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 | Online | 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 - Resources & Activities

Workbooks

Activity Sheets & Projects to do each day

Junior Classes  5-8 yrs

Day 1 -  Farmyard Safety
  • Download and colour the safety signs above.
  • Create a model farm in the classroom.
  • Assign safety signage to each hazardous area.
  • Visit the AgriKids’ ‘Gamezone’ for touch screen games.
  • Story Time: The Tree Swing (Tales from Riverside Farm).
  • Invite a speaker on electricity safety.

Senior Classes  9-12yrs

Day 1 -  Farmyard Safety
  • Download and hang up the farm safety signs.
  • Design a farm safety checklist to use on a farm visit.
  • Invite a speaker to talk about safety with electricity.
  • Write your own farm safety short story
  • Create a ‘farmyard’ and assign safety signage.
  • Visit the AgriKids’ ‘Gamezone’ for touch screen games

Day 2 -  Tractor & Machinery Safety

  • Discuss the tractor safety checklist in the workbooks.
  • Invite a road safety expert (eg. police) to talk about road safety. 
  • Carry out a class survey on 'Favourite tractors'
  • Play the ‘Off to Work’ on the AgriKids.ie ‘Gamezone’.

Day 2 -  Tractor & Machinery Safety

  • Carry out the lesson plan ideas above.
  • Create a safety booklet for  machinery & farm vehicles.
  • Do a project on your favourite farm machinery and present to the class.
  • Invite farm machinery expert / farmer to show the PTO.
  • Show the PTO safety videos / demos.
  • Play the ‘Off to Work’ on the AgriKids.ie ‘Gamezone’.
  • Run a poll to see which tractor brand is the class favourite.

Day 3 -  Animal Safety & Wellbeing

  • Complete the workbook activities.
  • Make animal masks and act their behaviours.
  • Create a mural in class on different farm animals.
  • Use a toy horse to ask the children about 'blind spots'
  • Invite a  vet to talk about being safe around animals.
  • Interview a local farmer about their animals.
  • Invite a health care speaker to talk about Zoonosis.

Day 3 -  Animal Safety & Wellbeing

  • Complete the workbook activities.
  • Discuss the 'Spot the Dangers' worksheet above. 
  • Create your own worksheet for younger classes.
  • Run a fundraiser for a local animal sanctuary.
  • Invite a vet to talk about being safe around animals.
  • Invite a health care speaker to talk about Zoonosis.
  • Interview a vet / farm animal specialist & create a report on animal safety and wellbeing. 
  • Present to your class on your favourite farm animal.
  • Research how farm animals are used on our farms and how farmers stay safe when working with them.

Day 4 -  Slurry & Water Safety

  • Carry out the activities in the workbook.
  • List all the areas on a farm with a water hazard.
  • Using a fizzy drink talk about the slurry agitation process.
  • Invite a water safety expert to talk about water safety.
  • Identify how water is used on farms and what must be done to stay safe.

Day 4 -  Slurry & Water Safety

  • Carry out the activities in the workbook.
  • Carry out the fermentation experiment.
  • Using a fizzy drink talk about the slurry agitation process.
  • Invite a water safety expert to talk about water safety.
  • Invite a farming professional to talk about safe slurry agitation & equipment used – mask, etc.
  • Identify how water is used on farms and what must be done to stay safe.

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 meditation.
  • Visit a food producer & learn about agri-food business.
  • Create your own vegetable garden.
  • Visit or arrange a visit to an alternative farmer in your area.
  • Speak to a professional on diet, wellness and mediation.
  • Create colourful pictures to brighten up your classroom.
  • Invite a dietician or healthcare worker to talk about self care, hygiene and protecting your skin.

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.
  • Visit a local food producer.
  • Create your own vegetable garden .
  • Visit a ‘Farmers Market’ and create a log of foods you see.
  • Create farm safety posters to decorate your school hall
  • Create a 'wellness booklet' with tips to help empower positive mental health.
  • Invite a dietician or healthcare worker to talk about self care, hygiene and protecting your skin.

Days 6 / 7 - Homework
  • Spot the Danger worksheets
  • Visit the AgriKids’ ‘Gamezone’ for touch screen games
  • Design a farm safety poster of your own.

Days 6 / 7 -  Homework

  • Write a farm safe story
  • Create a farm safety poster

AgriKids Farm Safety promise.

At the end of the week please download, sign and display the AgriKids Farm Safe Promise.  This will empower the message and show commitment from the children to be farm safe and stay farm safe.

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 Ambassador Programmes                         www.agrikids.ie                                                      ©AgriKids Ltd 2015