AgriKids Farm Safe Week

 Can be run at any time during the school year and included as part of your
school's other curriculum linked safety lessons:   Fire | Road | Web | Water

 
daily themes and activities
curriculum linked
Supported HOme and Classroom learning

Objective

Keeping with the Engage, Educate and Empower ethos of AgriKids,  the ‘AgriKids Farm Safe
Week’, (AFSW)’ allows primary school children to participate in a week long series of farm safety themed lessons, both at home and in class.
With daily themes, the content is suitable for all classes and are accompanied with activities to enhance the learning outcome. 
At the end of the week each participant (child, class or school), will be asked to make their ‘AgriKids Farm Safe Promise’ – this is to create the sense of empowerment from the week long series of activities and to create a duty of care to be farm safe and to stay farm safe.  

A key deliverable is engaging and collaborating with outside organisations and speakers to assist with the delivery of the themes over the week. 

Age Group / Ability

Primary School Children 
Junior Classes: Infants - 2nd Class
Senior Classes: 3rd - 6th Class

Platform

In class, at home and online.

Timeframe

Can be carried out at any time over one week during the school year with the deadline for work submission in late spring.

Deliverables

  • In class activity 
  • Work at home
  • Evidence of collaboration with outside
    speakers, organisations, etc.

Award

AgriKids Farm Safe Week Participation Cert

*Note: certificates are giving on submission of evidence of work. 

AgriKids Farm Safe Week
Getting started

Everything you need to get started on your AgriKids Farm Safe Week.
1. View the daily themes

You only need to complete three topics in each theme to apply for your certification of participation. The Resources Bank will help you. 
2. Fill in the planner

The AgriKids Farm Safe Week planner will help teachers plan their FSW activities. Check out our daily activity ideas in the bottom section.

Planner
3. make your promise

At the end of the week, print out & sign the AgriKids Farm Safe Promise, so everyone remembers to be farm safe & stay farm safe.

Farm Safe Promise
4. Submit your work

If you choose to, you can submit your work to receive a Certificate of Participation. Share pictures and/or class activities as evidence of work via link below.

The Daily Themes & Topics

Day 1

Farmyard Safety
The topics:
  • Where are the hazards?
  • How to avoid them.
  • Safety Signs & their meanings.
  • Heights and climbing hazards.
  • Electricity safety.
  • Chemical safety.

Day 2

Tractor & Machinery Safety
The topics:
  • Types of tractors 
  • What is a PTO used for?
  • Quad Bike safety.
  • Tractor safety.
  • Operating machinery
  • Tractor safety checklist

Day 3

Animal Safety & Wellbeing
The topics:
  • How animals communicate.
  • Dangers with animals & their young.
  • Farm animal safety.
  • Animal handling.
  • Discuss zoonosis.

Day 4

Slurry & Water Safety

The topics:
  • What is slurry and how is it used?
  • How is it dangerous?
  • What is the process of agitation?
  • Water hazards on the farm

Day 5

Farm Work & Wellbeing
The topics:
  • Look at farming in olden times.
  • Different enterprises / farm types.
  • Alternative farming enterprises.
  • Food and food processing.
  • The importance of rest & wellbeing 

Days 6 / 7

Empower the message
Can be done at any time over the week, such as through simple homework tasks.  Here we ask the pupils to share their  learnings with parents or guardians,  influencing behavioural change.

AgriKids Farm Safe Week - Activity Ideas

Junior Classes

Day 1 -  Farmyard Safety
  • AgriKids Story Time: The Tree Swing (Tales from Riverside Farm)
  • Download AgriKids' activity sheets.
  • Create your own ‘farmyard’ and assign safety signage to each hazardous area, eg. Slurry pit, chemical shed, animal pen, etc.
  • Watch Agri Aware’s Farm Safety Video ‘Once Upon a Farm’
  • Visit the AgriKids’ ‘Gamezone’ for touch screen games

Senior Classes

Day 1 -  Farmyard Safety
  • Design a farm safety checklist and use on an organised farm visit,
  • Invite an ESB representative to talk about safety with electricity.
  • Write your own farm safety short story.
  • Download the AgriKids’ activity sheets.
  • Create your own ‘farmyard’ and assign safety signage to each hazardous area, eg. Slurry pit, chemical shed, animal pen, etc.
  • Watch Agri Aware’s Farm Safety Video ‘Once Upon a Farm’.
  • Visit the AgriKids’ ‘Gamezone’ for touch screen games

Day 2 -  Tractor & Machinery Safety

  • AgriKids Storytime ‘The Red Tractor’ (Tales from Riverside Farm).
  • Discuss the tractor safety checklist 
  • Invite RSA or a member of An Garda Siochana to talk about rural road safety. 
  • Play the ‘Off to Work’ on the AgriKids.ie ‘Gamezone’.

Day 2 -  Tractor & Machinery Safety

  • Invite in local FRS / trainer to talk about tractor driving courses.
  • Role play the ‘Farmer’ where one child plays the farmer while the
    •    class discuss the safety checks that must be done before they
       drive their tractor.
  • Discuss the PTO and invite local farm machinery sales rep to
    •    show the PTO.
  • Show HSA PTO safety videos / demos.
  • Play the ‘Off to Work’ on the AgriKids.ie ‘Gamezone’.

