Lesson Plan
Stay Safe, Stay Smart
To equip postgraduate students with essential safety knowledge and critical thinking skills to navigate potential risks effectively in academic and personal settings.
Safety is paramount for postgraduate students, who often face unique challenges in research, living, and travel. This lesson empowers them to proactively identify and mitigate risks, ensuring their well-being and academic success.
Audience
Postgraduate Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, collaborative activity, and an engaging game.
Materials
Prep
Review Materials & Set Up
10 minutes
- Review the Stay Safe, Stay Smart Lesson Plan, Safety Scenario Discussion Guide, Risk Assessment Activity Sheet, and Safety Charades Game Cards to familiarize yourself with the content.
- Print copies of the Risk Assessment Activity Sheet for each student or small group.
- Cut out the Safety Charades Game Cards.
- Ensure the classroom is set up for group work and discussion.
Step 1
Introduction & Warm-Up: What Does Safety Mean to You?
5 minutes
- Begin by welcoming students and introducing the topic of safety.
- Ask students: "When you hear the word 'safety,' what immediately comes to mind?" and "Why is personal safety particularly important for postgraduate students?"
- Facilitate a brief open discussion, encouraging students to share their initial thoughts and experiences.
Step 2
Safety Scenario Discussion
10 minutes
- Divide students into small groups (3-4 students per group).
- Distribute the Safety Scenario Discussion Guide.
- Instruct groups to read through the scenarios and discuss the questions provided.
- After 7 minutes, bring the class back together and ask each group to share one key takeaway or a solution from their discussion.
Step 3
Risk Assessment Activity
8 minutes
- Transition to the Risk Assessment Activity Sheet.
- Explain the concept of risk assessment (identifying hazards, assessing risks, and implementing control measures).
- Have students, individually or in their groups, complete the activity sheet by identifying potential risks in a given postgraduate setting (e.g., lab, library, off-campus housing) and brainstorming mitigation strategies.
- Briefly discuss a few examples as a whole class.
Step 4
Safety Charades Game
5 minutes
- Explain the rules of Safety Charades Game. (See Safety Charades Game Cards for instructions).
- Play for 5 minutes, allowing students to act out and guess various safety-related actions or situations.
- Conclude by emphasizing the fun and memorable aspect of learning safety practices.
Step 5
Conclusion & Takeaways
2 minutes
- Reiterate the importance of being proactive and aware regarding personal safety.
- Ask students to share one new thing they learned or one safety practice they will implement.
- Thank them for their active participation.
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Slide Deck
Stay Safe, Stay Smart!
Your Guide to Personal Safety and Risk Management in Postgraduate Life
Welcome!
Welcome students and introduce the topic. Emphasize that safety is a shared responsibility and crucial for their success and well-being.
What Does Safety Mean to You?
- When you hear the word 'safety,' what immediately comes to mind?
- Why is personal safety particularly important for postgraduate students?
Engage students with these questions to activate prior knowledge and set the stage for the lesson. Allow for a few responses from the class.
Why Is This Important?
Objective: To equip you with essential safety knowledge and critical thinking skills to navigate potential risks effectively in academic and personal settings.
Why: Postgraduate life presents unique challenges and environments where being proactive about safety is crucial for your well-being and success.
Briefly explain the objective and 'why' of the lesson. Connect it to their experiences as postgraduate students.
Safety Scenario Discussion
Work in small groups.
Read the scenarios on your Safety Scenario Discussion Guide.
Discuss the questions for each scenario.
Be prepared to share one key takeaway!
Explain the instructions for the Safety Scenario Discussion. Guide them to the Safety Scenario Discussion Guide.
Understanding Risk Assessment
What is it?
- Identify Hazards: What could cause harm?
- Assess Risks: How likely is it? How severe could it be?
- Control Measures: What can be done to reduce or eliminate the risk?
Why is it important for postgraduate students?
Introduce the concept of risk assessment. Explain its components: identifying hazards, assessing risks, and implementing control measures.
Risk Assessment Activity
Individually or in groups, complete the Risk Assessment Activity Sheet.
Identify potential risks in a postgraduate setting (e.g., lab, library, off-campus housing).
Brainstorm and list mitigation strategies.
Explain the instructions for the Risk Assessment Activity. Distribute the Risk Assessment Activity Sheet.
Time for Safety Charades!
Get ready to act and guess!
