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Children
and Environmental Hazards
Subject Area
This activity
has been developed for Unit 4, the core unit entitled Child
Development within Contemporary Families. The material has been
designed to explore objectives B and D
on page 66 of the Family Studies Curriculum Guide 1987, page 62.
Learning
Outcomes
Teaching,
learning and evaluation will focus on the students ability
to:
- Identify
environmental hazards in the community;
- Explore
the consequences of these hazards;
- Develop
strategies to help families cope with these hazards.
Teaching
Strategy
- Students,
working in small groups, will identify the environmental hazards
in their community and outline the consequences of these hazards.
- Students
will outline the ways parents and children could cope with these
hazards. Each group might investigate one hazard and share the
findings with the class. A summary worksheet and a sample are
included with this activity.
Background
Information
Newspaper
or magazine articles about environmental hazards of concern of
the community could be used by the students are reference materials.
Timing
Allow 70
min for students to identify, investigate and report on hazards.
Resources
See sample
answer sheet below for suggested topics and resources.
Environmental Hazards
|
Consequences of Hazards
|
Coping Strategies for
parents and children
|
Over exposure to the ultraviolet rays of
the sun as a result of the thinning ozone layer. |
Sunburns; skin cancer; eye damage; premature
aging of the skin. |
Avoid direct sunlight year round; always
wear a hat and sunscreen; stay in shaded areas; watch uv related
news in the media. |
Rabies, which is usually transferred to
people from infected animals (pets) |
Rabies is fatal if left untreated |
Warn children against touching strange animals;
report any unusual animal behaviour; always have an animal
bite treated by a doctor |
Poison ivy and poison oak |
80% of children have an allergic reaction
to the oils found in the leaves of these plants; the reaction
usually take the form of blisters and rashes |
Teach children to recognize and avoid these
plants; wash skin and clothing that may have come in contact
with these plants; wear closed shoes and long pants when hiking |
Suggested
References
UV Radiation
- Chatelaine.
August 1992, page 26.
- Practice
Safe Sunning, Canadian Living. July 1992, page 15.
- Sun
Smart, Chatelaine. July 1992, page 84.
- Playing
Safely in the Sun, Chatelaine. June 1992, page 32.
Rabies
- Medical
or General Encyclopedia
Poison
Ivy and Oak
- Medical
or General Encyclopedia
- Peterson,
Lee Allen. Edible Wild Plants.
Students
complete the following table:
Environmental Hazards
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Consequences of Hazards
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Coping Strategies for
parents and children
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