Logline: The Junior Cadets join once again with their Junior Junior Cadet buddies and teach them about why it’s always best to swim in pairs. In this lesson you will use music and role plays to explore ways to stay safe in the water with a friend. 

Watch

Kangaroo Beach Series 3 Episode 9: ‘Buddy Day’.

Reflect

• The Junior Cadets sing a water safety song that includes the rhyme ‘Always go in pairs.’ What other situations can you think of where it’s better or safer not to go alone? Think for 30 seconds by yourself, then share your ideas with others.

• What did Gemma learn from Dougie about being a good buddy?

• Can you think of a time when someone was a helpful buddy to you? How did it make you feel?

Explore

Gemma thinks she can scientifically prove that it is more enjoyable to swim with a buddy. Make a survey for your classmates to see if you can find out which activities they find more enjoyable done alone, or with a friend.

Down one side of a piece of paper, write or draw three to five popular activities. Make at least 3 of them outdoors activities. You could include riding a bike, reading, playing at the playground, going to a sports or dance class, walking a dog, drawing, even watching Kangaroo Beach. Then create two columns alongside this list, and write or draw ‘alone’ and ‘with a buddy’ at the top of them.

Now go for a walk amongst your classmates, and ask them if they prefer to do the activities alone or with a buddy. Make a tally mark in the correct column according to their answer. Share your answers with the class and see if you can work out the most popular social buddy activities.

Create

Create your own Buddy Day poster. Include the line “I can be a great buddy by…” and write a way that you can be a great buddy, especially to a younger friend.

Watch

Reflect

Talk to a partner about these questions:

• What do you do if you are swimming with a buddy and they get into trouble?
• What are the 3 important instructions you need to give your buddy?
• What do you do next? Why is that final step so important?

Explore

Pounce and his buddy do a role play to practice being safe in the water. Work with a buddy to act out a situation where you and are a buddy are swimming and get into trouble. Make it clear with your bodies and facial expressions who is the swimmer in trouble, and who is the helper. Don’t forget to speak aloud the important words: ‘Stop! Relax and Don’t Panic!’ Swap roles so everyone gets a turn at being rescued.

Challenge: Can you add the message ‘never swim alone’ into your role play too? What about any other water safety rules you know?

Create

Make up a dance routine to the song from this episode of Kangaroo Beach (or another Kangaroo Beach song). Include moves that teach some of the swim safety messages, but without using any talking, just your moves.

Australian Curriculum Links

Australian National Benchmarks for Swimming and Water Safety