Operation Lifesaver Releases New Educational Tools for Teachers, Homeschoolers: Lesson plans tied to
WASHINGTON, DC – Operation Lifesaver Inc., (OLI) the national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting safety at railroad crossings and along railroad rights-of-way, today unveiled a full slate of easy-to-use lesson plans available for immediate download at no cost from its website.
The new lesson plans can be downloaded at no charge here.
Written by a national curriculum expert, the lesson plans cover students in Pre-K through Grade 12 and are interactive, fun, and directly tied to national educational standards.
The plans provide ready-to-use tools, helping teachers and home-school parents meet curriculum requirements while subtly imparting lessons on safety to students who may walk around or near train tracks and to teen drivers.
“Every year, nearly 900 pedestrians and over 1,200 motorists are involved in incidents along train tracks or at grade crossings,” said Helen Sramek, President of Operation Lifesaver. “Lesson plans that are interesting, fun, and that convey lifesaving information are only one aspect of our multi-faceted approach to reducing those numbers.”
The lesson plans are arranged by school year and cover a wide variety of subjects including:
• Language Arts
• Social Studies
• Geography
• Civics
• Health and Safety
The plans incorporate a variety of teacher tools and approaches usable by any teaching style, be the philosophy a traditional program or an alternative such as Montessori or Open Concept. The lessons include online research and opportunities for independent research, as well as cross-curricular and community-oriented activities that get kids out of the traditional classroom. Teaching tools include:
• Stories
• Songs
• A virtual road trip
• A full-fledged debate on public policy issues.
Each lesson plan is tied to specific national standards.
“We are trying to make it as easy as possible for teachers and home-school parents to pick up these lesson plans, add to their children’s skills and knowledge base, and slip in valuable life-saving messages,” said Sramek.
The new lesson plans supplement more traditional lesson plans already available at no cost on the Operation Lifesaver website, bringing a total of 27 professionally designed lesson plans tied to educational standards that teachers, after-school counselors, parents, and anyone else interested in educating children of all ages can use.
In addition to free lesson plans, OLI recently launched a Common Sense campaign to educate the public, particularly people in the high-risk 18 to 34-year-old age group, about the risks of trespassing on railroad property. The campaign includes an interactive website and internet ads. For more information, visit www.CommonSenseUseIt.com.
About Operation Lifesaver
Operation Lifesaver, Inc. is a national, non-profit safety education group whose goal is to eliminate deaths and injuries at railroad crossings and along railroad rights of way. Operation Lifesaver has programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with trained and certified presenters who give free safety talks to community groups, schools, school bus drivers, truck drivers and community organizations to raise awareness of the need for caution around railroad tracks and trains. More information, including safety tips and how to schedule a free safety presentation in your community, can be found at www.oli.org.
