Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 2

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Recite your full name, address, and a parent's phone number.
• Tell the difference between 'safe' and 'unsafe' situations.
• Name at least three 'trusted adults'.
• Explain and use the 'No, Go, Tell' rule.
• Use 'Stop, Think, Act' to solve a simple problem.

Lesson summary

This lesson focuses on equipping Grade 2 learners with essential life skills for personal safety and basic problem-solving. In South Africa, children navigate various social environments daily—from busy streets and community parks to interactions at school and home. Understanding how to identify and respond to potentially unsafe situations is a critical life skill. This topic empowers learners to become more aware of their surroundings, recognise potential dangers, and know who to turn to for help.

Lesson notes

A. Knowing Your Personal Information: Your Superpower! Your personal information is like a secret code that helps trusted adults keep you safe. It's very important to know it by heart, but only share it with the right people.

What to know: Your Full Name: Not just your nickname. For example, 'Thabo Mkhize', not just 'Thabo'.

Your Home Address: The number of your house or flat, the street name, the suburb, and the city.

Example: "123 Jabu Street, Soweto, Johannesburg." Your Parent's/Guardian's Phone Number: Memorise at least one number. This is how a trusted adult can contact your family if you are lost.

Who to tell: Safe to tell: Police officers, teachers, paramedics, or your parents' friends if your parents say it is okay.

Not safe to tell: Strangers! A stranger is anyone you and your family do not know well. Why? If you ever get lost, a police officer or a teacher can use this information to help you get home safely. It's your safety superpower! B. Safe vs. Unsafe Situations A situation is an event or something that is happening around you. We need to learn to be 'Safety Detectives' and spot the difference between what is safe and what is unsafe.

Safe Situation: A situation where you feel comfortable, happy, and not in danger. Your body feels calm.

Example 1: Playing soccer with your friends in your school playground while a teacher is on duty.

Example 2: Reading a book at home with your gogo (grandmother).

Example 3: Holding your parent's hand when crossing the street at a zebra crossing.

Unsafe Situation: A situation where you might get hurt, or you feel scared, worried, or uncomfortable. Your body might feel shaky, or your heart might beat fast. This is a warning sign!

Example 1: A stranger in a car slows down and asks you to come closer to take some sweets. This is very unsafe.

Example 2: Playing near a busy road where cars are driving fast.

Example 3: Seeing a box of matches and wanting to play with them. Fire is dangerous.

C. Trusted Adults and the 'No, Go, Tell' Rule Trusted Adults: These are grown-ups whose job it is to keep you safe. You can always ask them for help. They are people like your parents, grandparents, teachers, the school principal, police officers, and doctors. A stranger is not a trusted adult. The 'No, Go, Tell' Rule: This is a simple, powerful rule to remember if a stranger makes you feel unsafe. NO! Say "NO!" in a loud, strong voice. You do not have to be polite if you feel unsafe. GO! Run away as fast as you can to a safe place (like back into your school, your home, or towards a trusted adult). TELL! Immediately tell a trusted adult what happened.

D. Simple Problem-Solving: Stop, Think, Act! Sometimes our problems are not about safety, but about getting along with others or making a choice. We can solve these problems too!

STOP: First, stop what you are doing. Take a deep breath to calm down. Don't shout or push.

THINK: Think about the problem. What is happening? What are my choices? What will happen if I do this or that? Think of a safe and kind solution.

ACT: Choose the best solution and do it. If you need help, your action can be to ask a trusted adult.

Worked example

Problem: Sipho and Lindiwe both want to use the same blue crayon.

STOP: They both stop grabbing the crayon and take a breath.

THINK: Sipho thinks, "The problem is we both want the blue one.

My choices are: I can grab it, I can cry, or I can ask to share. Grabbing and crying is not kind. Sharing is a good idea." Lindiwe thinks, "I can let Sipho use it first, or I can find another blue."

ACT: Sipho says, "Lindiwe, can I use the blue crayon for the sky, and then you can use it for the river?" They decide to take turns. This is a good solution!

Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question 1: Scenario Spotting

Read the story: Anele is walking home from school. A car she does not know stops next to her. The driver says, "Your mom asked me to fetch you. Hop in!" Anele has never seen this person before. Is this a safe or unsafe situation? What should Anele do?

Solution: This is a very unsafe situation. Anele does not know the person, so they are a stranger. Even if they say they know her mom, she should not trust them. Anele must use the 'No, Go, Tell' rule. She should shout "NO!", GO run back to the school or to a house she knows, and TELL the first trusted adult she sees (a teacher, another parent she knows, or a police officer).

Commentary: This question checks if learners can identify a clear danger involving a stranger and recall the correct safety procedure. The teacher should emphasise that their parents would have told them if someone different was fetching them.

Question 2: Problem-Solving in the Playground

Read the story: During break time, you see a Grade 1 learner who has fallen and scraped their knee. They are crying. Some other children are laughing. Use the 'Stop, Think, Act' steps to decide what to do.

Solution:

STOP: Stop playing and look at the situation.

THINK: "The problem is a little child is hurt and sad, and others are being unkind. Laughing is wrong. The child needs help.

My choices are: I can ignore it, I can laugh too, or I can help. The kindest and safest choice is to help."

ACT: Go to the crying child and ask if they are okay. Then, help them walk to the teacher on duty. Tell the teacher what happened so the child can get a plaster and the other children can be spoken to about being kind.

Commentary: This exercise guides learners to apply the problem-solving model to a real-life social situation, encouraging empathy and responsible behaviour.

Question 3: Personal Information Power

Imagine you are at a big shopping centre like Gateway or the V&A Waterfront and you can't see your dad. You are lost. You see a security guard in a uniform. What should you do and what information should you tell him?

Solution: First, you should not panic. Stay in one place. Look for a trusted adult in a uniform, like a security guard or a police officer. You should go to the security guard and say, "Excuse me, I am lost." He will ask for your information.

You should tell him:

Your full name.

Your dad's name.

Your dad's phone number so the guard can call him.

Commentary: This question reinforces the importance of memorising personal information and identifying trusted adults in public spaces, a common scenario in South Africa.

Independent Practice (Questions Only)

Write down your full name and your home address.

Draw a picture of three trusted adults you know. Write their names and titles below the picture (e.g., 'Mrs. Dlamini - Teacher').

Circle the SAFE activities:

Playing with a sharp knife in the kitchen.

Telling a stranger where you live.

Holding your mom's hand to cross the road.

Kicking a ball with friends in the park.

What are the three steps in the 'No, Go, Tell' rule?

Your friend takes your lunchbox without asking. What would you do using the 'Stop, Think, Act' steps?

Why should you never play with matches or lighters?

A pop-up on a tablet asks for your name and address to win a prize. Should you type it in? Why or why not?

You are at a friend's house and their big brother wants you to play a game that makes you feel uncomfortable. What should you do?