Timing is Everything
Grade Levels : (2 or 3)-5

Lesson Objective
Primary Subject/Skills
Resources
Preparation
Suggested Procedure

Lesson Objective:
Reinforce procedures for safely exiting a home fire through participation, analysis and discussion.

Primary Subject/ Skills:
Math, Critical thinking, Problem-Solving.

Resources:
• Fire Escape section of the Command Center

Preparation:
Conduct Planning To Escape lesson

Suggested Procedure:
Assign students to measure and record the lengths (in feet) of their two shortest fire escape routes at home and bring the measurements to class.

In an area with plenty of space (a gym, a playground, a carpeted hallway), mark off several 20-foot lanes with tape, indicating each foot-long interval. If possible, use an area that has a wall clock with a second hand. If that is not possible, bring two or three watches with second hands, so several teams can crawl at the same time.

Tell students they are going to record “escape” times. Pair up students and tell them to take turns crawling the length of the lane, and recording their partner.

The student who is “escaping” should crawl as they would during a fire (staying low). The student who is recording the time should write down the number of seconds it took the student to travel 20 feet. Then students can calculate their time in feet-per-second.

Using the “crawl rate” and the distances of their home escape routes, have each student calculate how long it would take them to crawl out of the house, following each of the routes.

Post-activity discussion:
Ask students if they think their timing is realistic. If not, what do they think might change their actual time.

1) Fear could make them go faster.

2) Other factors could make them go slower: Pounding on the wall to signal others, turning corners, going down stairs, being very careful because it is so dark in a fire.

Extensions:
• Have students try the crawling exercise blindfolded and compare that time with the time they made when they could see.

• Assign students to time themselves at home (or have someone else time them) actually crawling the escape. Have them bring in their recorded answers to compare with the in-school activity.

Discuss their findings.

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