Arrange a visit to your local fire station, suggests Scholastic. Ask fire fighters to give a tour of the fire house and let students try on pieces of their uniform. If possible, arrange for students to tour the fire truck as well. If a tour is not possible, ask a fire fighter to visit your classroom. Ask the fireman to talk about his job and what he does. Give students time to ask questions.
Teach your students about fire safety. Show objects or pictures of objects that may cause a fire, including candles, matches and stoves, suggests the website Kinderplans. Explain to students why they should not play with fire and objects that start fires. Show students how to stop, drop and roll if they are on fire, and let students try. Show students the classroom smoke detector, and encourage them to talk to their parents about smoke detectors in their homes.
Encourage students to play "fire fighter" in the dramatic play area by providing some common tools and clothing that fire fighters use. Include safety helmets, fireman clothes (a pair of bib overalls or heavy jackets will work) and boots. Gloves and goggles may also be included. Empty cardboard wrapping paper tubes will work well as hoses.
Teach students about shape and color through a fire fighter art project, recommends the website Kinderplans. Cut out a red rectangle for a simple fire truck shape. Cut black circles for tires and black squares for windows. Give each student one red rectangle, two black circles and one black window. Make a fire truck to show as an example. Help students glue the circles and squares onto the fire truck, and to write their names on the side of the truck. As students work, talk about the shapes and colors they are using. Hang the completed fire trucks in the classroom.
Encourage parents to get involved in your fireman unit. Create a bulletin board with important phone numbers and fire safety information for parents to look at when they drop off or pick up their children. Include information about smoke detectors and the importance of having an escape route and meeting place. Give students a worksheet to complete at home with their parents; ask students and parents to check their smoke alarms and to make sure that their homes are safe from accidental fire. Let students share their experience of filling out the worksheet with the rest of the class.