A–B. Active Living and Movement Competence · Active Living and Movement: Move Well, Train Smart, Stay Safe

Safe and Ready: Safety Practices in Every Setting

A3.1 1.2About 65 minutes

Learning goals

I can dress appropriately and wear the required protective equipment for an activity.
I can keep personal medical devices, like inhalers and epinephrine auto-injectors, on hand.
I can warm up and cool down, use equipment and facilities properly, and check the area for hazards.
I can spot a partner in strength training and follow buddy and supervision rules in water.
I can apply safety practices in gyms, fitness rooms, fields, trails and recreation facilities, in every season.

Words to know

protective equipment
Gear that lowers the risk of injury, such as a helmet, mouthguard, shin pads or a lifejacket (PFD).

epinephrine auto-injector
A device that injects epinephrine (adrenaline) into the thigh during a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).

spotter
A partner who watches and is ready to help a person lifting, so the weight can't fall on them.

hazard
Something that could cause harm, like a wet floor, broken glass, a hole in a field or thin ice.

PFD (personal flotation device)
A lifejacket or similar device that helps keep you afloat in water.

frostbite
Freezing of skin and tissue in extreme cold; often starts on fingers, toes, ears, nose and cheeks.

Remember from Grade 8

In Grade 8 you rated risks by how likely and how serious they are, chose ways to lower risk (remove, change, protect, supervise) and learned how to prevent concussions. In Grade 9 you take responsibility for safety in many more places: fitness rooms, trails, pools and winter settings.

Hook: the 30-second scan

Before a pick-up soccer game at the park, Zara walks the field for 30 seconds. She finds a broken bottle near one goal and a sprinkler head sticking up at midfield. She clears the glass, puts a cone over the sprinkler and tells everyone. Nobody knows what injuries she prevented, and that's exactly the point. Safety is mostly invisible when it works.

The safety practices in A3.1

Dress for the activity. Running shoes laced up, clothes that let you move, no jewellery that can catch or scratch. Long hair tied back.
Wear required protective equipment. Helmets (cycling, skating, skiing), mouthguards and shin pads where required, a properly fitted PFD in boats, eye protection for some racquet sports.
Keep medical devices on hand. If you have asthma, keep your reliever inhaler with you. If you have a severe allergy, keep your epinephrine auto-injector with you. In Ontario, Sabrina's Law (2005) requires schools to have plans for students with life-threatening allergies, and Ryan's Law (2015) lets students with asthma carry their inhalers.
Warm up and cool down. Warm-ups raise heart rate and body temperature and prepare muscles; cool-downs bring heart rate down gradually.
Spot a partner in strength training. A spotter stands close, watches the whole lift, and is ready to help guide the weight back.
Use equipment and facilities properly. Follow the posted rules, check equipment before using it, put it away after.
Check for hazards before you start: glass, holes, wet patches, ice, obstacles near the playing area.
Swim with a buddy in a supervised area, such as a pool or beach with lifeguards.

Setting	Key safety practices
Gymnasium	Clear walls and benches near the play area; dry any wet spots; equipment put away
Fitness room	Learn proper technique first; use a spotter for heavy lifts; collars on weight bars; wipe and return equipment
Playing field	Walk it first for holes, glass and sprinkler heads; check goals are anchored; lightning rule: when thunder roars, go indoors
Hiking and snow trails	Tell someone your route and return time; dress in layers; carry water, a charged phone and a map; stay on marked trails
Pool, lake or beach	Swim with a buddy in supervised areas; PFD in boats; never dive into shallow or unknown water
Outdoor rink or pond	Skate only where adults say the ice is safe (or at a maintained rink); helmet for beginners

Safety looks different in each setting. The habit is the same: think ahead, check, protect.

Helmet fit with the 2-V-1 check: 2 fingers between eyebrows and helmet, straps forming a V under each ear, and 1 finger under the buckled chin strap.

Weather safety in Canada

Cold: dress in layers, cover your head, hands and face, and watch for frostbite (white or greyish, numb skin). Check the wind chill.
Heat and sun: drink water before you're thirsty, use sunscreen and a hat, take breaks in the shade, and move intense activity to cooler times of day.
Lightning: when thunder roars, go indoors, and wait about 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back out.
Darkness: wear bright or reflective gear and a light.

