planning 19

Early Childhood Topics 20Topic 1: Setting the scene for active transport 21

Topic 2: Safer pedestrians 33

Topic 3: Safer cycling and play 47

Topic 4: Active transport is good for my health, family and the environment 57

Topic 5: Taking the active transport challenge 68

Middle Childhood Topics 79Topic 1: Setting the scene for active transport 80

Topic 2: Safer pedestrians 91

Topic 3: Safer cycling 102

Topic4:Thehealthbenefitsofactivetransport 113

Topic5:Thesocialbenefitsofactivetransport 124

Topic6:Theenvironmentalbenefitsofactivetransport 141

Learning experiences in this resource that foster a whole-school approach are marked with this icon:

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A child who watches two hours or more of TV •each day is almost 50% less likely to participate in any organised physical activity and there is a 63% increase in the odds of the child being overweight. An active transport program reduces the time available for children to watch TV and play computer games.2

In a recent survey, only 32% of WA primary school •aged boys and 26% of primary school aged girls report to have actively commuted to school on the previous day. Children who actively travel to school are reported to be more alert on arrival than those transported by car.1

More than two out of three WA children are driven •to and from school each day, even though many live within two kilometres of school (10 minutes cycling, 20 minutes walking distance).2

Habits and attitudes towards physical activity •are formed early and are thought to track into adulthood. 2

A supported active transport environment:•

Improvesselfconfidenceamongyoungroad•users and helps develop important road safety skills.

Improves road safety and congestion around •schoolsbyreducingtraffic.

Helps make a school and surrounding •community feel safer by having more people out and about, and more ‘eyes’ around the school.

Encourages parent involvement in physical •activity. Children with parents as active role models are more likely to be active.2

Helps the community’s impact on climate •change by reducing pollution through car emissions.

What is active transport?

Active transport refers to travel modes that include physical activity e.g. cycling, walking, Walking School Bus™ or walking to use public transport.

What is the aim of the Choose Active Transport resource?

The resource aims to promote more physically active and safer lifestyles in children by:

Developing an understanding of the health, social •andenvironmentalbenefitsofactivetransport.

Developing an understanding of the safety issues •and practices associated with walking, cycling and other modes of active transport.

Developing skills necessary to make decisions •about active transport that may affect their health and safety.

Fostering positive health and safety attitudes and •behaviours that can inform and enhance the quality of their own and others’ lives.

Involving and supporting parents and other •community agencies to reinforce consistent physical activity and safety messages.

Empowering students, parents and teachers to •make active contributions to a whole school action planning approach to behaviour change.

Why is it important to encourage an active transport philosophy in your school?

There has been an increase in the number of •Australian children who are overweight, obese and inactive, resulting in adverse health and social effects. An active transport program helps children get the right amount of physical activity each day, improves bone and muscle strength and develops fitness.

Only 41% of WA primary school aged boys and •27% of primary school aged girls are currently meeting the National Physical Activity Guidelines of at least 60 minutes (and up to several hours) of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.1

Around 71% of WA primary school aged boys and •75% of primary school aged girls are exceeding the recreational screen-based activity guidelines of no more than two hours a day using electronic media for entertainment e.g. computer games, TV, internet, particularly during day light hours.1

Introduction

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Introduction

Learning experiences in this resource that foster a whole-school approach are marked with this icon:

CurriculumDecide which learning experiences in • Choose Active Transport each year group is going to complete and by when.

Access the Department of Education website for •curriculum support relating to Health and Physical Education www.det.wa.edu.au/curriculumsupport/physicalactivity/ and www.det.wa.edu.au/curriculumsupport/healthandphysicaleducation/

Access other relevant road safety learning •experiences from School Drug Education and Road Aware’s (SDERA’s) Early Childhood and Middle Childhood Challenges and Choices resources. www.sdera.wa.edu.au or ph: 08 9264 4743

Access Transperth’s • Get on Board teacher resource to encourage public transport use. www.transperth.wa.gov.au or ph: 08 9326 3970

Access Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative •(AuSSI) WA resources such as BioWhat?, Green Waste Matters, Ollie Saves the Planet and Water Matters and Aussi Goals. www.det.wa.edu.au/sustainableschools or ph: 08 9264 4776

Take part in the following active transport •initiatives:

Make tracks2schools• – a four week walking and cycling challenge for Year 5 to 7 students in Term 4 that also provides curriculum activities. www.heartfoundation.org.au/maketrackstoschool or ph: 08 9388 3343

Why is a whole-school approach the best way to encourage active transport when travelling to and from your school?

A whole-school approach is dependent on teachers, parents and communities working together to plan and implement physical activity programs, making changes to the culture of the school and the environment, to create greater ability for children to lead healthy, active lives.

Research shows those interventions which incorporate whole-school approaches to physical activity, including curriculum, policy, environmental strategies and family involvement, appear to be more effective than a curriculum only approach.3

The whole-school or Health Promoting Schools Framework consists of the following three areas:

Curriculum•

Ethos and Environment•

Parents and Community•

The learning experiences in this resource aim to assist teachers to plan and implement a curriculum, teaching and learning program to promote the use of more active transport among children, and to improve their skills to safely negotiate their environment.

It is equally important for school communities to consider the school organisation, ethos and environment by establishing the school’s physical and social environment to support play, walking and cycling.

To address the area of parents and community, the learning experiences in this resource have been complemented by a number of Home Activities and links have been made to other school-based active transport, road safety and physical activity programs.

Parents and community

Curriculum

School ethos and environment

What does our school need to consider when planning a whole-school active transport program?

The following ideas and school-based programs aim to assist schools to develop action plans in order to assess, plan and implement a whole-school approach to an active transport program or to complement the mandated two hours of physical activity per week for Year 1-10 students, that is part of the Department of Education’s policy for all students.

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accessing the TravelSmart to School curriculum activities; accessing bike education; tailoring a solutiontoslowtrafficorreducecongestion;andincrease active transport.

Encouragestudentstouseidentifiedsafe•pathways and designated pedestrian or warden crossings.

Reward or acknowledge students/classes •that have increased their active transport at assemblies/in newsletters.

Provide adequate and secure storage racks for •student and staff bikes.

Consider participation issues for students who may •be unable to cycle or walk to school due to the distance they live from school; special needs; no access to bikes/helmets; parents’ work hours. For more information about inclusion visit http://www.disability.wa.gov.au/gettingabout.html

Promote two messages to parents and students at •assemblies and in newsletters:

Students up to the age of 12 years are allowed •to ride on footpaths.

The school recommends that students under •the age of 10 years walking or cycling to school must be accompanied by an adult or carer.

Encourage staff to model appropriate road safety •behaviours and take part in active transport to and from work and celebrate this annually via joining the Bike to Work Challenge, Cycle to School Day and Walk Week events.

Record ‘Bike to School/Work ‘ or ‘Walk to School/•Work’ days in your calendar.

Refer to• www.policies.det.wa.edu to view the Duty of Care for Students policy, in particular Appendix A, regarding journeys to and from school.

Promote the • Safety House Program in your community. www.safetyhousewa.org.au or ph: 08 9271 7622

Parents and Community Inform parents through assemblies and newsletters •of your school’s commitment to a whole-school active transport ethos and the importance of their support and involvement.

Invite parents to see their child’s class receive •active transport encouragement awards or perform learning activities from this resource at assemblies.

Walk to School Wednesday• –onthefirstWednesday in November as part of Walk Week Walk There Today. www.transport.wa.gov.au/walking or ph: 08 9216 8447

Walk Safely to School• – a National walk to school day in May for primary students to walk safely to school. www.walk.com.au or ph: 02 9968 4555

Safety in Schools Week• – an annual school safety awareness event coordinated by Kidsafe held in June. Cycling WA provide bike safe information during this week. www.wa.cycling.org.au or 08 9348 3422

Cycle to School Day – • an annual cycle to school day for Year 5-7 students, teachers and parents held in March as part of Bike Week www.transport.wa.gov.au/cycletoschoolday or ph: 08 9216 8306

The Walking School Bus™• – a supervised walking group for students to and from school escorted by parents and volunteers. www.transport.wa.gov.au/walkingschoolbus or ph: 08 9216 8000

National Ride to School Day• - http://www.bwa.org.au/riding-to-school/

Bike to Work Challenge• – an annual six-week challenge in September/October open to all WA workplaces, including primary and secondary schools (teachers and staff, students and parents) as part of Cycle Instead in Spring. www.transport.wa.gov.au/cycleinsteadinspring or ph: 08 9216 8556

Ethos and Environment Access the Road Safety Around Schools •Guidelines to help identify and address road safety hazards around your school. www.roadwise.asn.au/schools ph: 08 9213 2068 or 08 9213 2066

ContacttheWAPoliceTrafficWardenState•ManagementUnitifyourequireatrafficwarden.www.police.wa.gov.au or ph: 08 6274 8731

Contact the WA Police Student Pedestrian Policy •Unit to apply for a children’s crossing. www.police.wa.gov.au or ph: 08 6274 8767

ContactaLocalGovernmentTravelSmartOfficer•(metropolitan schools only) to assist with planning and implementing a Walking School Bus™;

Introduction

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Walk to School Wednesday• -onthefirstWednesday in November as part of Walk Week - Walk There Today. www.beactive.wa.gov.au/

Walk Safely to School• – a national walk to school day in May for primary students www.walk.com.au or ph: 02 9968 4555

Safety in Schools Week• – an annual school safety awareness event coordinated by KidsafeWA and held in June.

Cycle to School Day• – on the Wednesday during the annual Bike Week in March www.transport.wa.gov.au/cycletoschoolday or ph: 08 9216 8306

National Ride to School Day• – http://www.bwa.org.au/riding-to-school/

Bike to Work Challenge• – in September/October open to all WA workplaces, including primary and secondary schools www.transport.wa.gov.au/cycleinsteadinspring or ph. 9216 8556.

1. Martin, K., Rosenberg, M., Miller, M., French, S., McCormack, G., Bull, F., Giles-Corti, B., Pratt, S. Move and Munch Final Report. Trends in physical activity, nutrition and body size in Western Australian children and adolescents: the Child and Adolescent Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (CAPANS) 2008. Western Australia: Western Australian Government; 2010.

2. Children’s Physical Activity Coalition. Charter for Active Kids: a Blueprint for active and healthy children in Western Australia [Internet]. 2009 [cited 2010 Jun 18]. Available from: http://www.heartfoundation.org.au

3. National Heart Foundation. Blueprint for an active Australia [Internet]. 2009 [cited 2010 Jun 18]. Available from: http://www.heartfoundation.org.au

All of the initiatives and events included in this resource were correct at time of printing. These may change in the future.

Use the • Home Activities from this resource.

Record ‘Bike to School’ and ‘Walk to School’ days •in your classroom calendar.

Encourage parents to be active role models •and explain that they play an important role in shaping their child’s physical activity attitudes and behaviours. Print off or order school sets of Set your children on the right path: a guide to promoting walking and cycling to school. www.heartfoundation.org.au/parentcampaign or ph: 1300 362 787

Print off or order school sets of • Unplug and Play – an information brochure that encourages parents to limit children’s electronic media use to no more than two hours a day and encourages active play alternatives. www.heartfoundation.org.au/parentcampaign or ph: 08 9388 3343

Contact local media and advocate to the P&C to •gain publicity and school support for your active transport program. Useful media tips are available in the advocacy guide for parents: Healthy Environments, Healthy Children: Advocating for walking, cycling and other health issues. www.heartfoundation.org.au/parentcampaign or ph: 08 9388 3343

Take part in the following active transport •initiatives:

Make tracks2schools• - a four week walking and cycling challenge for Year 5 to 7 students in Term 4 that also provides curriculum activities.www.heartfoundation.org.au/wa or ph: 08 9388 3343

Introduction

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Sample parent information letter:

Dear family

Did you know that for good health, the National Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that children between 5-12 years:

Need at least 60 minutes (and up to several hours) of moderate to vigorous physical activity every •day?Should not spend more than two hours a day using electronic media for entertainment e.g. computer •games, TV, internet, particularly during day light hours?

Unfortunately only 41% of primary school aged boys and 27% of primary school aged girls are getting enough exercise and 71% of primary school aged boys and 75% of primary school aged girls are spending more than two hours each day in front of a computer or TV.

For our children to get enough physical activity for good social, physical and mental health, a concerted response from the community is needed.

Our school aims to foster positive attitudes and skill development towards physical activity through our health and physical education program.

Another way we are hoping to increase physical activity levels among our students is to encourage students to walk, cycle or take public transport to and from school. In other words, choose active transport.

Activetransportoptionsarefun,economicalandhealthy.Theyalsoprovideadditionalbenefitssuchasteachingyourchildvaluableroadsafetyskills,reducingtrafficcongestionandencouragingamorevibrant community with more people walking and cycling in our school neighbourhood.

Children under 10 years should be accompanied by an adult when walking or cycling to school.

Your child will be undertaking activities in the classroom that help encourage walking and cycling to and from school or even parts of these trips. I ask that you talk to your child about how you can all be more active when you are coming to or going home from school – even just for one or two days each week.

Thank you in anticipation for your support.

Yours sincerely

Principal

Introduction

To be placed on school letterhead and sent home with the accompanying pamphlet Set your children on the right path: a guide to promoting walking and cycling to school. Available www.heartfoundation.org.au/parentcampaign or ph: 1300 362 787

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Overview of the Choose Active Transport resource

Assessment strategies can be developed within the suggested learning activities to evaluate students’ progress.

Overview of the Choose Active Transport resource

This resource has two sections: Early Childhood (Year K-3) and Middle Childhood (Year 4-7). The big picture book Matilda’s Morning Adventures has been designed to accompany the learning experiences in the Early Childhood section.

How does the resource link to the WA Curriculum Framework and the K-10 syllabus?

Participation in the activities outlined in this resource will support the delivery of content for Year K-7 students in:

the Health and Physical Education Learning Area•

some aspects of the English, Design and •Technology, Maths, Science and Society and Environment Learning Areas

all of the Curriculum Framework core shared •values shown below;

A pursuit of knowledge and a commitment to achievement of potential

Self acceptance and respect of self

Respect and concern for others and their rights

Social and civic responsibility

Environmental responsibility

Teachers need to make professional judgments about when to introduce content based on students’ prior learning and achievement.

Choose Active Transport incorporates an explicit focus on an integrated approach to curriculum with a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy. The educational entitlements and needs of the following groups have also been considered:

boys and girls•

learners from culturally diverse backgrounds•

learners from various socio-economic backgrounds•

learnerswithdisabilitiesorlearningdifficulties•

rural and isolated learners•

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Matilda’s Morning AdventuresA story with active travel and road safety messages for children

Written by Kim Chute Illustrated by Shannon Melville



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Health and Physical Education Learning Area Content

Topic 1 Knowledge and understandings

Interpersonal skills

Self-management skills

Links to other Learning Areas

Setting the scene for active transportLearning Experience 1: How we travel2: Why we travel the way we do3: Making a case for active transport

PROMOTING WELLBEING The meaning and dimensions of health

Active transport involves •physical activity.Always using the car for •short trips is not a healthy option.Physical activity optimises •personal health.Healthy people engage in •regular physical activity.

Growth and developmentThere are a range of •personal actions that can increase physical activity and promote health e.g. active transport.

Social and emotional wellbeing

Active transport helps •improve social and emotional wellbeing.

Ways to keep healthier and safer

Our actions can encourage •friends and family to engage in active transport.

Resources and consumer skills

There are people and •equipment in the community that can help others engage in active transport and be physically active.

RELATIONSHIP SKILLS Communicating

Expressing •opinions about active transport.

Building and nurturing relationships

Showing care •and concern during games and discussions.

WORKING WITH OTHERSCooperating and collaborating in groups

Sharing space and •equipment with peers.Using strategies to •follow instructions to work with others.

SELF UNDERSTANDINGManaging emotions

Choosing active •transport often involves a change in travel habits and attitudes.

DECISION MAKINGReviewing the situation

How to take •responsibility for own active transport decisions.Identifying positive •and negative factors relating to active transport.

Planning before deciding

Identifying more •than one option in relation to travel modes to and from school.Considering factors •thatmayinfluencea short-term goal to use active transport.

Deciding and acting

Choosing a short-•term goal to use active transport and reflectingontheirprogress.

ENGLISHReading: Comprehension Processes and Strategies (Learning Experience 1-LE1)(LE3)Writing: Contextual understandings (LE2) (LE3)Listening and Speaking: Processes and Strategies (LE2)(LE3)

TECHNOLOGY AND ENTERPRISETechnology Processes: (LE3)

Early Childhood Overview

Overview of Early Childhood TopicsThis describes the content addressed in the Early Childhood topics that will address the content outlined in the Curriculum Framework: Health and Physical Education Learning Area Content in the context of Growth and Development, Lifestyle Choices and Safety.

The content has been listed under the strands from the Early Childhood phase of the Health and Physical Education K-10 Scope and Sequence. This scope and sequence is an advisory document and along with the previously developed Curriculum Guides, provides additional support for teachers in the implementation of the WA Curriculum Framework. Links to other Learning Areas are also shown.

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Overview of Early Childhood Topics continued







Safer pedestriansLearning Experience 1: Hold an adult’s hand 2: Crossing the road3: Safer routes to school

PROMOTING WELLBEINGThe meaning and dimensions of health

Children who value their •health and safety hold an adult’s hand or hold onto a sibling’s pram when in the trafficenvironment.

Growth and developmentThere are many physical •factors that make a child vulnerable as a pedestrian such as height, lack of peripheral vision, poor judgment of sound.


Set goals to minimise risk •such as always holding an adult’s hand, holding onto a sibling’s pram and crossing withatrafficwarden.

Ways to keep healthier and saferFeaturesofthetraffic•environment make people safer e.g. footpaths, median strips.


There are people who can •makethetrafficenvironmentsafere.g.adults,trafficwardens.


Ways to express •needs or opinions about how to stay safer.

Preventing and managing conflict

How to use voice, •posture and facial expression to be assertive when someone is making them do something unsafe as a pedestrian.



SELF UNDERSTANDINGManaging emotions

Modifying action •in response to an unsafe situation.

DECISION MAKING Reviewing the situation

How to take •responsibility for own pedestrian safety.How to seek help in •unsafe situations.The rights, rules and •responsibilities of a pedestrian.


Identifying more •than one option in relation to crossing roads and safer routes to school.

Deciding and acting

Managing peer •influencese.g.taking a shorter route rather than a safer route, crossing between vehicles.Strategies to •manageinfluencesof unsafe pedestrian behaviour from peers and family.

ENGLISHReading: Comprehension Processes and Strategies (Learning Experience 2- LE2)Writing: Contextual Understandings (LE1) (LE3)Listening and Speaking: Processes and Strategies (LE2) (LE3)

SOCIETY AND ENVIRONMENTInvestigation, Communication and Participation: Planning and Conducting (LE3)

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Safer cycling and playLearning Experience 1: Wear a helmet every time2: Safer bikes-safer riders3: Road rules for cyclists


Children who value their •health and safety wear a helmet and ride under adult supervision.


Set goals to minimise risk •such as always wearing a helmet when riding.

Ways to keep healthier and saferFeaturesofthetraffic•environment make riders safer e.g. shared paths, footpaths, signals.


Safety information •products and services and the personal safety needs they meet e.g. helmets,fluorescentclothing.


Ways to express •needs or opinions about how to stay safer.


How to use voice, •posture and facial expression to be assertive when someone is making them do something unsafe as a pedestrian.



SELF UNDERSTANDING Managing emotions



How to take •responsibility for own safety as a rider such as wearing a helmet and riding only with an adult.How to seek help in •unsafe situations.The rights, rules and •responsibilities of a cyclist.


Identifying more •than one option in relation to crossing roads and safer routes to school.

Deciding and acting

Managing peer •influencese.g.notwearing a helmet or not cycling with an adult. Strategies to •manageinfluencesof unsafe cycling behaviour from peers and family.

ENGLISHReading: Text conventions (Learning Experience 2-LE2)Writing: Writing Process Strategies (LE1) (LE2) (LE3)Listening and Speaking: Processes and Strategies (LE1) (LE3)

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Active transport is good for my health, my family and the environmentLearning Experience 1: Active transport is good for my health2: Active transport has many social benefits3: Active transport is good for the environment


Children need 60 minutes •of ‘huff and puff’ physical activityeachdaytostayfitand healthy.Children who value their •health and safety engage in active transport.Physical activity optimises •personal health.A school environment that •has reduced greenhouse gasemissionsandtrafficcongestion is a healthier environment.

Growth and developmentThere are a range of •personal actions that can increase physical activity and promote health, including choosing active transport.The lungs, the heart, the •brain, muscles and bones all have a function in physical activity.


Active transport and physical •activity helps improve social and emotional wellbeing and makes children more alert and ready to learn.Active transport is a fun •activity to enjoy with family and friends.


Their actions can encourage •friends and family to engage in physical activity.


There are people and •equipment in the community that can help keep others physically active.


Ways to express •needs or opinions about how to use active transport.

WORKING WITH OTHERS Cooperating and collaborating in groups

Sharing space •and equipment with peers.Using strategies •to follow instructions to work with others.


Monitoring the •physical activity in their daily lives.


How to take •responsibility for own regular physical activity and active transport.Identifying positive •consequences to physical activity and negative consequences to being sedentary.


Identifying more •than one option in relation to active transport they can undertake.Considering factors •thatmayinfluencea short-term goal to use active transport to become more physically active.

Deciding and acting

Choosing a short-•term goal to be more physically active - choosing active transport and reflectingontheirprogress.

ENGLISHReading: Comprehension Processes and Strategies (Learning Experience 3 - LE3) Writing: Writing Process Strategies (LE2) (LE3)Listening and Speaking: Processes and Strategies (LE1) (LE2) (LE3)

SCIENCELife and Living: Structure and Function (LE3)

MATHEMATICSNumber: Understand operations (LE2)

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Taking the active transport challenge Learning Experience 1: Leave the car behind for a day2: Planning for active transport3: Setting active transport goals


Children need 60 minutes •of ‘huff and puff’ physical activityeachdaytostayfitand healthy.Children who value their •health and safety engage in active transport.Choosing active transport •takes planning and commitment from the whole family.

Growth and development

There are a range of •personal actions that can increase physical activity and promote health, including choosing active transport.


Some active transport •options are more suited to some families than others.


There are ways to •overcome barriers to active transport.Their actions can •encourage friends and family to engage in active transport.


There are people •and equipment in the community that can help promote active transport.


Ways to express •needs or opinions about planning to use active transport.

WORKING WITH OTHERS

Cooperating and •collaborating in groupsSharing space •and equipment with peers.Using strategies •to follow instructions to work with others.


Monitoring their •current use of active transport.


How to take •responsibility for their own active transport use.Identifying barriers •and enablers to being able to use active transport regularly.


Identifying more •than one option in relation to active transport they can undertake.Considering factors •thatmayinfluenceshort-term goals to use active transport.

Deciding and acting

Choosing a short-•term goal to choose active transport and reflectingontheirprogress.

ENGLISHReading: Comprehension Processes and Strategies (Learning Experience - LE1) (LE2) (LE3)Writing: Writing Process Strategies (LE2) (LE3)Listening and Speaking: Processes and Strategies (LE1)

MATHEMATICSNumber: Understand operations (LE2)Collect and Process data: Summarise and represent data (LE3)

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Overview of Middle Childhood TopicsThis describes the content addressed in the Middle Childhood topics that will address the content outlined in the Curriculum Framework: Health and Physical Education Learning Area Content in the context of Growth and Development, Lifestyle Choices and Safety.

The content has been listed under the strands from the Middle Childhood phase of the Health and Physical Education K-10 Scope and Sequence. This scope and sequence is an advisory document and along with the previously developed Curriculum Guides, provide additional support for teachers in the implementation of the WA Curriculum Framework. Links to other Learning Areas are also shown.

Middle Childhood Overview


Topic 1 Knowledge and understandings Interpersonal skills



Setting the scene for active transportLearning Experience 1: Travel now and then2: Factors that influencetravelbehaviour change3: The car as part of Australian culture


Active transport involves physical •activity and is a better alternative to car use in some transport situations.Healthy people engage in regular •physical activity including active transport.Car use is part of an Australian •culture and encouraging more active transport will require a cultural shift. There are important long-term •benefitsofreducingourrelianceoncars at individual, community, city, and global levels.

Growth and developmentThere are a range of personal •actions that can increase physical activity and promote health e.g. active transport.

Social and emotional wellbeingActive transport helps improve •social and emotional wellbeing.


Car use has had a major impact on •ourhealthandfitness,airquality,physical and natural environments.People’s travel choices impact on •their health, their community and the environment.There are a range of factors •(convenience, personal satisfaction, cost,efficiency,timeandresources)thatinfluencetravelbehaviourchange.

Resources and consumer skillsThere are people and equipment in •the community that can help others engage in active transport to be physically active.


Expressing •opinions about active transport.Sharing reasons for •making decisions about alternatives to current travel habits with others.Practicing •communicating about the wider benefitsofactivetransport beyond the personal.

WOKING WITH OTHERS Building and nurturing relationships

Practicing •strategies for limiting the negative impacts of friends.

Cooperating and collaborating in groups

Selecting, applying •and adjusting skills when collaborating to achieve group goals.

Leading, initiating and facilitating

Showing •independence and initiative in group activities.Convincing •others to share a particular point of view.


Choosing active •transport often involves a change in travel habits and attitudes.


Monitoring own •family’s use of the car and considering opportunities where more active transport may be possible. How to take •responsibility for own active transport decisions.Identifying positive •and negative factors relating to active transport.


Identifying more •than one option in relation to travel modes to and from school.Considering factors •thatmayinfluenceshort-term goals to use active transport.

Deciding and acting

Critically evaluate •ways to encourage more active transport use.

ENGLISHReading: Comprehension Processes and Strategies (Learning Experience 1- LE1) (LE3)Writing: Contextual understandings (LE2) Listening and Speaking: Processes and Strategies (LE1)

MATHEMATICS Collect and Process and Interpret data: Summarise and represent data and Interpret data (LE1) (LE3)Measurement: Collect and process data (LE2)

SCIENCEEarth and Beyond: Sustainability of life and wise resource use (LE3)

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Overview of Middle Childhood Topics continued



Topic Two Knowledge and understandings

Interpersonal skills Self-management skills


Safer pedestriansLearning Experience 1: Stop, Look, Listen, Think in more challenging situations 2: Have I got time to cross?3: How safe are the roads around our school


Strategies to cope •withinfluencesonpedestrian behaviour.Personal actions •to reduce the harm to self and others associated with being a pedestrian.


Identifying personal •attitudes and values towards using safer pedestrian behaviour.Featuresofthetraffic•environment make people safer e.g. footpaths, median strips, safe routes to school.Behaviours and •situations relating to pedestrians that may be risky or harmful.


Identifying people in •the community who contribute to a safer trafficenvironmente.g.trafficwardens,localcouncils, police.


Monitoring own and •others’ non verbal behaviour and active listening skills.Conveying clear and •reasoned statements and views related to safety as a pedestrian.


Practicing assertive •communication in harmful pedestrian situations.Developing strategies •to assist self and others to avoid the harms associated with unsafe pedestrian situations.


Following instructions •and adapting communication skills to suit the purpose of the group.Responding to •questions, ideas and advice of others.Practicing ways to •contribute to group cohesiveness and effectiveness.Appreciating the need •to accept differing attitudes and opinions.


Explaining safer •pedestrian behaviours to others.




