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ThinkFirst For Kids Program Background
The ThinkFirst For Kids Program was developed by the ThinkFirst National Injury Prevention Foundation to increase awareness and knowledge among children 6-8 years of age about the risks of brain and spinal cord injury, and the use of good safety habits. The program was designed to enhance students' interest and learning by using four interactive components. The four components of the program include: 1) a brain and spinal cord injury prevention curriculum with six subject-integrated lessons, 2) an animated cartoon video that provides an overview of brain and spinal cord injury and safety topics, 3) a set of five comic sheets (one per safety topic), and 4) a set of five full-color classroom posters that reinforce key messages presented during classroom instruction. All components feature Street Smart, the safety messenger who enthusiastically teaches his friends how to have fun and be safe. Several teaching strategies that inspire creativity and learning (e.g., role-play, stories, visual enforcement, hands-on, reading, sharing ideas, etc.) were used in developing the curriculum.
Purpose and Rationale
The ThinkFirst For Kids Program was developed to increase knowledge and awareness among elementary school children (Grades 1-3) about the causes and consequences of brain and spinal cord injury, injury prevention and safety habits that reduce the risk of injury. The curriculum, augmented by the video, comics and posters was designed to: 1) help students learn safety messages in relation to subjects, 2) help teachers implement the program without "teaching something extra," and 3) help students form safety habits for life which will ultimately reduce the number and/or severity of traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries.
Elementary school-aged children are at an impressionable stage of development, enjoy learning new responsibilities and decision-making skills and attempt to influence their family members and peers. Teachings directed to this age group will likely increase safety behaviors that are maintained through the high-risk adolescent years and become life-long habits. It is anticipated that students, families, teachers and communities will benefit from participating in the ThinkFirst For Kids Program.
Goals
- To help elementary school educators teach the curriculum and other program components within the subject material of their lesson plans.
- To use the combined efforts of elementary school teachers, ThinkFirst For Kids chapters and school staff to increase knowledge and awareness of brain and spinal cord injuries, how these injuries can be prevented and the importance of lifelong safety habits to prevent injury.
The ThinkFirst For Kids Curriculum
The curriculum were designed to fit easily into teachers' weekly lesson plans. The 30-45 minute lessons were written for integration into subject material. Each grade-specific curriculum includes:
- A table of contents, foreword, introduction, curriculum guide for teachers, and pictures of Street Smart and his friends to introduce to students.
- Six lessons including an introduction to traumatic brain and spinal cord injury and five injury prevention topic areas.
- Each lesson includes: a lesson plan/schedule, testing objectives met in the lesson, information related to the particular injury problem, two to four subject-integrated exercises (mathematics, language, science, etc.) additional suggested activities; and a letter to parents.
- Suggested resources to augment the program (i.e., videos, monographs, books, and agencies).
- A glossary of terms used in the curriculum.
- An exercise key.
Each curriculum is accompanied by a duplicate set of camera-ready exercises and parent letters for photocopying.
The content areas include:
- the importance of protecting the brain and spinal cord
- vehicle safety
- bicycle safety
- safety regarding weapons and creative problem solving
- playground, recreation and sports safety
- water safety
Numerous additional activities involving the students, school and community are described in the lesson plan for teachers' consideration. The content describes the injury problem and emphasizes prevention through the recognition of hazards, the use of protective measures and following safety rules. The lessons encourage student creativity, decision-making and responsibility for injury prevention themselves, their friends and family and the community.
The National Office offers training to start a local chapter, information on injury prevention to the general public, and technical support to local ThinkFirst chapters operating in 47 states.
To order ThinkFirst For Kids products, click here.
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