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Survival Skills for 8th Graders

4K views 21 replies 20 participants last post by  eqgirl 
#1 ·
I'm an 8th grade science teacher and now that our state assessments are over and the school year is coming to an end we are given a little bit of freedom as to what we are teaching. I usually do things like balloon powered cars, rubber band powered boats, rockets, etc. This year being that it is 2012 and the kids are very curious about the EOTWAWKI, I figured it would be great to start off with a Mock EAS and present them with an EOTWAWKI scenario. We discussed the necessities for them to be able to stay alive (excluding weapons of course.) We discussed and prioritized water, food, shelter, and heat. Water seemed to top the list for them so we are in the process of making water filters and paper logs/briquettes from basically trash and common household items. Reason for the paper logs/briquettes is so that we are able to boil water, keep warm, and cook food if needed. The kids seem to be really enjoying this and seem to be learning how to work with their hands and become problem solvers. I will try to get some pictures later of what we have been doing.

I still have 2 more weeks of school left. Anyone have any more basic survival skills, tips, or tricks I could present to them?

Fred
 
#4 ·
What about wild etible plants? My kids can identify things like mesquite, mormon tea, desert mistletoe,...

My oldest is in high school, and they were recently taught to start fires. Yes, in a big city. Zero tolerance for weapons, kids can't even draw them, but they were taught to start fires by three or four different methods! I'm not sure how they got that approved, but I was secretly excited they did.

Or have them role play as city planners when an emergency hits. They can role play what they'd do. Perhaps they're tasked with setting up emergency shelter. At certain intervals you can announce changes/updates. A history teacher did something similar when I was in HS. We were each given a "$100" and allowed to play the stock market. After a week and a half, it crashed. Each of our days matched up with a year in the 1920s.

You could always do that exercise where they have a dozen people and only 6 can survive and they have to decide who and why.

Maybe let them run down different scenerios. How would a zombie hoard be different than an earthquake or EMP pulse. If they're worried about 2012, maybe they have ideas as to what might happen.
 
#16 ·
OK, the kids can't even draw PICTURES of a weapon?????? WTF, WTF, WTF and again I say...WTF!!!!!

This is a law suite just ASKING to be filed. I believe that the school/school district can be identified as a "GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY" and the government CAN'T restrict or abridge a person's right to FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION(at least according to MY understanding of the Constitution). Last time I checked, kids were still considered part of "WE THE PEOPLE".

Seems to me some parents need to grow some balls and confront these NAZIS that run the schools. I know, I know this is a rant probably in the wrong forum, but damnit, I'm so sick and fed up with the abject STUPIDTY of public officials.

We as a people seem to have adopted a "BEND OVER AND TAKE IT" attitude... What happened to our intestinal fortitude?????

"Those willing to give up freedom for security shall know neither." Paraphrased, I know, but you get the gist of the statement. :headshake:
 
#6 ·
I don't know if you could get permission to do this, but bring in an engine and have a group of kids dissasemble it. Or get a junk car and have them take it apart and put it back together again. Maybe grab a bunch of old, junked appliances from a thrift store and a bunch of tools, set the kids up in teams of two, and just let them go at it.

Being able to be generally handy, to be able to think through how to repair things, and knowing the basics of how mechanical and electrical systems go together, is a skill that no one is taught directly, and fewer and fewer people are picking up by osmosis.

On the other hand my fifth grader just made soap unassisted (I was standing 10 feet away trying to look calm as she handled lye), and for her last science project we're going to take an old Direct TV dish and make it into a death ray... I mean, solar power cooker! :upsidedown:

I have a very serious rule here. Safety third. My kid was terrified of moving sideways, saying boo, or doing ANYTHING because of some paranoid relatives- she wouldn't cut her own meat at 9 years old because one particular relative decided she should be afraid of knives... :mad::mad: and this is one of hubby's relatives so I can't just stop talking to them and not let them around the kid no matter HOW bad of an influence I think they are.

So, I preach safety third, learning first, fun second, and our major safety rule is "Don't do something stupid. Are you an idiot? Are you going to drink lye water/ spill battery acid on yourself/ try to multi task while handling knives/ not pay attention while you're dealing with molten materials/ etc like a complete moron? No? Good. Don't be an idiot and you'll be fine."

I am sure you cannot do that in a classroom without a) a parent freaking out or b) some kid acting like a moron and hurting themselves. Le sigh.
 
#7 ·
Here's a site that offers a free bush class that covers a host of basic bush craft skills. Might give you some ideas....

http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27234

Good for you for doing this with them. At that age they are like sponges and will most likely carry these sorts of lessons into their adulthood.