Day 3 -  Animal Safety & Wellbeing

  •  AgriKids Storytime: ‘The Big Brown Bull’ (Tales from Riverside Farm).
  • Make animal masks - Using headbands and material make animal
   angry dogs, cats, etc.
  • Using a large outline drawing of a horse and ask the children to
    •    mark where the danger zone is – hind legs, directly in front.    Safety zone is around the shoulders where the horse will be able    to see you approaching and will not be startled.
  • Repeat the exercise for dogs and cats (teeth and claws).
  • Colouring in fun with the ‘Beware of the Bull’ picture.
  • Animal safety talks.
  • Animal vet to talk about being safe around animals.
  • A local farmer who shows / handles bulls.
  • Organise a talk from local branch of HSE to talk about Zoonosis.

Day 3 -  Animal Safety & Wellbeing

  • Using a large outline drawing of a horse ask the children to mark
  •    where the danger zone is – hind legs, directly in front. Safety zone
       is around the shoulders where the horse will be able to see you
       approaching and will not be startled.
  • Repeat the exercise for dogs and cats (teeth and claws).
  • Show HSA animal handling video – Bull Beef.
  • Animal safety talks: Organise a class visit from animal vet to talk
    •    about animal safety and handling.
  • Organise a visit from a local farmer who is knowledgeable on
    •    showing animals and to talk about bulls.
  • Organise a talk from local branch of HSE to talk about Zoonosis.

Day 4 -  Slurry & Water Safety

  • Storytime: Teagasc’s ‘Stay Safe on the Farm with Jessy’.
  • List all the areas on a farm with a water hazard
  • Using a fizzy drink talk about the slurry agitation process.
  • Invite a member from the IWS to talk about water safety.

Day 4 -  Slurry & Water Safety

  • Using a fizzy drink talk about the slurry agitation process.
  • Using the farm safety checklist farm & organise a farm visit
    •    and include observations on where the water hazards are.
  • Ask the farmer to discuss the agitation process.
  • Invite a member from IWS to talk about water safety.
  • Organise rep from Teagasc/IFA to talk about safe slurry
    •    agitation& equipment used – mask, etc.

Day 5 -  Farm Work & Wellbeing

  • Create a wall chart of farm work for each season.
  • Take a look at machinery used in olden times.
  • Have a yoga class or practice some mediatation.
  • Visit a food producer.
  • Arrange a visit from Agri Aware to talk about food and farming.
  • Create your own vegetable garden – (take part in the 
    •    ‘Incredible Edibles  / GIY programmes).
  • Visit or arrange a visit to an alternative farmer in your area.
  • Speak to a professional on diet, wellness and mediation.

Day 5 -  Farm Work & Wellbeing

  • Create a wall chart of farm work for each season.
  • What machinery was used in olden times.
  • Practice some yoga and meditation.
  • Visit or arrange a visit from an alternative farmer in your area.
  • Visit a local food producer.
  • Arrange a visit from Agri Aware on food and farming.
  • Create your own vegetable garden .
  • Organise a ‘Farmers Market’ using foods that are produced on the farm – cheeses, fruit, veg, dairy products, bread, cakes, eggs.
  • Ask for food donations and make a it a fund raiser for your school.

Days 6 / 7 - Homework
  • Spot the Danger worksheets
  • Visit the AgriKids’ ‘Gamezone’ for touch screen games
  • Riverside Farm colouring in sheets
  • Design a farm safety poster

Days 6 / 7 -  Homework

  • Spot the Danger worksheets
  • Theme based mini projects
  • Write a farm safe story
  • Create a farm safety poster

Further Resources & Activity Ideas

To assist educators in their co-ordination of their AgriKids Farm Safe Week we have come up with some ideas and resources to help. Check out the Resources Bank for more. We welcome new, innovative and creative methods in farm safety education and educators are invited to share these at info@agrikids.ie. All ideas used will be credited to the originator. Below you can decide activities for the day, book events, download your Farm Safe Promise charter (to be signed at the end of the week) and also a calendar to plan your activities.

Certification

It is optional for you to submit examples of your work for certification.  If you would like your work to be acknowledged,  create a scrapbook or slide show presentation to show evidence of the week taking place and submit it via the options below. Once reviewed you will receive your AgriKids Farm Safe Week certificate of participation.  Please include a signed copy of the 'AgriKids Farm Safe Promise' charter. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS May 31st 
submit online

Upload here

All file formats can be uploaded at the above link.  If you encounter any issues please email info@agrikids.ie 
submit by post

AgriKids Farm Safety Ambassador Programme
C/O AgriKids, Ashbawn, Corballis, Julianstown, Co Meath, A92HP8A

Please include a stamp addressed envelope if you wish to have your work returned to you.  
AgriKids Farm Safety School Programmes                         www.agrikids.ie                                                      ©AgriKids Ltd 2015