Practicing identifying •vehicle speed and stopping distances, safe crossing distances, and deciding on safer routes to walk to and from school.Identifying positive •and negative consequences of a decision. Considering the •rights, rules and responsibilities of a pedestrian.


Applying knowledge •of road rules to make safer pedestrian decisions. Identifying more than •one option in relation to crossing roads and safer routes to school.

Deciding and acting Managing peer •influencese.g.takinga shorter route rather than a safer route, crossing between vehicles.Strategies to manage •influencesofunsafepedestrian behaviour from peers and family.

ENGLISHWriting: Writing process strategies (Learning Experience 1 - LE1) (LE2) (LE3)Listening and Speaking: Processes and Strategies (LE2) (LE3)

MATHEMATICSNumber: Estimate (LE2)Collect and Process and Interpret data: Summarise and represent data and Interpret data (LE3)


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Safer cycling Learning Experience 1: Riding comes with responsibilities2: Know the rules for safe riding and know safe places to ride3: Finding safer routes to cycle to school


Strategies to cope •withinfluencesoncycling and riding behaviour. Personal actions •to reduce the harm to self and others associated with being a rider.


Identifying personal •attitudes and values towards using safer riding behaviours.Features of the •trafficenvironmentmake riders safer e.g. footpaths, shared paths, safe routes to school.Behaviours and •situations relating to riders that may be risky or harmful.Acceptance •of personal responsibility for safety.Appreciating •the need and responsibility to behave safely as a rider.Personal attitudes •and action to promote safety of themselves and others e.g. asking friends to wear a helmet, ride in safer areas.


Monitoring own and •others’ non verbal behaviour and active listening skills.Conveying clear and •reasoned statements and views related to safety as a rider.


Practicing assertive •communication in harmful riding situations.Developing strategies •to assist self and others to avoid the harms associated with unsafe riding situations.


Following instructions •and adapting communication skills to suit the purpose of the group.Responding to •questions, ideas and advice of others.Practicing ways to •contribute to group cohesiveness and effectiveness.Appreciating the •need to accept differing attitudes and opinions.


Explaining safer •cycling behaviours to others.




Identifying risks •in cycling related situations and making decisions to reduce their level of harm e.g. wearing a helmet, using correct cycling behaviour, maintaining their bike, planning safer journeys.


Identifying more than •one option in relation to cycling situations andfindingsaferroutes to cycle to school.Planning to reduce •risks as a cyclist.

Deciding and acting Managing peer •influencese.g.notwearing a helmet, not cycling a safer route.Strategies to manage •influencesofunsafecycling behaviour from peers and family.

ENGLISHReading: Text conventions (Learning Experience 1- LE1) (LE2)Writing: Writing Process Strategies (LE2) (LE3)Listening and Speaking: Processes and Strategies (LE1) (LE2) (LE3)


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The health benefits of active transportLearning Experience 1: Overcoming barriers to active transport2: Physical activity and your heart health 3: Setting physical activity and active transport


Children need 60 minutes •of ‘huff and puff’ physical activityeachdaytostayfitand healthy.Children who value their •health and safety engage in active transport.Physical activity optimises •personal health.

Growth and developmentThere are a range of •personal actions that can increase physical activity and promote health, including choosing active transport.Active transport helps build •strong muscles and bones; helps prevent heart diseases and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Active transport helps •improvefitnessandmaintaina healthy body weight.


Active transport and physical •activity helps improve social and emotional wellbeing and makes children more alert and ready to learn.


Their actions can encourage •friends and family to engage in physical activity and active transport.


Teachers, parents, friends, •sporting clubs, health clubs and the media are important sources of information and support relating to regular physical activity.


Practicing •communicating about the health effects of physical activity and active transport on their body. Monitoring own •and others’ non verbal behaviour and active listening skills.Conveying clear •and reasoned statements and views related to the health benefitsofactivetransport.

WORKING WITH OTHERS

Cooperating and •collaborating in groups.Following •instructions and adapting communication skills to suit the purpose of the group.Responding to •questions, ideas and advice of others.Practicing ways •to contribute to group cohesiveness and effectiveness.Appreciating •the need to accept differing attitudes and opinions.


Monitoring the physical •activity in their daily lives.

Reviewing the situation

How to take •responsibility for their own regular physical activity and active transport.Identifying positive •consequences to physical activity and negative consequences to being sedentary.


Identifying more than •one option in relation to active transport they can undertake.Considering factors that •mayinfluenceshort-term goals to use active transport or become more physically active.Identify barriers and •enablers to engaging in physical activity and active transport.Investigating the •sporting and physical activity abilities/resources available in their community.

Deciding and acting Choosing a short-•term goal to be more physically active - choose active transport andreflectingontheirprogress.Considering people, •resources and skills required to maintain long term use of active transport and lifelong physical activity.

ENGLISHWriting: Writing Process Strategies (Learning experience 1 - LE1)Listening and Speaking: Processes and Strategies (LE1)

SCIENCELife and Living: Structure and Function (LE2)

SOCIETY AND ENVIRONMENTResources: Economics/Geography

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The social benefits of active transportLearning Experience 1: Active transport has manysocialbenefits2: A closer look at public transport 3: Planning to use public transport


Children who value their •health and safety engage in active transport.Physical activity optimises •personal health.


Active transport and •physical activity are fun for children to do with friends, family, grandparents and helps improve social wellbeing.Active transport helps •develop children’s road safety skills.Active transport helps •save the family money in car running costs and parking.Active transport develops •a sense of community and makes people feel safer.


Their actions can •encourage friends and family to engage in active transport.There are safety rules and •rules for correct behaviour that keep people safer on public transport. Using public transport can •be fun, save your family money and teach you new road safety skills. Resources and consumer •skillsThere are a range of •public transport options available to them and public transport use involves planning.


Practicing •communicating about the social benefitsofactivetransport. Monitoring own •and others’ non verbal behaviour and active listening skills.Conveying clear •and reasoned statements and views related to the social benefitsofactivetransport.


Following •instructions and adapting communication skills to suit the purpose of the group.Responding to •questions, ideas and advice of others.Practicing ways •to contribute to group cohesiveness and effectiveness.Appreciating the •need to accept differing attitudes and opinions.


Practicing •planning to use public transport safely.Practicing •making decisions in risky situations related to public transport.


Identifying more •than one option in relation to active transport they can undertake for a school or family excursion.Consider •costs, timing, availability and timetables when planning to use public transport.

Deciding and acting

Considering •safety rules and behaviours required to keep them safe on public transport.

ENGLISHWriting: Writing Process Strategies (Learning Experience 1- LE1) (LE2)Listening and Speaking: Processes and Strategies (LE1) SOCIETY AND ENVIRONMENTResources: Economics/Geography (LE1)Investigation, Communication and Participation: Planning and Conducting (LE2) (LE3)

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The environmental benefits of active transportLearning Experience 1: Car use and greenhouse gas emissions2: Getting the facts about cars and the environment 3: Making a case for environmental alternatives

PROMOTING WELLBEING Ways to keep healthier and safer

Their actions can •encourage friends and family to engage in active transport.Active transport and car •pooling reduce pollution by cutting down car emissions and improve road safety around schools by reducing trafficcongestion.Enhanced greenhouse •effect is a global issue thatisinfluencedbysmall changes made by individuals.


Local and national •governments have the potential to make decisions that encourage more active transport use.


Practicing •communicating about thesocialbenefitsofactive transport. Monitoring own and •others’ non verbal behaviour and active listening skills.Conveying clear and •reasoned statements and views related to thesocialbenefitsofactive transport.


Following instructions •and adapting communication skills to suit the purpose of the group.Responding to •questions, ideas and advice of others.Practicing ways to •contribute to group cohesiveness and effectiveness.Appreciating the •need to accept differing attitudes and opinions.


Planning ways to •reduce their family’s greenhouse gas emissions through car use.


Identifying more •than one option in relation to reducing their family’s greenhouse gas emissions through car use. Identifying •the savings in greenhouse gas emissions that walking to school each day will bring over a week, a month and a year.

ENGLISHWriting: Writing Process Strategies (Learning Experience 2-LE2)Listening and Speaking: Processes and Strategies (LE3) MATHEMATICSNumber: Understand numbers (LE1) (LE3)Collect and Process and Interpret data: Summarise and represent data and Interpret data (LE1)

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Planning a whole school active transport curriculum

Other alternatives to walking children to school •may include walking to one person’s house and carpooling or stopping bus/car earlier and walking the rest of the way or walking to the school bus.

Active transport can help develop children’s road •safetyskillsandconfidenceaswellasbeingafun,social activity.

Active transport can help improve the road safety •around the school and reduce their impact on pollution through reducing car emissions.

Ensure children are supervised at all times in or •neartraffic–holdtheirhandorensurechildrenhold onto a sibling’s pram when crossing roads, in carparks, on footpaths and in driveways.

Teach children how to cross the road and provide •children with frequent opportunities to practice travelling to and from school using the safest footpaths and crossing places.

Children under 10 years should be supervised •when walking or cycling to school as they are still developing their peripheral vision and hearing, are easilydistractedandhavedifficultyjudgingspeedanddistanceofoncomingtraffic.

Enforce the law that children must always wear •approvedbicyclehelmetsthatareproperlyfittedand secured.

As Early Childhood teachers will be aware, children aged4-8yearsbenefitfromlearningthroughplay.Toencourage this play and develop students’ road safety literacy:

Create a map of the school and its neighbourhood •on a large sheet of cardboard, and provide a range of small people and animals for students to move safely around the streets.

Provide a collection of cardboard road signs; •large boxes that can represent buses and train carriages; and bus and train tickets in the home corner and at playtime.

Provide a collection of ‘active transport buddies’ •or soft toys that can accompany students on their active transport journeys to and from school, or on other outings with their families. Students can use these toys to retell aspects of their journey to the class or discuss what they have learnt with their family.

Planning a whole-school active transport curriculum

This whole-school active transport curriculum has been designed to be conducted within the classroom and can be taught within the Health and Physical Education Learning Area Contexts of Growth and Development, Lifestyle Choices and/or Safety.

Teachers will need to collaborate with other teachers to decide which learning experiences in this resource are suitable for which year group. A suggested agegrouphasbeenidentifiedforeachlearningexperience, although teacher judgments about the particular content, emphasis and activities chosen will beinfluencedbyfactorssuchas:

The prior experiences and learning of their •students.

Their students’ learning needs and outcomes.•

The different ways of learning by their students.•

The available resources. •

The cultural and geographical settings in which •learning takes place.

Learning experiences have been designed as a collection of suitable activities, rather than one lesson. Teachers may choose to conduct one or more of the activities described in each learning experience.

Activities that promote whole school activity have been highlighted with the following icon:

Early Childhood Planning

The Early Childhood section places more emphasis on the safety issues involved with being a pedestrian, cyclist and playing. The importance of parents/caregivers being involved in their active transport to and from school is stressed. Public transport options are also introduced.

Key messages to stress for parents of children aged 4-8 years:

Children with parents as active role models are •more likely to be active.

Active transport to and from school can help •children get the right amount of physical activity each day – at least 60 minutes and up to several hours of moderate to vigorous physical activity – as wellasimprovetheirfitnessandbuildstrongbonesand muscles.

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Planning a whole school active transport curriculum

Key messages to stress for parents of children aged 9-12 years:

Children with parents as active role models are •more likely to be active.

Active transport to and from school can help •children get the right amount of physical activity each day – at least 60 minutes and up to several hours of moderate to vigorous physical activity – as wellasimprovetheirfitnessandbuildstrongbonesand muscles.

Active transport can help develop children’s road •safetyskillsandconfidenceaswellasbeingafunsocial activity.

Active transport can help improve the road safety •around the school and reduces their impact on pollution through reducing car emissions.

Remind children to always• Stop, Look, Listen and Think wheninthetrafficenvironment.

Children under 12 years are allowed to cycle on •footpaths while anyone can ride on a shared path. Teach children to look out for vehicles coming in and out of driveways.

Children under 10 years should be supervised •when walking or cycling to school as they are still developing their peripheral vision and hearing, are easilydistracted,andhavedifficultyjudgingspeedanddistanceofoncomingtraffic.

Make sure children know people who live along •their safe route to and from school or places they can go if they feel unsafe.

Expect their children to know and operate within •the law in regard to pedestrian road rules, use of helmets and cycling safely.

Support children in recognising their role as •independent road users by helping them plan their own active transport to and from school, to use public transport and to participate in family travel decisions.

Middle Childhood Planning

The Middle Childhood section recognises that some children are travelling to and from school independently; encourages them to be critical assessors of their own cycling and walking environments;andidentifieswaystoaddressany barriers to active transport. It increases students’ awareness of the road and road rules and their responsibility in using it safely. The health, environmental and social advantages of taking more opportunities to walk, cycle and travel by public transport are also explored.

Please note that the website hyperlinks listed in this resource were correct at time of printing. In the unlikely event that a hyperlink malfunctions, teachers are advised to type the generic address of this website into a search engine such as Google and search for the hyperlink from the Homepage of the site.

Early Childhood Topics

1Topic 1: Setting the scene for active transport

• Wehaveastrongdependenceonprivatecarsfortransportwhichhaschangedourcommunities and cities.

• MostWAchildrenaredriventoandfromschooleachdayeventhoughtheyliveclosetoschool.

• Activetransportiswhenpeopleincreasetheirphysicalactivityasameansoftransporte.g. cycling, walking, Walking School Bus™.

• Manyfactorsinfluenceourchoiceoftravelmodebasedonneed,distance,convenience,weather, motivation.

• Planningtravelmayresultinareductionincartripswhich,inturn,wouldreducegreenhouse gas emissions.

• Choosingactivetransportoptionsofteninvolvesachangeincurrenttravelhabitsandattitudes.

• Walking,cyclingandusingpublictransporthaveadvantagesanddisadvantagesastraveloptions.

• Engaginginactivetransporttoandfromschoolinvolvesfamilyaswellasindividualcommitment.


For studentsKey understandings: Key skills:

Key message:


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Suggested for K-Year 1

students

Topic 1: Setting the scene for active transport Learning experience 1: How we travel

Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 1.1: How we travel•Whiteboard the following table•

Car Walk Bike Public transport

Other

To SchoolFrom SchoolTotal

Activity 1Ask students to think about how they came to school today. Using the prepared table, students either place a tick against their mode of transport on the whiteboard or vote using a show of hands and teacher records tallies on the table.

Repeat the same procedure to collect information on how they plan to get home today.

Discuss: What was the most popular way for children to •come to and from school in our class?

What was the least popular way?•

What do you think are some reasons for this?•

Who decides how you travel to and from school? •

What sorts of things will decide how we travel to •and from school e.g. weather, time, distance from school, access to car, and access to public transport?

Explain that most WA children are driven to and from school each day even though they live close to school.

Explain that your school is trying to encourage families to use active transport to travel to and from school, andtohelpstudentsfindpartofthe60minutesof‘huffand puff’ physical activity they need each day for good health.

Ask students to guess what active transport may be? Responses may include walking, cycling, roller skating.

Public transport is also considered an active transport as it involves walking to and from the bus/train.

Explain that active transport is when people increase their physical activity as a way to get from one place to another.

Is there anything that could happen at our school •that would make it easier for you to travel to and from school using active transport?

Students brainstorm some of the advantages of:

walking to and from school•

cycling to and from school•

catching public transport to and from school•

other possible active transport options such as The •Walking School Bus™

Students complete Worksheet 1.1: How we travel using the information on the whiteboard and information from the discussion.

For studentsKey understandings:

We have a strong dependence on private cars for •transport.

Most WA children are driven to and from school •each day even though they live close to school.

Active transport is when people increase their •physical activity as a means of transport e.g. cycling, walking, The Walking School Bus™.

Key skills:Practice communicating about active transport.•

Identify more than one option in relation to •transport choices.

Key message: Walking and cycling are active transport.

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child’s name up . . . all the way to school” to the tune of “The Wheel on the Bus” while ‘picking up’ children from designated spots on the court/play area.

Resources / Preparation: Matilda’s Morning Adventures•

Worksheet 1.2: I remember how Matilda came •to school

Activity 3Conduct a shared reading of Matilda’s Morning Adventures. If students have not read the story before, ask students to predict:

What the story may be about?•

What characters they think may be in the story?•

During the story, ask questions such as:

What do you think will happen next?•

How would you feel if your family suggested you •walked or cycled to school?

How would you choose to get to school?•

How do you think the story might end?•

After the reading ask:

Why do you think we read this story?•

What are some of the important things about safety •you have learnt from this story?

What are some of the ways Matilda got to school?•

Studentsworkwithapartnerandtrytorecallthefivedifferent active transport options Matilda used to get to school, in the correct order that they were used in the story. e.g. On Monday Matilda walked with her mum. Students write or draw a summary of their discussion or cut out words on Worksheet 1.2: I remember how Matilda came to school to create a story sequence.

Hear feedback and whiteboard the correct responses. Using a ‘thumbs up, thumbs down’ voting system where a ‘thumbs up’ gesture means ‘yes’, a ‘thumbs down’gesturemeans‘no’,anda‘flatpalm’means‘notsure’, ask students:

Wouldyoufinditeasyto• walk to school one day a week?

Ask the same question for the other modes of active transport and tally voting on whiteboard.

Students draw a picture showing them using an active mode of transport that they think would best suit their family to come to school.

Students complete the sentence: This is me walking/cycling/catching a bus to school with Mum, Dad, Grandma, other adult.

Send worksheet home with students and ask them to discuss active transport options with their family.

Resources / Preparation: Access • www.transport.wa.gov.au/walkingschoolbus for details on how to set up a Walking School Bus in your school

Use pictures from above website or relevant page •in Matilda’s Morning Adventures as stimulus

Activity 2Ask students to suggest ways they could get more exercise coming to school even if mum or dad couldn’t walk with them.

Explain The Walking School Bus™ program to students.

Discuss: Who has used (or heard of) a Walking School •Bus™?

What are some good things about The Walking •School Bus™? – Get physical activity; feel awake when you get to school; meet new friends; have fun; see more things than you can see from the car; reduce the number of cars in the school car park making the area safer and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Who walks at the front and back of The Walking •School Bus™? Why? – An adult for safety.

What sorts of things would decide whether you •used The Walking School Bus™? – Whether it came near your house, whether your parents thought it was safe, whether you knew anyone else on it.

Could we create a Walking School Bus™ at our •school?

Ask students to spread out evenly along the inside boundaryofalarge,butdefinedspacesuchasanetball court or play area.

Sing: “The Walking School Bus™ picks substitute

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Discuss: Which active way to come to school would be the •easiest for most students in our class to do? Why?

Which active ways to come to school are harder for •most students in our class to do? Why?

What could you/your family or the school do to •make this an easier thing to do?

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How we travel Worksheet 1.1

Our class tally

Today ___ children in our class came to school by car.

Today ___ children in our class came to school by walking.

Today ___ children in our class came to school by cycling or scooter.

Today ___ children in our class came to school by public transport or school bus.

In our class most children came to school

today by ______________________________

_____________________________________.

The weather today was___________________

_____________________________________.

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Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

I remember how Matilda came to school Worksheet 1.2

#

#

walked with mum

walked with dad

rode her bike

Walking School Bus™

bus

Early Childhood TopicsEarly Childhood Topics

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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 1.3: Why we travel the way we do•www.transport.wa.gov.au/cycletoschoolday •has a Hands Up survey form that may be downloaded to tally students’ transport modes to school

Activity 1Using Worksheet 1.3: Why we travel the way we do students work with a pair and try to recall all the journeys they have made over the last two days – other than to and from school. After discussing with their partner, students write or draw the destination and mode of transport on their worksheet.

Discuss: What was the most common type of transport that •you used?

Why was this the most popular choice? – • Car use will probably be most popular choice. Responses may include: convenience; destination was too far; too hot/wet to walk; use car out of habit.

Were all the trips necessary? •

Why would it be better to plan our trips in the car •and combine trips? – Cars burn fuel and gases which come out of the back of the car. These gases contain carbon dioxide and other waste gases. Large amounts of these gases can pollute the air and damage our environment. They are called greenhouse gas emissions.

Whichtypesoftransporthelpedyoukeepfit?–•Explain that these are called active transport and that active transport is when people increase their physical activity as a way to get from one place to another.

Why do you think your family chose to take these •trips by bike/walking etc? – It was a fun family outing; destination was close; our family likes to walk/ride; or it was a lovely day.

Were there any trips you could have completed •using active transport (including public transport) rather than in a car?

Why is it good to walk other than use the car? – •Save petrol money; less congestion on our roads; less greenhouse gas emissions; better for our health; more fun to mix with other people.

What do you think our school could do to •encourage families to use active transport to travel to and from school?

The letter to the family on the worksheet may be completed as a whole class activity with students making suggestions for the letter and copying it from the whiteboard.

Students complete worksheet and then brainstorm fun family trips they have made that did not involve a car. For example catching a bus to the city, walking to the football.


Manyfactorsinfluenceourchoiceoftravelmode,•based on need, distance, convenience, weather, motivation.

Planning travel may result in a reduction in car •trips which, in turn, would reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Choosing active transport options often involves a •change in current travel habits and attitudes.

Topic 1: Setting the scene for active transportLearning experience 2: Why we travel the way we do

Key message: Plan to get out of the car and onto the streets.Suggested for Year 2 students

Key skills:Share reasons for making decisions about •alternatives to current travel habits with others.

Monitor own family’s use of the car and consider •opportunities where more active transport may be possible.

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Share opinions between corners and then give students the opportunity to move to another corner if, after hearing others’ opinions, they have changed their minds:

If I had to choose active transport to get to school I would choose:

Walking.1.

Cycling.2.

Walking School Bus™.3.

Public transport.4.

I think the best thing about active transport is that:

It makes me more healthy and active.1.

Saves my family money on petrol.2.

Itcauseslesstrafficaroundschoolandcutsdown3. pollution.

It helps me get better at riding and crossing roads .4.

I think choosing to come to school every day by active transport would be:

Easy.1.

Difficult.2.

Difficultatfirst,butthenyouwouldgetusedtoit.3.

Not sure.4.


Activity 2Read Matilda’s Morning Adventures to class and discuss the reasons why Matilda’s family may have chosen each type of transport for each day of the week – Good weather; parents’ work regime; access to public transport; days the Walking School Bus™ may be available.

Stress that making an active transport choice to get to school may not always have been the easiest option for Matilda. She may have had to get out of bed a little earlier, she would have had to use more energy and effort to get to school, and she may have had less time to play with her friends when she got to school.

Matilda found something positive in every type of active transport she used. Ask students to recall the positive aspects for each day.

Remind students that Matilda told her mum that she loved what she did last week so much she now wants to try active transport to get home from school as well.

Students imagine they are Matilda and write or draw a list of suggestions on how they would like to get home using active transport each day next week e.g.

On Monday I would like to walk home with my friend’s mum.

On Tuesday I would like to . . .

Encourage students to think of other options to those presented in the book such as walk to the school bus or park the car further from school and walk the rest of the journey.

Resources / Preparation: Prepared numbered signs: 1, 2, 3 and 4.•

Activity 3Prepare four signs, each numbered 1, 2, 3, or 4 and place a sign in each corner of the room.

Pose the following questions to students and ask them to move to the corner which best describes their opinion and share their reasons for choosing the corner.

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Think about all the trips you have made over the last two days. Write down where you travelled and how you travelled e.g. car

' bus

' train

' walk

'

bike' other.

Where I travelled How I travelled

e.g. Basketball practice car

• Choose one car trip where you could have walked

' cycled or caught a bus.

• Copy the class letter to your family. Tell them two reasons why you would like to walk or catch a bus or train next time. Take your letter home to your family.

Why we travel the way we do Worksheet 1.3


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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 1.4: Making a case for active •transportSheets of paper for PMI•

Activity 1Explain that in our community and all around Australia the car is our main choice of transport and that even when their grandparents were young, people relied less on the car and walked and cycled more.

Ask students to think about the street they live in, the area around their school and the city.

What things in these environments exist because •of cars? For example – roads, kerbs, garages and carports, car parks, round abouts, speed humps, trafficlights,roadsigns,freeways,pedestrianoverpasses, speed cameras, petrol stations, car yards, mechanics.

Discuss: How different would our community be without •cars?

Would it be better or worse? Why?•

What would our school be like if our playground •was made into a carpark?

What are some of the bad things about always •making trips in a car? – Peoplegetunfitandunhealthy; costs lots of money to maintain a car; road rage, streets not safe for pedestrians; don’t

get to know people in their community; children don’t get to know how to be safe pedestrians and cyclists.

Explain that to make their communities better now and in the future, people need to work together to balance the use of the car with other ways of travelling.

Explain that active transport is a good option. Active transport is when people increase their physical activity as a way to get from one place to another.

Can you guess what active transport may be? – •Responses may include walking, cycling, scooter. Public transport is also considered an active transport as it involves walking to and from the bus/train.

Students form groups of four and conduct a Plus Minus Interesting (PMI) on either:

walking•

cycling•

public transport•

Key skills:Share attitudes to different types of active •transport.

Practice responding to barriers to using active •transport to and from school.


Our strong dependence on private cars for •transport has changed our communities and cities.

Walking, cycling and using public transport have •advantages and disadvantages as travel options.

Engaging in active transport to and from school •involves family as well as individual commitment.

Key message: Active transport has lots of advantages.Suggested for Year 3 students

Topic 1: Setting the scene for active transportLearning experience 3: Making a case for active transport

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Resources / Preparation: Matilda’s Morning Adventures

Activity 2Read Matilda’s Morning Adventures to class and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each of Matilda’s active transport choices.

Assign a day of the week to each group and the corresponding type of active transport that Matilda used.

Students make a list of things that would encourage more children and their families to choose this type of active transport. e.g. cycling – prizes for cycling every day for a month awarded at assembly, more secure bike racks that are out of the rain, no staff or parent parking near shared paths.

StudentspresenttheirfindingstothePrincipal,ataschool assembly or to the P&C using a PowerPoint presentation.

For example: Cycling

Plus Minus Interesting

improves •fitnessandhealthfun/stress •relievingquick travel •parking easier•no pollution•cheaper than •car

can be •dangerousmust own a •bike dependent on •weatherroads not safe •for cyclists breathing in •pollution

can use car •to take bike to safe shared pathcan take bikes •on trainsit would be •safer to ride your bike if there were less cars

When the groups have completed PMI, students pass sheets to the group to their right and this group considers any new factors that they can add to this new PMI. Continue to pass on the sheets several times until no new ideas are elicited.

Students complete Worksheet 1.4: Making a case for active transport individually.

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Worksheet 1.4Making a case for active transport

Complete these sentences.

Active transport is good because __________________________________________ __________________________________________________.List some good things about cycling. e.g. It keeps you fit.

____________________________________________ ____________________________________________.List some bad things about cycling.e.g. Drivers don’t see you.

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________.List some good things about walking.e.g. It doesn’t cost anything.

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________.List some bad things about walking.e.g. It can be slow.

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________.List some good things about public transport.e.g. It is quicker than driving.

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________.List some bad things about public transport.e.g. Bus and train stops are not always at convenient places. ______________________________________________________________________________________________.


Generally, children under 10 years are at risk as pedestrians because they have one third of the peripheral vision of adults; are still developing directional hearing; are easily distracted andhavedifficultyjudgingspeedanddistanceofoncomingtraffic.

Key messages for parents and students:

• Holdinganadult’shandwhenwalkingneartheroadorincarparksmakessmallchildrensafer and more visible. Alternatively, children can hold onto a sibling’s pram.

