By Susana Soares, Carlos Manuel Teixeira Duarte, Fernanda Ribeiro Sousa, João Miguel Dantas Vieira, Masary Sousa Cecato, Nina Cordeiro Santos Cruz, Rui Miguel Caroxinho Piquete
I know that I shouldn't dive in headfirst without knowing the depth of the pool/water environment.
I know how to rest, floating on my back without panicking.
I know it's not safe to approach someone who is panicking in the water.
Students enter the pool using ladders or slide down the wall.
When tired, students adopt the supine position, floating to rest.
Students can identify danger zones and risk/dangerous behavior, and act appropriately in the situation
Activity application environment: Swimming pool, shallow water.
Material: Pool ladder, boards, spaghetti and other floating objects, submerged arches, pool buoy
Groups of 3 to 5 people with different levels of ability;
Stations on the track, with an instructor outside the pool;
Total time - 30'
Time Stations - 5'
Activity to be carried out preferably during the aquatic safety week from 25 to 30 November.
Students should have basic swimming autonomy.
Students should be able to control their breathing
Students should have basic coordination and balance in the water.
The activity works like a circuit with four stations scattered around the pool. At each station, the children encounter a practical situation, report on what happened there, and then answer a question about water safety. They need to carry out the task, think about the problem presented, and give the right answer, only being able to move on to the next station when they have reached this answer. The aim is to help children learn to make good decisions and be safer in the water.
At each station, there is a simulated risk scenario that must be analyzed and interpreted by the students
Station 1:
The student must simulate the correct entry via the stairs and then swim to the middle of the pool.
Q1 - What is the best way to enter the water to minimize the risk of accidents?
A: Enter from the side of the pool or the edge, always holding onto it with your hands, or use the ladder.
Station 2
The student swims to induce tiredness, then must stop.
Q2- If you're tired in the middle of the pool, what can you do to rest safely?
A- Float on your back, call for help, don't panic.
Station 3
A student simulates difficulty at 5 meters; the colleague must act and try to help.
Q3- Is it safe to approach someone in a panic? What should I do?
A- No. Try to help with objects from a distance. \
(A classmate must find a waistcoat or floating object [left in the water] and take it to the classmate who is 5 meters away. The waistcoat must be handed over without the students grabbing each other.)
Station 4
Swimmers with their eyes closed must cross an area with floats or light obstacles on the course.
Afterwards, they must describe what they felt
Q4- What should you do when crossing unknown waters or those with poor visibility?
You should swim sideways until you can get out of the area safely, ensuring that you maintain controlled breathing and orientation in the water and never panic.
