School Bells – Current Affairs – Grade 1 –Week 5
This was the week I promised to bring home made chocolate chip cookies for the students. All the parents had agreed it was okay as long as I made them without nuts. I had enlisted the help of Sam and Paul to help bake last Saturday. This week I had asked the students to talk with their families about the issues Steve had raised – how to make it safer for those riding bicycles. There have been many bicycle-related accidents and even deaths in this area. Few of these accidents take place on the bike trails. Often individuals are riding to get to the bike trails, going to work or running errands. Some streets have bike lanes and some do not.
I hear the students coming now. They are soon settled into their seats. Immediately a hand goes up.
Sue: Do we have cookies Mr. Jim?
Me: We sure do. Shall we wait a bit?
There was a loud chorus of “Nooo!”
Me: Okay. How about two cookies each now? Sue and Tommy, will you help pass out the plastic bags with the cookies in them?
Sue and Tommy quickly pass them out and then take a bag for themselves.
Sofia: These are the best cookies ever Mr. Jim.
Me: Thanks Sofia.
Okay class, did everyone talk with their families about how to make it safer for bikers, especially when not riding on the bike trails?
Steve: My parents and I talked about always wearing a helmet. I said it is too hot. Then we looked on the internet. It really is safer. So I guess.
Me: Very good Steve. Let’s write down that suggestion.
Tara: My brother in college offered to help. We went out to three different busy places and wrote down what happened.
Me: You mean intersections - places where two different streets meet.
Tara: Yes.
Me: What did you two observe?
Tara: Lots of bikers did not completely stop and look for cars. Also, some stopped and went with walk signs and some with the green car lights. It was confusing.
Me: Does anyone know the law?
Steve: My dad and I looked it up. In our city, kids our age ride on the sidewalk and obey the walk and do not walk signs. My brother is 13 and has to ride in the street. He has to obey the traffic signals.
Sam: Lots of times I ring my bike bell and no one hears me because they have on stupid head phones.
Me: I understand that in Germany if one wears headphones while riding a bike, one has to pay a fine.
Susie: What about the walkers Mr. Jim? I ring my bell and they do not hear me either.
Me: Good point. I understand why runners and walkers like to listen to their music or other stuff but they cannot hear bells.
Ahmes: Could someone make a bell which everyone heard?
Me: You mean like the emergency signals which interrupt radio and television programs? Perhaps. I wonder how annoying that would be for the runners and walkers. Some of the bike trails have separate lanes for walkers and bikers.
Sam: What about skateboarders?
Me: Good point. What other suggestions came up?
Tara: What if you had to have a license to drive a bike?
Me: You mean then everyone would have to at least prove they knew the rules.
Tara: Yes.
Me: What else? How about clothing?
Sofia: My parents say never ride without clothes!
Lots of snickers!
Me: Very good Sofia. It is best to not ride without clothes!! Should we wear special clothing? Has anyone noticed what people working on the roads wear which makes it easier to see them?
Tommy: My parents make us wear a vest like that.
Me: Good idea.
Sam: What about poor kids.
Me: What about them Sam?
Sam: Could we get someone to donate some vests and give them to kids at our school?
Me: That is a wonderful idea for a project Sam. If we want to do that we would have to make a plan. Shall we set a date to do that?
Yes, came the chorus of voices.
Me: I have an idea. How about we approach the principal about this class giving a program on bike safety to the other kids in this school? Would everyone help?
YES!
Me: Okay. I will talk to the principal. In the meantime, I will write down all these suggestions. Everyone did a great job with this assignment. It seems as if there are a lot of things we can do to be safer and help others be safer when riding bicycles. While Tara and Susie pass the bags with one more cookie, how about Tommy and Ahmes pass out the assignment for next week. We are going to discuss Sue’s concern about money for research to find a cure for conditions such as what Sue has.
The four students pass out the cookies and the papers.
Me: Great job. You kids are awesome! Have a good week.
GOODBY MR. JIM!!!
