Road SMARTS 4 kids

Teachers Modules

For over a decade, the OSC has been delivering road safety presentations to tens of thousands of elementary age students in Ottawa. When in-person presentations stopped in 2020, we modified the content that would have been traditionally delivered to students by a presenter and packaged it as downloadable lesson plans aligned with Ministry of Education curriculum requirements, resources, activity sheets and videos that teachers can deliver in their classrooms.

Welcome elementary teachers and thanks for visiting our RS4K’s Teacher Program page! The modules below contain important road safety information for students JK-Grade 6.

We have recommended the target age group for each module, however, even the younger modules contain information that is a good reminder to older students.

Each module takes between 20–40 minutes to deliver and is accompanied by a lesson plan overview, which includes the learning outcomes, Ministry of Education curriculum links and required materials, a lesson plan script, supporting video and additional resources to accompany learning such as handouts and PowerPoints, all downloadable in one place. As well, some modules contain follow-up activities to help with knowledge retention.

We hope you and your students enjoy these modules.

WalkSafe Program

JK–Grade 6 | Six (6) 30–40 minute modules

Concepts taught in our WalkSafe programs include walking safely near traffic, intersections & crosswalk, how to read traffic and pedestrian lights, the 5 steps to crossing the street, visual barriers, how clothing helps us see and be seen, making eye contact with other road users, right of way/wait your turn, except the unexpected, the dangers of distraction and stopping distances for vehicles.

WalkSafe Program

Grades 3–6 | 60–90 minutes

The WalkALONE program is designed to help parents and educator determine if a child is ready to start walking some places on their own and prepare them to do so safely by covering concepts such as readiness, judgement & decision making, road safety rules, people smarts, safe zones, emergency preparedness, and safe route planning. Students follow along in a workbook throughout the program and once complete, their workbook serves as a guide with checklist to prepare for each time they walk somewhere alone. Once completed, students can earn and download their personalized WalkALONE license.

WalkSafe Program

Module 1 – Walking Safely Near Traffic

JK to Grade 2

In this introductory WalkSafe module, geared towards students in JK – Grade 2, students will learn about road safety terms/words (Pedestrian, traffic, crosswalk), safe places to walk, how to walk safely and where and how to cross the road safely. Students will then apply the learning through a fun “choose your adventure” type story. A take-home colouring activity is also provided and encourages parents to engage in reminding their child of road safety tips when walking as a family. 

Module 2 – Crossing the Road Safely

JK to Grade 2

In WalkSafe Module 2, Crossing the Road Safely, JK – Grade 2 students will review where and how to cross the road safely (5 steps), traffic lights and pedestrian lights and what they mean for them as pedestrians, how they can also hear traffic and identify things they need to pay attention to for their safety and practise crossing safely in a simulated situation using digital traffic lights and traffic noise soundtrack.

Module 3 – Be Safe, Be Seen

Grades 3 and up

In WalkSafe Module 3, geared towards Grade 3 and up, students will learn how they dress while walking affects how drivers can see them and how they can see drivers, to be aware of visual barriers that might block sight while walking and will learn and practise non-verbal communication techniques that they can use with other road users while walking. 

Module 4 – Safe Routes & Sharing the Road

Grades 3 and up

In WalkSafe Module 4, geared towards Grade 3 and up, students will learn the importance of sharing the road to ensure everyone is safe and the concept of right of way, and how right of way applies to pedestrians and motorists at intersections. Students will learn how to plan safer walking routes, and apply this knowledge during a short walk around the neighborhood, during which important road safety tips and rules will be reviewed (i.e., five steps to crossing, where to walk, visual barriers). Students will then take the RoadSMARTS pledge and are encouraged to spread the word about being safe to their friends and family.

Module 5 – Dangers of Distraction

Grades 5 & 6

In WalkSafe Module 5, geared at older Grade 5 & 6 students that will start to walk more and more on their own, students will learn what focus is and how distraction can affect focus as well as experience distractions and tangibly see how it breaks their focus. This is then related back to road safety and how distraction both on the driver and pedestrians part can affect safety. The lesson will wrap up with a discussion of ways they can keep themselves safe despite distractions while sharing the road. A follow-up activity leads students through creating a “Public Service Announcement” about road safety to share with their community.

Module 6 – Pedestrian and Motorist Behaviours

Grades 5 & 6

In the final WalkSafe module 6, geared at grades 5 & 6, students will learn how to take responsibility for their safety and the safety of others while using the road. They will observe and realize that not everyone follows the rules of the road and how they can stay safe despite this. Average stopping distances are reviewed and students will learn how distraction affects average stopping distances and realize that a split second decision can cause accidents.

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