Water Safety in the Classroom: W.H.A.L.E. Tales
Tuesday, April 23, 2013: 1:20 PM 208A (Convention Center)
Kathy J. Kent, M.Ed.
Health Educator, Greenville County (SC) Schools, Greenville, SC
American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Trainer
Drownings are the second leading cause of accidental death of children ages 1-14 and the 3rd leading cause of accidental death worldwide. Drownings can be avoided if
Water Habits Are Learned Early!(W.H.A.L.E.) This purpose of this session is to explore various learning activities included in the American Red Cross Longfellow’s WHALE TalesK-6Curriculum and to help teachers and youth leaders promote safe behaviors in, on, or around water. No water or training required!
With the American Red Cross Longfellow’s WHALE Tales K-6th Curriculum, teachers will be able to use various strategies to teach their students:
- how to make safe decisions while in, on, or around water.
- about water safety in many different environments: pools, water-parks, lakes, rivers, and around the home.
- how to be water smart.
American Red Cross Longfellow’s WHALE Tales K-6th Curriculum Kit is available online at
Longfellow’s WHALE Tales K-6 Educational Packet (651315) $17.95 Designed for school-age children, this packet includes exciting activities covering a range of water safety topics, such as new lessons on sun safety, water safety around the home and water safety in different environments, such as waterparks, lakes and rivers. The accompanying CD-ROM includes colorful posters and teaching tools.
Longfellow’s WHALE Tales DVD (651319) $39.95 WINNER: 2010 National Health Information Awards (Bronze Award)
A new (Rev. 2009) 25-minute DVD starring Longfellow, the animated whale, features new animation, narration and a WHALE Tales theme song. The DVD supports all the topics covered in the Longfellow's WHALE Tales K-6 Educational Packet (Stock No. 651315, $17.95) including new lessons on sun safety, water safety around the home and water safety in different environments, such as waterparks, lakes and rivers.
Longfellow's WHALE Tales Stickers (651323) $9.95 Leaders can provide participant stickers based on key safety messages related to the 11 lessons from the program to encourage discussion between children and their parents. Each pack contains 25 stickers for each of the 11 lessons.
For More Water Safety Information:
American Red Cross:
For More Water Safety Information: continued
Safe Kids:
Free water safety guide for educating parents, caregivers, & children ages 2 to 4.
Free download of Kids Don’t Float coloring book.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:
Center for Disease Control:
Download free safety coloring book
International Water Safety Day: The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) supports May 15 as International Water Safety Day (IWSD). Encouraging state and local education agencies to help protect children from this preventable injury by encouraging schools to include water safety instruction in their health education curricula every May 15th.
USA Swimming:
National Drowning Prevention Alliance: