Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 1

Lesson Video

This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.

For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.

Performance objectives

• Identify at least two potentially dangerous areas or objects in a typical home (e.g., kitchen stove, cleaning chemicals).
• Identify at least two potentially dangerous situations at school (e.g., running in the corridor, pushing on the playground).
• Name two trusted adults at home and two at school whom they can tell if they feel unsafe.
• Describe one simple safety rule for the kitchen (e.g., do not touch the stove) and one for the bathroom (e.g., do not play with medicine).
• Demonstrate through role-play or description the correct and safe way to use playground equipment like a slide.

Lesson summary

This lesson introduces Grade 1 learners to the fundamental principles of staying safe in their two most common environments: home and school. In South Africa, children's daily lives are filled with diverse experiences, from helping Gogo in the kitchen to playing on the school field. Understanding potential dangers in these familiar places is the first step towards developing lifelong safety awareness. This topic is crucial as it empowers young learners to identify risks, make safe choices, and know who to turn to for help. By learning these skills, children gain confidence and independence, contributing to their overall well-being and creating a safer community for everyone.

Lesson notes

This lesson is about being a 'Safety Detective'! A detective is someone who looks for clues. We are going to look for clues to keep ourselves safe and happy. A. Safety at Home Our home is our special place where we feel loved and comfortable. But even at home, there are some things we need to be careful with to avoid getting hurt. These are not toys.

The Kitchen: A Place for Grown-ups What it is: The kitchen is where Mama, Tata, or Gogo makes yummy food like pap and stew. It has special tools to help them.

The Dangers (The 'Why'): The Stove and Oven: They get very, very hot to cook food. If you touch them, you can get a bad burn called an 'ouchie' that hurts a lot. Think of how hot the sun is – the stove can get even hotter!

The Kettle: It boils water to make tea. The water and the steam are extremely hot and can burn your skin.

Knives and Sharp Objects: Knives are for grown-ups to cut vegetables like tomatoes and onions. They are very sharp and can cut you. Scissors for grown-ups are also sharp.

Cleaning Chemicals: Bottles with things like Jik, Domestos, or Handy Andy are poisons. They might have bright colours, but they are not cooldrink! If you drink them or get them on your skin, they can make you very sick.

The Safety Rules (The 'How'): Stay out of the kitchen when a grown-up is cooking with hot oil or water. Never touch the stove, oven, or kettle. Only use a knife if a grown-up is helping you and says it is okay. Never touch or open bottles with cleaning chemicals. They are not for playing.

The Bathroom: A Place to be Clean and Careful What it is: The bathroom is where we wash and keep ourselves clean.

The Dangers (The 'Why'): Hot Water: The water from the 'hot' tap can be hot enough to burn you. Always ask a grown-up to check the temperature before you get into the bath or shower.

Slippery Floors: Water and soap can make the floor very slippery, like an ice rink. If you run, you can slip and fall, bumping your head.

Medicine: Medicine helps us when we are sick, but taking the wrong medicine, or too much, is very dangerous. Some pills can look like sweets (Smarties!), but they are not.

The Safety Rules (The 'How'): Let a grown-up run your bath water. Walk carefully in the bathroom. No running! Never, ever take medicine by yourself. Only a trusted grown-up can give you medicine.

Other Dangers at Home Electricity Plugs: The little holes in the wall are for plugs. Inside is electricity, which is very strong and can give you a big shock. Never poke your fingers or anything else into them.

Strangers at the Door: If someone you don't know knocks on the door or rings the bell, do not open it. Go and find a trusted grown-up immediately. A trusted grown-up is someone who takes care of you, like your parents, grandparents, or an older sibling you trust. B. Safety at School School is a wonderful place for learning and playing with friends. To make sure everyone has a good time, we all need to follow safety rules. The Classroom & Corridors Why we have rules here: These places can get busy with many children moving around.

The Safety Rules (The 'How'): Walk, don't run: Always walk inside the classroom and in the corridors. Running can cause you to trip or bump into someone, and you could both get hurt.

Tidy up: Keep your school bag under your desk or against the wall. If it's in the way, someone could trip over it.

Chairs are for sitting: Don't climb or stand on chairs or desks. You could fall and get a serious 'ouchie'.

The Playground Why we have rules here: The playground is for fun, but the equipment is big and hard. We need to be careful.

The Safety Rules (The 'How'): Take Turns: We must share the swings, slide, and other toys. Wait patiently for your turn. Pushing someone to get a turn is not safe or kind.

Use Equipment Properly: Slide: Go down feet first, sitting on your bottom. Never climb up the slippery part.

Swings: Sit on the swing, don't stand or kneel. Hold on with both hands. Don't walk in front of or behind someone who is swinging.

Trusted Adults Who they are: A trusted adult is a grown-up who you can trust to help you if you are scared, hurt, or confused. At school, this is your teacher, the principal, or the secretary in the office. At home, it is your parents, Gogo, Oupa, or another family member who looks after you.

When to tell them: You must tell a trusted adult immediately if: You get hurt. Another child is hurting you or being mean. You see something dangerous (like broken glass on the playground). A stranger tries to talk to you. Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question 1: Picture Detective Teacher says: "I'm going to describe two children. You must tell me which one is being safe.

Child A: Sipho is in the kitchen while his mom is cooking. He sees his toy car under the table near the hot stove and reaches for it.

Child B: Lethabo wants to wash her hands. She asks her dad to help her reach the taps in the bathroom." Which child is making a safe choice? Why?