Facts and Perspective / K–2 / Lesson Plans 31

Key Terms and Concepts

help humanity emergency laws protection

shelter war disaster message

Purpose

To recognize that people help people during all types of emergencies.

Objectives

Students will—

• Discuss and use cutouts and words to illustrate the meaning of “help.”

• Identify symbols of humanitarian help organizations: red cross,

red crescent and red shield of David.

• Define “communication.”

• Recognize the need for communication during an emergency.

Activities

• “HELP Is on the Way”

• “Signs of Help”

• “Reach Out”

Home Connection

• How Do We Help?

Linking Across the Curriculum

• Health/Art

Facts and

Perspective

K-2

Lesson Plan 8

Facts About Terrorism

and War

TEACHING NOTE: When acts of terrorism occur or during war, students have some

hard questions. To help you find a way to answer these questions, review the

Background for the Teacher beginning on page v.

The activities within this lesson plan are meant to guide young students to understand

that even during the most tragic events, there are people there to help those affected

by the tragedy and humanitarian rules by which people live.

Lesson Plan 8

Facts About

Terrorism

and War

32 American Red Cross / Facing Fear

“HELP Is on the Way” Activity

(set up: 15 minutes; conduct: part 1, 10–15 minutes; part 2, 15–20 minutes)

Part 1

1. Place the large cut-out letters across the center of the bulletin board. Have students

gather in front of the bulletin board. Introduce the word “help” and have students

talk about its meaning. What are some ways they help at home, at school and in

their community?

2. Explain that when anybody needs help on a larger scale, anywhere around the

world, there are people who are there to HELP.

3. Pull out the first word, “humanity,” and put it on the board next to the H. Ask

students to tell you what this word means. Guide them to understand that humanity

is all people and, when there is a need, HELP is there for all people, no matter where

they are or whose “side” they are on in an argument.

4. Do the same for each word:

• “Emergency”: Have students talk about emergencies they’ve had in their family

or in school. What did they need? Medical help? A safe place to stay? Guide them

to understand that during a disaster or armed conflict, HELP is there for people

who need food, shelter or care or need to find lost loved ones.

• “Laws”: Have students talk about rules. Why do we have rules at school? At

home? Why is it important to obey the rules? Guide students to understand that

the world has rules and laws, too. They are meant to HELP people even during

times of armed conflict (war).

• “Protection”: Have students talk about ways they are protected at home and

school and ways they protect others. Guide students to understand that during

armed conflict (war), HELP is there to protect people who are not fighting,

wounded or sick soldiers and people who are prisoners of war.

Part 2

5. Provide students with magazines and have them cut out pictures that represent

HELP (or one of the four words) on any scale, from their families to the world.

6. Have students use these words and colored markers and crayons to complete the

bulletin board.

Materials

• Bulletin board

• Large cut-out letters:

H E L P

• Words on construction

paper: Humanity,

Emergency, Laws,

Protection

• Magazines for cutting

out pictures

• Markers or crayons

Lesson Plan 8

Facts About

Terrorism

and War

Facts and Perspective / K–2 / Lesson Plans 33

“Signs of Help” Activity

(set up: 10 minutes; conduct: 15–20 minutes)

1. Hold up the red cross and ask students what the

symbol means to them. Talk about where and when

they have seen the symbol. Guide them to understand

that the symbol means “help” across the United

States and in countries around the world.

2. Hold up the red crescent and red shield of David.

Explain that these symbols mean “help” in many countries in Africa, the Middle

East and parts of Asia. If appropriate, point out these areas on a large world map.

3. Distribute Activity Sheet 9. Help students follow the directions to color and find the

signs of help and other cultural symbols.

4. After completing the activity sheet, have students discuss symbols or signs that mean

something to them—crosswalk sign, stop sign, sign for poison and so forth. Start an

ongoing class list of these signs, beginning with the symbols for help—the red

cross, the red crescent and the red shield of David.

“Reach Out” Activity

(set up: 5 minutes; conduct: 15–20 minutes)

1. Have students talk about all the ways they can communicate with their families:

talking to them, hugging them, calling them on the phone, writing them an e-mail,

writing them a letter and so forth. In times of emergency, families sometimes get

separated and are not able to communicate with each other for a while.

2. Ask students, If you were separated from your family members, what would you want

to tell them? Then distribute Activity Sheet 10: Reach Out with a Message. Depending

on the ability of your students, help them write and/or illustrate their message.

3. Distribute Activity Sheet 11: Reach Out—Message Maze. Have students complete the

maze to show that no matter how far away the recipients, the Red Cross is working

to deliver people’s messages every day.

Materials

• Large cut-out red cross,

red crescent and red

shield of David symbols

(see Activity Sheet 9)

• Activity Sheet 9:

Signs of Help

• Markers or crayons

Materials

• Activity Sheet 10:

Reach Out with a

Message

• Activity Sheet 11:

Reach Out—

Message Maze

FACING FEAR/K-2/Lesson Plan 8/Facts about Terrorism and War

Reach Out with

a Message

Name_______________________________________________

Activity Sheet 10

Directions: What would you want to tell your family members if you were

separated from them?

Date _______________

Dear __________________________

FACING FEAR/K-2/Lesson Plan 8/Facts about Terrorism and War

Here are the signs of help

from around the world.

Directions: Use the code

below to color the objects

that have the shapes within

them: red cross, red

crescent, red shield of

David, carpet, three

pyramids.

Signs of Help

Name_______________________________________________

Activity Sheet 9

This activity sheet is adapted from: A Patchwork of Hope: The American Red Cross Around the World.

Red Orange Yellow

FACING FEAR/K-2/Lesson Plan 8/Facts about Terrorism and War

Reach out-Message Maze

Name_______________________________________________

Activity Sheet 11

Can you help the Red Cross deliver this message to a family

member far away?

American Red Cross / Facing Fear

Lesson Plan 8

Facts About

Terrorism

and War

Home Connection

How Do We Help?

Have students take home Activity Sheet 12. Have students work with their family to

complete the activity sheets and bring them back to class to share.

Wrap-up

Have students share their “How Do We Help?” activity sheets. Talk about the many

different ways students and their families help each other and other people.

Linking Across the Curriculum

HEALTH/ART

Have students make a list of things people need in case of an emergency—shelter,

blankets, food and so forth. Through discussion, help students discuss the difference

between a need and something that would just be nice to have. Have students cut out

appropriate pictures from magazines to create collages about help.

Materials

• Activity Sheet 12:

How Do We Help?

FACING FEAR/K-2/Lesson Plan 8/Facts about Terrorism and War

How Do We Help?

Name_______________________________________________

Dear Parent or Guardian,

Our class is studying the many ways we help and protect each other every day.

We are also talking about ways our families help organizations within our

community, our nation and the world. Please work with your child to answer the

questions below.

Thank you.

Ways we help and protect each other:

Ways we help others in our school and community:

Ways we help others in our nation and the world:

Activity Sheet 12

TEACHING NOTE: To find ways your students and their families can

help during a disaster, check Lesson Plan 11: Do Something!