Lesson Plan - How to Save a Life

Watch a Video

Watch the video “The Safety Challenge,” then discuss: If you experienced these situations, what choices would you make? What other situations can you think of that would require making a smart safety choice? 

Preview Words to Know

Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• panicked
• investigate
• paramedics
• abdomen

Set a Purpose for Reading

As students read, have them identify one thing the three stories have in common.

1. Choose two of the kids described in the article. Tell about one way their experiences were similar and one way their experiences were different.
Sample response: Kaliyah Harrington and Jake Salas King both stepped in to save other people’s lives and were able to think clearly during the emergencies they experienced. One difference is that Kaliyah helped in an emergency at home, while Jake helped in an emergency at school.
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2. What steps did Bridon, Christian, and Sam take to save Brad Hassig?
First Bridon and Sam jumped into the pool and pulled Hassig out of the water. Then Bridon started CPR. At the same time, Christian ran for help. He flagged down a car and told the driver to call 911.
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3. How do the illustrations on these pages support the article? 
The illustrations show specific steps you can take if you ever see or smell smoke, see someone choking, or see someone who is drowning. The illustrations make it easier for readers to respond in emergency situations the way Kaliyah, Jake, Bridon, Sam, and Christian did.
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FEATURED SKILL: PAIRED TEXT

The skill builder “What to Know About 911” provides an additional text to pair with the cover article. Questions call on students to synthesize what they’ve learned about emergencies.

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