Part 1: Importance of CPR

Goals:

1. For the students to be able to calculate heartbeats per minute.
2. For the students to know importance of CPR.
3. For the students to be certified to perform CPR.

1. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). Preferably fire fighters and/or police officers. (They will provide necessary CPR training materials such as "Annie" and "Choking Charlie"). * try to get enough EMTs to break up kids into small groups for training (10 - 15)
2. Biological posters illustrating respiratory system and circulatory system
3. Chalkboard/chalk

Procedure:

1. Set up situation for students:
- Does anyone here go camping? fishing? hunting?
- Where do you go . . . . .?
2. Introduce an emergency situation: You and a (parent, friend, relative, . . .) are out in the woods camping. You leave for a while, and when you come back you find the person on the ground motionless. What do you do? There's nobody around to help. The person is not responding. The nearest ambulance is 30 minutes away. What are you going to do--you might be running out of time. . . . .
3. Wait for student response, and begin a class discussion.
4. List the different responses on the board, and talk about each. Some responses might include: try to find an adult, check the person's pulse, use CPR, throw water on the person, etc.
5. After discussion, focus on CPR. Find out how much students know about it. Some of the students may be certified already, if so, ask them to talk about their knowledge and training experience.
6. Write the phrases "Respiratory System" and "Circulatory System" on the board.
7. Ask students if they know what these words mean. If they do not, break the words down to help them figure out the meaning, i.e. "respiration" and "circulation"--see if they can derive meaning from the word stems. If they know what they are, have them explain what each system does, and write down the functions under the proper term.
8. Ask "What do these systems have to do with CPR?" Guide them through discussion to realize that CPR is based on these two systems.
9. Write on the board what "CPR" represents (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation).
10. Take the students through the posters of the two systems, concentrating on one at atime. Explain how each system works, and what can go wrong.
i.e.. - The heart is the center of the circulatory system. If the heart stops, blood flow stops and the body will not get its much-needed oxygen. The heart can stop because of electric shock, a hard blow to the chest, or other factors (list as many as desired).
11. Tell the students the importance of checking their motionless person's vital signs. Take them through a pulse check and show them how to check if the person is breathing (ear to mouth).
12. Introduce a simple math activity to figure out a person's pulse rate. Have the students work with the person next to them.
13. With a volunteer, show them again where to check for the pulse (in wrist or neck).
14. Using a clock or watch that displays seconds, instruct them to count how many beats there are in ten seconds, and demonstrate on the volunteer.
15. Take the number of beats, and multiply by 6. Ask the students if they know why we multiply by 6. If they do not know, encourage them to think about the problem, and guide them to the answer. Write out the numbers on the board, complete with labels behind them so the students can follow the math.
16. On the board, show them that the final answer is how many times a heart beats per minute. Let them know a normal heart beats 60 - 70 times per minute.
17. Tell the students to find the beats/minute of their partner.
18. Have the students tell what they have found, and have them explain the process they used to get to the answer. Write along with them on the board to reinforce the concepts.
19. Announce to the students that they will soon be certified to perform CPR--Fire fighters and police officers will arrive in a little while to take them through the three areasof CPR training (adult, child, infant).
20. Tell the students that what they learn today will be able to help them if they are ever faced with a situation like the one at the beginning of class. The students will have thepower to save a life.

21. Introduce CPR instructors and break up students into classes, each with a designated group of instructors.
22. Lead groups to proper area, where the class will be taken over by EMTs.
23. Encourage students to ask questions of the EMTs.
24. Help EMT's administer tests.
25. Find out individual test results to determine who will be certified.

1. The students accurately calculate heartbeats per minute. (Criteria for success = each student accurately calculates partner's heartbeat. Teacher asks each student for an answer, and how he/she calculated to find the answer).
2. The students demonstrate the importance of CPR. (Criteria for success = discussion of different emergency situations in which the students come up with X# of reasons CPR is an important procedure to know.
3. The students become certified in CPR. (Criteria for success = certification card signed by licensed CPR instructor, i.e. one of the EMTs).

1. Class trip to fire station or emergency room to learn more about life-saving and life- saving equipment.
2. Act out skits to demonstrate proper techniques, such as checking vital signs and determining what kind of help a person might need.

1. Language Arts - Discussions, listening skills, following directions, question/answer.
2. Math - Calculating a person's heartbeat per minute rate
3. Science - Biology--learning functions of circulatory and respiratory systems

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Survival developed by: David Didier, Justin Brandt, Travis Glandt, and Steve Raethz for the St. Norbert College Ocean Voyagers Program