• Therearerulesforsafepedestrianbehaviourwhenusingfootpaths,sharedpaths,carparks and crossing driveways.

• TheStop, Look, Listen, Think search strategy will keep small children safer when crossing driveways.

• Crosstheroadwhereyoucanseetrafficandtrafficcanseeyou.

• Therearesomeplacesthataresafertocrosssuchascrosswalks,straightstretchesofroad,trafficsignals,overandunderpasses.

• Therearesaferroutestowalktoandfromschoolandwithinthelocalarea.

2Topic 2: Safer pedestrians


33

Resources / Preparation: Relevant pictures in the Discussion Photo •Pack available in the SDERA Early Childhood Challenges and Choices resource.

Activity 1Brainstormpedestrianhazardswithinthetrafficenvironment, especially on the way to and from school such as:

Roads without footpaths.•

Bike riders on footpaths.•

Cars reversing from driveways or into carparks.•

Motorbikes and farm machinery moving in and out •of farms.

School buses parking.•

Explain that the students are going to play a game to let you know what they know about being a safe pedestrian.

Explain the rules of the game, which are:

Listen to the question.•

Put your hands on your head if you think the •answer is ‘yes’.

Put your hands on your bottom if you think the •answer is ‘no’.

Fold your arms if you are unsure of the answer.•

Play the game, noting where knowledge gaps exist. The game can be replayed at the end of the lesson to check for learning and understanding.

Questions If you are walking on the footpath you must hold an •adult’s hand – Yes

You must always hold an adult’s hand when you •are near the road or in a carpark – Yes

If you can’t hold an adult’s hand, you can hold their •bag, their clothes or a pram if they have one – Yes

You should ‘keep left’ on the footpath when you are •walking – Yes

You should ‘keep left’ on the footpath when you are •walking towards another pedestrian or cyclist – Yes

You should stand back from the kerb when you are •waiting to cross the road – Yes

The safest place on the footpath is the side closest •tothetraffic–No

Hazards on the footpath can change from day to •day – Yes

When you are walking on the footpath and come to •a driveway, you should always stop, look and listen for car backing out and then think whether it’s safe to cross – Yes

If you can’t walk on a footpath it is safer to walk on •the right hand side of the road, so you can see the trafficcomingtowardsyou–Yes

It is important to be a safe pedestrian – • Yes

Key skills:Practice the • Stop, Look, Listen, Think search strategy when crossing driveways.

Share attitudes about being a safer pedestrian.•


Holding an adult’s hand when walking near the •road or in carparks makes small children safer and more visible.

There are rules for safe pedestrian behaviour •when using footpaths, carparks and crossing driveways.

The • Stop, Look, Listen, Think search strategy will keep small children safer when crossing driveways.

Key message: Always hold an adult’s hand when walking near the road or in carparks.Suggested for K-Year 1

students

Topic 2: Safer pedestriansLearning experience 1: Hold an adult’s hand

34


Students draw a picture of themselves holding hands with an adult – or older sibling or student if adult supervision is not an option – while walking to school. Write or scribe accompanying sentences or safety messages. e.g. ‘I hold Mum’s hand when I walk to school to stay safe’.

This activity has been adapted from Challenges and Choices Early Childhood Resource, SDERA, 2005.

Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 2.1: Stop, Look, Listen, Think in •drivewaysParent helpers•

Safe driveway in school grounds•

Digital camera•

Activity 3Discuss and record the procedures for using Stop, Look, Listen, Think strategy when crossing a driveway:

Stop• – well clear of the driveway and make sure you are back from the kerb.

Look• – to see if any cars are reversing or coming into driveway. Make eye contact with the driver if you can.

Listen• – for car engine noises, reverse beeping sounds from trucks.

Think• – is it safe to cross the driveway and walk straight across if it is.

Ask students to mime actions to each of the steps in the strategy.

Emphasise the importance of holding an adult’s hand, bag, pram etc throughout the procedure.

Take students and parent helpers to a quiet driveway on the school grounds. Make sure helpers are aware of the Stop, Look, Listen, Think strategy, and that students understand they are not to go on the road.

Have a parent helper drive in or out of the driveway repeatedly and allow each student time to practice the strategy with an adult, ensuring that all steps are practiced. Remind students of the miming actions for each step.

Take digital photos of students practicing each step. Photocopy four photos that best represent each step and ask students to place in the correct order. Display the photos where parents pick students up.

Resources / Preparation: Hands are for holding when you are crossing •the road by the Hooley Dooleys available in the SDERA Early Childhood Challenges and Choices kit; or Matilda’s Morning Adventures.

Activity 2Young children have under-developed peripheral visionanddirectionalhearing,difficultyjudgingspeedand distance, and their smaller stature makes it difficultfordriverstoseethem.

It is important that students understand that holding an adult’s or older person’s hand on the footpath, in car parks and while crossing the road will help keep them safer. Read Hands are for holding when you are crossing the road or re-read the sections of Matilda’s Morning Adventures where Matilda is holding an adult’s hand.

Discuss: Whose hand do you hold when you are walking on •the footpath, in a car park or crossing the road?

Why do you need to hold an adult’s hand when •crossing the road? – Adults know where you are and can stop you if there is a hazard; adults know more road rules and can protect you; you will feel safer; drivers can’t always see small children but they are more likely to see the adult because they are taller; it shows you are a respectful road user.

Why do you need to hold an adult’s hand when you •are walking near the road? – Similar responses to previous question.

Why do you need to hold an adult’s hand when you •are in a car park? – Adults can see more clearly whether cars are going in or out of parking bays; cars move a lot faster than you do plus similar responses to previous question.

What can you do if an adult’s hand is not free? – •They can hold an adult’s bag, clothing, pram, or shopping trolley.

What can you do if you don’t have an adult’s hand •to hold? – Walk with an older student; walk away from the road edge; know how to cross the road safely.

What could you say to someone who thinks it’s silly •to hold an adult’s hand?

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Older students can complete Worksheet 2.1: Stop, Look, Listen, Think in driveways.

Submit digital photos of the incursion and summary of the strategy to the school newsletter or website.

Resources / Preparation: Clip art, digital photos from the incursion, old •magazines and poster paper.

Activity 4In groups, students make a large poster to show the importance of:

Holding an adult’s hand when walking to or from •school.

Using the • Stop, Look, Listen, Think strategy when crossing driveways.

Display the posters where parents/caregivers gather and have students explain their posters to their buddy students in another class.

Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 2.2: How we came to school•3 or 4 ‘active transport buddies’ (soft toys) each •stored inside a shopping bag with a scrap book and markers.

Activity 5Home activity: Introduce 3 or 4 ‘active transport buddies’ (soft toys) to the class and explain that everyone will have a turn to take these buddies home, along with a shopping bag, sharing book (scrap book) and some markers.

Ask students to walk to or from school with an adult or older person, and record with their family things they did that made them safer on Worksheet 2.2: How we came to school. e.g. held an adult’s hand; used Stop, Look, Listen, Think; crossed at a safe place. Students paste their worksheet into the sharing book.

36

When you are walking to or from school'

always be careful near driveways and carparks. Remember the Stop

' Look

' Listen

'

Think rule when crossing driveways.Draw a picture to show you using each step:

Stop, Look, Listen, Think in driveways Worksheet 2.1

Stop: back from the kerb and road.

Listen: for traffic.

Walk across the driveway holding an adult's hand.

Think: is it safe to cross?

Look: for cars coming in or out of the driveway.

37

Draw a picture of how you and your active transport buddy came to school today:

How we came to school Worksheet 2.2

We ______________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________to make it a safer journey. Parents please fill out the section above to explain what you

did with your child to make it a safer trip to school using active

transport. e.g. held an adult's hand; used Stop, Look, Listen, Think; crossed at a safe place.

Thank you for being an active and safe role model for your child.


38


Resources / Preparation: First Best Friends• by Margaret Wild available in the SDERA Early Childhood Challenges and Choices resource; or Matilda’s Morning Adventures.

Activity 1Read First Best Friends or re-read sections of Matilda’s Morning Adventures where Matilda is safely crossing the road.

What safe/unsafe things did the characters do in •the story?

Why do you think Matilda held an adult’s hand •when she was coming to school?

Which place did Matilda use to safely cross the •road?

Why was this safe? •

What must you do and think about when you’re •crossing the road? – Introduce Stop, Look, Listen, Think strategy and stress the importance of crossingtheroadwhereyoucanseetrafficand trafficcanseeyou.

Ask students to share their walking to or from school experiences, explaining why they liked the experience and what they did to stay safer.

Although students need to understand that it is

important to walk to school with an adult, this may not always happen in all families. Teachers need to be sensitive to this and also encourage other safer options such as using the Walking School Bus™, walking with older friends, siblings, walking to catch the school bus.

Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 2.3: Safer places to cross•

Activity 2Explain that some places are safer to cross the road than others and that there are many people and things in the road environment put in place to make pedestrians safer.

Discuss: Can you think of people or things on the road •that have been put in place to make it safer for pedestrians to cross the road? – Trafficwardens,Walking School Bus™,crosswalks,flashinglightsnear schools, 40km hour speed limits around schools,Kiss’n’Driveparks,pushbuttontrafficsignals, median strips, pedestrian under and over passes, maze crossings at railway lines.

Can you think of a safe place to cross if you can’t •findanyofthesespecialsafetyfeatures?–On a

Key skills:Practice the • Stop, Look, Listen, Think search strategy.

Practice identifying safer places to cross near the •school.

Share attitudes about being a safe pedestrian.•


Stop, Look, Listen, Think• is the safest way to cross the road.

Always hold an adult’s hand when crossing the •road.

Know how to cross the road if an adult is not •available.

Crosstheroadwhereyoucanseetrafficand•trafficcanseeyou.

There are some places that are safer to cross •such as crosswalks, straight stretches of road, trafficsignals,overandunderpasses.

Key message: Stop, Look, Listen, Think is the safest way to cross the road.Suggested for Year 2 students

Topic 2: Safer pedestriansLearning experience 2: Crossing the road

39


Listen–fortrafficcoming.•

Think – is it is safe to cross the road? If it’s not, •start the process again.

Cross – with an adult or older person, holding •hands.

Discuss that it may be necessary to do this strategy several times before it is safe to cross and that it is important to use this strategy even when there are crossingfacilitiessuchastrafficlightsorthereisatrafficwardeninplace.

Mark out a road and footpath in the playground for students to practice the strategy. Ask the following questions during the practice:

What are you looking and listening for?•

How will you know when it’s safe to cross?•

Why don’t you run across the road when it’s safe to •go?

Why do you sometimes have to do all the steps •again?

Why is it important to do this even when you are •walking with an adult?

Whenstudentsareconfident,withappropriateparenthelp, take the active transport buddies for a walk around the streets near the school. Students practice selecting safer places for the buddies to cross roads includingstraightstretchesofroad,trafficwardencrossings,crosswalks,trafficsignalsandoverpassesif available.

Photograph students with the buddies at appropriately safe places to cross, and with students practicing each of the steps of the Stop, Look, Listen, Think strategy.

In rural areas, discuss crossing on straight stretches of road; crossing after the school bus has moved awayfromthekerbandwhenthereisnoothertraffic;using pedestrian crossings at railway lines; looking for heavy trucks which take a longer time to stop than cars.

Display the photographs with appropriate captions to help students revise their understanding of safe and unsafe places to cross, and the Stop, Look, Listen, Think strategy. Alternatively, cut up the different section of Worksheet 2.4 and ask students to paste in the correct order and draw a picture of them Practicing this skill.

straightstretchofroadwhereyoucanseetrafficandtrafficcanseeyou.

Assign students to groups of three and give each group a copy of Worksheet 2.3: Safer places to cross.

Students must decide as a group which pictures depict scenes where it is safer to cross and mark these with a tick. Using the same group consensus, they must mark the unsafe crossing pictures with a cross.

Hear feedback and discuss reasons why each picture is safer or unsafe. Stress that it is a different road experience every time students cross the road. Even though the cars may have stopped for you to cross the crosswalk yesterday, you should not think they will stop again tomorrow. Always remember to Stop, Look, Listen, Think, and to walk (not run) across the crosswalk.

Explain that sometimes they also need to Stop, Look, Listen, Think several times before it is safe to cross.

Answers

Heavytrafficonamajorroad ×

LighttrafficonalocalroadP

On the crest of a hill × Between parked cars ×In front of a school bus × Atacrossingwithatraffic

warden P

On a straight quiet road P Behind a school bus, but wait till bus has moved away and checkforothertraffic×

At an overpass PAt a roundabout ×

At an underpass P

Resources / Preparation: Photocopy • Worksheet 2.4: Stop, Look, Listen, Think to A3

Several active transport buddies (soft toys)•

Digital camera•

Activity 3Using Worksheet 2.4: Stop, Look, Listen, Think, explain the Stop, Look, Listen, Think strategy for crossing roads more safely:

Stop – back from the kerb, road edge, behind the •yellow line at a railway crossing.

Look–fortrafficcomingfrombothsidesofthe•road.

40

Safer places to cross Worksheet 2.3

Heavy traffic on a major road Light traffic on a local road

Between parked cars

In front of a school bus Behind a school bus

On a straight quiet road At a roundabout

At an overpass At an underpass

At a crossing with a traffic wardenOn the crest of a hill

41

Stop, Look, Listen, Think Worksheet 2.4

Stop

Look

Listen

Think


42


Resources / Preparation: Where’s Banjo Mum? • by Libby Hawthorn available in the SDERA Early Childhood Challenges and Choices resource; or Matilda’s Morning Adventures

Activity 1Read ‘Where’s Banjo Mum?’ by Libby Hawthorn and ask students to identify the hazards that Jess and his mum were exposed to while travelling home from school. Discuss the safer strategies they used getting on and off the bus, crossing the road, and in the car park.

Alternatively re-read Matilda’s Morning Adventures and discuss whether Matilda came to school by the same route each day and possible safety reasons for why the route changed? – Walked with mum on quiet streetsandcrossedatcrossingwithtrafficwarden;cycled on shared path and used cycle underpass; walked another way with dad to avoid road works.

Students write and illustrate about one chosen section of either story; or write and illustrate a recount of the journey with safety messages highlighted in colour.

This activity has been adapted from Challenges and Choices Early Childhood Resource, SDERA, 2005.

Resources / Preparation: Two prepared signs: ‘Very Important’ and ‘Not •Important’ placed at either end of the classroom to make a continuum.

Activity 2Explain that students will be sharing opinions about being a safe pedestrian while walking to and from school.

Explain that you will read out some statements relating to being a safer pedestrian. Some statements will be more important to their personal safety than others – it’s up to the student to decide.

Read each statement and ask students to consider it before placing themselves along a ‘Very Important’ to ‘Not Important’ continuum:

Knowing the safest places to cross the road on the •way to and from school.

Knowing where your local Safety Houses are.•

Always walking with an adult or older person.•

Knowing your name and address.•

Knowing the Stop, Look, Listen, Think strategy to •cross a road.

Looking for cars coming in and out of driveways.•

Never walking home by yourself.•

Making eye contact with drivers before crossing a •crosswalk.

Knowing where your friends live.•

Knowing what to do if the adult or older person you •walk home with doesn’t turn up.

Key skills:Practicefindingthesafestroutetowalktoand•from school.

Share attitudes about being a safe pedestrian.•


There are safer routes to walk to and from school •and within the local area.

Walk with an adult or older person and hold •their hand when crossing roads, driveways or in carparks.

Always choose the safest place to cross the road.•

Remember to use the • Stop, Look, Listen, Think search strategy every time you cross the road.

Know the location of Safety Houses on their safe •route to school.

Suggested for Year 3 students

Key message: Find your safer route to and from school.

Topic 2: Safer pedestriansLearning experience 3: Safer routes to school

43


Students are to imagine they are going on a class excursion. Assign one destination to each group and students decide on the safest route from the school to:

The local library.•

The local shops.•

The closest bus stop.•

A local park.•

Other relevant landmark. •

Students discuss reasons for their choices and mark the route with a distinctive colour or code to represent their group.

One person from each group takes their map and moves to the group on their right. This spokesperson must explain the reasons for their route choice. Other new group members must check to see if a safer alternative can be found.

Resources / Preparation: Photocopy street directory of local suburb or area. •Mark in the school and known Safety Houses

Photocopy to A3 – one for each student •

Photocopy to A2 for class map•

www.safetyhousewa.org.au/•

Class map can also be developed using online •resources - Whereis: www.whereis.com Google Earth: www.earth.google.com

Activity 5 Home activity: In class, discuss with students the safest places to cross the roads around the school e.g.onstraightstretchesofroad,atthetrafficwardencrossing, at the crosswalk, after the bus has moved away,attheover/underpass,atthetrafficlights,awayfrom the roundabout.

Students locate their home on the map and highlight the route they think would be the safest to walk to and from school, marking in safe places to cross.

Ask students to share the map with their families and make any changes that their family suggests.

Students use a personalised marking code or colour to record their route on a class map.

Discuss: How far do most of you live from school?•

Who walks or uses other active transport to or from •school regularly?

Provide opportunities for students to hear others’ reasons for choosing their position on the continuum for each statement, and allow them to change position if they change their minds after hearing their peers’ opinions.

Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 2.5: Choosing the safest place to •cross.

Activity 3Revise the crossing procedure Stop, Look, Listen, Think verbally. Repeat outside in the school playground using court markings to represent roads and footpaths.

Analyse the steps:

Stop – Why? Where/When?•

Look – Where? What for? Why? •

Listen – What for? Why?•

Think – About what? Stress that it’s OK to change •your mind and reassess the crossing.

Hold an adult or older person’s hand – Why? For •how long?

Stress that in the ‘Thinking’ step students need to consider factors such as:

The speed of the vehicle.•

The time it takes to cross.•

How long the vehicle will take to stop.•

The visibility in all directions.•

Weather and road conditions. •

Using Worksheet 2.5: Choosing the safest place to cross, students work in pairs and decide why this situation is unsafe as a crossing point and suggest a safer crossing alternative.

Resources / Preparation: Interactive whiteboard or A3 photocopy of local •suburb or area

http://www.safetyhousewa.org.au/•

Activity 4Scan a street directory map of the suburb or local area, including the school, and use on an interactive whiteboard. Alternatively photocopy to an A3 size for each student.

44


How long do you think it would take for you to walk •to or from school?

Why do you think this would be better for you and •the environment than being driven to school every day?

Which were the most common safe places to •cross? Why?

Where are some unsafe places to cross? • (e.g. near busy intersections; roundabouts; bends in roads; on crests of hills.)

Are there any other unsafe places to look out for •around our school e.g. teachers’ car park, parent pick up area?

What could we do as a school to make these •places safer?

Does your safe route go near a Safety House?•

Do any students take the same route? •

How could you make it easier for your families •to walk or cycle to or from school? (e.g. roster walking or cycling with a different family each day, form a Walking School Bus™).

45

Choosing the safest place to cross the road is important. Remember:

Use Stop1. , Look, Listen, Think every time you cross a road.It’s OK to change your mind and pick a safer place to cross.2.

It’s OK to repeat 3. Stop, Look, Listen, Think until you are sure it’s safe to cross.

All these road crossing situations are not safe. Talk to your partner about:• What makes each one unsafe?• Where would be a safer place to cross?

Choosing the safest place to cross Worksheet 2.5

Standing on the island (or median strip ) in heavy traffic On a curve or a bend

At a roundaboutOn the crest of a hill

Coming out between parked carsNear workmen working

on the footpath


3• Themostcommoninjuriesforchildrenwhocycleorridewheeleddevicesresultfromfalls.

Correct use of helmets decreases the risk of head injury by 85%.

• ItislawinWAtowearahelmetcarryingtheAustralianStandardsMark(AS2063)whenriding on the road, a footpath or shared path. This includes children on bikes with training wheels and sitting in baby seats behind an adult.

• Childrenundertheageof10yearsshouldnotcycleontheroadorbythemselvesbecause they are still developing their peripheral vision and hearing. It is recommended that if parents choose to ride with their young child to and from school, that they do so on shared paths or footpath, and that they dismount and walk their bikes across the road.

• Bicyclesneedtobethecorrectsize(i.e.childneedstobeabletotouchthegroundwhilesittingontheseat);andproperlymaintainedandfittedwithsafetyfeaturessuchasreflectors,brakesandbell.

• Childrenunder12yearsareallowedtorideonfootpaths.

• RoadrulesandsafetymessagesthatEarlyChildhoodchildrenneedtobeawareofinclude:

Wear a helmet every trip.•

Always ride with an adult and only on footpaths or shared paths.•

Young riders should be particularly alert near driveways, gateways and intersections. •

Ride on the left hand side of the footpath or shared paths.•

Give way to pedestrians at all times.•

Travelinsinglefileonallpaths.•

Use a bell when approaching others on the footpath.•

Indicate clearly if they are planning to stop or change direction. •

Topic 3: Safer cycling and play


47



students


Activity 1Share the pages in Matilda’s Morning Adventures when she rides to school.

Discuss: What are Matilda and her mum doing to stay safer •while riding to school? (Wearing helmets and shoes; wearing bright colours; riding on a shared path; riding on the left hand side of the path; stopping at the road; and walking the bike across the road.

Why would these things make them safer?•

Sit students in two concentric circles so each student is facing a partner. Students share experiences of riding bicycles and other wheeled devices.

Now pose the following questions for students to consider and then share their thoughts and ideas.

Move the inside circle clockwise one place after every few questions:

Which is the safest place to ride: on a shared path, •a footpath or a road? Why? – A shared path is the safest option as it is away from vehicles and usually free of pedestrians. Children under 10 years should not cycle on the road.

Why should you also ride with an adult? – • Children under 10 years have poorly developed peripheral vision and hearing; are still mastering the skills of

cycling and are not clearly visible to drivers.

Why should children your age never ride on the •road? – As above.

Why is it important to wear a helmet every time you •ride a bike, skateboard, scooter, rip stick or use roller blades?

Why do you think some children might choose not •to wear a helmet?

What could you say to a friend who thought •wearing a helmet was silly?

Whyisitimportanttowearahelmetthatfits•snuggly and covers your forehead? – A helmet that is too loose or fastened incorrectly may slip off if they fall off their bike, scooter etc and increase theirriskofinjury.Toprovidesufficientprotection,the helmet should cover their forehead and temples.

Is it important that children wear their helmets even •if they are just riding in their back yard? Why? – Yes, they may still fall off their bike and have a head injury in their backyard.

Is it important that children who live in the country •wear a helmet when they ride their bikes on their farm? Why? – Yes, they may still fall off their bike and have a head injury on the farm. Stress that cycling near their house is the safest option as tractors, motorcycles, utes etc are often moving around a farm.

As a group, invite students to share their opinions for each question and identify other questions for the

Key skills:Practice a helmet safety check.•

Share attitudes about being a safer rider.•


AlwayswearacorrectlyfittedAustralian•Standards approved helmet when riding a bike, scooter, skateboard or other wheeled device.

Always ride with an adult.•

Ride on a shared path or footpath.•

Give way to pedestrians.•

Key message: Always wear a correctly fitted helmet when riding a bike or other wheeled device.

Topic 3: Safer cycling and playLearning experience 1: Wear a helmet every time

48


Resources / Preparation:Worksheet 3.1: Wear a helmet every time•

Activity 3Brainstorm ideas families could use to make sure they were safe before they went riding, skateboarding etc. Whiteboard a summary of responses. For example:

Wearacorrectlyfittedhelmet.•

Wear closed shoes.•

Wear bright clothing.•

Wear knee and elbow pads for skateboarding. •


Plan a safe route with no roads.•

Younger students can cut out the pictures from Worksheet 3.1 and add them to the appropriate parts of a picture they draw of themselves riding a bike. Older students complete this worksheet as it is using the information on the whiteboard.

Home activity: Ask students to show the worksheet to their families and explain to their families why they are safe in their drawing.

Resources / Preparation:Poster paper, markers, crayons•

Activity 4Students design a poster to remind their parents and other students to always remember to wear a helmet when riding a bike or other wheeled devices. The poster must include information about the importance ofacorrectlyfittinghelmet.Displayinassemblyareaor where parents gather.

class to explore.

Resources / Preparation:Students’ bike helmets•

Parent helpers or older buddy students•

Activity 2Ask students to bring their bike helmets to school. In pairs or as a whole class discuss:

What is the padding inside for?•

How does the chin strap work? •

Why should there be no frays or twists in the •straps?

Howdoyouadjustthestrapsforabetterfit?•

Which coloured helmets would be the safest?•

Doyouthinkitwillbehardoreasytofitabike•helmet correctly? Why?

Conduct a helmet safety check using a volunteer student:

Check the outside of the helmet is not damaged in •any way.

Check that the helmet has the Australian •Standards label.

Place helmet low on the forehead.•

Checkthatitfitssnugglyonthehead.•

Do up the buckle, ensuring that straps are not •frayed or twisted.

Place your palm under the front of the helmet and •push up and back. The helmet should not move if correctlyfitted.

Itmaybeusefultocompareacorrectlyfittedhelmetcheckwithanincorrectlyfittedhelmetcheck.

Working with a parent helper or older buddy students whounderstandhowtoproperlyfitahelmet,studentscheckwhethertheirhelmetsfitcorrectlyanddiscusswaystoimprovethefitiftheyaretoolooseortighte.g. insert or remove the thicker pads attached inside the helmet which manufacturers provide.

Those students who do not have helmets can help another student to check and adjust theirs.

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I know how to be a safer rider. When I ride my bike' or

any other toy with wheels' I wear:

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________I always ride on a shared path or footpath with an adult. Draw a picture of you riding safely with an adult.

Worksheet 3.1Wear a helmet every time


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Acorrectlyfittedbike–preferablywithtrainer•wheels to stress the importance of using them until theriderisconfident

Bikehelmet–correctlyfittedtoonestudent•

Activity 1Organise to have a bike with trainer wheels available prior to the activity.

In pairs, students brainstorm as many words for the parts of a bike as possible: handlebar; seat; wheels; trainerwheels;pedal;handbrake;tyres;rearreflector;frontreflector;wheelreflector;spoke;rim;valve;bell;chain; pedal. Whiteboard a class list on the board.

Give each pair a card and assign one word from the list to write clearly on the card. Students blu-tac their card to the appropriate place on the display bike.

Discuss: Some parts of the bike have been designed to •keep us safer. Which parts do we need to check to make sure we are safer every time we ride our bikes? – Brakes,reflectors,wellmaintainedtyres,a clean chain, a stable seat. Discuss reasons for each safety feature.

What else do we always need to wear before we •ride a bike, scooter, skateboard? – Acorrectlyfittedbike helmet.

Demonstrate how to conduct a bike helmet safety check on a volunteer student:

Check the outside of the helmet is not damaged in •any way.

Check the helmet has the Australian Standards •label.

Place helmet low on the forehead.•

Checkthatitfitssnugglyonthehead.•

Do up the buckle, ensuring that straps are not •frayed or twisted.

Place your palm under the front of the helmet and •push up and back. The helmet should not move if correctlyfitted.

Demonstrate‘therightfit’usingtheownerofthedisplay bike. The rider should be able to straddle the bike, have at least their toes touching the ground on both sides, and be able to reach the handlebars.

Discuss:Whyisitimportanttorideabikethatfitsyou•correctly? – It is easier to control and therefore safer to ride.

What were Matilda and her mum doing to stay •safer while riding to school? – Wearing helmets and shoes, wearing bright colours, riding on a shared path, riding on the left hand side of the path, stopping at the road, and walking the bike across the road.


