Health Education Lesson Plan: Bus Safety

Lauren Purvis
Descriptive Information
Skill Emphasis (NHES): Self-Management
Grade Level: 2nd grade
Content Area of Health: Injury Prevention (INJ)
Content Descriptor & Sub-Descriptor(s):
4. Traffic Safety
Content Descriptor:
4.6 school bus safety practices
Title of Lesson: Bus Safety Lesson
PA Standard (Health & PE):
10.3.3.A- Recognize safe/unsafe practices in the home, school, and community
(modes of transportation)
Curricular Connections: Art and public speaking
Adolescent Risk Behavior (if applicable): Behaviors that contribute to
unintentional injuries and violence
Behavioral Objective(s)
Cognitive: After the lesson, students will be able to determine at least 3 different
bus safety rules that he or she should use while riding the bus.
Cognitive: After participating in the Bus Safety Lesson, students will be able to
indentify numerous ways to prevent injury before, during, and after the bus ride.
Affective: During partner discussions, students will contribute and value ideas
from their peers regarding the benefits of proper bus safety.
Skill (Self-Management): Students will be able to:
1

-identify protective behaviors

-safety tips
-strategies to avoid/manage unhealthy or dangerous situations
Brief Outline of Todays Lesson
1. Bell Ringer: Bus Safety Rules
2. Introduction to the Lesson with Raise of Hands
3. Content & Instructional Strategies
Bus Safety
Proper behaviors on the bus
Benefits of following bus safety rules
4. In-Class Learning Activity: Bus Safety YES or NO Activity
5. In-Class Learning Activity: Bus Safety Project
Description of the Activity
Content & Skills Criteria/Cues
6. Final Thoughts/Conclusion to the Lesson
7. Classroom Management & Materials
Expanded Outline of Todays Lesson
1.Introduction to the Lesson (Set Induction): Hello boys and girls! Today we
are going to discuss bus safety. Raise your hand if you always ride the bus.
Hands down. Please raise your hand if you sometimes ride the bus. Thank
you, hands down. Finally, raise your hand if you never ride the bus. (Explain
to the students who raised their hands for never riding the bus, that they
should still learn all of the bus safety rules for field trips). Explain to the
class that we will be going over various bus safety rules and then finishing up
class with an activity.
2.Bell Ringer (Instant Activity) Bus Safety Rules (Think, Pair, Share):
On your own for 30 seconds, think of some bus rules you believe are important for
being safe on a bus. Then turn to the person sitting next to you and share your
thoughts and ideas. Give students about 2 minutes total to complete the activity.
While taking attendance, allow students the opportunity to share one bus safety
rule.

3.Content & Instructional Strategies:

2

I. What are some rules of bus safety?

a. When you see the bus driving up, everyone waiting should get
into a line. The line should start about five giant steps from the
curb and go back from the street, rather than down the side of
the street.
b. Wait until the bus stops and the driver opens the door and says
it's OK to step onto the bus. This is important! The driver is
the only one who can really see all the traffic out on the road
and make sure that it's safe for you to get on the bus. (If you
must cross the street to board the bus, be sure to wait for the
bus to come to a complete stop and for the driver to flash the
red lights.)
c. Once aboard, be sure to listen to the driver's instructions, and
even if you're in a hurry to grab a seat with your friends, don't
rush and push, WALK. You are allowed to talk quietly, but no
screaming. Do not eat or drink on the bus, you could spill and
cause a mess.
d. No jumping, running around, or throwing items. This can make it
hard for the driver to concentrate, and kids might get hurt.
Make sure you are sitting on your bottom and the isle should
remain clear. All body parts and objects must remain inside the
bus!
e. You should not play an instrument, read, or do homework on the
bus. You have to pay attention as you're getting off the bus,
too because you dont want to miss your stop. When you step
down, hold onto the handrail and be careful that your backpack
doesn't get caught on the rail or in the door.
4. In-Class Learning Activity(ies):
I. As students enter the classroom for the day, have them sit down in
their squad spots to go over the introduction, complete the bell
ringer, and take attendance. Once this is complete, explain the Bus
Safety YES or NO activity. The teacher will have a stack of up to 15
note cards with various statements of behaviors students should and
shouldnt do while on the bus. If you agree with the statement and
think YES, go to the side of the room where the arrow is pointing to
YES. If you do not agree with the statement and think, NO, then
3

walk to the side of the room with the arrow pointed towards NO.
Once you are done explaining the directions, have the students stand
up and go over an easy statement so students know what to do.

a.
b. After all students pick a side, ask students why they should or
should not follow the rule. Call on a few students so you can
assess if they understand bus safety. Once you went through all
of the statements, have students return to their squad spots so
we can go over the next assignment.
II. Now that we have gone over some of the Dos and Donts of bus
safety, it is now time to complete an assignment called, Bus Safety
Project. Students will receive a yellow piece of paper with a bus on it.
On the bus, students must write 3 bus rules that students at Radnor
Elementary School must follow. They must pick correct rules (for
4

example: students should not write eating and drinking is ok). Once
they write 3 rules on their bus in pencil, they must come up to me so I
can check if their grammar is correct and to make sure they picked 3
valid rules. Once they get the okay from me, they can begin to color
their bus. When the students believe they have completed the
coloring stage of the project, they must cut it out, and put their name
on the back. If some students finish early, they can draw another bus
on the back. Students are encouraged to take home their projects to
show their family members what they learned in Wellness class.
5. In Class Learning Activity Assessment-Description & Criteria
o Read over every students three rules and check to make sure that
they all had correct grammar and chose proper bus safety
rules.
6. Final Thoughts/Conclusion to the Lesson
Great job second grade! Now I can see by looking around the room that not
everyone finished decorating their busses and that is perfectly okay! I would like
everyone to clean up their areas and the people who are the quietest get to line up
first. Once all students are lined up and ready to leave class, ask them what they
will tell their parents or guardians what they learned in Wellness class. Have a few
students read a rule off their projects. Encourage those students who did not
finish their work, to take some time at home to complete it. Next class we will be
discussing bike safety!
7. Classroom Management & Materials
Classroom Materials
o Handouts/Worksheets: Yellow paper with bus
o Other Materials: True/False bus safety note cards.
Classroom Management
o For Content Delivery: Smart Board presentation
o For In-Class Learning Activity: colored pencils, pencils, crayons,
scissors, and yellow paper with bus.
Content References
5

http://kidshealth.org/kid/watch/out/car_safety.html#
Activity Reference(s)
D. Nowak. (2014). Radnor Elementary School. Health/Wellness.
Appendices
See Smart Board Bus Safety Notebook