Rules:
- One person acts out a safety-related word or phrase from the Safety Charades Game Cards.
- No talking, just acting!
- Your team tries to guess the word/phrase.
- Have fun and learn!
Introduce the Safety Charades Game. Explain the rules briefly.
Key Takeaways & Reflection
Being proactive about safety is essential.
Awareness and critical thinking can prevent many incidents.
What is one new thing you learned or one safety practice you will implement?
Conclude the lesson by summarizing key takeaways and asking students for their final reflections.
Discussion
Safety Scenario Discussion Guide
Welcome to your Safety Scenario Discussion! In your groups, read each scenario carefully and discuss the questions that follow. There are no single "right" answers, but focus on critical thinking and proactive safety measures.
Scenario 1: The Late-Night Lab Session
You are a postgraduate student working late in the lab on a critical experiment. It's 11 PM, and you are the only one left. You suddenly realize you've spilled a small amount of a non-corrosive but odorous chemical on the floor. You're tired, and you're not sure if you remember the exact spill protocol.
Discussion Questions:
- What are the immediate risks in this situation?
- What steps should you take, even if you're unsure of the exact protocol?
- Who should you contact, if anyone, and when?
- How could this situation have been prevented?
Scenario 2: Off-Campus Housing Concerns
You've recently moved into an off-campus apartment with a few other postgraduate students. You notice that the main entrance door to the building is often left ajar, and the lighting in the parking lot is poor. You've also seen a few unfamiliar people loitering around the building at odd hours.
Discussion Questions:
- What are your immediate safety concerns regarding your personal well-being and belongings?
- What actions can you take as a tenant to address these issues?
- How might you approach your landlord or building management?
- What precautions can you and your housemates take to enhance your safety?
Scenario 3: The Suspicious Email
You receive an email that looks like it's from your university's IT department, asking you to click a link to verify your account due to
Activity
Risk Assessment Activity Sheet
Goal: To practice identifying potential hazards, assessing associated risks, and developing strategies to mitigate them in common postgraduate environments.
Instructions:
- Choose a Setting: Select one of the following postgraduate settings, or suggest your own:
- University Library (late hours)
- Research Lab (specific to your field, if applicable)
- Off-Campus Housing/Apartment
- Commuting (e.g., public transport, walking, cycling)
- Online (digital security, social media)
- Identify Hazards: Brainstorm and list potential hazards (sources of harm) within your chosen setting.
- Assess Risks: For each hazard, consider the potential harm and how likely it is to occur.
- Propose Control Measures: Suggest practical steps or strategies to eliminate or reduce the identified risks.
My Chosen Setting:
Risk Assessment Table
| Hazard (What could cause harm?) | Potential Risk (What harm could it cause and how likely?) | Control Measures (What can be done to reduce or eliminate the risk?) |
|---|---|---|
Reflection Questions:
- Was it easy or difficult to identify hazards in your chosen setting? Why?
- Which control measure do you think is the most effective for the risks you identified?
- How can you apply the skill of risk assessment to other areas of your postgraduate life?
Game
Safety Charades Game Cards
Goal: To have fun while reinforcing common safety practices and awareness!
Instructions:
- Divide into two or more teams.
- One person from a team draws a card but does not show it to their team or say anything.
- The person then acts out the word or phrase on the card.
- Their team has a set amount of time (e.g., 1 minute) to guess the word or phrase.
- If they guess correctly, they get a point. If not, the other team can steal by guessing.
- Keep track of points. The team with the most points at the end wins!
Cut Out Cards (Fold or cut along the lines)
Card 1
Wearing PPE
Card 2
Fire Alarm Evacuation
Card 3
Reporting a Spill
Card 4
Checking a Smoke Detector
Card 5
Cybersecurity Password
Card 6
Locking a Door
Card 7
First Aid Kit
Card 8
Emergency Exit
Card 9
Using a Crosswalk Safely
Card 10
Washing Hands Thoroughly
Card 11
Recognizing a Phishing Email
Card 12
Calling Emergency Services (911/999/112)
Card 13
Heavy Lifting Safety
Card 14
Securing Valuables
Card 15
Heat Stress Prevention
Card 16
Active Shooter Protocol (Run, Hide, Fight)
Card 17
Safe Chemical Storage
Card 18
Defensive Driving
Card 19
Avoiding Unlit Areas at Night
Card 20
Ergonomic Workspace Setup