Key skills:Practice a bike safety check.•





Ride on a shared path or footpath.•

A bicycle should be suitable for the rider’s size •because it is easier to control.

Bicycles should be checked before every ride •using a safety check list.

Key message: A bike that is the right size is easier to control.

Topic 3: Safer cycling and play Learning experience 2: Safer bikes – safer riders

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Why is it important to always ride with an adult? •– Children under 10 years have poorly developed peripheral vision and hearing, are still mastering the skills of cycling, and are not clearly visible to drivers.

Why is it important to ride on shared paths and •footpaths? – As above.

Students draw a picture of the display bike and label the parts that need to be checked every time they ride as part of a safety check.

Home activity: Ask students to take Worksheet 3.2: Bike and helmet safety check home and complete with their family. If they do not have a bike, they could perform the check on another family member or neighbour’s bike.

Students return the worksheets and as a class, tally the number of smiley or sad faces for each item and complete a class summary of results. Discuss key areas for improvement if applicable.

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Dear family

Did you know that the correct use of bike helmets can decrease the risk of head injury to cyclists by 85%? For maximum protection, the helmet mustfitsnuggly,covertheforeheadandfastenfirmly,witha2fingerspace between chin strap and chin.

Totestforcorrectfit,placeyourhandonthetopofyourchild’shelmetandtrytomoveit.Ifitiscorrectlyfittedandadjusteditshouldnotmoveforwards, backwards or sideways.

Justliketheirhelmet,yourchild’sbikeneedstofittheirbodysize. A bike is the correct size if your child can touch the ground with their toes and reach the handle bars while sitting on the seat. Remember children under 10 years are still developing their peripheral (side) vision and hearing, so should always ride with an adult and never ride on the road.

Please help your child complete the following safety checks:

My helmet Yes J No LThe helmet is in good condition on the outside.

The helmet is neither too loose nor too tight.

The helmet covers the forehead.

The chinstrap clip fastens firmly.

The straps are free of twists or frays.

My bike Yes J No LThe wheels do not turn when the brakes are applied.

I have a horn or a bell on my bike.

The seat is at the right height and does not tip or twist.

The tyres are pumped firm and not split.

The chain is clean and runs smoothly.

There are reflectors on the back of the bike and on the wheels.

Thank you and happy riding with your child!

Bike and helmet safety check Worksheet 3.2


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Activity 1Place students in small groups then pose the following statements.

Students vote on each statement using ‘thumbs up’ for ‘agree’ and ‘thumbs down’ for ‘disagree’. Students discuss reasons for their opinions and attitudes. The safer options are shown below.

It’s OK to ride my bike on the footpath without an •adult. (Disagree)

Youneedtowearacorrectlyfittedhelmetevery•time you ride your bike, skateboard or scooter on a footpath or shared path. (Agree)

A footpath or shared path is the safest place to ride •unless a ‘No Bicycle’ sign is on display. (Agree)

Cyclists have to give way to pedestrians on a •footpath or shared path. (Agree)

Children your age don’t need to worry about •learning rules for safer cycling because they always ride with an adult. (Disagree)

Ringing your bell to let a pedestrian know you •are approaching on your bike is not a good idea because you might scare them. (Disagree)

Riding safely on your bike shows pedestrians and •other cyclists that you value being a safe rider. (Agree)

Resources / Preparation: One large sheet of paper per group•

Activity 2In groups of four, students draw up a placemat on a large sheet (as shown) and sit so that they are facing a section on the placemat.

Students write their thoughts on the following question in their section of the placemat:

What rules and behaviours do you need to •remember to make sure you are a safer rider?

Students may need some explanation of ‘behaviours’. e.g. wear a helmet every time; always ride with an adult. Encourage students to consider safety on

Key skills:Share attitudes about being a responsible rider.•

Practice making safer decisions about being a •responsible rider.


ItisthelawinAustraliatowearacorrectlyfitted•bike helmet when riding a bike.

It is the law in Australia that children under 12 •years can ride on footpaths.

A footpath or shared path is the safest place to •ride unless a ‘No Bicycle’ sign is on display.


Always give way to pedestrians.•

When riding on the footpath or shared path:•

Always ride on the left hand side. •

Use a bell or let others know you are •approaching.

Rideinsinglefileunlessyouareovertaking.•


Key message: Everyone is responsible for safer cycling – know the rules.

Topic 3: Safer cycling and playLearning experience 3: Road rules for cyclists

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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 3.3: Everyone is responsible for •safer cycling

Activity 3In groups of three, students use Worksheet 3.3: Everyone is responsible for safer cycling.

Choose three options for each dilemma and then choose the option they like best, giving reasons for their answers.

Home activity: Students take their worksheets home and discuss with their family. Would their family members have made the same choices? Why/Why not?

scooters, skateboards and rip sticks as well.

Students review all ideas from the brainstorm and placethefivemostimportantsafetyconsiderationsforriders in the centre circle. Share these with the rest of the class.

Ensure students cover the following:

Alwayswearacorrectlyfittedbikehelmetwhen•riding a bike, scooter or skateboard.

Always ride on a footpath or shared path unless a •‘No Bicycle’ sign is on display.


Always give way to pedestrians.•

When riding on the footpath or shared path:•

Always ride on the left hand side. •

Use a bell or let others know you are •approaching.

Rideinsinglefileunlessyouareovertaking.•

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For each problem' think of three choices you could make. Tick the one you

like best and give reasons for your decision.

A friend wants you to ride your scooter on the road but your parents have told you that you should only ever ride on a footpath or shared path. What could you do? Tick the choice you like best and explain why you chose it.

1. __________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________

My reason __________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________You are riding to school with your mum and a friend. Your friend keeps riding next to you

' not in single file behind you. What could you do?

1. ____________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________

My reason ____________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________Your friend wants you to ride to school with him

' but you are only

allowed to ride with an adult. What could you do?

1. ___________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________

3. ___________________________________________________

My reason ___________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________You are staying at a friend’s place and both decide to ride to the park with her dad. You ride her brother’s bike and wear his helmet. The seat is too high for you and the helmet is too loose. What could you do?

1. ______________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________

My reason ______________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Everyone is responsible for safer cycling Worksheet 3.3

Walkingandcyclingtoandfromschoolhasmanyhealthbenefits.

Health – Active transport can:

• Helpchildrengettherightamountofphysicalactivitytheyneedeachday–atleast60minutes.

• Buildstrongbonesandmuscles.

• Improvefitnessbyimprovingthewaytheheartandlungscanpumpoxygenefficientlytothe muscles.

• Helpachieveandmaintainahealthyweightwhichcanhelppreventheartdiseaseanddiabetes.

• Helppromoteasenseofwell-being.

• Makechildrenmorealertandreadytolearnatthestartoftheschoolday.

Social – Active transport can:

• Beafunactivityforchildrentoenjoywiththeirfamily,siblings,friends,grandparents,dog.

• Helpdevelopchildren’sroadsafetyskills.

• Helpthefamilysavemoney.

• Helpmakethecommunityfeelsaferbyhavingmorepeoplemovingaboutthestreets.

Environment – Active transport can:

• Helpreducetheschool’simpactonpollutionbycuttingdowncaremissions.

• Improveroadsafetyaroundtheschoolbyreducingtrafficcongestion.

4Topic 4: Active transport is good for my health, my family and the environment



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Resources / Preparation: 5-6 strips of paper per student•

Worksheet 4.1: Active transport is good for my •healthOne sheet of butcher’s paper per student•

Activity 1Explain to students that just as Australians have been given guidelines around what they need to eat to help them stay healthy, such as eating 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit each day, similar guidelines have also been developed around physical activity. These National Physical Activity Guidelines state that children need at least 60 minutes of ‘huff and puff’ physical activity (exercise) each day to stay healthy.

Ask students to identify activities they do with their family over the weekend and after school e.g. reading; watching TV; eating; walking; sports.

Students record these pictorially and/or written on strips of paper and then individually sort their strips into one of three groups:

Those that make you sweat and use many body •parts.

Those that don’t make you sweat but use many •body parts.

Those that don’t use many body parts. •

Attach the strips of paper to the board/wall under the appropriate heading.

Explain that those activities which use many body parts i.e. involve physical activity/exercise, are ones that keep us healthy. If they only do those activities which don’t use many body parts, such as watching TV, they may become unhealthy.

Discuss: Do you think you get one hour of exercise each •day? Why/Why not?

What might happen to us if we don't exercise •every day? – Notbeingfitandstrong;gettingsick; putting on weight; being bored; having fewer friends.


students

Key skills:Identify positive consequences to physical •activity and negative consequences to remaining sedentary.

Practice communicating about the health effects of •physical activity and active transport on their body.

Practice locating heart beats and monitoring how •this is affected by exercise.

Share attitudes about physical activity.•

Key message: Active transport helps me get the exercise I need every day.


Active transport can -

Help children get the right amount of physical •activity they need each day – at least 60 minutes.

Build strong bones and muscles.•

Improvefitnessbyimprovingthewaytheheart•andlungscanpumpoxygenefficientlytothemuscles.

Help achieve and maintain a healthy weight. •

Help promote a sense of well-being.•

Make children more alert and ready to learn at the •start of the school day.

Topic 4: Active transport is good for my health, my family and the environment. Learning experience 1: Active transport is good for my health

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school create a 'Walk to Perth – Walking School Bus’. Using the teacher aide and the teacher as the ‘front’ and ‘back’ of the ‘bus’, each day give a different child thefluorovesttowearandwalkonelapoftheovalorschool in the ‘bus’ as a class.

Using a map of WA and a relevant tally scale such as 1 lap = 10kms, add dots to the map until the class eventually walks to Perth (or further if the interest is maintained).

Discuss the different types of hazards and road signs they would need to look out for along the way. e.g. road trains, trucks, farm machinery in rural areas and higherdensityoftrafficanddifferentroadsignscloserto Perth.

Resources / Preparation: One sheet of paper per student•

KidPix•

Activity 3Students make and record the following observations about their body before exercising:

Is your skin hot/cold?•

Is your skin dry/wet?•

Is your breathing slow/fast?•

Do you feel tired/ energetic?•

Is your heart beating fast/ slow? •

Allow students to participate in a vigorous activity e.g. running, dancing. Back in the classroom, students repeat the above observations and discuss changes that occurred to their body during and after exercise.

Explain that to perform this activity, the body uses energy from the food they eat, and that walking and cycling and other exercise helps burn up this food, and helps them maintain a healthy weight.

Focus on mental changes that students experienced such as feeling more awake; feeling happy; feeling energised; as well as the physical changes.

Choosing from a selection of media, students illustrate a ‘before and after walking to school’ picture, aiming toreflectthatexercisenotonlymakesyourbodyphysically healthy, but also maintains and improves mental health.

Alternatively students could use KidPix to illustrate these changes.

How could walking to or from school help you get •more exercise each day?

What are some other good things about walking •to or from school each day? – Stress social benefitssuchasfunactivitytodowithfamily,dogetc; learn new road skills; save money on petrol; environmentalbenefitssuchasreducedcaremissions;lesstrafficcongestionaroundschool.

What other things could you do to get more •exercise each day? – Create a Walking School Bus; walk to the shops instead of driving; walk the dog; turn off TV and play outside; walk up stairs instead of taking the escalator at shopping centres; walk to the school bus instead of driving.

Explainthatexerciseimprovesfitnessbyimprovingthewaytheheartandlungspumpoxygenefficientlyto the muscles. When they exercise, their heart and lungs work together to pump lots of blood, which carries oxygen to the muscles. For instance when they run, their leg muscles need oxygen to keep working. Iftheyarenotfit,theirheartandlungscan’tpumpenough oxygen-carrying blood to them. They get tired, can’t breathe properly and have to stop.

Discuss:Exercisecanimproveourfitness.Canyouthink•of any other ways exercise might be good for our bodies and health? – Ensure students suggest: builds strong bones and muscles; helps maintain a healthy weight; helps keep brain alert; and improves mental health.

Explain the different body parts represented on Worksheet 4.1: Active transport is good for my health, and how they are affected by exercise.

On butcher’s paper, students draw a large picture of themselves walking to school holding an adult’s hand. Students colour in the body parts and paste them in the appropriate place on the drawing of their bodies.

NB: The smiling face on the worksheet represents improved mental health.

Resources / Preparation: 3fluorovests•

Large map of WA •

Activity 2Forruralstudentswhowillfinditdifficulttowalkto

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Resources / Preparation: Cardboard for stethoscopes – one per pair of •students

Activity 4Discuss that the heart is a muscle and like all muscles, it needs exercising.

Students make a cardboard stethoscope by rolling cardboard into a cylinder and in pairs locate and listen to the heartbeat of a partner.

Have students skip or jog on the spot for 30 seconds and repeat listening to heartbeats. See if students can count their partner’s heart beats in 30 seconds and double it.

Record all the students’ heart beats per minute in graph form.

Discuss the differences in heart rate before and after activity and why these differences occur.

Discuss how exercise makes their heart and lungs work to capacity and improves their general function. Walking to or from school is an easy way to exercise all the muscles in their bodies, including their heart.

Home activity: Students complete the ‘listening to the heartbeat’ activity at home on a family member and share their experiences with the class.

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Active transport is good for my health Worksheet 4.1

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#

#


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Resources / Preparation: One sheet of butcher’s paper per student•

Activity 1Explain to students that just as Australians have been given guidelines around what they need to eat to help them stay healthy, such as eating 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit each day, similar guidelines have also been developed around physical activity. These National Physical Activity Guidelines state that children need at least 60 minutes of ‘huff and puff’ physical activity (or exercise) each day to stay healthy.

Explain that as well as keeping them healthy, exercise is also fun.

Brainstorm: What things about exercise make it fun? •Prompt students to consider the sports they play and the fun they have during physically active outings with their family. e.g. meet new friends; spend time with family and extended family; spend time with pets; go to pleasant places like beaches and parks; get outside in the fresh air; laugh a lot; learnnewskills;gainconfidence.

What things about watching TV or playing •computer games is fun? Prompt with: Play with a friend or another family member; learn new skills. Aim to make the list short!

Place students in two concentric circles and ask them to discuss the following. Move one of the circles after several questions so that students are working with another partner:

Discuss: Which lets us have fun with more people: exercise/•sport or watching TV/ playing computer games?

If you just watched TV or played computer •games after school, do you think you could get your recommended 60 minutes of ‘huff and puff’ physical activity each day to stay healthy? Why/Why not?

How could walking to or from school help you •achieve your recommended 60 minutes of ‘huff and puff’ physical activity each day to stay healthy?

What are some fun things that you might •experience if you walked to or from school each day? – Meet new friends; see new things on the way home; walk their dog; have time to talk to Mum or Dad; plan different routes.


Key skills:Identify positive consequences to physical •activity and negative consequences to remaining sedentary.

Practice communicating about key road safety •messages they would need to recall when using active transport.

Key message: Active transport is fun and saves money.



Help children get the right amount of physical •activity they need each day – at least 60 minutes – to stay healthy.

Be a fun activity for children to enjoy with their •family, siblings, friends, grandparents, pets etc.

Help develop children’s road safety skills.•

Help the family save money in car running costs •and parking.

Topic 4: Active transport is good for my health, my family and the environmentLearning experience 2: Active transport has many social benefits

62


Ride with an adult on a footpath or shared path.•

Students use clip art, collage or drawing to create their posters.

Display the posters in a parent meeting area.

Resources / Preparation: Active transport buddies – soft toys•

Home activity:

Send the ‘active transport buddies’ home with students and encourage them to walk to or from school one day in the next week.

Ask students to explain to the class about the fun things their buddy saw or did on the way to or from school.

Keep a tally of the number of car trips that have been saved by using the active transport buddies in your class.

Each kilometre of car travel avoided saves up to 25 cents. Ask each student to calculate their total savings for the week and add this data to the class tally. Collate and present data to show the total number of car trips saved, and total money saved for the class.

Students report the tally to their buddy class, at assembly or in the school newsletter.

What are some things that walking to and from •school or walking in general might do to help you or your family? – They get to practice some road safetyskills,theirfamilygetsfitterandhealthier;their family saves money on petrol and running costs of car.

What are some other good things about walking to •or from school each day? – Stresshealthbenefitssuch as building strong muscles and bones; improvingfitness;maintainingahealthyweight;environmentalbenefitssuchasreducedcaremissions;lesstrafficcongestionaroundschool.

Hear feedback from students after each question.

Students draw two sets of footprints on a large sheet of paper – one set about their size and the other set about their mum or dad’s size.

In their set of footprints students draw or write about: All the fun things about walking to or from school.

Home activity: Students ask a parent or family member to complete their own list in the larger footprints.Sharethefindingsasaclass.

Resources / Preparation: Clip art, art supplies, old magazines and interactive •whiteboard

Poster paper – one per pair of students•

Activity 2Explain that the school is trying to encourage more students to walk and cycle to or from school each day and that their job is to encourage parents to do this with them.

Explain that you need two types of posters to help with this task:

Onetoremindparentsofthebenefitsofactive•transport.

One to remind parents of the key road safety •messages for walking or cycling with children their age.

Revise the key road safety messages and whiteboard them for students to use on their posters:

Always hold an adult’s hand.•

Always use • Stop, Look, Listen, Think when crossing the road.


Resources / Preparation: One Y chart per group•

Activity 1Explain to students that Australians have been given guidelines called the National Physical Activity Guidelines that state that:

Children need at least 60 minutes of ‘huff and puff’ •physical activity (or exercise) each day to stay healthy.

Children should not spend more than two hours a •day using electronic media for entertainment e.g.

63


computer games, TV, internet, particularly during day light hours.

Explain that the school is trying to encourage more students to walk and cycle to or from school each day to help them meet these guidelines.

In groups of three, students draw a Y chart and label each section as shown. In the appropriate sections, students list and discuss:

Reasons why active transport is good for:

My health.•

My family.•

The environment. •

See the tab page on page 56 of this topic for appropriate responses. Hear feedback from groups andcollatecommonfindingsonthewhiteboard.

Home activity: Students use this information to write a letter to their family to explain the advantages of choosing active transport to travel to and from school. Send letter home with students and ask them to discuss it with their family.


Key skills:Identify positive environmental consequences of •active transport.

Practice communicating about environmental •consequences of active transport.

Key message: Active transport is good for the environment.



Help children get the right amount of physical •activity they need each day – at least 60 minutes – to stay healthy.


Help reduce your school’s impact on pollution •through reducing car emissions.

Improve road safety around your school by •reducingtrafficcongestion.

Help make the community feel safer by having •more people moving about the streets.

Topic 4: Active transport is good for my health, my family and the environmentLearning experience 3: Active transport has many environmental benefits

My health

My family The environment

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Resources / Preparation: Envelopes with one of the following prediction tasks printed on the front:

Predict what type of transport people in WA will be •using in 50 years time.

Predict what might happen to our lives when fossil •fuels like coal, wood and oil run out.

Predictsomebenefitsforstudentsatourschoolif•everyone walked to school each day.

Predict some ways our school could encourage •students to walk or cycle to school each day.

Predict what might happen to students if all the •playgrounds at our school had to be made into carparks.

Activity 3Revise environmental facts associated with car use such as:

More than two out of three WA children are driven •to and from school each day, even though many live within two kilometres (10 minutes cycling or 20 minutes walking) of school.

In Australia, cars and trucks that use petrol and •diesel make up about 14% of our greenhouse gas emissions.

Driving to school adds more cars around the •school, making the roads less safe for children. Active transport is a safer option.

Explain to students that they are going to make some predictions about a range of issues associated with car use and active transport.

Divide students into small groups and give each group an envelope with a prediction task written on the outside as shown.

As a group, students write their predictions to their task on one piece of paper and ‘post’ it in their envelope.

Students rotate their envelope to the next group, and without reading the responses of the previous group, repeat the process for their new prediction task.

After 3 rotations, students open their current envelope, summarise key predictions and report back these findingstothewholeclass.

Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 4.3: Get the facts about cars and the •environment – one set per group.

Activity 2Cut up the question and answer cards on Worksheet 4.3: Get the facts about cars and the environment and distribute cards to each group.

Explain to students that each question card has a matching answer card.

Students take an assortment of question and answer cards each. A student reads out a question card and the rest of the group checks their answer cards to see if they have the matching card. The child who thinks they have a matching card reads it out. Other students decide whether it is correct.

Repeat the process until all cards are matched.

Clarify any questions that may arise from this process.

Studentsworkinpairstoreflectontheirlearningbyusing thought shapes:

= the most important thing I have learnt from this quiz.

= what I enjoyed most about the quiz.

= thoughts still going around in my head about the effects that cars have on our environment.

Students share their responses to these shapes. The thoughts generated from the thought bubble can be used to plan further learning experiences.

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Q1: Half of all trips in Perth are less than 5kms. True or false?

A: True - Half of all trips people make in cars in Perth are less than 5 kms in distance.

Q2: A car can produce 4 times its weight in carbon monoxide. True or false?

A: True - A car can produce 4 times its weight in carbon monoxide.

Q3: More than half of WA children are driven to school. True or false?

A: True - More than two out of three WA children are driven to and from school each day, even though many live within two kilometres (10 minutes cycling or 20 minutes walking) of school.

Q4: What are greenhouse gases?

A: Greenhouse gases are gases that build up in the atmosphere and stop the sun’s rays from escaping. Too many of these gases are not good because the planet warms up too much.

Q5: It is safer to drive to school than walk. True or false?

A: False - Driving to school adds more cars around the school making the roads less safe for children. Walking is a safer option.

Worksheet 4.3Get the facts about cars and the environment

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#

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Worksheet 4.3Get the facts about cars and the environment

Q6: Do car exhausts cause pollution?

A: Yes - Car exhausts are made up of carbon dioxide and other wastes gases that pollute our air.

Q7: Walking and riding to school helps make the community safer. True or false?

A: True - When more people walk and ride to school more people are out and about and people feel safer.

Q8: Without the greenhouse effect

’ the

earth would not be warm enough for human

’

animal and plant life. True or false?

A: True - The greenhouse effect is important. This is when the sun’s energy warms the earth and reflects most of the heat back into space. Too many greenhouse gases can cause the earth to overheat though.

Q9: Using public transport instead of the car can save you money. True or false?

A: True - Using public transport instead of the private car can save you money in fuel

’ car

repairs and parking costs.

Q10: Each kilometre you walk or cycle instead of using the car saves up to half a kilogram of greenhouse gases. True or false?

A: True - Each kilometre of car travel avoided saves up to half a kilogram of greenhouse gas and 25 cents in car costs.


• Choosingactivetransporttakesplanningandcommitmentfromthewholefamily.

• Someactivetransportoptionsaremoresuitedtosomefamiliesthanothers.

• Therearewaystoovercomebarrierstoactivetransport.

• Choosingactivetransportonaregularbasisinvolvesgoalsetting.

• Thereareseveralstepsrequiredtoreachashort-termgoalofincreasingone’sphysicalactivity.

• Anadultmustalwayswalkorridetoorfromschoolwithstudentsunder10years.

5Topic 5: Taking the active transport challenge


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Topic 5: Taking the active transport challenge Learning experience 1: Leave the car behind for a day

Key message: There are people who can help you be active.

Key skills:Practice planning to walk to or from school one day •a week.

Share attitudes about using active transport.•


Choosing active transport takes planning and •commitment from the whole family.

Some active transport options are more suited to •some families than others.

There are ways to overcome barriers to active •transport.

An adult must always walk or ride to or from •school with you.


Activity 1Re-read Matilda’s Morning Adventures to students.

Discuss: Matilda came to school a different way each day •and often with different members of her family. Can you think of reasons for this? –Time available; availability of the Walking School Bus™; parents work schedule; weather conditions.

What planning would Matilda and her parents •have had to do before she went to school each morning? – Get up early enough to walk/cycle; plan a safe route to school; check helmet and bike; check bus timetable.

Who could help you with this planning? •

Whose idea was it for Matilda not to come to •school by car?

Did Matilda like this idea?•

Would it have been harder for Matilda’s parents to •walk/cycle to school with her if she didn’t like the idea of not going by car?

What do you think of the idea of walking to school •with your mum or dad or another adult?

Do you think walking to school might be easier for •some families than others? Why/Why not?

Encourage students to think of logistical problems such as working parents; busy roads; younger siblings; distance; lack of time; catch school bus.

White board responses to last question. Students think about their own family and choose a problem they think they may encounter and conduct a ‘think, pair, share’ with a partner on:

How could you overcome this problem so you •could walk to school? – Drive part of the way and walk the rest; arrange to go with another adult who lives close by; choose a safer route to walk; get up earlier; walk on a day that mum or dad might not be working; walk at the same time as a family member when it is more convenient.

Students draw a picture of their solution and write or scribe their solution under the picture.

Home activity: Students explain their picture to their family and discuss the possibility of walking to school one day next week.


students

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Resources / Preparation: Set your children on the right path: a guide •to promoting walking and cycling to school pamphlets. Available at: www.heartfoundation.org.au/parentcampaign or ph: 1300 362 787

Worksheet 5.1: Leave the car behind•

Activity 3Ask students to indicate who walks to school already. Explain that the school is trying to increase this number by asking parents or another trusted adult to walk to school with them at least one day next week.

Home activity: Students take the pamphlet and Worksheet 5.1: Leave the car behind and return it to school by the end of the week.

According to the returned worksheets, are there any students who are unable to take part? Try to arrange alternative solutions.

Follow up activity: Using a sharing circle, students discuss:

Were you able to walk to school one day last •week?

If you did, who and what helped you achieve this?•

If you didn’t, can you think of some reasons why •thismayhavebeentoodifficulttoachieve?

How have you, your family and our community •benefitedfromyouwalkingtoschool?–Theyandtheir family have got more exercise; more alert for school; spent time with parents or grandparents; spenttimewithdog;lesstrafficcongestionaroundour school; improved air quality around our school.

Students write a storyboard or procedural text to describe their journey, or a time they exercised with their family if they were unable to walk to school.

Resources / Preparation: Large scrap book and a sheet of paper per student.•

Activity 2Brainstorm ‘Places in the community where people exercise’ i.e. footpath, shared path, park, pool, oval, courts, gym, beach, river.

Have two students cooperate to paint/draw a picture of one of these places. Label paintings and display, allowingsufficientspaceforvotingunderneatheachpainting.

Using a smiley face symbol, ask students to ‘vote’ by drawing this symbol in highlighter next to their family’s favourite place to exercise. Create a class big book from the paintings.

Brainstorm ‘People in the community who can help you stay physically active’ e.g. teacher; parents; other family members; friends; sporting coaches; local service clubs.

Calculate in minutes roughly how much time students spend in physical activity at school e.g. sport, recess, lunch, class games.

Explain that to stay healthy children need 60 minutes of ‘huff and puff’ exercise every day.

Brainstormwaysoffindingmoretimetoincreasethisnumber. For example:

Walk to and from school.•

Watch less TV.•

Take the dog for a walk every day after school.•

Kick the footy or throw a netball with someone in •my family every day.

Jump on the trampoline every day.•

Dance to music or music videos every day.•

Help out with farm work•

Students choose one option and draw a picture of themselves engaging in this activity.

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Dear family,

The National Physical Activity Guidelines state that to stay healthy, children:need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.•should not spend more than two hours a day using electronic media for entertainment •e.g. computer games, TV, internet, particularly during day light hours.

To help your child get the right amount of physical activity to grow and develop, and to help improve road safety around our school, we are encouraging active transport. Active transport is when you use physical activity to travel somewhere e.g. walking and cycling to and from school.

