Year 1 and 2
Get Firewise for year 1 and 2 is a sequenced programme of learning experiences designed to give five and six year olds knowledge, attitudes and behaviours that will keep them safe around fire. The programme is cross-curricula with a strong literacy focus. It meets the objectives of The New Zealand Curriculum (2007) with additional content updates.
Get Firewise is a flexible programme and can be used as a short term topic using literacy and topic time over two or three weeks. It can also be used as a whole term topic using an inquiry learning approach.
Year 1 and 2 students learn behaviours that will keep them from starting fires, such as not playing with matches and lighters. They learn and practise what to do if there is a fire in a building or room they are in. There is also an additional section where students learn and practise calling 111 in an emergency.
Get Firewise focuses on:
- not playing with matches and lighters
- being safe near fires
- understanding that fire can be dangerous
- knowing what to do if there is a fire in a room
- practising evacuating from a room in a fire emergency.
Topics
Year 1 and 2 students gain new knowledge and behaviours and then complete a range of learning experiences so they can practise what they have learned.
What is fire?
Students identify and extend their current knowledge about fire and why it is dangerous.
Matches and lighters
Students identify matches and lighters and learn that they are tools to be used by adults. The students practise handing matches and lighters to an adult.
Candles (optional)
Your students' inquiry into what fire is will determine whether you focus the learning around the safe use of candles. Information and learning experiences about the safe use of candles are provided in the resources.
Smoke alarms
Students learn to recognise a smoke alarm and the sound it makes. They learn to leave a room as soon as they hear the smoke alarm. The learning is supported by an A3 shared reading story, Tamati and Sam Get Firewise that tells a story focused on safely evacuating from a burning building.
A fire in my room
Learning is supported by an A3 shared reading story, Our Firewise Family. Students learn what to do if there is a fire in a room they are in or near to and practise:
- Get down, get low, get out - FAST
- Shut the door
- Shout FIRE, FIRE, FIRE
- Stay out
- Go to the safe meeting place.
What do firefighters do?
Inquiry learning into what firefighters do; how they put out fires and other roles they have in the community. The learning is supported by the opportunity to talk with a firefighter when they come to deliver the Get Firewise presentation.
Firefighters' presentation
Firefighters come to the class and discuss the Get Firewise messages and answer students' questions about what firefighters do.
Call 111 (optional)
Students learn to call 111 and give correct information about a fire emergency.
Fires in rural areas (optional)
Inquiry learning into how rural communities deal with fire emergencies. This will have particular relevance for families and whānau in rural areas who cannot always rely on rapid assistance from firefighters.
Firefighter visit
While the Get Firewise programme is designed to be delivered solely by teachers, a visit by firefighters or designated Firewise coordinators can occur near the end, or after the learning programme has been completed.
The firefighter visit is a structured presentation to the class that summarises and reinforces the key learning in the Get Firewise. It is usually about 30-to 45-minutes.
The presentation is designed around gaining responses from students and must be delivered to one class at a time to be effective. The firefighters will not deliver presentations to groups of classes because the student's retention of safety behaviours is compromised.
This presentation focuses on:
- being safe with matches, lighters and candles
- the speed of fire
- escaping from a room that has smoke in it.
The firefighter or Firewise coordinator will discuss this presentation with you and can adapt it to meet the identified needs of your class. They will use a range of visual aids in the presentation, including props, a flip chart and a short piece of DVD footage.
The presentation will end with your students completing an evacuation of the classroom crawling under a black smoke sheet.
Please note: A firefighter presentation supports, but it is not a substitute for, the learning programme. Students must have completed, or have almost completed, Get Firewise, before a firefighter can visit. Not all locations will have firefighters available, and Firefighters that visit are on duty, this means they may be called away if there is an emergency.
To check the availability and/or arrange for a firefighter or Firewise coordinator to visit your class, please use the contact form.
Videos
- Tamati and Sam Get Firewise interactive story
An interactive story is an integral component of the Get Firewise resource. The story reinforces key fire-safety messages.
- The speed of the armchair fire
- Song - Get out! Stay out! Well done!(song lyrics)
- Fighting fires
- Photographs
- The Firefighters' gear
Firefighter School Video
For Firefighters to use during school visits.
- Introduction (Firefighter training)
- Candle fire - Year 1 and 2 (for use in schools)
Resources
School teachers and administrators can request physical resources to be sent to their school using the Get Firewise Order Form.
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Get Firewise Teachers' Guide (NOTE: this refers to our old website www.getfirewise.org - this now redirects to fireandemergency.nz/getfirewise) |
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Tamati and Sam Get Firewise |
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Our Firewise Family |
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Tamati Magnetic Picture Set |
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Get Firewise Puppet Master Set |
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Display Photographs |
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Get Firewise Poem Poster |
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Get Firewise Song Poster |
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Get Firewise Frieze |
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Get Firewise Family Book |
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Get Firewise Certificate |
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Safe Meeting Place Sticker |
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Draft letter to students' families |