Culture of Safety-Mindedness
The sample activities within this section may be used to help students reflect on their experiences and their application of safety rules and procedures to stay safe and help others stay safe.
Exit Cards: Have students reflect on how they followed the safety rules and procedures to stay safe and help others stay safe while using the following questions as a guide:
- Think of and share three ways that you demonstrated safety-mindedness throughout the activity.
- What rules and procedures did you take responsibility for in today’s activity?
- What rules and procedures did the group take responsibility for in today’s activity?
- What rules and procedures did the teachers and/or monitors take responsibility for in today’s activity?
- Think of a situation where you may not have paid enough attention to your safety or that of the people around you, and describe what you would do differently next time?
My Favourite Moment: After an outdoor education activity use a sharing circle to have students share their favourite moment and how following the rules and procedures contributed to the safety and enjoyment of the day.
Journaling: After an outdoor education activity, have students reflect on a challenge they tried, what they learned from the experience, and how it helped them stretch their comfort zone.
Planning for Safety: After a class outdoor education trip, have students plan an imaginary trip they would like to do with their friends and family. Have them create their own safety plan for the trip.
From my Hat: After an outdoor education activity, have each student draw something from the day’s activity that they learned. Put these simple drawings into a hat and have each student select one. Each student must decipher the image and explain how it applies to personal and group safety.
Community Timeline: Have each student take a turn sharing three words that represent what was learned during the outdoor education activity. Each student will take a turn and then have the group attempt to verbally “paint a picture” of the day in order.
Ball Toss: Prior to the outdoor education activity, write some questions on the various sections of a beach ball or volleyball. Have students toss the ball around the circle after the event/activity. Have students answer the question upon which their thumb lands when they catch the ball. Students toss the ball until everyone has had a chance to speak. Questions can also include prompts for students to acknowledge others in the group and positive things they saw others doing, or prompts to mention positive things they contributed to the group, as well as how they managed the challenge.