Please note that all students under 10 years should be accompanied by an adult at all times and we recommend that you walk to school with younger students rather than ride. Should you choose to ride with your younger child, we recommend that you only use shared paths or footpaths and walk your bikes across all roads. Take particular care near driveways, gatewaysandintersections.Pleaseremembertoalwayswearacorrectlyfittedhelmet.

To kick-start this program, we are hoping that your child can walk to school at least one day next week, or for older students, set some goals to walk to school with an adult more regularly. Please indicate below the day/s you or another trusted adult could walk with your child to school next week:

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

Some skills that you can remind your child of while on your walk:Remember to always hold an adult’s hand when crossing the road. Alternatively your child •could hold onto a sibling’s pram or your bag. Remember to always walk on footpaths or shared paths if provided.•Remember to• Stop, Look, Listen, Think when crossing the road:

Stop• – back from the kerb or road edge. Look• –fortrafficcomingfrombothsidesoftheroad.Listen• –fortrafficcoming.Think• – is it safe to cross the road? If it’s not, start the process again. Cross • – with an adult or older person, holding hands.

Remember to check driveways for vehicles.•Remembertocrosstheroadtogetherwhereyoucanseetrafficandtrafficcanseeyou.•There are some places that are safer to cross such as crosswalks, •straightstretchesofroad,trafficsignals,overandunderpasses.There are safer routes to walk to and from school – tell your child/ren •why you have chosen the route you have.

Thank you for encouraging your child to become more physically active. Children with physically active parents as role models are more likely to be physically active themselves.

Leave the car behind Worksheet 5.1


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Things I would need to plan Things an adult would need to plan

Studentsreporttheirfindingstothewholeclass.

Discuss: Do you think some types of active transport would •be easier to plan than others? Why?

Do you think some types of active transport would •be safer than others? Why? – Explain that riding to school is not recommended for children their age. Should their family choose to ride, they should only use shared paths or footpaths and walk their bikes across all roads.

Which type of active transport do you think would •suit your family? Why?

Key skills:Practice planning to use active transport regularly.•

Share attitudes about using active transport.•


Choosing active transport takes planning and •commitment from the whole family.

Some active transport options are more suited to •your family than others.



Key message: Choosing active transport takes planning and commitment from the whole family.

Topic 5: Taking the active transport challengeLearning experience 2: Planning for active transport


Worksheet 5.2: Planning for active transport•

Activity 1Explain that to help students get the recommended 60 minutes of ‘huff and puff’ physical activity they need every day to grow and develop, and to help improve road safety around their school, the school is encouraging walking and cycling to and from school i.e. active transport.

Re-read Matilda’s Morning Adventures to students.

Ask students to recall the order of the different types of active transport Matilda used e.g. Monday she walked with her mum, Tuesday she rode with her mum etc. Whiteboard these.

Assign a day of the week to each pair of students and ask them to draw a T chart labelled:

Things I would need to plan Things an adult would need to plan

Students are to imagine they are using the mode of active transport assigned to them and think about the planning involved to ensure this way of getting to school is safe and fun. Model a walking example:


Do jobs and get ready on time to leave

Wear clothes suitable for the weather

Remember to hold an adult’s hand

Remember to Stop Look Listen Think

Help plan a safe route to school

Wake you up in time to do jobs and get ready on time

Get other children in family ready in time

Plan a safe route to school

Allow time for you to practice Stop Look Listen Think

Allow time for you to practice looking for a safe place to cross

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Can you predict anything that might stop you from •walking to school? – Encourage students to think of logistical problems such as distance, working parents, busy roads, younger siblings, lack of time.

How could you overcome these problems? – • Drive part of the way and walk the rest, arrange to go with another adult who lives close by, choose a safer route to walk, get up earlier, walk on a day that Mum or Dad might not be working.

Students choose the active transport that they think they would be most likely to try with their family and complete Worksheet 5.2: Planning for active transport.

Resources / Preparation: Set your children on the right path: a guide •to promoting walking and cycling to school. Pamphlets. Available at: www.heartfoundation.org.au/parentcampaign or ph: 1300 362 787

Worksheet 5.2: Planning for active transport•Worksheet 5.1: Leave the car behind on pg 70•

Activity 2Home activity:

Students take the Worksheet 5.2 home and discuss with their family. Send the pamphlet and Worksheet 5.1 home to complement this activity.

Follow up activity: Using a sharing circle, students discuss:

Were you able to walk to school one day last •week?



How did planning what to do before, during and •after help you?

How have you, your family and our community •benefitedfromyouwalkingtoschool?–They and their family have got more exercise; more alert for school; spent time with parents or grandparents; spenttimewiththedog;lesstrafficcongestionaround their school; improved air quality around their school.

Studentswriteletterstoexplainthebenefitsoftheschool’s active transport program. Submit some to the local newspaper with relevant photos and some into the school newsletter or website.

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Walking and riding to school can be fun. To stay safe and have fun you need to plan ahead.

Things to remember

before I ............... to school

Things to remember

during my ........... to school

Things to remember after

I .......................... to school

Record how you came to school every day this week:'

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

What did you enjoy the most about ................... to school?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

Planning for active transport Worksheet 5.2


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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 5.3: Choosing active transport•Set your children on the right path: a guide •to promoting walking and cycling to school. Pamphlets available free at: www.heartfoundation.org.au/parentcampaign or ph: 1300 362 787

Worksheet 5.1: Leave the car behind on pg 70•

Activity 1Explain that to help students get the recommended 60 minutes of ‘huff and puff’ physical activity they need every day to grow and develop, and to help improve road safety around their school, the school is encouraging walking and cycling to and from school i.e. active transport.

Calculate in minutes roughly how much time students spend in physical activity at school e.g. sport, recess, lunch, class games.

Brainstormwaysoffindingmoretimetoincreasethisnumber. For example:

Walk to or from school each day.•

Take the dog for a walk every day after school.•

Ask Mum or Dad to drop you further away from •school and walk the last leg of the trip

Walk to the school bus stop•

Kick the footy or throw a netball with someone in •my family every day.

Jump on the trampoline every day.•

Dance to music or music videos every day.•

Explain that walking or cycling to school is an easy and fun way to get around 20 minutes of physical activity each day.

StudentscompletethefirsttableonWorksheet 5.3: Choosing active transport to monitor how many minutes of physical activity the students are getting by commuting to and from school each day with a family member or older class buddy.

Recordfindingsonaclassgraphatthefrontoftheroom and discuss how the results could be improved or changed.

Students think of a short-term goal that they could achieve over the next couple of weeks to increase their physical activity by 20 minutes a day. The goal can involve any physical activity, but it MUST involve at least one day of active transport. They record their goal on the worksheet.

Students discuss with a partner things they may need to achieve this goal e.g. help from family, special equipment, better time management.

Key skills:Raise awareness of the amount of physical activity •in their daily lives.

Make decisions and practice setting short-term •goals to be more physically active.

Plan strategies to achieve these short-term goals.•

Considerfactorsthatmayinfluenceshort-term•goals to be more active.


Choosing active transport on a regular basis •involves goal setting.

There are several steps required to reach a short-•term goal of increasing ones physical activity.

Choosing active transport on a regular basis takes •planning and commitment from the whole family.



Key message: Choosing active transport takes goal setting and commitment.

Topic 5: Taking the active transport challengeLearning experience 3: Setting active transport goals


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Hear feedback as a class. Whiteboard some of the common strategies to achieve each goal. Students add the appropriate strategies to their worksheet.

Model a goal explaining that achieving a goal is often easier if broken down into small steps.

For example, taking the dog for a walk – choose a set time of the day that suits Mum or Dad; remind them before hand; get lead, plastic bag and dog; wait at the front door for an adult.

Students break their own goals into small steps; write or draw these steps; and then take home to share with family.

To monitor the progress of the goals, keep a single class graph constructed from a tally, showing how much physical activity the class does at school, and then another for at home activity each day.

An earlier graph can be completed prior to this goal setting activity to make comparisons. Allow each student to colour in their increase to encourage responsibility and ownership.

Discuss: Were you able to get an extra 20 minutes of •physical activity every day?



Which part of your physical activity goal was the •easiest to achieve e.g. walking the dog, walking to school?

What do you think the school could do to make •walking and cycling easier for you and your family?

Why is it important for you to always walk or ride to •school with an adult and not by yourself?

How have you, your family and our community •benefitedfromchoosingactivetransportlastweek? – They and their family have got more exercise; more alert for school; spent time with parents or grandparents; spent time with dog; less trafficcongestionaroundourschool;improvedairquality around our school.

Follow up activity: Students could repeat the goal setting activity the following week, but include two days of active transport for the week.

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Choosing active transport Worksheet 5.3

Record how much physical activity you did last week coming to and from school:

MINUTES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY - TO THE NEAREST FIVE MINUTES

Car = 0 Walk Bike Public transport

Other

MONDAYTo school (morning)From school (afternoon) TUESDAYTo school

From school

WEDNESDAYTo school

From school

THURSDAYTo school

From school

Please turn over

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Choosing active transport Worksheet 5.3

FRIDAYTo school

From school

TOTAL

TOTAL MINUTES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FROM ALL TYPES OF ACTIVE TRANSPORT

78

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Choosing active transport Worksheet 5.3 continued

1Topic 1: Setting the scene for active transport

Middle Childhood Topics

• Wehaveastrongerdependenceonprivatecarsfortransportthanourgrandparentsandthishashadamajorimpactonourhealth,fitness,airquality,andphysicalandnaturalenvironments.

• MostWAchildrenaredriventoandfromschooleachdayeventhoughtheyliveclosetoschool (within 10 minutes cycling or 20 minutes walking distance).

• People’stravelchoicesimpactontheirhealth,theircommunityandtheenvironment.

• Activetransport(walking,cycling,WalkingSchoolBus™,publictransport)isabetteralternative to car use in some transport situations.

• Therearearangeoffactorsincludingconvenience,personalsatisfaction,cost,efficiency,timeandresourceswhichinfluencetravelbehaviourchange.

• CaruseispartoftheAustraliancultureandencouragingmoreactivetransportwillrequirea cultural shift.

• Thereareimportantlong-termbenefitsofreducingourrelianceoncarsatindividual,community, city, and global levels.

For studentsKey understandings: Key skills:

Key message:

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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 1.1: To drive or not to drive•

Activity 1Explain Worksheet 1.1: To drive or not to drive to students and give students a week to complete.

Create a graph to show class results.

Discuss: What was the most common type of transport that •you used?

Why was this the most popular choice? – • Car will probably be most popular choice. Responses may include: convenience, destination was too far, too hot/wet to walk, use car out of habit.

What was the least common type of transport? •Why?

How do you think our reliance on the car will affect •ourhealthandfitnessandtheenvironment?–Consider environmental issues such as air quality, trafficcongestion,lossoffloraandfaunatocaterfor car parks, more roads, freeways etc.

What sort of things will decide how we travel to •school? – Distance, weather, availability may influencetravelmodes.ExplainthatmostWAchildren are driven to and from school each day even though they live close to school.

Whichtypesoftransportwouldhelpyoukeepfit?•Explain that these are called active transport and that active transport is when people increase their physical activity as a way to get from one place to another.

Why is it good to use types of transport other than •the car to get to school? – Save petrol money, less congestion on our roads, less greenhouse gasemissions,betterforourhealthandfitness,more alert and ready to learn, fun to mix with other people.

What do you think our school could do to •encourage families to use active transport to travel to and from school?

Ingroups,studentscollatethefindingsfromthesequestions and write a paragraph to put on the school webpage or in the school newsletter.

Key skills:Share opinions about active transport.•

Identify more than one option in relation to •transport choices.


We have a stronger dependence on private cars •for transport than our grandparents and this has hadamajorimpactonourhealth,fitness,airquality, and physical and natural environments.

Most WA children are driven to and from school •each day, even though they live close to school.

Active transport including walking, cycling, •Walking School Bus™ and public transport is a better alternative to car use in some transport situations.


Key message: The car has changed our lifestyles and our communities.

Topic 1: Setting the scene for active transportLearning experience 1: Travel now and then

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Activity 2In groups, students devise a set of questions that can becollatedtoformaclassquestionnairetofindoutabout the following:

Modes of transport have changed over the last 50 years. Has our greater reliance on the car affected ourhealthandfitness,the‘lookandfeel’ofourcommunities, and the environment?

Studentsusethefinalclassquestionnairetointerviewan older person – grandparent, neighbour or friend. Local retirement villages may assist with this activity.

Possible questions could be:

Did your family own a car and if so how many?•

How did you get to school?•

What other sorts of transport did you use?•

Where did you shop – corner shops, supermarkets •or big shopping centres?

Were there home deliveries of any food? •

How has the car affected the development of your •town/suburb?

Did you worry about pollution and the environment •when you were young?

Students could video or record the interview, or prepareawrittensummaryoftheirfindings.

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Worksheet 1.1

Record where you travelled (destination) and how you travelled each day for every trip that you made.

Example MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN

Destination school

How I travelled car

Destination home

How I travelled walked

Destination basketball

How I travelled car

Destination home

How I travelled car

Destination shops


Destination home


Shade in the graph below to record your total number for each type of transport.

Number of trips

30282624222018161412108642

Total car walking cycling public transport other

To drive or not to drive

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Worksheet 1.1

Reflect on your results:What was your most common type of transport? __________________What was your least common type of transport? __________________What were the main purposes that you and your family used a car? 1. ________________________________________2. ________________________________________3. ________________________________________4. ________________________________________5. ________________________________________Which car trips do you think were most important and why?1. _____________________________________________________2. _____________________________________________________3. _____________________________________________________4. _____________________________________________________Imagine your family’s car or cars had broken down all last week. How could you have travelled differently from a car? Car use: Alternative transport:1. e.g. to and from school walking2. _____________________________________________________3. _____________________________________________________4. _____________________________________________________5. _____________________________________________________6. _____________________________________________________Were there some trips that you would not have been able to make without a car? Why/Why not? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To drive or not to drive

84


Resources / Preparation: First page of Worksheet 1.1: To drive or not to •drive on pg 82Google Earth - • http://www.google.com/earth/index.html

Activity 1ExplainfirstpageofWorksheet 1.1: To drive or not to drive.

Give students a week to complete.

Create a graph to show class results.

Scan a street directory map of the local suburb/town or locate the neighbourhood on Google Earth. Using a data projector or interactive whiteboard, students choosefivedestinationsfromtheirworksheetwherea car was used. Estimate the distance of each destination from their homes.

Using the scale, students:

Check the distance. Is the distance under 2kms?•

Describe how the trip to each destination could •have been completed using an alternative type of transport i.e. active transport.

Describe reasons for originally choosing to •complete this trip in a car.

Describefactorsthatmightinfluencethechoiceto•

use active transport next time e.g. convenience, personalsatisfaction,cost,efficiency,time,weatherand resources.

Discuss: What are some advantages of using a car for •these trips? – Convenient, fast, not dependent on weather, not dependent on availability.

What are some disadvantages of using a car to •take these trips? – Reduction of physical activity andfitness,greenhousegasemissions,trafficcongestions, cost of fuel and maintenance, lack of community interaction, frustration and road rage, loss of income for corner deli's when people drive to larger shopping centres.

Which of the alternative types of transport that •youhaveidentifiedwouldbebetterfortheenvironment? Why?

Which of the alternative types of transport that •youhaveidentifiedwouldhelpkeepyoufitandhealthy? Why?

Which of the alternative types of transport that •youhaveidentifiedwouldprovideopportunitiesforcommunity interaction?

Students develop a pamphlet, poster or PowerPoint presentation which could be displayed in the school foyer. The poster will outline the positive reasons for


We have a strong dependence on private cars •with most WA children being driven to and from school each day, even though most live close to school, within a 10 minute cycle or 20 minute walk.

Car use has had a major impact on our health •andfitness,airquality,andphysicalandnaturalenvironments.

There are a range of factors including •convenience, personal satisfaction, cost, efficiency,timeandresourcesthatinfluencetravelbehaviour change.

Topic 1: Setting the scene for active transportLearning experience 2: Factors that influence travel behaviour change

Key message: Active transport is a good option to travel which needs planning ahead.Suggested for Year 5 students

Key skills:Monitor own family’s use of the car and consider •opportunities where more active transport may be possible.

Share reasons for making decisions about •alternatives to current travel habits with others.

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using active transport and suggest ways for families to reduce their dependency on the car.

Resources / Preparation:Two prepared signs: ‘Agree’ and ‘Disagree’ placed •at either end of the classroom to represent a continuum.

Activity 2Students participate in a values continuum to explore their values about car use and active transport.

When they have moved to their chosen place on the continuum that best represents their opinion, they must explain to a partner why they chose to stand where they did.

With their partner they need to think of one question to ask someone who chose a different end of the continuum to clarify why they took the position they did.

Value Statements:

I think that cars are a necessary part of our •lifestyle.

I think that every family should just be allowed to •own one car.

I think that using active transport e.g. walking, •cycling, and using public transport is too much effort for short trips.

Choosing to walk to school every day would be an •easy option for me.

The main reason I would choose to walk to school •everydaywouldbetoimprovemyfitnessandmyhealth.

The main reason I would choose to walk to •schooleverydaywouldbetoimprovethetrafficcongestion around the school and improve the air quality.

My family would use public transport if there were •more services near our home.

Roads need to be more pedestrian and cyclist •friendly to encourage more people to walk and cycle.

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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 1.2: Let’s jump in the car•Access to: • www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au/GVGPublicUI/home.aspx

www.carbonneutral.com.au/calc/?type=ind•

Activity 1Explain that cars play a large part in Australians’ lives and have become part of our culture. It is surprising how often we just ‘jump in the car’ to go somewhere.

Working in small groups, students develop mind-maps to explore the role of the car in relation to aspects of Australian culture:

The car and the ‘look and feel’ of our community •environment.

The car and what we spend our money on.•

The car and how we spend our leisure time.•

The car and the jobs/businesses it creates.•

The car and its impact on our safety.•

Australian's use of the car compared to other •countries.

Explain Worksheet 1.2: Let’s jump in the car. Over one week, each student records the purposes and distances of all the trips done by the family, whether the student is a passenger or not. At the end of the week they tally the kilometres travelled each day and calculate the grand total for the week's travel.

Discuss: Why were all these journeys done by car? •

How else could people have travelled to complete •these purposes? Explain that active transport is the term used to describe people increasing their physical activity as a means of transport.

How many different types of active transport can •you think of?

As a class, students:

Summarise the various purposes of car travel •during the week.

Total the distances travelled for all members of the •class.

Calculate total greenhouse gas emissions •generated, using either the web-based Carbon Neutral or Green Vehicle Guide calculator (as shown).

Record the transport alternatives that could have •been used considering the distances involved.

Each student chooses three of the trips on their record and:

Suggests how they could have travelled using an •alternative mode of transport.

Completes a PMI (Plus, Minus, Interesting Point •analysis) for each choice of travel, considering easeofuse,efficiency,environmentalimpact,cost,healthbenefitsetc.

Key skills:Practicecommunicatingaboutthewiderbenefitsof•active transport beyond the personal.

Critically evaluate ways to encourage more active •transport use.


People’s travel choices impact on their health, •their community and the environment.

Car use is part of an Australian culture and •encouraging more active transport use will require a cultural shift.

Thereareimportantlong-termbenefitsof•reducing our reliance on cars at individual, community, city, and global levels.

Key message: We can make a difference to changing our car culture. Suitable

for Year 6-7 students

Topic 1: Setting the scene for active transportLearning experience 3: The car as part of Australian culture

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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 1.3: Getting the facts on transport •use in Australia

Activity 2Explainthatthereareimportantlong-termbenefitsofreducing our reliance on cars at individual, community, and global levels. Given the strong reliance on the car in Australian culture, encouraging more active transport use will require a cultural shift.

Discuss the statistics presented on Worksheet 1.3: Getting the facts on transport use in Australia. Students answer the questions in small groups or individually in written form.

In pairs, students imagine and record possible consequences to our health, our community and the environment if we all made small changes to our travel habits.

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To see how much your family relies on the car, use the table below to complete the sections for Distance and Purpose for EACH car trip on EACH day of the week over the next week for everyone in your family. A return journey is a separate trip.

Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat SunDistance (kms) Single journey

Purpose

Distance (kms) Single journey

Purpose


Purpose


Purpose


Purpose


Purpose

Total kms

Let’s jump in the car Worksheet 1.2

Getting the facts on transport use in Australia Worksheet 1.3

!

Source: http://www.abs.gov.au/ 26 May 2010

Only 14% of Australians chose to use public transport to get to their place of work or full time study in 2009.

Look at the reasons people gave for using public transport on the graph on the left.

What do you think the government, local communities and businesses could do to encourage more people to use public transport rather than use their car?

Transport used by Australians to get to their place of work/school or full-time study in 2009

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Car= 80%type of transport

percentage

Public transport=14%

Walk =4%

Cycle = 2%

Source: Move and Munch Final Report. The Child and Adolescent Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (CAPANS) 2008. Western Australia: Western Australian Government; 2010.

Source: http://www.abs.gov.au/ 26 May 2010

0 10 20 30 40 50

reported participating in active transport in the past 7 days

reported actively commuting to school the previous day

reported actively commuting home from school on the previous day

Why do you think most 1. Australians drive by car to their place of work or full-time study rather than choose more active transport?

How do you think people’s travel 2. choices impact on:

•theirhealth? •theircommunity? •theenvironment?

Active Transport use among WA primary students - 2008

How do you think these statistics would compare to your class or your school? 1. Why do you think so few primary aged students participate in active transport? 2. In what ways could your school encourage more students to use active transport to and from school 3. each day?

Reasons for using public transport on usual trip to work/school or full-time study - 2009

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Topic 2: Safer pedestrians 2Generally, children under 10 years of age are at risk as pedestrians because they have one third of the peripheral vision of adults; are still developing directional hearing; are easily distracted;andhavedifficultyjudgingspeedanddistanceofoncomingtraffic.

• Itisnotrecommendedthatchildrenunder10yearswalktoschoolwithoutanadult.

• Therearerulesforsafepedestrianbehaviourwhenusingfootpaths,sharedpaths,carparks and crossing roads.

• TheStop, Look, Listen, Think search strategy needs to be revised to keep children safer when crossing driveways, gateways, intersections and roads.

• Childrenshouldcrosstheroadwheretheycanseetrafficandtrafficcanseethem–making eye contact with the driver is important.

• Therearesomeplacesthataresafertocrosssuchascrosswalks,signalcrossings,warden controlled crossings, roads with median strips, straight stretches of road, over and underpasses.

• Theroadenvironmentisvolatile.Anticipatingandreactingtohazardsisacrucialaspectofsafer road use.

• Itisimportanttoidentifypotentiallydangerouscrossingsituationsandtomovetoasaferplacetocrossifnecessary.Thisisespeciallysowhenunsureofthespeedofthetraffic,the time it takes to cross, visibility in all directions, road and weather conditions.

• Manyfactorsinfluenceourdecisionmakingstrategiesasaroaduser.

• Therearesaferroutestowalktoandfromschool,andwithinthelocalarea.

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Key skills:Practice identifying potentially dangerous crossing •situations, assess risks, decide on safest places to cross and apply the Stop, Look, Listen, Think search strategy to cross safely.


Activity 1Brainstormplaceswhereitmaybedifficulttocrossthe road, especially on the way to and from school such as:

Crests of hills.•

Curves and bends.•

At a round-a-bout.•

Between parked cars.•

Inheavytraffic.•

Near cars reversing from driveways or entering car •parks.

Attrafficlightswithoutpedestriansignals.•

Wide roads with no median strip.•

Near signs or obstacles on a footpath or shared •path.

After getting off a bus.•

Allocate one situation from the brainstorm to each pair of students.

Students discuss the safest behaviour needed to cross the road in their situation and present their

safest decision either as a role play or as a drawing. Thismayneedtobemodelledfirstforstudentssothey understand that moving to a safer place to cross is an option. Listen to feedback.

Students join with another pair and suggest ‘What if…’ factors that may tempt them not to adhere to the safe behaviour that they have planned for their situation.

Explain how they would overcome these factors e.g. What if you are running late? What if it’s raining? What if your friend says it’s OK to go?

Hear feedback and rotate the situations so students practice making decisions in a range of challenging situations.

Stress that it is important to:

Hold an adult’s hand when crossing the road.•

Make eye contact with the driver before crossing, if •possible.

Recognise when you are crossing a road in an •unsafe situation, and then decide to move to a safer place to cross.


It is not recommended that children under 10 •years walk to school without an adult.


There are some places that are safer to cross •such as crosswalks, signal crossings, warden controlled crossings, roads with median strips, straight stretches of road, over and underpasses.

It is important to identify potentially dangerous •crossing situations and to move to a safer place to cross if necessary.

The • Stop, Look, Listen, Think search strategy may need to be applied many times before it is safe to cross.

Crosstheroadwhereyoucanseetrafficand•trafficcanseeyou–makingeyecontactwiththedriver is important.

Key message: Assess the risk then apply Stop, Look, Listen, Think.Suggested for Year 4 students

Topic 2: Safer pedestriansLearning experience 1: Stop, Look, Listen, Think in more challenging situations

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If you were in this situation, what would you do? •

Stress that it is important to:


Make eye contact with the driver before crossing, if •possible.

Recognise when you are crossing a road in an •unsafe situation, and then decide to move to a safer place to cross.

Realise that crossing a road can often take some •time, and that it is better to repeat the Stop, Look, Listen, Think strategy many times until they are sure it is safe to cross.

If there is no footpath or shared path, walk as far •away from the edge of the road as possible on the righthandsidefacingtheoncomingtraffic.

Just because you cross at a place you think is •safe one day, does not mean it will always be safe. Trafficconditionschange.

Students use one of the crossing situations to write the beginning of a story about a girl or boy walking to school with their mum, dad, older sibling. Students introduce their crossing situation in their story and then swap their story with a partner who must identify the risks and write the ending by choosing a strategy that will reduce the character’s risks. Students share their stories with the class or younger students.

This activity has been adapted from Challenges and Choices Middle Childhood Resource, SDERA, 2006.

Realise that crossing a road can often take some •time and that it is better to repeat the Stop, Look, Listen, Think strategy many times until they are sure it is safe to cross. (See Early Childhood Worksheet 2.4 on pg 41 to revise this strategy if students are unfamiliar with it.)

Discuss: Why is it important to hold an adult’s hand when •you cross the road?

Where are the safer places to cross the road? •–Whereyoucanseetrafficandtrafficcanseeyou e.g. crosswalks, signal crossings, warden controlled crossings, roads with median strips, straight stretches of road, over and underpasses.

Whattimesofthedayisthetrafficthebusiest•around our school?

How does that affect your safety?•

Home activity: Students look within their local area andfindadifficultplacetocrosswiththeirfamilyand take a digital photo of this location, print it onto normal paper and write why they chose this location. Students bring the photos to school and discuss and display as a class collage, include in the newsletter or use to make a picture book for younger students.

Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 2.1: Identifying risks •

Activity 2 In groups, students cut up Worksheet 2.1: Identifying risks and write the letters R (Road user), C (Road Conditions) and L (Location) on the back of corresponding cards to avoid the cards being placed in the wrong pile.

Students place the cards into their corresponding pile and turn over the top card of each pile. The combination of the three cards creates a ‘crossing situation’ with its own level of risk. Students repeat thisprocessuntiltheyhavefivecrossingsituations,which they then rank according to their possible level of pedestrian risk, 5 being the highest.

In their groups students discuss:

What is it about each crossing situation that makes •it safer or more dangerous?