Dressing in three layers for winter activity. You can remove the middle layer when you warm up and put it back on when you stop, so you stay dry and warm.

Worked example

Let's spot a partner safely

Tariq is doing dumbbell presses lying on a bench in the school fitness room. His partner Ella is spotting. What should each of them do?

Before: they agree on how many reps Tariq will try and a signal for help ("Help!" or "Take it").
Ella's position: close behind his head, feet apart in a stable stance, hands near his wrists (for dumbbells), not touching unless needed.
During: Ella watches the whole lift, especially the last reps when he's tired. Tariq keeps a weight he can lift with good form.
If he struggles: Ella helps guide his wrists up just enough to finish the rep and lower the dumbbells safely.
After: they put the dumbbells back on the rack, not on the floor where someone could trip.

A spotter stays close, focused and ready, with an agreed signal. The lifter uses a manageable weight and good form.

Hands-on activity

Safety audit and gear check

You need: a notebook, any sports gear you own (helmet, shoes, mouthguard), and a grown-up to walk with you to a local park or school field.

Gear check (10 min): fit-test your bike or skating helmet with 2-V-1. Check shoes for worn soles and laces. If you use an inhaler or auto-injector, check the expiry date and that it's in your bag.
Field audit (20 min): walk a park field or court slowly. List every hazard (holes, glass, sprinkler heads, wet leaves, ice, loose goals, low branches). Rate each one: likely? and serious?
Fix or report: for each hazard write a fix: remove it (pick up litter only with gloves and a grown-up's OK; never touch glass or needles yourself, tell an adult), avoid the area, or report it to the city or school.
Plan a warm-up (10 min): write and do a 6-minute warm-up for a soccer game (raise heart rate, mobilize joints, sport-specific moves, build up).
Reflect: which hazard surprised you most?

Safety: Stay with your grown-up. Don't climb or test equipment that looks broken. Never pick up needles or broken glass with bare hands; tell an adult.

Just for fun

Why did the bike helmet get promoted?

It always had a good head on its shoulders, and it passed every 2-V-1 check.

Your turn

Name four safety practices from A3.1.

What does 2-V-1 mean for helmet fit?

What should a student with a severe peanut allergy bring to physical activity?

What does a spotter do?

Give two hazards you might find on a park field.

What is the lightning safety rule?

More practice: warm-up

What does PFD stand for?

Where should you swim?

Which Ontario law lets students with asthma carry their inhalers?

What does a base layer do?

Name one sign of frostbite.

More practice: on your own

Explain why a warm-up lowers the risk of injury.

A friend wants to dive off a dock into a lake you've never been to. What do you say and why?

You're planning a winter hike. List four safety steps.

Why should dumbbells go back on the rack after use?

Your class is outside and it's 31 °C and sunny. Give three ways to stay safe.

Challenge

Write a safety plan for a 3 v 3 ultimate game at the park on a fall evening: dress, equipment, hazard check, warm-up, and what to do if a player has asthma.

Use the ideas of likelihood and seriousness to explain why skating on a pond requires adults to confirm the ice is safe, even if it looks solid.

A fitness room has a sign: "No lifting without a partner." A student says it's annoying. Explain the reasons behind the rule and how it connects to responsibility for others.

Check your understanding

Quiz

In the 2-V-1 helmet check, "1" means:

Which is a curriculum example of keeping medical devices on hand?

Where should you swim?

A spotter's main job is to:

Which layer blocks wind and water?

Before a game on a park field, you should first:

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Expectation A3.1 asks students to take responsibility for safety: appropriate clothing and protective equipment, keeping medical devices on hand, warm-ups and cool-downs, spotting in strength training, proper use of equipment and facilities, hazard checks, and swimming with a buddy in supervised areas, across many settings.

How to help at home:

Do the 2-V-1 helmet check together and replace helmets after a crash.
Check expiry dates on inhalers and auto-injectors and make sure the school has your teen's plan.
Walk a park field together and talk about hazards.

Common difficulties:

Skipping warm-ups. Explain they reduce injury risk.
Underestimating weather. Wind chill and heat both matter.

Safety: Teens should never pick up broken glass or needles; teach them to tell an adult. Ice on ponds and lakes should only be used where adults confirm it is safe or at maintained rinks.