Making a small survival kit.. first aid kit... making bannock over a campfire.... making stoves using recyclables (tin can rocket stoves).. pitching a tent using a tarp... basic first aid stuff...... using herbs for first aid ( here's a quick chart: http://avivaromm.com/files/Outdoor Kids/Outdoor Kids Chart.pdf)

There is soooo much you can do..

make a water filter using a plastic bottle


Keep up the good work!
 
#9 ·










Some pics showing mine and my best friends kids learning some skills. Shooting, hunting, fishing, and trapping. Also fire making skills and general woods knowledge. Kids eat that stuff up if you make ot fun for them. They are actually easier to teach than adults.

Have fun with it, and remember that each kid is different. There is no set in stone age where training should take place. If the child is ready......give them the tools and teach them!
 
#13 ·
This is such an awesome thread. I think what you're doing is awesome.I see such a difference in my daughter and her friends. The confidence level is so extreemely different, its just sad. I've even overheard them talk about stuff like the whole Mayan thing and the confidence that she has in herself and in me, as oppose to them and their parents is just so different. She's always the one who grabs a bottle of water and a stick before they go on an "adventure". I even caught her sneaking a knife one time, I didn't say anything. According to their parents, I'm just a "little too out there", and "I'm the kind of person who just over reacts". We'll see :) . I think what you're doing is great though, keep it up.
 
#14 ·
Absolutely awesome.
:) :) :)
A few ideas...
- Compass reading, mapping, and basic orienteering (ex: using shadows, the sun, etc. to find direction)
- Making their own "survival tip" notecards
- A "wild edible" walk
- Weather prediction
- Making their own family emergency plans
- Designing a 3-day food list, with nutrition, calories, and portability in mind
- Experimenting with clothing fibers (wool vs. cotton)
 
#15 ·
I wholeheartedly endorse map reading, compass skills and giving directions. No one mentioned CPR-have they already had this?

Making a stretcher out of inside out coats and tree limbs or hiking poles.
How to turn off the gas, water and pull the main fuse, cut the main breaker.
Basic maintenance on 2 cycle engines such as lawnmower for spring.
Budgeting in order to buy what you need with cash instead of credit.
Solar and hydro-electric power

We took tape to common surfaces, put in agar plates and cultured. It was amazing where the highest concentration of germs were. Not money and toilets as one would think. Leads into sanitation, history of germ theory, war casualties dying more from germs than wounds, epidemics and pandemics, etc.

Basic construction techniques.

Physical fitness tests doing tasks one would expect to encounter in emergencies such as stretcher runs, walking carrying 10-20 pound bag of rice on their backs, walking on crutches, doing everyday tasks one-handed (assuming their main hand was injured), going an hour blindfolded or with sound deadening earphones. Then introduce the concept of being careful lest they injure themselves.

Combining foods to make a complete protein-4H or county extention agent, home ec. teachers could help with this.

Juicing fresh fruits and comparing the taste to store bought juice.
Milking a goat or cow by hand.

This is so cool! So glad you are teaching this and they want to learn.
 
#17 ·
You are doing a great job... rent man vs. wild or survivor man and watch and episode or two, will go along way to getting them into it and teach them a bunch, especially survivor man, les stroud is the best. You are really on the right track starting with water... you still have allot you could teach there... making a filter with a water bottle, charcoal from the fire, gravel, sand, or what ever you have on hand is great for a class. Fire and more ways to make it is also a subject that can be expounded on because you need fire to totally purify water.

emergency shelter is another subject they would really get into...

hope this was helpful... great job by the way....
 
#20 ·
I think its a great idea. I will be part of a weekend project that a couple of us officers set up. We will be taking 24 inner city kids teaming them up with 24 police officers and taking them out for a 2 day wilderness survival program.

Les Stroud and David Aramas will be out with us running the kids and the officers through the lessons. Go ahead and ask me how pumped I am about that?! :D:

Unfortunately thenks to the Nanny State Iwe live in up here. We won't be spending the night out but instead bussing them out each morning. If all goes well we will be running it again at the end of the summer but for a 4 day, 4 night program...
 
#22 ·
Make a list of basic emergency's that are common have a worksheet for each day they can interview family and come up with what would you do to survive this teaching water filters sources of water in the home fire plans, basic kit for the car, lost and stranded, etc. There's a simple baking soda in a coffee can to sprinkle on a grease fire, things to get the family thinking. Simple recipes they can come up with from what's in the kitchen at the moment. There's a 2 litre soda bottle video on you tube to catch small fish they could make. I'd check out utube see what homemade survivial stuff you can find that's science related. Planters made from pvc pipe that is vertical for more growing space. Lot's things out there I can do a little research and add more if you want.
 
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