How could you make each situation safer?•

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Road user = R Road conditions = C Location = L

A 6 year old by himself In wet weatherOn a wide road with no median strip or island

A 12 year old by herself With no footpath Between parked cars

A 7 year old with an adult With sun in driver’s eye On a curve or bend in the road

A 10 year old listening to an iPod

and by himselfOnafineday Near the top or

crest of a hill

A 10 year old wearing bright clothing by herself Almost dark

Attrafficlightswithoutpedestrian signals

Two 9 year olds walking home together, walking the

same way they walk every day

At peak hour with lotsoftraffic

On a straight stretch of road

A 5 year old with a 12 year old brother

When there is verylittletraffic At a crosswalk

A 10 year old wearing dark clothing by himself

Where cars are travelling very fast

At a road with a ‘lolly-pop’ trafficwarden

An adultAround lots of cars either

parking or pulling into traffic

On a wide road with a median strip or island

Identifying risks Worksheet 2.1

#

#

##

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Resources / Preparation: Separate hand drawn signs - 40km/h, 60km/h and •80km/h

Activity 1Ask students to consider their knowledge of speed and distance in relation to cycling and skating.

Discuss:Do you leave it till the last second before you put •on your brakes?

What happens if you do? – • Consequences such as injury, damage to bike, nervousness about riding again.

How do you know when to start braking? •

Does it take some time between thinking about •braking and actually stopping?

Explain to students that the distance taken for a vehicle to stop in an emergency depends on the

driver’s thinking time and braking time, as well as the weather and road conditions:

Thinking time + braking time = stopping distance

Have students guess the emergency stopping distance for a car travelling 40km/h, 60km/h and 80km/h.

Place the prepared signs at the correct stopping distances so they can compare their estimations:

Speed Stopping distance

40km/h 17.4 metres

60km/h 32 metres

80km/h 53.6 metres

Remind students that these are times for normal passenger vehicles and that the time would increase for semi-trailers and road trains.

Take students to common crossing places around the school.

Key skills:Practice identifying vehicle speed and stopping •distances, safe crossing distances. Decide on safer routes to walk to and from school.



Vehicle speed and distance from the pedestrian •are factors that must be considered when deciding if it is safe to cross the road.

There are some places that are safer to cross •such as crosswalks, signal crossings, warden controlled crossings, roads with median strips, straight stretches of road, over and underpasses.

It is important to identify potentially dangerous •crossing situations and move to a safer place to cross if necessary, especially when unsure ofthespeedofthetraffic,thetimeittakestocross, visibility in all directions, weather and road conditions.

The• Stop, Look, Listen, Think search strategy may need to be applied many times before it is safetocross,especiallyaroundheavytraffic.


Key message: Don’t cross the road if you are unsure about the speed of traffic or how far away a car is from you.

Topic 2: Safer pedestriansLearning experience 2: Have I got time to cross?


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safe crossing distance at this point?

What might you do differently next time you cross •the road near the school?

Who else in your family might need to know the •information you have just learnt?

Stress that it is OK for them to change their mind when preparing to cross the road if they are unsure of:

Thespeedofthetrafficandthetimeittakesto•cross.

Visibility in all directions. •

Weather and road conditions.•

Resources / Preparation: Photocopy street directory of local suburb or area. •Mark in the school and known Safety Houses. Photocopy to A3 – one for each student. http://www.safetyhousewa.org.au/

Photocopy one A2 class map. Class map can also •be developed using:

Whereis online: • www.whereis.com

Google Earth: • http://earth.google.com

Home activity: In class, revise with students the safest places to cross the roads around the school e.g. on straight stretchesofroad,atthetrafficwardencrossing,atthe crosswalk, after the bus has moved away, at the over/underpass,atthetrafficlights,awayfromtheroundabout.

Students locate their home on the map and •highlight the route they think would be the safest to walk to and from school, marking in safe places to cross. Highlight any dangerous areas such as main roads or streets without footpaths or shared paths.

Ask students to share the map with their families •and make any changes that their family suggests.


Discuss:Which were the most common safer places to •cross? Why?

Where are some unsafe places to cross? e.g. near •busy intersections, roundabouts, bends in roads, on crests of hills.

Discuss:Presuming that cars travelling around our school •when you are coming and going are travelling at 40km/h, how long will it take these cars to stop in an emergency?

How far back from the crosswalk, warden crossing •or other safe crossing places would that be? – Find a landmark for students to note and repeat the process for a car travelling at 60km/h.

What things might affect the stopping distance? •– Type of brakes, condition of road, type of road, experience and alertness of driver.

Why is it important for pedestrians to know how •long it takes for a car to stop, and that it takes even longer for trucks and buses to stop?

This activity has been adapted from Challenges and Choices Middle Childhood Resource, SDERA, 2006.

Resources / Preparation: Parent helpers•

Activity 2Ask students to estimate how long it would take them to cross a common road used by most students at their school.

With a partner, students count how long in seconds it would take for them to cross this road, using a simulated road marked out somewhere safe. Stress the importance of Stop, Look, Listen, Think, and walking straight across the road - not running.

Students check if their estimates were correct and compare times with other students.

Utilise parent helpers to take small groups of students, to stand on the footpath or shared path, near popular crossing points around the school.

When cars approach, ask students to decide at what point it would still be safe for them to cross the road and to count the seconds it takes the car to travel from this point to where they are standing.

Compare this time with the time it took them to cross the simulated road.

Discuss:Are you allowing enough time to safely cross a •roadwhentrafficisapproaching?

What do you have to do if you are not? •

How can you use landmarks to help you estimate a •

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Students use a ‘Before, During and After’ table to plan safer ways to walk to and from school and share these with their family. For example:

Before

Discuss the route with my family.•

Get permission to walk from my •family.

Practice walking the route with my •family.

Know any Safety Houses along •my route.

During

Walk with an older sibling or •parent if I am less than 10 years old.

Stay on the planned route.•

Practice • Stop, Look, Listen, Think.

Cross at the safe places I have •identified.

Keep checking for hazards such •as driveways and car parks, and don’t talk to strangers.

After

Let my teacher or parents know if •I had any problems.

Review the route with my family •to let them know if I felt safe at thecrossingpointsweidentifiedtogether.

Continue to use the safer route to •school each time I walk.

Continue to practice • Stop, Look, Listen, Think and cross at thesaferplacesIidentifiedormodified.

Does your safer route go near a Safety House?•

What other safe pedestrian behaviours do you •need to consider when you take this safer route to school? – Walk the safer route discussed with their family; use Stop, Look, Listen, Think every time; make eye contact with the driver when crossing; leave a safe distance between them and the vehicle when they cross; think about what might obstruct the driver’s view of them such as parked cars and shrubs.

Are there any other unsafe places to look out for •around our school e.g. teachers’ car park, parent pick up area?

What could we do as a school to make these •places safer?

Who walks or uses other active transport to or from •school regularly?


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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 2.2: Road safety issues around our •schoolAccess the • Road Safety around Schools Guidelines to help identify and address road safety hazards around your school. www.roadwise.asn.au/schools or ph: 08 9213 2068 or 08 9213 2066

Activity 1Develop class mind map of the technologies that have been developed to encourage safe behaviour and to keep us safer in the road environment. For example,trafficlights,pedestrianactuatedlights,speedcameras,breathalysers,reflectiveroadsigns,cats eyes, overtaking lanes, rumble strips, guard rails, warning signs to warn road users of changed conditions.

These technologies have been developed over time by researching best practice in road safety around the world, and often involve collaboration between many government agencies. These technologies aim to give road users time to anticipate and react to hazards and therefore stay safer.

Stress that the road environment changes every day. Students need to focus on local changes such as road works, weather etc. to encourage safe practices and a positive active transport experience.

There is a strong link between safe road user behaviour and reduced incidence of road related trauma and crashes.

Explain that they are going to survey their local schoolcommunityforanytrafficsafetyproblemsandhazards, and plan for some changes that may be required to address any hazards they identify.

Students complete Worksheet 2.2: Road safety issues around our school or devise their own surveys. In small groups students:

Summarise data in graphs or pie charts.•

Choose two issues they think are affecting safety •around the school and develop a plan of action to change the behaviour or the environment.

Promote any successes/changes in the school •newsletter, local paper or school website.


The road environment is a changing environment •– anticipating and reacting to hazards is a crucial aspect of safer road use.

It is important to identify potentially dangerous •crossing situations and move to a safer place to cross if necessary, especially when unsure ofthespeedofthetraffic,thetimeittakestocross, visibility in all directions, weather and road conditions.

Manyfactorsinfluenceourdecisionmaking•strategies as a road user.


Suggested for Year 6/7

studentsKey message: Use safe practices to anticipate and react to hazards in the road environment.

Topic 2: Safer pedestriansLearning experience 3: How safe are the roads around our school?

Key skills:Apply knowledge of road rules to make safer •pedestrian decisions.


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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 2.3: Pedestrian decisions•

Activity 2Discuss the difference between a ‘split second’ decision and a ‘planned’ decision. Ask students to give examples of each in a road safety situation e.g. deciding to run across the road to get a football or netball that has gone onto the road during training = split second; choosing a safer place to cross the road after deciding that the visibility at a roundabout is not good = planned.

Discuss the consequences of some poor ‘split second’ decisions.

Explain that being a road user requires them to make decisions continually. Some will be easy for them to make e.g. waiting for the green ‘walk’ signal to appear before crossing at a set of lights; and some willbemoredifficulte.g.assessinghowfasttrafficistravelling as you attempt to cross a straight stretch of road.

Students complete Worksheet 2.3: Pedestrian decisions in small groups. Hear feedback.

Discuss: Whoandwhatmightinfluenceyouwhenyoumake•decisions around roads? – Parents, friends, peers, road safety, media campaigns, your road safety knowledge and skills, your road safety attitudes.

Would the decisions you made in each problem on •the worksheet have reduced the risk of injury?

Why is it useful to think about and plan decisions •for situations that might happen in real life?

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Use this survey to assess the road safety hazards and problems in your school community. Add any other issues that you think are relevant to your school.

Road safety issue Comments

Pedestrian behaviour: Do students -

Use school crossings?•Obeytrafficwardensifavailable?•Stop and look before crossing?•Cross between parked cars?•Walk straight across the road? •Avoid playing on the road? •Wait until buses have pulled away before crossing the •road? Have footpaths or shared paths to walk on? •Have to avoid broken, uneven or blocked footpaths or •shared paths?

Cyclist behaviour: Do students -

Wearproperlyfittedhelmets?•Ride double dinking another person?•Ride on the footpath or shared path?•Obey road signs and signals around the school?•Ride with an adult up to 10 years old?•Ride safely – not too fast, use correct hand signals?•Ride through the staff car park? •Ride across school crossing instead of walk their bike? •Have a safe, dry place to store bicycles and helmets?•Have safe entry points to school grounds away from cars? •

Teacher car parkingDo students walk and ride away from the car park?•Do teachers take care when entering and exiting car park?•

Parent car parking Do parents -

Use the Kiss and Drive bays properly (if available)?•Ensure students get out on the kerb side of the car?•Take care when entering and exiting car park?•Use only the car parks allocated to parents?•

SpeedingIs it a problem around the school?•Are some times of the day worse than others? •

Traffic congestion Is it a problem around the school?

Are some times of the day worse than others?•

Heavy vehicles on roads around the schoolIs it a problem around the school?•Are some times of the day worse than others?•

Road safety issues around our school Worksheet 2.2

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For each of the situations below decide:1. What is the problem?2. Suggest three choices?3. What are the positive and negative things that could happen with each choice?4. What do you think the person should do?

Pedestrian decisions Worksheet 2.3

Callum is 11 years old. He is on the quiet road he usually walks down to get to school, when he notices that the road is closed for road works. The only other way to get to school is along a busy highway that does not have a crosswalk close to the school. What should he do?

Meg and Tessa are 12 years old. They are walking home from school on the footpath next to a busy road. Tessa wants Meg to share her iPod, but Meg knows that she should be listening for traffic.WhatshouldMegdo?

Max is 12 years old and his sister Anne is 10. Theyarewaitingforthe‘walk’signalandthetrafficlights. Max tells Anne it is taking too long and they should just run across after the next car. What should Anne do?

Tom is going home with his friend Dan’s mum. Dan’s mum parks on the other side of the road to the school and yells out for them to quickly run across the road because she is in a hurry. Tom knows that it is safer to walk across the crosswalk further up the road. What should Tom do?

Ella normally crosses her road to get to school at a cross walk on a straight stretch of road. It is raining today and she knows she won’t be able to catch the driver’s eye to make sure they have seen her beforeshecrosses.Therearetrafficlightswithapedestrian crossing two blocks further down her street. What should she do?


Topic 3: Safer cycling 3• Themostcommoninjuriesforchildrenwhocycleorrideotherwheeleddevicesresultfromfalls.

Correct use of helmets decreases the risk of head injury by 85%.

• OnaverageeachyearinWA,around500childrenareadmittedtohospitalafterfallingfromabicycle,and 300 children from rollerblading, roller-skating and skateboarding accidents.

• ItislawinWAtowearahelmetcarryingtheAustralianStandardsMark(AS2063)whenridingonthe road, a footpath or shared path. This includes children on bikes with training wheels and sitting in baby seats behind an adult. Peer pressure is a major factor in children not wearing helmets and protective gear.

• Childrenundertheageof10shouldnotcycleontheroadorbythemselvesbecausetheyarestilldeveloping their peripheral vision and hearing. If parents choose to ride with their young child to and from school, it is recommended to ride on shared paths or footpaths. They should also dismount at all roads and walk their bikes across the road.

• Asignificantnumberofinjuriesresultfromrider’snothavingcontroloftheirbicycle.Bicyclesneedtobe the correct size i.e. child needs to be able to touch the ground with their feet while sitting on the seat;properlymaintained;andfittedwithsafetyfeaturessuchasreflectors,brakesandbell.

• Schoolsmaychoosenottoencouragetheuseofskateboardsandripsticksasamodeofactivetransport, given the higher risk of injury from lack of helmets and protective gear. Powered mini-bikes and scooters should not be allowed. The riding of these types of vehicles on public roads is illegal under current Australian law. Electric bikes can only be ridden by people 16 years and over and can not legally be ridden on a shared path with the power engaged.

• Bikesecurityandbikemaintenanceareimportantaspectsofbeinganindependentbikeuserforolderstudents.

• RoadrulesandsafetymessagesthatMiddleChildhoodchildrenneedtobeawareofinclude:

Wear a helmet every trip.•

Always ride with an adult and only on footpaths or shared paths if you are under 10 years old.•

While vehicles reversing out of private driveways are required to give way, riders need to exercise •extreme care when near driveways, gateways and intersections.

Ride on the left hand side of the footpath or shared path.•

Give way to pedestrians at all times.•

Travelinsinglefileonallfootpathsorsharedpaths.•

Use bike bell around 30 metres before you approach others on a footpath or shared path. •

Indicate clearly if they are planning to stop or change direction.•

Do not double dink.•

Keep your bike in control by keeping at least one hand on the handle bars at all times.•

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Key skills:Practice using assertive responses when others •are encouraging unsafe behaviour.Make decisions that reduce the level of risk as a •rider.Share attitudes about being a safer rider.•

Resources / Preparation: Students’ helmets – be aware of equity issues in •assuming that all students will have helmets.

One large sheet of paper per group marked as •shown above

Worksheet 3.1: Bike and helmet safety check•

Activity 1Brainstorm the types of accessories that could be used by riders to keep them safer and visible e.g. helmets, knee and elbow pads, bright clothes, closed inshoes,florescentvests.

Explainthatacorrectlyfittedhelmetwilldecreasethe risk of a head injury by 85%, and that they must remember to wear a helmet every trip.

In groups of four, students draw up a placemat on a large sheet (as shown) and sit so that they are facing a section on the placemat.

Students write their thoughts on the following question in their section of the placemat:

What are the main reasons for children crashing •and falling off bikes, skateboards and scooters? – Students may suggest things such as hit a kerb, slid on wet or gravel path, didn’t have control, distracted,didn’tseetraffic,justmuckingaround.

Students review all ideas from the brainstorm and placethefivemostcommonreasonsinthecentrecircle and share these with the rest of the class.

Explain to students that most crashes are caused by:Lack of skills or knowledge.•Unsafe behaviour.•A hazard in the environment. •

Ask students to re-assess the ideas in the centre of their placemat and decide which of the above categories their suggestions fall into. Hear feedback.

ExplaintostudentsthatAustraliawasthefirstnationto legislate for compulsory wearing of helmets by cyclists in 1990.

Organiseafittingsessionwherestudentswithhelmets bring them to school and have them checked forcorrect‘fit’.StudentsuseWorksheet 3.1: Bike and helmet safety check and work with a partner to checktheirhelmetfit.

Students without helmets need to be paired with students who have these items.


AlwayswearacorrectlyfittedAustralian•Standards approved helmet when riding a bike, scooter, skateboard or other wheeled device. Bicycles and other wheeled devices should be •regularly checked and maintained.There are safer places to ride such as parks, •shared paths and footpaths (for rider’s under 12 years). Riders under 10 years of age should always •ride with an adult and ride on shared paths or footpaths.Peers,friendsandfamilycaninfluenceriding•decisions and attitudes.


Key message: Keep your helmet on and don’t ride on the road.

Topic 3: Safer cyclingLearning experience 1: Riding comes with responsibilities

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he/she can touch the ground with their toes and reach the handle bars while sitting on the seat.

Home activity: Students take Worksheet 3.1 home and check their bike/s with their family. Students bring backtheworksheetanddiscussanycommonfindingsandactionsthatwereidentified.Stresstheimportanceof regularly checking and maintaining their bike.

Suggest that students without bikes check neighbours’ or friends’ bikes.

Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 3.2: Rider decisions•

Activity 3In groups, students discuss the scenarios on Worksheet 3.2: Rider decisions to identify the social influencesthatmayaffectthepersoninvolvede.g.overt peer pressure, or covert internal pressure that makesyoufeellikeyouhavetodosomethingto‘fitin’.

Students discuss:

lack of skills or knowledge•

unsafe behaviour or•

hazards in the environment that made this •scenario potentially dangerous.

Students complete the worksheet and share their decisions with the rest of the class.

Discuss: Would it be hard or easy to say or do the things •you suggested in real life?

Whenhaveyoubeeninfluencedbyyourfriendsto•ride unsafely?

Why is it useful to think about and plan decisions •for situations that might happen in real life?

Students can role play their responses to practice assertive communication.

Discuss:Whyisitimportanttowearahelmetthatfits•snuggly and covers your forehead? – A helmet that is too loose or fastened incorrectly may slip off if they fall off their bike, scooter etc. and increase their risk of injury. One that does not cover your foreheadandtemplesdoesnotprovidesufficientprotection.

Why have Australian Standards been created for •bike helmets? – Ensure that students locate the AS2063 sticker on their helmet.

Why is it the law in WA that all cyclists must •wear an approved bicycle helmet on roads, bike paths and other public places such as car parks and parks? – Research shows that a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by 85% and brain injury by 88%. Broken bones mend but when brain cells are damaged, they die.

Why is it important to wear a helmet every time you •ride a bike, skateboard scooter, rip stick or roller blades?

Why should you also ride with an adult? – • Children under 10 years have poorly developed peripheral vision and hearing; are still mastering the skills of cycling; are not clearly visible to drivers.

Why should children your age ride on footpaths •and shared paths rather than on the road? – As above.

Where is it safer for someone your age to ride? •– Parks, shared paths and footpaths rather than busy roads.

Why do you think some children might choose not •to wear a helmet?

What responsibilities come with being a safe rider? •– Knowing and using cycling laws correctly; always wearingacorrectlyfittedhelmet;beingcourteousto pedestrians and other riders.

Resources / Preparation: Child’sbikethatfitscorrectly•

Activity 2Explain that when a bike is the correct size for the rider they have more control over it and are at less risk of falling or crashing.

Demonstrate how to check for correct size by placing student who owns the bike on the seat. Showing how

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Bike and helmet safety check Worksheet 3.2

Dear family,Did you know that the correct use of bike helmets can decrease the risk of head injury to cyclists by 85%. Formaximumprotection,thehelmetmustfitsnuggly,covertheforeheadandfastenfirmly,witha2fingerspacebetweenchinstrapandchin.Totestforcorrectfit,placeyourhandonthetopofyourchild’shelmetandtrytomoveit.Ifitiscorrectlyfitteditshouldnotmoveforwards,backwards or sideways. Justliketheirhelmet,yourchild’sbikeneedstofittheirbodysize.Abikeisthecorrectsize if your child can touch the ground with their toes and reach the handle bars while sitting on the seat. Remember children under 10 years old are still developing their peripheral (side) vision and hearing, so should always ride with an adult and ride on footpaths or shared paths. Please help your child complete the following safety checks:

My helmet Yes /No ActionThe helmet is undamaged on the outside.

The helmet is neither too loose or too tight.

The helmet covers the forehead.

Thechinstrapclipfastensfirmlywithatwofingergapbetweenstrapandchin.

The straps are not twisted or frayed and the sidestrapsfitsnugglyundereachear.

My bike Yes /No ActionThe bike is the correct size for me.

I have a horn or a bell that works.

If I have gears, they change smoothly.

Wheels do not turn when the brakes are applied.

Theseatisattherightheight,sitsflatanddoes not tip or twist.

Thetyresarepumpedfirm,notsplitandhave good tread.

The chain is clean, runs smoothly and is oiled.

The pedals spin freely.

The handgrips on the handle bars are secure and have the ends covered.

Therearereflectorsonthebackandfrontofthe bike; on the wheels; and they are clean.

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For each of the situations below decide: 1. What is the problem 2. Suggest three choices 3. What are the positive and negative things that could happen with each choice? 4. What do you think the person should do or say?

Charlie is 9 years old and riding with his friends Tom and Jack who are 10 years old. Tom and Jack are riding on the road, but Charlie knows it’s safer for them to ride on the footpath. They yell out to him to join them on the road and stop being such a baby. What could Charlie do or say?

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

Kate is riding with her friend in the park. Her friend says because it’s so hot they should take their helmets off. Kate knows that it’s the law to wear a helmet where ever you are riding and is worried about hitting her head on the footpath if she falls. What could she do or say?

_____________________________

_____________________________

_____________________________

__________________________________________________

Luke and Matt are 11 years old. Luke is riding to school and Matt is walking. Luke offers to double dink Matt so they can get to school quicker. Matt knows that this is not a safe thing to do, but is worried Luke might think he’s not cool. What could Matt do or say?

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

Rider decisions Worksheet 3.2

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Resources / Preparation: One die per group•

Worksheet 3.3: Bike quiz•Access • www.transport.wa.gov.au/cycling and click on Frequently asked questions

Activity 1Place students in groups of six and give them a die and the following questions:

What are three important safety rules to remember 1. when riding a bike on a shared path or footpath?

Why do you think children under 12 years old are 2. allowed to ride on the footpath?

Do you think boys are more likely to take risks 3. while cycling than girls? Why?

Why is it important for children under 10 years to 4. ride with an adult at all times and ride on footpaths or shared paths rather than the road?

What things do you think would encourage children 5. to wear bike helmets every time they ride a bike, scooter or skateboard?

Do you think it would be easy to organise to ride 6. to school a couple of days each week? Why/Why not?

Nominate a student in each group to throw the die and the student shares their opinions on the question that corresponds with the number thrown. The die is then passed to the next member of the group and the process is repeated until all students have had a turn and all questions have been covered.

In pairs, students complete Worksheet 3.3: Bike quiz to test their knowledge of cycling rules. Using the Department of Transport’s website (as shown) students locate correct information and mark their quiz. Retain quiz sheets and results.

Using the website, students develop:

Five important facts or rules that someone their age need to know before riding to school with an adult.

Five important facts or rules an adult would need to know before riding their bike on the road.

Studentssharefindingsandthenre-dothebikequiz.Compare results with those attained in the initial activity.

Key skills:Locate relevant information on safe places to ride •in their neighborhood. Share attitudes about being a safer rider.•


Bicycles are considered vehicles under the Road •TrafficActandcyclistshavethesamerightsandresponsibilities as other road users.AlwayswearacorrectlyfittedAustralian•Standards approved helmet when riding a bike, scooter, skateboard or other wheeled device. Riders under 10 years of age should always ride •with an adult and ride on footpaths or shared paths. Riders under 12 years of age may ride on the •footpath and this is a safer option than the road.There are a range of rules for safe riding on •shared paths and footpaths away from the road.

Key message: Knowing the rules and safe places to ride keeps you safer.Suggested for Year 5 students

Topic 3: Safer cycling Learning experience 2: Know the rules for safe riding and know safe places to ride

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Activity 3Using the information about cycling laws and safe routes to cycle in their neighbourhood from the previous activities, students work in groups to develop an advertising campaign to inform young people of some key cycling safety messages for their school. The advertising campaign will also encourage students to ride to school with their parents.

Each group uses PowerPoint or other media to present their ideas in storyboard fashion with slogans, graphics and animations explained.

The class, acting as advisors to the advertising agency boss (the teacher), watches the presentations and decides which would be the most effective in promoting an increase in safe cycling to and from the school.

Display the campaigns in the library or school foyer.

Resources / Preparation: Access to • www.transport.wa.gov.au/travelsmartmaps for TravelSmart Maps of many areas, showing shared paths in the local area.

Access to • www.transport.wa.gov.au/cyclinglaw for Cycling and the Law.

One copy of local area map per student. Use •Whereis online www.whereis.com or Google Earth on earth.google.com

Activity 2Discuss:

Where are the safest places for people your age to •cycle?

Why is it important to stay away from busy roads •withlotsoftraffic?

Using a map of the local area and the TravelSmart Access Guides (available online as shown), students mark all the places away from main roads and roads without footpaths that they consider would be safe to ride their bikes, scooters and skateboards. Include parks, shared paths, skate parks and footpaths away from busy roads.

Students could write to the local council asking for more shared paths and footpaths to be built that can connect places so that they can ride there, away from busy roads.

Families can also be encouraged to take part in the following events:

Cycle to School Day – on the Wednesday during •the annual Bike Week in March www.transport.wa.gov.au/cycletoschoolday or ph: 08 9216 8306

National Ride to School Day - • http://www.bwa.org.au/riding-to-school/

Bike to Work Challenge – an annual six-week •challenge in September/October open to all WA workplaces, including primary and secondary schools (teachers and staff, students and parents) as part of Cycle Instead in Spring. www.transport.wa.gov.au/cycleinsteadinspring or ph: 08 9216 8556

Home activity: Students plan a safe route to ride to school. Take their map home to discuss the possibility of riding with a parent to school one day next week.

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Bike quiz Worksheet 3.3

Up to what age can you ride your bike on the footpath?1.

________________________________________________A bike must have at least how many brakes to be legal? 2.

________________________________________________Do you have to wear a helmet if you are just riding on a 3. shared path or footpath?

________________________________________________Can you use electric powered bikes or scooters on shared paths? 4.

_________________________________________________________________What does the sign NO BICYCLES mean?5.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________What types of warning devices must all bikes have on them to be legal? 6.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________What is the law about hands on the handle bars?7.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________What are some special rules for shared paths and footpaths? 8.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________Abikemusthavearearreflectortobelegal.Trueor9. false?

