Teachers



**How to Become a Safe and Responsible Rider** ** OBJECTIVE: Students will describe and apply knowledge and competencies to keep themselves and others safe as riders.**


 * SUGGESTED TOPICS: wearing cycle helmets, maintaining cycles, cycling safely, following traffic rules and laws, identifying hazards, using other wheeled recreation devices. **


 * [[file:Overview-Safe Cycles and Other Wheels.rtf]] || [[file:Cycle safety in NZ.ppt]] || [[file:Tuning In Cycle Activity.doc]] || [[file:Bicycle Safety Training Ideas-Awesome.doc]] ||
 * Gives an outline of what information is available to help you in the classroom. || Use this to help convince students whyand how cycle helmets are important. || Beginning a Cycle Inquiry? || A collection of ideas! ||


 * [[file:Design a HelmetTemplate.pdf]] || [[file:Design a T-ShirtTemplate.pdf]] || [[file:Cycling RoadSignTemplate.pdf]] ||



Here are some ideas which should help to get the whole school pedalling!

 * Think about appointing some pupils as ‘Cycling champions’. They can take the lead in organising various cycling projects, clubs and expeditions.
 * ‘Bicycle buddies’ can be experienced cyclists who agree to spend some time with pupils who are new to cycling. Your older pupils, perhaps from Years 5 and 6, or possibly a group of parents would agree to support younger pupils as they learn about road safety, map reading, and repair and maintenance.
 * School councils are keen to consider issues that have real and worthwhile outcomes. Ask them to draw up and agree upon a new school cycling policy. Remind them to use positive language to encourage children to cycle to school.
 * Encourage pupils to make some proposals about a cycling activity which could be enjoyed by everyone in the school. This might be a special event or even a request to run a Bike training programme.
 * Form a ‘Bike squad’. This might be a group of regular riders who run a rota to check that all the bikes are securely stored and in good working order.
 * Make cycling the focus of your curriculum activities as part of a special day or week.
 * Organise a special cycling ‘day out’ in which pupils cycle around the school area together to ‘reclaim the streets’. Invite the local press along, especially when you meet the mayor or your local councillor.
 * Have some designated time in the playground for pupils to practise their cycling skills.
 * Encourage pupils to measure their mileage. How far have they cycled in a week? Keep a running total.
 * Watch the miles really grow. Add up all the miles cycled by a class or school and put them on a map. Between you, have you cycled enough miles to reach Dunedin or Auckland?
 * Get together with other local schools and combine your cycling mileage totals, perhaps your combined efforts will stretch as far as Sydney!
 * Investigate bike maintenance. Invite someone into school to give tips on carrying out basic repairs. Alternatively you may be able to visit a local bicycle repair shop.
 * Form a cycling club and take a trip to discover local history or local landmarks. Remind pupils to pack a sketchbook and camera in their day bag to record the event.
 * Have a ‘Bicycle fancy dress day’ or ‘Bring your bike to school’ with a prize for the best dressed bike.
 * Combine some of these ideas to stage a wonderful cycling festival to be enjoyed by everyone in the school community.

Take the opportunity to incorporate cycling into Design and Technology. Try some of these ideas.
> > **Warning:** > - young cyclists ahead > - cycle track ends at cliff edge. > > **Information for cyclists:** > - bends in road > - sharing pathway with other users. > > Pupils can think of other situations for more sign designs.
 * Use the Internet to research current designs for cycle storage. Then challenge pupils to design new storage for the school.
 * Is it possible to hold a competition for creating a cycling image to be painted on your existing cycle storage?
 * What would a futuristic bike shed look like? How would the bikes be different? Can pupils invent an incredible futuristic device for bicycle security?
 * Bicycles are fascinating objects to draw. Bring one into the classroom and begin by asking pupils to draw a section. Encourage them to experiment with different drawing materials – pencils, pens, felt tips, chalks, card dipped in ink, paint brushes and so on – and to alter the scale of their drawings from minute to enormous. Ask them to label the different parts of the bike. The [|Build a Bike]interactive game can be used to support this activity.
 * Display a selection of road signs including those of most relevance to cyclists. Challenge your pupils to design signs for the following:
 * Invite your pupils to design an **‘adventure cycling space’**. They can include tracks and ramps as well as describing cycling games to be played in the area.
 * **Be seen and look smart.** Ask pupils to design the latest cool, safe outfits and equipment for cyclists. Include clothing and helmets.
 * Find some pictures on the Internet and use a really good one on a poster to persuade parents to cycle with their children.
 * Think up a **catchy slogan** to ‘sell’ the idea of cycling to school such as ‘It’s smart to cycle,’ or, ‘Cycling is clever.’ Use your slogan as a headline for a poster.
 * **Design a poster** to tell people that there are some good local cycle paths to enjoy in your area.