WRITTEN SEPTEMBER 13, 2016
This was the week I promised to bring home made chocolate chip cookies for the students. All the parents had agreed it was okay as long as I made them without nuts. I had enlisted the help of Sam and Paul to help bake last Saturday. This week I had asked the students to talk with their families about the issues Steve had raised – how to make it safer for those riding bicycles. There have been many bicycle-related accidents and even deaths in this area. Few of these accidents take place on the bike trails. Often individuals are riding to get to the bike trails, going to work or running errands. Some streets have bike lanes and some do not.
I hear the students coming now. They are soon settled into their seats. Immediately a hand goes up.
Sue: Do we have cookies Mr. Jim?
Me: We sure do. Shall we wait a bit?
There was a loud chorus of “Nooo!”
Me: Okay. How about two cookies each now? Sue and Tommy, will you help pass out the plastic bags with the cookies in them?
Sue and Tommy quickly pass them out and then take a bag for themselves.
Sofia: These are the best cookies ever Mr. Jim.
Me: Thanks Sofia.
Okay class, did everyone talk with their families about how to make it safer for bikers, especially when not riding on the bike trails?
Steve: My parents and I talked about always wearing a helmet. I said it is too hot. Then we looked on the internet. It really is safer. So I guess.
Me: Very good Steve. Let’s write down that suggestion.
Tara: My brother in college offered to help. We went out to three different busy places and wrote down what happened.
Me: You mean intersections - places where two different streets meet.
Tara: Yes.
Me: What did you two observe?
Tara: Lots of bikers did not completely stop and look for cars. Also, some stopped and went with walk signs and some with the green car lights. It was confusing.
Me: Does anyone know the law?
Steve: My dad and I looked it up. In our city, kids our age ride on the sidewalk and obey the walk and do not walk signs. My brother is 13 and has to ride in the street. He has to obey the traffic signals.
Sam: Lots of times I ring my bike bell and no one hears me because they have on stupid head phones.
Me: I understand that in Germany if one wears headphones while riding a bike, one has to pay a fine.
Susie: What about the walkers Mr. Jim? I ring my bell and they do not hear me either.
Me: Good point. I understand why runners and walkers like to listen to their music or other stuff but they cannot hear bells.
Ahmes: Could someone make a bell which everyone heard?
Me: You mean like the emergency signals which interrupt radio and television programs? Perhaps. I wonder how annoying that would be for the runners and walkers. Some of the bike trails have separate lanes for walkers and bikers.
Sam: What about skateboarders?
Me: Good point. What other suggestions came up?
Tara: What if you had to have a license to drive a bike?
Me: You mean then everyone would have to at least prove they knew the rules.
Tara: Yes.
Me: What else? How about clothing?
Sofia: My parents say never ride without clothes!
Lots of snickers!
Me: Very good Sofia. It is best to not ride without clothes!! Should we wear special clothing? Has anyone noticed what people working on the roads wear which makes it easier to see them?
Tommy: My parents make us wear a vest like that.
Me: Good idea.
Sam: What about poor kids.
Me: What about them Sam?
Sam: Could we get someone to donate some vests and give them to kids at our school?
Me: That is a wonderful idea for a project Sam. If we want to do that we would have to make a plan. Shall we set a date to do that?
Yes, came the chorus of voices.
Me: I have an idea. How about we approach the principal about this class giving a program on bike safety to the other kids in this school? Would everyone help?
YES!
Me: Okay. I will talk to the principal. In the meantime, I will write down all these suggestions. Everyone did a great job with this assignment. It seems as if there are a lot of things we can do to be safer and help others be safer when riding bicycles. While Tara and Susie pass the bags with one more cookie, how about Tommy and Ahmes pass out the assignment for next week. We are going to discuss Sue’s concern about money for research to find a cure for conditions such as what Sue has.
The four students pass out the cookies and the papers.
Me: Great job. You kids are awesome! Have a good week.
GOODBY MR. JIM!!!
WRITTEN SEPTEMBER 13, 2016
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