_______________________________________________What must a rider do to cross a rail track or pedestrian 10. crossing legally?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________How old does someone have to be before they can ride with a child in a child 11. carrier seat? ___________________________________________________

12. Does a child in a child carrier seat have to wear a helmet?

_________________________________________________________________

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students

Resources / Preparation: Access to • www.transport.wa.gov.au/cyclinglaw

Activity 1Explain to students that our attitudes to road safety affect our behaviour on the roads. Pose the following statements for students to consider.

Students indicate their opinion using ‘thumbs up’ for agree,‘thumbsdown’fordisagree,and‘aflatpalm’forunsure. Students justify their vote with a partner.

As a class, discuss differing views and why these differencesmayoccure.g.peerandfamilyinfluence,previous experience.

Value Statements

It should be my decision to wear a helmet when I •ride a bike not the Government’s.Compulsory wearing of helmets has made cycling •less popular.Two out of three WA students are driven to school •each day because parents consider this to be a saferandmoreefficientmodeoftransportthanwalking or riding. It should be compulsory for students over 10 years •to walk or ride to school to help them get the hour’s exerciseadaytheyneedtostayfitandhealthy.It’s important to wear a helmet even if your friends •don’t think it’s cool.

You should only have to wear a helmet if you •are riding on the road, not on shared paths or footpaths. If there were more shared paths and footpaths •in our neighbourhood, more people would ride to school.

Explain that bicycles are considered vehicles under theRoadTrafficAct,andcyclistshavethesamerightsand responsibilities as other road users.

In pairs, students access the Department of Transport’s website (as shown).

Using the Cycling and the Law page, develop a set of fivequizquestionsandanswersthatcanbeusedtoconduct a class quiz on cycling rules.

Review students’ questions for repetitions and incorrect answers and conduct the quiz.

Students develop a poster, pamphlet or PowerPoint presentation to highlight the key rules and safety considerations that students need to be aware of if they are going to ride to and from school.

Students could write to the local council asking for more shared paths and footpaths to be built. They could also submit online hazard report forms for various locations. www.transport.wa.gov.au/hazardreport

NB: Findings from Worksheet 2.2: Road safety issues around our school may help identify ‘black spots’ around the school that could be considered in their posters etc.

Key skills:Locate relevant information to cycle and use public •transport in their neighbourhood.



Bicycles are considered vehicles under the Road •TrafficActandcyclistshavethesamerightsandresponsibilities as other road users.


Riders under 12 years of age may ride on the •footpath and this is a safer option than the road.

Bike security and bike maintenance are important •aspects of being an independent bike user.

Key message: Ride the agreed safety route to school and always look for hazards.

Topic 3: Safer cycling Learning experience 3: Finding safer routes to cycle to school

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around our school e.g. teachers’ car park, parent pick up area?

What could we do as a school to make these •places safer for cyclists? Walk and cycle to school rather than go by car; form Walking School buses; report hazards on paths to the local council; report areas where there are no paths and ask the local council to construct them in the future.

Who cycles to or from school regularly?•


Home activity: Students use a ‘Before, During and After’ table to plan safer ways to cycle to and from school and share these with their family (if applicable):

Before Get permission to cycle from my •family.Discuss the safer route I have •identifiedwithmyfamily.Practice cycling the route with my •family.Check brakes and tyres before I ride •each day.Know any Safety Houses along my •route.

During Cycle with an adult if possible.•Stay on the planned route off the •roads.Practice • Stop, Look, Listen, Think when crossing all roads.Walk bike across roads at the safe •placesIhaveidentified.Keep checking for hazards such as •driveways, gateways, intersections and carparks. Don’t talk to strangers.•

After Lock bike and store helmet securely •out of the sun and rain, at home and at school.Let my teacher or parents know if I •had any problems.Review the route with my family to let •them know if I felt safe on the route weidentifiedtogether.Continue to use the safer route to •school each time I cycle.Continue to practice • Stop, Look, Listen, Think and cross with my bike atthesaferplacesIidentifiedormodified.

Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 3.1: Bike and helmet safety check•Access to • www.transport.wa.gov.au/cycling/cyclingandthelaw

Home activity: To highlight the importance of bike maintenance, students take Worksheet 3.1: Bike and helmet safety check home and check their bike/s with their family.

Students bring back the worksheet. Discuss and decide whether the laws relating to bike maintenance outlined on the Department of Transport’s website (as shown) on the ‘Cycling and the Law’ page are reasonable or unfair. What penalties, if any, should be imposedifpolicefinddefects?

Resources / Preparation: One copy of local area map per student. Use •Whereis online www.whereis.com or Google Earth on earth.google.com

Activity 2Students locate their home on the map and highlight the route they think would be the safest to ride to and from school, marking in safe places to cross.

Ask students to share the map with their families and make any changes that their family suggests.


Discuss:Which were the safest places to ride? Why? •

Where are some unsafe places to cross the road •with your bike? E.g. near busy intersections; roundabouts; bends in roads; on crests of hills.

What other safe cyclist behaviours do you need •to consider when you take this safer route to school? – Wear a helmet every trip; ride the safer route discussed with their family; ride on shared paths and footpaths; walk bike across roads; take care crossing near driveways, gateways and intersections; use Stop, Look, Listen, Think every time they cross roads and carparks; make eye contact with the driver when walking bike across a crossing; leave a safe distance between them and the vehicle when they cross.

Are there any other unsafe places to look out for •

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Resources / Preparation: Access to • www.transport.wa.gov.au/travelsmartmaps for TravelSmart Maps of many areas, showing shared paths in the local area

Activity 3Discuss the purpose of Park’n’Ride and bike lockers/bike cages at train stations in Perth.

Park’n’Ride and bike lockers/bike cages enable motorists/cyclists to securely leave their car/bike to train or bus the rest of the way to their destination.

Using the TravelSmart Access Guides (available online as shown) students locate the closest Park’n’Ride and bike locker facilities to their school or suburb. Students plan a journey that takes them into the Perth CBD using bike and train as transport options.

Students can also use the Transperth Journey Planner and Bikes on Train information (available online as shown) to assist with their travel plans.

Discuss:Why do you think these facilities are not available •at every train station?

If there were no bike lockers available but you still •wanted to ride to the train, what else could you do? contact Transperth Comment Line on 13 16 08 and request that they install more bike facilities at the train station to cater for the increased demand for bike parking.

What things could our school do to encourage •more students to ride to and from school? -

Contact the local council regarding missing •paths in the local area and any hazards on paths via the hazard report form.

Make sure there are enough bike racks at •school and they are located where they can be seenfromclassroomsorthemainoffice.

Make sure that bike racks are secure and •provide shelter from sun/rain.


Topic 4: The health benefits of active transport

Active transport can:

• Helpchildrengettherightamountofphysicalactivitytheyneedeachday–atleast60minutes.

• Buildstrongbonesandmuscles.

• Improvefitnessbyimprovingthewaytheheartandlungscanpumpoxygenefficientlytothe muscles.

• Helpachieveandmaintainahealthyweightwhichcanhelppreventheartdisease,diabetes and some cancers.

• Helppromoteasenseofwell-beingandcontributetopositivementalhealth.

• Makechildrenmorealertandreadytolearnatthestartoftheschoolday.

4

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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 4.1: Problem solving •One sheet of butcher’s paper per group•

Activity 1Explain to students that just as Australians have been given guidelines around what they need to eat to help them stay healthy such as eating 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit each day, similar guidelines have also been developed around physical activity. These National Physical Activity Guidelines state that children need at least 60 minutes of ‘huff and puff’ physical activity (or exercise) each day to stay healthy.

In groups, students write the following headings and accompanying questions on a separate sheet of butcher’s paper:

Physical health advantages:• How does regular physical activity help our •bodies physically?

What diseases does regular physical activity •help prevent?

Mental health advantages:• How does regular physical activity help the way •we think and feel?

Rotate all groups through each set of questions. Students tick questions that other groups have agreed with. Students add any new information.

Discuss answers as a class, ensuring the following points have been raised:

Physical health advantages:• How does regular physical activity help our •bodies physically? Builds strong bones and muscles;improvesfitnessbyimprovingthewaytheheartandlungscanpumpoxygenefficientlyto the muscles; helps achieve and maintain a healthyweight;improvesbalanceandflexibility;improves posture.

What diseases does regular physical activity •help prevent? Helps prevent heart diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and strokes; helps prevent obesity; type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

Key skills:Identify positive consequences to physical •activity and negative consequences to remaining sedentary.Practice communicating about the health effects of •physical activity and active transport on their body. Identify barriers and enablers to engaging in •physical activity and active transport. Share attitudes about physical activity and active •transport.


Active transport can: Help children get the right amount of physical •activity they need each day – at least 60 minutes.Build strong bones and muscles. •Improvefitnessbyimprovingthewaytheheart•andlungscanpumpoxygenefficientlytothemuscles.Help achieve and maintain a healthy weight.•Help prevent heart diseases such as high blood •pressure, high cholesterol and strokes. Help reduce the risk of developing type II diabetes •and some cancers. Help promote a sense of well-being and •contribute to positive mental health.Makes children more alert and ready to learn at •the start of the school day.

Topic 4: The health benefits of active transport Learning experience 1: Overcoming barriers to physical activity

Key message: Overcoming barriers to physical activity.Suggested for Year 4 students

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Stick one of the scenarios from Worksheet 4.1: Problem solving, or other appropriate student generated problems, onto the outside of an envelope and give one to each group.

As a group, students write down several options for the character in the scenario. Highlight the option their group would most likely choose. Place this on a piece of paper and put into the envelope.

Students pass their envelope onto the next group and repeat the process without looking at the previous group's responses. When all scenarios have been completed by all groups, students share contents oftheirfinalenvelopeandreportthemostpopularoptions back to the whole class.

Discuss:Do you think you get 60 minutes of exercise each •day? Why/Why not?

What are some unhealthy effects of not exercising •enough every day? – Notbeingfitandstrong,getting sick, putting on weight, being bored, less friends.

How much extra exercise each day would walking •or cycling with an adult to or from school help you get?

What are some other good things about walking or •cycling with an adult to or from school each day? – Fun activity to do with the family, dog etc; meet/talk with friends along the way; see more things when you walk; save money on petrol that can be usedforbetterthings;environmentalbenefitssuchasreducedcaremissions;lesstrafficcongestionaround school; learn new road rules; less stress; socialbenefits.

What other things could you do to get more •exercise each day? – Walk to the shops instead of driving; walk the dog; turn off TV and play outside; walk up stairs instead of taking the escalator.

Activity 2Home activity:

Students interview family members about their favourite physical activity and reasons why they like it.

Ask them about games/activities they enjoyed when they were younger.

Students make a list of ten things they can do with their family that involve physical activity and share with class.

Mental health advantages:• How does physical activity help the way we •think and feel? Gives us energy; makes us more alert; helps our mood; makes us feel good about ourselves; relaxes us; helps us learn and sleep.

In small groups, students list physical activities they do regularly under the headings: ‘Organised sports’, ‘Games’ and ‘Other activities’.

Discuss:What are the most popular physical activities in this •class? Why?

What are the least popular physical activities in this •class? Why?

Which activities involve the most ‘huff and puff’?•

Which ones involve the least ‘huff and puff’?•

Whoorwhatinfluencesthetypesofphysical•activities we choose? – Parents, friends, media, cost, skills, available facilities.

Explain that despite all the obvious physical and mental advantages to regular physical exercise, manyyoungpeoplestillfinditdifficulttofindtherecommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day.

In small groups, students brainstorm some of the barriers and enablers to physical activity using the headings on the T chart below: (possible answers suggested)

Reasons why people might choose not to exercise

Things that make it easier for people to choose to exercise

Think they have no •timeThink they are too busy•Don’t like exercise•Feel embarrassed •about trying new sportCan’t afford to play •sport/activityDon’t have correct •equipmentDon’t have access to •facilitiesDon’t have the skills•Don’t have parents’ •permissionDon’t have any other •friends involved

Getting up earlier so •have more timeNot watching television •in the morning or after schoolDoing it with friends•Doing it regularly – it •becomes a habit Varying activities•Having a goal•Havingtheconfidence•to try new thingsBeing able to afford it•Having the right •equipmentHaving facilities close •by Having support from •family or friends

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Problem solving Worksheet 4.1

Tyson is home for an hour each day after school before his mum comes home from work. His mum says he can’t play in the street, but he can play in the backyard. He usually just plays video games every day. What could Charlie do to be more physically active after school before mum gets home?

Kalina would like to walk to school every day but her mum and dad both work. Her mum likes to drop her off on her way to work so she knows she has arrived at school safely. Who could she talk to and what could she do?

Tory is a little overweight and just doesn’t like exercise. It makes him hot and tired. He knows that doing exercise every day will help him lose weight. What things will help make exercise more fun for him and increase the chances of him doing something every day?

Allisa has a one hour bus trip to and from school every day. This makes it hardforhertofindtimetoexercisebefore or after school. What could she do to get more exercise each day?

.

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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 4.2: Physical activity and heart •health

Activity 1Explain that the National Physical Activity Guidelines state that children need at least 60 minutes of ‘huff and puff’ physical activity or exercise each day to stay healthy.

Discuss:Do you think you get 60 minutes of exercise each •day? Why/Why not?

What are some unhealthy effects of not exercising •enough every day? – Notbeingfitandstrong,getting sick, putting on weight, being bored, less friends.

How could walking or cycling to or from school help •you get more exercise each day?

How could always driving everywhere in the car •affect you and your family’s health?

Brainstorm :How can physical activity and active transport •improve your physical and mental health?

Physical health:• Builds strong bones and muscles;improvesfitnessbyimprovingthewaytheheartandlungscanpumpoxygenefficientlyto the muscles; helps achieve and maintain a healthyweight;improvesbalanceandflexibility;improves posture; helps prevent heart diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and stroke; helps prevent obesity, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

Mental health:• Gives them energy; makes them more alert; helps their mood; makes them feel good about themselves; relaxes them; helps them learn and sleep.

Key skills:Identify positive consequences to physical •activity and negative consequences to remaining sedentary.Practice communicating about the health effects of •physical activity and active transport on their body. Practice locating heart beats and monitoring how •this is affected by exercise. Share attitudes about physical activity.•


Active transport can -Help children get the right amount of physical •activity they need each day – at least 60 minutes.Build strong bones and muscles.•Improvefitnessbyimprovingthewaytheheart•andlungscanpumpoxygenefficientlytothemuscles.Help achieve and maintain a healthy weight. •Help prevent heart diseases such as high blood •pressure, high cholesterol and strokes. Help reduce the risk of developing type II diabetes •and some cancers.Help promote a sense of well-being and •contribute to positive mental health.Makes children more alert and ready to learn at •the start of the school day. Thepulserateofafitpersonslowstoitsresting•rate after exercise much quicker than that of an unfitperson.

Topic 4: The health benefits of active transportLearning experience 2: Physical activity and your heart health

Key message: Choosing active transport is good for your heart.Suggested for Year 5 students

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Distribute Worksheet 4.2: Physical activity and heart health. Allow students time to read the worksheet.

Allow time to practice taking their pulse, either on the thumb side of their wrist or to the right of their windpipe in their neck – warn against using their thumb as this has its own pulse and may confuse their counting.

Using a stop watch, give students the command to record their resting heart rate for 15 seconds. Students multiply this by 4 and record their BPM (beats per minute) in the appropriate column on the worksheet.

Take students to a safe place so that they can walk briskly for 10 minutes to simulate their walk to school. Have students complete the rest of the heart rate monitoring on the worksheet.

Students create a collage of all the positive things that physical activity and active transport can do to help improve their health.

Activity 2 Students record their own physical activity over a week and graph the different types of activity engaged in under the headings - ‘sport’, ‘games with friends’ and ‘active transport’ etc.

Activity 3 Home activity : Students repeat the heart rate recording activity above with another person in their family. See if it is similar or very different to theirs and explain the differences e.g. age,fitness.

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About your heart:The heart is a strong organ made of muscle tissue. It pumps blood around your body through a system of arteries, veins and capillaries called the circulatory system.

Oxygen and all the vitamins and minerals your body needs to grow and repair are in the blood. Waste products that the body needs to get rid of are also in the blood.

Every time your heart beats, it sends blood through your arteries. This wave of blood can be felt as a pulse which you can feel on your neck, temple, wrist, behind your knees and above your elbow.

The pulse rate is also called the heart rate. Your pulse rate is the number of beats counted per minute (BPM). An average human heart beats at 72 BPM.

For healthy hearts:Exercise makes the heart stronger and helps prevent heart diseases like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity.

During exercise, your pulse is quicker than when you are resting because the heart is working harder to provide enough oxygen for muscles to work. If the lungs and heart can’t get enough oxygen to the muscles, they get tired or become cramped.

Inafitperson,astrongheartmeanstheirpulserateslowstoitsrestingrateafterexercisemuchquickerthanthatofanunfitperson.

Healthy hearts and active transport:Walking and cycling are great ways to make your heart stronger. The more walking and cycling that isdone,thefitterandhealthiertheheartbecomes.Activetransportmakeshearthealtheasy!

Record your heart rate:

Heart rate (BPM)Resting heart rateImmediately before exerciseImmediately after exercise2 minutes after exercise

How long did it take for your heart to return to the resting heart rate after you had exercised?

____________________________________________________________________________

When was your heart rate the highest? _____________________________________________

Why was this? ________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Consider the amount of time your heart rate took to recover back to its resting heart rate. What can yousayaboutyourhearthealthandfitness?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Physical activity and heart health Worksheet 4.2

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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 4.3: Goal setting plan•

Activity 1Explain that the National Physical Activity Guidelines state that children need at least 60 minutes of ‘huff and puff’ physical activity (or exercise) each day to stay healthy.

Ask students to consider the last few days and add up the number of minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity they have engaged in, remembering to count in active transport to and from school.

Discuss in small groups:Did you reach your target? •

If not, how could you reach your target?•

Ifyoudid,wasiteasy/difficult?•

Would walking or cycling to school make it easier? •

How many hours a day did you spend watching •TV and playing computer games? – Remind them that the National Physical Activity Guidelines recommend no more than 2 hours a day.

If you spent less time doing these things would you •have more time to exercise?

Whatelsewouldmakeiteasiertofind60minutes•each day to exercise?

Explain that students are to plan how to achieve 60 minutes of physical activity for the next two days using active transport to assist in achieving this goal.


Active transport can -Help children get the right amount of physical •activity they need each day – at least 60 minutes.Build strong bones and muscles.•Improvefitnessbyimprovingthewaytheheart•andlungscanpumpoxygenefficientlytothemuscles.Help achieve and maintain a healthy weight.•Help prevent heart diseases such as high blood •pressure, high cholesterol and strokes. Help reduce the risk of developing type II diabetes •and some cancers. Help promote a sense of well-being and •contribute to positive mental health.Makes children more alert and ready to learn at •the start of the school day. There are facilities and services available in •the community to help promote regular physical activity. Teachers, parents and friends are important •sources of information and support relating to regular physical activity.

Topic 4: The health benefits of active transportLearning experience 3: Setting physical activity and active transport goals

Key message: Active transport makes getting the right amount of exercise easier.Suggested for Year 6/7

students

Key skills:Identify positive consequences to physical •activity and negative consequences to remaining sedentary.Practice communicating about the health effects of •physical activity and active transport on their body. Monitor own physical activity levels and set goal to •increase physical activity.Investigate the sporting and physical activity •facilities/resources available in their community.

120120


new game and rotated every ten minutes. Tally scores and award prizes.

Most popular games could be included into the regular physical activity program for the class/school.

Ask students to tally their physical activity for the day, including active transport to or from school that they may use.

Revise the different types of active transport that are available to them, including alternatives such as getting off the train or bus a stop earlier; walking to the school bus; or stopping the car a few blocks away from the school and walking the rest of the way.

In small groups, students also develop a list of possible activities they can undertake by themselves or with their family and friends. Copies of the local shire/council directories may help students identify a sport/activity they would like to try.

Using the data they have already collected, students set a short-term goal to increase their physical activity over the next two weeks using Worksheet 4.3: Goal setting plan.

Encourage students to set realistic plans and discuss and record their progress to achieving their goal over the next two weeks.

After two weeks, students complete and discuss the second page of the worksheet.

Resources / Preparation:Props and equipment suggested by students to •play their game

Activity 2In groups, students devise a physical game or activity suitable to be used as part of a class Tabloid Olympics. The game must have the following specifications:

Involve a team of six players.•

Be able to run for at least 10 minutes.•

Involve moderate to vigorous activity.•

Have clear rules.•

Have a scoring system.•

Be safe.•

Encourage students to be creative and think beyond traditional sports that they already know e.g. a team relay art competition where each team member sprints up to an easel and bowl of paint. The team member paints one brush mark towards a part of a team painting, then sprints back and tags with the next team member.

Students are responsible for the collection of any props, equipment for their games. Team captains explain their game rules. Teams are allocated to a

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Goal setting plan Worksheet 4.3

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Two weeks on…Were you successful in following your physical activity plan? 1.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Which days of the week were easiest to get 60 minutes of physical 2. activity–thedailyamountrecommendedforchildrentostayfitandhealthy? Why?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Whichdaysoftheweekwerethemostdifficulttoget60minutesofphysicalactivity?Why?3.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Who helped you get the physical activity that you did and how? E.g. mum 4. came with me when I walked the dog

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What helped you get the physical activity that you did? E.g. getting up 5. earlier than usual to walk to school

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

What changes could you make to your plan for the next 2 weeks to 6. help you achieve 60 minutes of daily physical activity?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Who or what could help you continue choosing active transport to get 7. to and from school into the future?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Goal setting plan continued Worksheet 4.3


Topic 5: The social benefits of active transport

• Athirdofourcityspaceistakenupbyroadsandcarparkswhichimpactsonpeopleandcommunity life as there is less space for recreation. Streets feel unsafe because fewer people are out and about.

• Usingactivetransport,particularlypublictransport,canreducetheneedforcarparkingspaces, and in time, these areas could be used for more playgrounds, parks, houses or community recreation centres.

• Incontrasttocars,whichinsulatepeoplefromeachother,activetransporte.g.walking,cyclingandpublictransport,stimulatesocialinteractiononthestreets.Roadtrafficcuts communities in two and divides one side of the street from the other. With fewer pedestrians, streets cease to be social spaces and isolated pedestrians may fear attack.

• Thesocialbenefitsofchoosingactivetransporttogettoschoolandworkare:

Children get to enjoy a fun activity with their family, siblings, friends, grandparents or •dog.

Children’s road safety skills are improved.•

A sense of community is created.•

Families save money on car running costs and parking.•

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Resources / Preparation: One sheet of paper per pair of students•

Activity 1Explain that to make our communities better into the future, people need to work together to understand what creates healthy communities. This may involve town planners, local government, local schools all working together.

One way we do know how to make communities healthier and safer, is to balance the use of the car with other ways of travelling like walking, cycling and using public transport.

This is one reason why our school is encouraging students to choose active transport to travel to and from school.

Students brainstorm:

Positive and fun things about using active transport •to get to school and work for me and my family.

Encouragestudentstojustthinkofsocialbenefits,ratherthanhealthorenvironmentalbenefitse.g.it’sa fun activity for children to enjoy with their family, siblings, friends, grandparents, pets; it helps develop children’s road safety skills; it helps the family save

money in car running costs and parking; it relieves stress for parents driving to work; it develops a stronger sense of community and may feel safer and friendlier because more people are out and about on their streets.

Students consider their local community e.g. school, shopping centres, sporting venues, and decide whether the amount of space taken up with carparking at these places is small or large.

Explain that about one third of our community space is taken up with roads and carparks. This restricts the amount of space for parks, gardens, playgrounds and other recreational facilities, and makes communities not as appealing.

Key skills:Share opinions about the social advantages of •active transport.






Develop a sense of community.•

Reduce the need for carparking space and create •more room for recreation space in our community.

Public transport use is cheaper than paying for •car running costs and parking.

Key message: Active transport is good for me and my family.

Topic 5: The social benefits of active transportLearning experience 1: Active transport has many social benefits


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If more people travelled to work and school by •public transport, there would be a lot less cars on the roads and a lot more people walking and cycling on the streets. Do you think this would make our community feel safer? Why?

To assess the level of public transport use in their schoolcommunity,andtohighlightthecostbenefitsofusing public transport, students use Worksheet 5.1: Public transport use is good for our community.

With a partner, students fold a sheet of paper into quarters. Unfold it and answer the following questions in each square:

How could we reduce the amount of space taken •up with carparking in our neighbourhood?

If the Principal banned parents from dropping their •children at school, what do you think the streets around our school would look like?

If all the car parks around our school were pulled •out, what could you replace them with to make our school community a better place?

If it was illegal to drive into the centre of Perth, lots •of carparks could be pulled down and more people would feel safer walking and cycling in the city. What sorts of things would you put in their place to make the city a nicer place to be?

Listen to feedback. Students add new ideas to their lists. Discuss with students ways that schools, local government and developers could get people ‘on side’ to the idea of having fewer carparks and including more bike parking facilities.

Students choose one question and using the information they have collected, write a letter to their parents, other classes, the local council or the local paper, explaining what they have discussed.

Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 5.1: Public transport use is good for •our community

Activity 2Brainstorm different types of public transport available to students in their community and allow students to share their experiences of public transport use in general.

Discuss:Do you use public transport regularly? If not, why •not?

When you have, who did you go with?•

Was it more fun than going in the car? •

Did you see people talking/listening to music/•reading on the bus/train?

Do you think travelling on the same bus every day •to work or school would be more sociable than travelling by yourself, or with a parent in a car?

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Use this survey to ask 5 adults how they usually get to work or study.

How do you usually get to work or study each day?1. Person 1 Person 2 Person 3 Person 4 Person 5

car

bike

bus

train

walk

other

Why do you use this type of transport? 2. Person 1 Person 2 Person 3 Person 4 Person 5

How far do you travel to and from work/study and how much does it 3. cost you each day? Hint: a car costs around 25 cents per km to run. Please also include parking if you go by car.

Person 1 Person 2 Person 3 Person 4 Person 5

Distance Cost Distance Cost Distance Cost Distance Cost Distance Cost

How long does it take you to get to work/study? 4. Person 1 Person 2 Person 3 Person 4 Person 5

Public transport use is good for our community Worksheet 5.1

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Can you give one advantage of using public transport and one 5. disadvantage?

Person 1 Person 2 Person 3 Person 4 Person 5

Share your results with four other students and graph the different types of ways 1. people got to work and study. (Table 1)

What were the main reasons for peoples’ choice of transport? (Table 2) 2.

Which type of transport cost the most per kilometre and which cost the least? 3. (Table 3)

Did catching public transport and cycling take longer than travelling by car per 4. kilometre? (Table 3 and 4)

What were the common advantages and disadvantages given about using 5. public transport? (Table 5)

How do you think governments could encourage more people to use public 6. transport?

Public transport use is good for our community Worksheet 5.1

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Resources / Preparation: One sheet of butcher’s paper per group•

Worksheet 5.2: Knowing the rules for public •transport use keeps me safer

Activity 1Explain that to make our communities better into the future, people need to work together to understand what creates healthy and safe communities. This may involve town planners, local government, local schools all working together.

One way we do know how to make communities healthier and safer is to balance the use of the car with other ways of travelling like walking, cycling and using public transport.

This is one reason why our school is encouraging students to choose active transport to come to and from school.

Students brainstorm:

Positive and fun things about using active transport •to get to school and work for me and my family.

Encouragestudentstojustthinkofsocialbenefits,ratherthanhealthorenvironmentalbenefitse.g.it’sa fun activity for children to enjoy with their family, siblings, friends, grandparents, pets; it helps develop children’s road safety skills; it helps the family save money in car running costs and parking; it relieves stress for parents driving to work; it develops a stronger sense of community and may feel safer and friendlier because more people are out and about on their streets.

