Lesson Overview:

The teacher takes the part of "Helmet Man/Woman", a "spokesperson" for safe bike behavior (or uses a doll or puppet to take the part of "Helmet Man/Woman"). Students model bicycle and helmet safety through drama, dance, and music. Students then take one safe bicycle behavior and create a cartoon about it.

Length of Lesson:

One 45-minute period

Notes:

This lesson is particularly suitable for grades K-3.

Instructional Objectives:

Students will:

• identify safe bike-riding behaviors.
• practice hand signals.
• practice wearing helmets correctly.
• sing, dance, or act to represent a safe bike-riding behavior.
• create a comic strip illustrating a safe bike-riding practice.
• use the Student Journal to record work.

Supplies:

• Pencils, crayons, and markers
• A bicycle
• A bicycle helmet with the name "Helmet Man/Woman" on it (perhaps on an index card taped to the front)
• Bright clothing
• Two large circles divided into eight sections
• Sixteen triangular wedges (see specifications below) that fit into each of the sections, cut and velcroed into place. (This is suppose to look like a bicycle’s spokes and wheels. It could be carried in by "Helmet Man/Woman".)
• Pictures or props of stop signs or stop lights
• Small cars and trucks
• A sign saying: "If You're Not Wearing A Helmet, You're Not Using Your Head!" or "Use Your Head, Wear A Helmet!"

Instructional Plan:

Note: This lesson is based on a scene from the play Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. The scene, which involves a "bicycle dance," does not appear in the book on which the play is based. The lesson can be taught in conjuction with a class viewing of the touring production of the play. However, although the lesson is linked to the play, its main content can be extracted and taught as a generic bike safety lesson without reference to Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse.

Warm Up

Dress in bright clothing, walk in with a bike, and put on a bicycle helmet with the words, "Helmet Man/Woman" on it. (You may also use a doll, dressed as a cyclist or a puppet.)

Announce that you, "Helmet Man/Woman," are here as a "spokesperson" for bicycle behavior.

Discuss the bicycle dance that Chester and Wilson did in the play, Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. What safe and unsafe bike behaviors did those two mice demonstrate? List these on the board.

Introductory Activity

Ask students to think of safe bike behaviors. List these on the board.

Put up the two circles with the detachable wedges of safe bicycle behaviors. (See the list of materials for 16 ideas for safe bike behaviors.)

Sixteen Safe Bike Behaviors:

1. Wear a bicycle helmet each time you ride a bike. (Drama presentation)
2. When riding with others, stay in a single file line. Keep a safe distance from other bicycle riders. (Dance: a conga line or bunny hop)
3. Always look before changing lanes or turning. (Dance)
4. Use hand signals when turning or stopping. (Dance)
5. Keep to the right-hand side of the road, with the flow of traffic. (Music: rap or rhyme titled "Go with the Flow")
6. Obey all traffic laws, including stop signs and stop lights. (Music: tune titled "I Am Stuck on Band-Aids")
7. Keep both hands on the handle bars, except when doing turn signals. (Dance or drama skit illustrating what could happen if you don’t keep hands on the bars)
8. Walk your bike across busy streets. (Music: rap or rhyme)
9. Always stop and check for traffic when leaving your driveway, alley, or sidewalk. Look left, then right, then left again before going on. (Drama skit)
10. Cars and pedestrians have the right of way. (Drama or dance)
11. Remember the 3 "no’s": No Surfing, No Stunts, and No Additional Riders on Your Bike. (Drama skit)
12. Wear bright clothing, to be seen while bike-riding. (Music: a round to the tune of "Make New Friends")
13. Don’t ride at night, but if you must, put your headlight on. (Music: rap or rhyme)
14. Use your horn or bell to signal others of your passing. (Music)
15. Keep both wheels on the ground. (Drama)
16. Check your chain, tire pressure, and brakes regularly. (Drama or dance)

Compare the wedges with the student suggestions.

Guided Practice

Hand Signals:

Chester and Wilson used hand signals. Have students mirror your actions as you model the following signals:

• Left turn—Left arm is straight out to the side.
• Right turn—Left arm is bent in half with hand UP or right hand goes straight out.
• Stop or slow down—Left arm is bent in half with hand DOWN.

Helmet Demonstration:

Tell students that ALL bike riders should wear a helmet, and say "Wearing a helmet is using your head." Ask students why some people don’t wear helmets.

Demonstrate the proper way to wear a helmet:

• Wear it low on your forehead, two finger widths above the eyebrows.
• Sit it evenly between your ears and flat on your head.
• Tighten the chin-strap and adjust the pads inside.
• Move your head up and down or side to side. If it slips, adjust it.

Print and distribute copies of the Bike Helmet Safety Web guide and have each student practice with his/her own helmet. Have students pair-up check on each other.

Independent Practice

• Have students get together in groups of four and create a bicycle using their bodies.
• Give students five minutes to practice before they present.
• Pull a wedge from one of the circles on the prop bicycle. As "Helmet Man/Woman," ask for help to demonstrate these safe bike behaviors.
• Read the safe behavior to the class. Either ask for volunteers, or create cooperative groups or pairs to dance or act out the behavior. (See the list of materials for suggestions on how to present each behavior.)
• Give students a little time to practice, then have them present the behavior to the class.

Closure

• Have students draw and write a comic strip about safe bicycle behavior (perhaps using "Helmet Man/Woman").
• Allow students to use ReadWriteThink's interactive Comic Creator to plan the comic strips.
• Have students print the online strips. You may wish to use these print copies as the final product. Alternatively, students can use the print out as a guide in creating a hand drawn comic strip.
• Post finished products around the room.
• Teacher becomes himself/herself again. (This is an important step for some younger students.)

Assessment:

Assess students based on the extent to whcih they:

• used hand signals correctly
• put on helmets correctly
• demonstrated an understanding of the safe bicycle behavior they presented
• created a clear presentation of a safe bike behavior in comic strip format

Sources:

Print:

• Brown, Marc. D.W. Rides Again. Little, Brown, & Co., 1996.
• Dann, Penny; Loewn, Nancy; and Steiner, Rudolf. Bicycle Safety. Child’s World, 1996.
• Gibbons, Gail. The Bicycle Book. Holiday House, 1999.
• Henkes, Kevin. Chester’s Way.Greenwillow Books, 1988.
• Henkes, Kevin. Julius,The Baby of the World. Greenwillow Books, 1990.
• Henkes, Kevin. Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. Greenwillow Books, 1996.
• Mills, Claudia. Gus & Grandpa and the Two Wheeler Bike. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1999.

Authors:

• Mary Beth Bauernschub, Teacher
  Kingsford Elementary School
  Mitchellville, MD