Brainstorm different types of public transport available to students in their community and allow them to share their experiences of public transport use.

Students complete Worksheet 5.2: Knowing the rules for public transport use keeps me safer.

Key skills:Practice planning to use public transport safely.•






Develop a sense of community. •

Reduce the need for carparking space and create •more room for recreation space in our community.

There are safety rules for correct behaviour that •keep people safer on public transport.

Public transport use is cheaper than paying for •car running costs and parking.

Public transport use involves planning.•

Topic 5: The social benefits of active transportLearning experience 2: A closer look at public transport

Key message: Public transport use can be fun and cost less than running a car.Suitable

for Year 5 students

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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 5.3: Planning a mystery tour•http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/Home/•JourneyPlanner/tabid/56/Default.aspx

Transperth’s • Get on Board resource also addresses safety and planning trips on public transport

Activity 2Explain that in groups, students are going to plan an excursion for the class using public transport. This willdemonstratesomeofthesocialbenefitsofactivetransport such as having a fun outing, saving money, and learning new road safety skills.

Country students may need to plan a journey from a hypothetical metropolitan location to an appealing destination.

Students use Worksheet 5.3: Planning a mystery tour to plan excursion and conduct a class vote to decide which excursion is the most popular option.

Teachers can choose to implement the excursion or end the activity here. Remember to ensure all duty of care procedures are followed if the excursion is undertaken and advise Transperth of any planned bus trips to ensure that the bus has the capacity to transport all students.

Students could write a letter to the local paper or for the school newsletter/website to explain the aim of the excursion and the school’s commitment to active transport.

Students can also use the Transperth Journey Planner (available online as shown) to assist with their travel plans.

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SAFETY RULES Here are some important safety rules around Transperth public transport use that are easy to follow. With a partner write one or more reasons why you think this rule has been made and/or what could happen if you didn’t obey this rule.

Rule Reasons for this rule

Always stand away from the kerb or platform when waiting for a bus or train.

Stand back and wait for passengers to get off the bus or train before you enter.

Wait until the bus has moved away before crossing the road.

Always use overpasses, underpasses or pedestrian crossing areas to cross the tracks at a railway station. Never walk across the tracks at any other places.

Don’t run, ride or skate around a bus stop or railway platform.

Keep clear of the electric wires above a train track. Contact, even with objects or water, may result in death.

Signal if you want the driver to stop the bus.

Knowing the rules for public transport use keeps me safer Worksheet 5.2

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Knowing the rules for public transport use keeps me safer Worksheet 5.2

BEHAVIOUR RULES Here are some important rules about your responsibilities and behaviour when using public transport. With a partner, write one or more reasons why you think this rule has been made – think safety, comfort, costs.

Rule Reasons for this rule

You must have a valid ticket at all times and show it when asked by staff.

Always show your student's SmartRider when travelling on a concession fare.

Offer your seat to passengers with special needs e.g. elderly people, parents with prams, people with disabilities.

Be courteous to other passengers and the driver.

Move down the train or bus so you don’t block doorways, and don’t talk to the bus driver when the bus is moving.

When using audio devices, always use earphones and keep the volume low.

Smoking is not allowed on all Transperth property.

Food and drink consumption is not allowed on buses or trains.

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You are going to plan an excursion from our school to a destination of your choice using only active transport e.g. walking, cycling, bus, train. Here are some guidelines to help you plan your excursion:

We must be able to leave school no later than 9.30am and return by 2.30pm.•At least one leg of the journey must include public transport.•No part of the journey can include car use.•Bus and train fares must not be more than $5.00 per student.•

Develop a plan for each stage of your journey:1.

Journey description Estimated arrival and departure timese.g. walk from school to bus stop 9.30am - 9.40am

Make sure you check your bus/train times and best routes by using 2. www.transperth.wa.gov.au

Journey Planner •Timetable•TravelEasy•

Read the simple rules for travelling on Transperth public transport by using 3. www.transperth.wa.gov.au and click on Using Transperth. List the rules that you will need to remember on your journey.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Calculate how much the transport cost will be for each student. 4.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Planning a mystery tour Worksheet 5.3

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Calculate how much the transport costs would have been for each student if 5. they had travelled by car – base calculations on two students per car and 25 cents per km travelled to calculate costs for the return trip.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If a car takes around 8sqm to park and a bus takes around 33sqm to park, 6. how much space would be needed to park the cars at your destination if two students travel in each car?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If more people used public transport, we would have less need for carparking 7. space in our communities. If you were a town planner what would you do with this extra space to make our community a better place?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Planning a mystery tour Worksheet 5.3

134


Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 5.4: Planning a family outing•Transperth’s • Get on Board resource also addresses safety and planning trips on public transport

Activity 1Students brainstorm:

Positive and fun things about using active transport to get to school and work for me and my family. (Don’t forget to consider public transport as well.)

Encouragestudentstojustthinkofsocialbenefits,ratherthanhealthorenvironmentalbenefitse.g.it’sa fun activity for children to enjoy with their family, siblings, friends, grandparents, pets; it helps develop children’s road safety skills; it helps the family save money in car running costs and parking; it relieves stress for parents driving to work; it develops a stronger sense of community and may make people feel safer because more people are out and about on their streets.

Explain that in groups, students are going to plan an excursion with their family using public transport. The excursionaimstodemonstratethesocialbenefitsof active transport e.g. having a fun outing with their family; saving money; learning new road safety skills.

Country students may need to plan a journey from a hypothetical metropolitan location to an appealing destination.

Students complete Worksheet 5.4: Planning a family outing and share with their family.

Teachers can alternatively use Worksheet 5.3: Planning a mystery tour and have students plan a class excursion.

Remember to ensure all duty of care procedures are followed if this activity is chosen and advise Transperth of any planned bus trips to ensure that the bus has the capacity to transport all students.

Key skills:Practice planning to use public transport safely. •

Practice making decisions in risky situations •related to public transport.






Develop a sense of community and make people •feel safer.

There are safety rules for correct behaviour that •keep people safer on public transport.

Using public transport can be fun, save your •family money, and teach you new road safety skills.

Public transport use involves planning.•

Topic 5: The social benefits of active transport Learning experience 3: Planning to use public transport

Key message: Public transport is a safe and sociable alternative to car travel. Suggested for Year 6/7

students

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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 5.5: Safer decision on public •transport

Activity 2Discuss commonsense ways of staying safe when using trains and buses. e.g. avoiding travelling on your own; sitting close to the driver; letting someone know when you are due home and where you are going; findingouttraveltimesandroutesinadvanceandmaking sure you are at the bus stop or train station in plenty of time.

Using Worksheet 5.5: Safer decision on public transport, students read the safety and behaviour rules for Transperth public transport.

Allocate a scenario from the worksheet to each group. Students develop a role play showing how they would solve the problem in a safe and legal way. Students discuss the effectiveness of each strategy after presenting their role play to the class.

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You are going to plan an outing with your family and friends using only active transport e.g. walking, cycling, bus, train. The outing can be to any fun destination you like e.g. the beach, the movies, ice skating, visiting friends in another suburb.

Here are some guidelines to help you plan your outing:At least one leg of the journey must include public transport.•No part of the journey can include car use.•Bus and train fares must not be more than $5.00 for children.•

Develop a plan for each stage of your journey :1.

Journey description Estimated arrival and departure timese.g. walk from home to bus stop 9.30am - 9.40am

Make sure you check your bus/train times and best routes by using 2. www.transperth.wa.gov.au

Journey Planner•Timetable•TravelEasy •

Read the simple rules for travelling on Transperth public transport by using 3. www.transperth.wa.gov.au and click on Using Transperth. List the rules that you will need to remember on your journey.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Calculate the transport costs for your family. 4.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Planning a family outing Worksheet 5.4

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Planning a family outing Worksheet 5.4

Calculate how much the transport costs would have been if you had travelled by 5. car – base calculations on 25 cents per km running costs.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

List some of the road safety skills you would have practiced on this outing by 6. being a pedestrian and a public transport user?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

If every kilometre you walk or cycle to school instead of using the car saves up 7. to 25 cents in running costs, how much would you save:

If you walked to and from school every day for a week? _________________•If you walked to and from school every day for a month? (approximately 20 days) __________________________________________If you walked to and from school every day for a year? •(approximately 200 days) _________________________________________

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Transperth Safety Rules Transperth Behaviour RulesAlways stand clear of the kerb or platform when waiting for a bus or train.

You must have a valid ticket at all times and show it when asked by staff.

Stand back and wait for passengers to get off the bus or train before you board.

Always show your student SmartRider when travelling on a concession fare.

Never cross the road in front or behind a bus, or between two buses. Wait until the bus has moved away before crossing the road.

Offer your seat to passengers with special needs e.g. elderly people, parents with prams, people with disabilities.

Always use overpasses, underpasses or pedestrian crossing areas to cross the tracks at a railway station. Never walk across the tracks at any other places.

Be courteous to other passengers and the driver. Offensive behaviour is not tolerated.

Never run, ride or skate around a bus stop or railway platform.

Move down the train or bus so you don’t block doorways and don’t talk to the bus driver while the bus is in motion.

Keep clear of the electric wires above a train track. Contact, even with objects or water, may result in death.

Always have earphones on audio devices and keep the volume low.

Where possible, remain seated at all times when travelling on Transperth services.

Smoking is not allowed on all Transperth property.

Signal if you want the driver to stop the bus.

Food and drink consumption is not allowed on buses or trains.

Think about the Transperth safety and behaviour rules above and develop a role play for your scenario. Show us how you would solve the problem in a safe and legal way.

Suki catches the bus home from school each day. Her friends 1. don’t validate their SmartRider and tell her not to bother to validate hers as the driver never checks. She is worried she willgetafineifshedoesn’tvalidateherticket.Whatcouldshe do and say?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Safer decision on public transport Worksheet 5.5

139

How we travel Worksheet 1.1

Jane and Meg are catching the bus into the city to see 2. a movie. Two boys start hassling them and calling them names. They feel scared and are worried about getting off the bus. What could they do and say?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dylan and Troy have been to the skate park in 3. Fremantle and are catching a train home. Troy is skating on the platform while they are waiting for the train and stirs Dylan up for not skating as well. What could Dylan do and say?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mark and David need to cross the train tracks 4. to get to basketball training. They are running a bit late. Usually they walk up to the overpass, but David says to Mark that they don’t have time for that today. David says they should just race across the tracks. Mark does not feel safe with this decision. What could he do or say?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Topic 6: The environmental benefits of active transport

• Afterelectricitygeneration,thelargestproportionofgreenhousegasemissionsinAustralia is caused by transport. This industry relies on carbon based energy sources such as petrol and diesel which produce carbon dioxide gas emissions when used as a fuel.

• Usingactivetransport,carpooling,servicingcarsregularly,drivingfuelefficientcars,keeping tyres pumped to maximum recommended pressure are all ways families can reduce their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.

• Encouragingactivetransportuseatschoolnotonlycutsdownpollutionthroughcaremissions,butitimprovestheroadsafetyaroundschoolsbyreducingtrafficcongestion.

6

141

Key skills:Share attitudes about pollution and greenhouse •effect.

Resources / Preparation: Access to • www.npi.gov.au/students/pollution-map.html

Activity 1Explain that the quality of the air we breathe affects our health and also the health of our environment.

Brainstorm things that may affect the air quality in their communitye.g.carfumes,dust,pollens,bushfires,pesticide spraying.

Ask students to place a tick against the thing that they believe affects their air quality the most. Discuss results and explain that after electricity generation, the largest proportion of pollution (or emissions) is caused by transport in Australia.

Discuss:What are the effects of air pollution on people, •animals, plants and the environment?

Think about transport - How can people make •a difference to the pollution that their activities around transport produce? – Use active transport, car pool, service cars regularly, drive fuel efficientcars,keeptyrespumpedtomaximumrecommended pressure.

How else does car use affect the environment? – •Deaths and injuries to wildlife, building new roads and car parks causes loss of plant species, erosion and loss of animal habitats.

Why would more students choosing active •transport make the roads around our school safer? –Lesstrafficcongestion,improvestudents’roadsafety skills, more ‘eyes’ on the streets.

Students explore the Interactive pollution map from the National Pollutant Inventory website (as shown) by clicking on the monkeys displayed on the map of Australia. Students summarise the main points in their own words.

Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 6.1: Cars, pollution and greenhouse •gas emissions

Activity 2Students work in pairs to read through Worksheet 6.1: Cars, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions andreflectontheirlearningbyusingthought shapes:

= the most important thing I have learnt from this worksheet

= my opinion about active transport now I have read this worksheet

= thoughts still going around in my head about how cars affect our environment.

Students share their responses to these shapes. The thoughts generated from the thought bubble can be used to plan further learning experiences.


The car is a major source of air pollution and •greenhouse gas emissions.

Enhanced greenhouse effect is a global issue •thatisinfluencedbysmallchangesmadebyindividuals.

Active transport and car pooling reduce pollution •by cutting down car emissions and improve roadsafetyaroundschoolsbyreducingtrafficcongestion.

Topic 6: The environmental benefits of active transportLearning experience 1: Car use and greenhouse gas emissions

Key message: Reducing car use cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions.Suggested for Year 4 students

!

!

!!


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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 6.2: Active transport helps our •planetwww.operationclimatechange.com.au/index.html• has Travel and Air missions that may complement this learning experience.

Activity 3Students complete Worksheet 6.2: Active transport helps our planet anddisplayfindingsofthesavingsin greenhouse gases in class graphs.

Students use this information from Worksheet 6.1 to write a letter to their parents, other classes, the local council, or the local paper, to explain how choosing active transport instead of driving them to school is better for the environment.

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Worksheet 6.1

Cars and pollution Motor vehicle emissions (exhaust fumes) are one of the leading causes of air pollution in Australia and around the world. In Australia, emissions from passenger cars have increased by over 20% in the last 20 years.

Cars and greenhouse gasesGreenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and methane) are gases found in the atmosphere that build up naturally in the lower atmosphere and stop the heat from the sun’s rays escaping into space. This is called the greenhouse effect. Without this effect, the earth would be too cold - no life would survive.

Greenhouse gases are produced by:Burning fossil fuels – coal, wood, oil.•Cars and trucks using petrol and diesel.•Cutting down precious forest trees and not •replacing them.Agricultural activities and use of fertilisers.•Rubbish rotting in dumps.•Use of aerosol sprays. •

Global warmingScientists fear that increasing the concentrations of greenhouse gases may increasetheglobaltemperaturebecausetheheatthatisnormallyreflectedbackinto space can’t escape. They say that this will lead to changes in the Earth’s climate and weather patterns. This is called global warming. These warmer conditions will also affect plant, animal and human life.

How can active transport change the amount of greenhouse gas produced? Manmadeimpactsonglobalwarmingthroughemissionsaresignificant.Forinstance, after electricity generation, the largest proportion of emissions in Australia comes from road transport. Every little change that each person makes can reduce the amount of greenhouse gas produced from transport, even just a little bit. You can:

Walk or cycle for short trips.•Combine several tasks into a longer car trip so that the •car is only going on one journey instead of several short trips.Walk, cycle, use public transport or car pool to go to •school, work or special events.

Cars, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions

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Each kilometre of car travel avoided saves up to half a kilogram of greenhouse gas and 25 cents in operating costs. Every litre of petrol saved cuts greenhouse gas emissions by around 3 kilograms.On average, a single bus carries 50 seated passengers and a train carriage holds 100 seated passengers. Most cars travelling to work only carry one person. If these people use public transport, and more people walk and cycle to school instead of driving cars, many cars would not use our roads. This would mean:

Lesstrafficcongestionandsaferroads•around our schools.Less pollution.•Less greenhouse gas emissions.•Less car parks required.•

More on the internet: Green Vehicle Guide www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au National Pollutant Inventory www.npi.gov.au Department of Climate Change www.climatechange.gov.au

Worksheet 6.1Cars, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions

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All living things depend on air to survive. Our air is a mixture of Nitrogen – a colourless, odourless element that makes up •most of our air. (78%)Oxygen – a colourless, odourless element that is produced by •plants. All living things need oxygen to survive. (21%)Carbon dioxide– a colourless, odourless gas that is formed by •people and animals during breathing. (0.03%)

Which of these gases is the most important for our survival?

Cars and other vehicles produce exhaust. Exhaust is made up of carbon dioxide and other waste gases that pollute our air and affect its quality. These gases are called greenhouse gas emissions.

Scientists are worried that too many greenhouse gas emissions are making the earth too warm. This is called global warming.Useyourdictionaryortheinternettofindadefinitionfor:

air pollution ______________________________________________________•

_________________________________________________________________

greenhouse gases ________________________________________________•

_________________________________________________________________

global warming ___________________________________________________•

_________________________________________________________________

Choosing to travel by active transport saves fuel and therefore reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Estimate how far your trip is from home to school each day ________________If you are driven to and from school each day how many kilometres total is this? ____________If every kilometre you walk or cycle instead of using the car saves up to half a kilogram of greenhouse gases, how many kilograms of greenhouse gases would you save:

If you walked to and from school every day for • a week? ___________________If you walked to and from school every day for a month •(approximately 20 days)? __________If you walked to and from school every day for a year •(approximately 200 days)? ___________

Active transport helps our planet Worksheet 6.2Carbon dioxide 0.03%

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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 6.1: Cars, pollution and greenhouse •gas emissions

Activity 1Studentscompletethefirsttwocolumnsofthetablebelow in groups:

What we know about gas emissions and global warming

What we want to know about gas emissions and global warming

What we have learnt about gas emissions and global warming

Studentsfeedbacktheirinformationfromthefirstcolumn. Correct any misunderstandings as they arise.

Then in groups, students use Worksheet 6.1: Cars, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and the websitesatthebottomofthisworksheettofindoutinformation relating to the second column: 'What we want to know . . . '

Students either summarise their research in column 3 or present it in a poster or PowerPoint format.

Discuss:How can people make a difference to the pollution •that their activities around transport produce? – Use active transport; car pool; service cars regularly;drivefuelefficientcars;keeptyrespumped to maximum recommended pressure.

Why would more students and staff choosing •active transport make the roads around our school safer? – Lesstrafficcongestion;developstudentroad safety skills; more ‘eyes’ on the streets.

Petrol and diesel come from oil. Scientists claim •that the world will be using more oil than it is producing in about 50 years time. How do you think we will adapt to this problem in terms of transport? More research into alternative energy; greater use of public transport such as electric buses and trains; fuel will be more expensive as will the cost of food and goods that need fuel to be produced and transported.

Key skills:Share attitudes about the greenhouse effect and •their role in reducing the consequences of climate change.



The enhanced greenhouse effect is a global issue •thatisinfluencedbysmallchangesmadebyindividuals.


Topic 6: The environmental benefits of active transportLearning experience 3: Getting the facts about cars and the environment

Key message: Active transport makes our air cleaner and our roads safer.Suggested for Year 5 students

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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 6.3: Get the facts about cars and the •environment

Activity 2 Cut up the question and answer cards on Worksheet 6.3: Get the facts about cars and the environment and distribute one card to each student. Ensure that poorer readers have cards with less text.

Explain to students that each question card has a matching answer card. Students move around the roomtofindthepersonwiththeirmatchingcard.

Standing in their matching pairs, students read out the question card and then the answer card to the class. Clarify any questions that may arise from this process.

Using the information they know about the link between car use and greenhouse gas emissions, students design a full page newspaper advertisement outlining the environmental reasons for choosing active transport.

Display the advertisements in the school newsletter or on the school website.

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Q1: Half of all trips in Perth are less than 5kms. True or false?

A: True – Half of all trips people make in cars in Perth are less than 5 kms in distance.

Q2: A car can produce 4 times its weight in carbon monoxide. True or false?

A: True - A car can produce 4 times its weight in carbon monoxide.

Q3: More than half of WA children are driven to school. True or false?

A: True - More than two out of three WA children are driven to and from school each day, even though many live within two kilometres of school.

Q4: What are greenhouse gases? A: Greenhouse gases are gases that build up in the lower atmosphere and stop the sun’s rays from escaping. Too much is not good because the planet warms up too much. This is called global warming.

Q5:InAustralia,transportisasignificantcontributor to our total greenhouse gas emissions. True or false?

A: True - In Australia, cars and trucks that use petrol and diesel make up about 14% of our total greenhouse gas emissions.

Q6: A well tuned engine can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. True or false?

A: True: - A well tuned engine can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% in one year.

Q7: What are the main types of pollution caused by car exhausts?

A: The main types of pollution caused by car exhausts are: carbon dioxide (the main greenhouse gas in the atmosphere); carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.

Q8: Walking and cycling can reduce the amount of greenhouse gases a family produces. True or false?

A: True: - Walking, cycling and using public transport are all small things a family can do to reduce their greenhouse gas contributions to the Planet.

Q9: Without a greenhouse effect, the earth would not be warm enough for human, animal and plant life. True or false?

A: True - A moderate greenhouse effect is important - too many greenhouse gases can cause the earth to overheat though.

Q10: Emissions from cars have increased by less than 5% in the last 20 years. True or false?

A: False- Emissions from cars increased by over 20% over the last 20 years in Australia.

Q11: Each kilometre you walk or cycle instead of using the car saves up to half a kilogram of greenhouse gases. True or false?

A: True - Each kilometre of car travel avoided saves up to half a kilogram of greenhouse gas and 25 cents in operating costs.

Q12: Having the tyres on the family car pumped to the recommended maximum air pressure so they will roll easily can reduce the family’s greenhouse gas emissions. True or false?

A: True - Having the tyres on the family car pumped to the recommended maximum air pressure can save up to 100kg of greenhouse gas over one year, and extend the life of the tyres.

Get the facts about cars and the environment Worksheet 6.3

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Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 1.2: Lets jump in the car• on pg 88

Worksheet 6.4: Everyone can help reduce •greenhouse gas emissionsAccess Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative •(AuSSI) WA resources such as BioWhat?, Green Waste Matters, Ollie Saves the Planet and Water Matters at: www.det.wa.edu.au/sustainableschools or ph: 08 9264 4776

Activity 1Explain that reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the responsibility of governments, industry and individuals. Students use the data collected from Worksheet 1.2: Lets jump in the car to help complete Worksheet 6.4: Everyone can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Discuss:Which forms of transport create the lowest •greenhouse gas emissions? Why? – Walking and cycling do not rely on fossil fuel so don’t create greenhouse gas emissions. All other forms of transport rely on carbon based energy sources such as petrol and diesel which produce carbon dioxide gas emissions when used as a fuel in

cars. Even hybrid electric/petrol powered cars are responsible for the release of some carbon dioxide gas emissions.

Do you think everyone is responsible for reducing •their greenhouse gas emissions, or is it something that governments should look after?

What do you think some of the consequences •of climate change may be other than extreme changes to our weather patterns? – Long-term water restrictions; damage to property in coastal areasfromwatererosion;lossoffloraandfaunaas their habitat is damaged; changes to the crops we are able to grow.

Apart from reducing the greenhouse gas emissions •around our school, how could choosing active transport make the roads around our school safer? –Lesstrafficcongestion;developstudentroadsafetyskillsandconfidence;more’eyes’onthestreets so safer.

Key skills:Share attitudes about greenhouse effect and their •role in reducing the consequences of climate change.



The enhanced greenhouse effect is a global issue •thatisinfluencedbysmallchangesmadebyindividuals.


Local and national governments have the •potential to make decisions that encourage more active transport use.


studentsKey message: Reducing car use cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions.

Topic 6: The environmental benefits of active transportLearning experience 3: Making a case for environmental alternatives

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Resources / Preparation: Access to • www.climatechange.gov.au/en/what-you-can-do/teachers-and-students.aspx

www.operationclimatechange.com.au/index.html •has Travel and Air missions that may complement this learning experience.

Activity 2Students access the Australian Government’s Climate Change website (at the page shown) and follow the links to Primary then Interactives.

Completethefirsttwointeractivequizzesonclimatechange.

Studentswritedownfivethingsthattheylearntfromthe quiz.

Resources / Preparation: Worksheet 6.5: My opinion on active transport •and the environmentWorksheet 6.3: Get the facts about cars and the •environment

Activity 3Students choose one of the topics on Worksheet 6.5: My opinion on active transport and the environment to present a 2 minute ‘chook house speech’.

Using Worksheet 6.3: Get the facts about cars and the environment, students research their topic for 20 minutes in pairs or small groups.

Students then have 5 minutes to write their notes for a speech on this topic. Allow students another 5 minutes to practice their speech with a partner. This part of the activity may be noisy, hence the name ‘chook house speech’.

Place all students’ names into a container and draw out two names to present their speeches to half the class concurrently.

Act as time keeper and repeat the selection process until all students have spoken.

Students assess interpersonal skills of each speaker. Write these skills on the board and explain before the speeches commence.

e.g. speaks clearly and convincingly, makes good eye contact, has positive body language.

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Review your family’s travel habits over the last week and using the graph 1. above, complete the table below.

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat SunTotal kms bike/walking

Greenhouse gas 0kg/km

Total kms by train

Greenhouse gas 0.02kg/km

Total kms by bus


Total kms car pooling or driving with 4 passengers


Total kms by car - driver only


Total kilograms of greenhouse gas per kilometre per day

Everyone can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions Worksheet 6.4

!

1 www.greenhouse.gov.au – accessed June 14 2010

Travel modes and kilograms of greenhouse gas generated per person per kilometre1

Kilograms per person per kilometre

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Choosing to travel by active transport saves fuel and therefore reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Estimate how far your trip is from home to school each day________________If you are driven to and from school each day how many kilometres total is this? ___________

Using the ‘driver only’ amount of 0.33kg/km, how many kilograms of greenhouse gases would you save:

If you walked to and from school every day for a week? •_________________________

If you walked to and from school every day for a month? •(approximately 20 days) ____________

If you walked to and from school every day for a year? •(approximately 200 days) _____________

Everyone can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions Worksheet 6.4

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Choose one topic below to write a 2 minute speech. Your teacher will tell you how much time you have to research, plan and practice your speech. Good luck!

Australia generates only 1.5 per cent of total global greenhouse gas emissions, so our 1. actions alone can’t stop the worst consequences of climate change. As individuals, Australians are the world’s biggest polluters, so it’s important we play our part in the global effort. Some steps in the right direction are . . .

Therearepartsofmanycitiesaroundtheworldwherecartransportisnotallowedandtraffic2. is limited to only pedestrians, cyclists and public transport. If the centre of Perth or Fremantle became ‘car free’, the advantages and disadvantages would be . . .

Many industries – oil, rubber, road building, car manufacturing and sales, advertising 3. agenciesandthemediabenefitfromtheuseofcars.AustralianFederal,StateandLocalGovernments could make cars less appealing, and active transport – including public transport – more appealing by . . .

China, the Netherlands, Indonesia and Japan all have high ownership and usage of bicycles. 4. Australian Federal, State and Local Governments could make cycling more appealing by . . .

Scientists fear that oil is becoming more and more scarce. Our dependence on oil for 5. petrol and diesel fuel is greater than ever before. If fuel became unavailable, or impossibly expensive, this would have a huge impact on our society. Some of these impacts include . . .

Worksheet 6.5My opinion on active transport and the environment

Physical Activity TaskforcePerth, Western Australia

First produced 2010

For further information go to www.beactive.wa.gov.au

or phone 08 9492 9630

choose active transport - beactive.wa.gov.au active tran… · choose active transport a...

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