Teacher resource
Teaching first aid Q & A
All your questions answered about the Life. Live it. resource.
Q Who can teach this?
A The resource will help teachers and educators teach simple first aid skills to children. No previous knowledge of
first aid is necessary – for either teacher or pupil.
Q What if I don’t feel confident about teaching first aid?
A Get familiar with the Teachers’ area of the Life. Live it. website. It contains a range of materials to help you
understand the basics of first aid, so you can quickly pick up the essentials and confidently deliver key
messages to your pupils. Don’t worry - you don’t need to be an expert in first aid to teach it.
Please note that Life. Live it. does not give information on the full range of first aid techniques (such as
resuscitation); instead it covers a smaller number of key actions for dealing with a range of situations.
It aims to strike a balance between the kinds of situation children are most likely to face, and very serious
situations where their actions could have the most impact.
Q I teach six year olds – aren’t they too young to learn first aid?
A Red Cross research has shown that even young children can learn that they need to get help in an emergency,
and this is a key part of first aid.
The Life. Live it. materials and lessons will help younger children gain an understanding of treating burns and
nose bleeds, in addition to keeping safe and getting help. The materials and lessons for older children are more
extensive. All of the content has been designed in a way that is age relevant.
Q What about child safety?
A Child safety is paramount. Red Cross materials emphasise that children must put their own safety first. Of
course, we promote humanitarian action and hope that people help others in need. But we also recognise the
potential dangers of helping and the particular dangers of a child approaching a stranger. Pupils are not
encouraged to approach a person they do not know. If in doubt, they should stay clear and call 999.
Life. Live it. should be used in the context of individual schools’ health and safety policies.
Q How much time does the resource need?
A The resource consists of three themes with 2-3 lesson plans each, which take 30 minutes for a regular class size;
these lesson plans will help you make use of the pupil-facing activities and film scenarios.
You will need to look at the lesson plans in advance and then use them in ways that work best for you. You may
want to break down the lessons into shorter sessions for younger pupils.
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The British Red Cross should be credited wherever this content is used and it should only be used for education purposes. British Red Cross Life. Live it. redcross.org.uk/teachchildrenfirstaid
Teacher resource
Teaching first aid Q & A
Q Do I need to do all three themes and follow them in order?
A Ideally yes: you and your pupils should work through the three themes in order, as each section follows on from
the previous one. The themes are:
> Stay safe
> Help save lives
> Emergency action
If pupils have done the lessons in Stay safe and Help save lives, the third theme Emergency action will link all
their learning together.
If you do not have time to teach all three, they have been designed to work as standalone themes too.
Visit the What is first aid? section (in the pupil area) for materials that can be used more flexibly. Included in this
section is an information sheet for pupils called What you need to know; which provides a good summary of key
information.
Q What about special needs pupils?
A Life. Live it. caters for pupils of all abilities and learning styles. The emphasis of the resource is on learning first
aid through a variety of approaches: video, interactive activities, discussion, quizzes, drama, practical activities,
drawing and more. There are worksheets at two levels for each theme and writing activities are kept to a
minimum. Suggestions for differentiation are also provided in the lesson plans.
First aid has been shown to be an excellent way to develop a variety of skills in children with special learning,
behaviour or physical needs. And due to its practical and visual nature, it can be taught to children with English
as an additional language.
Q How can I assess learning?
A As well as the variety of worksheets and interactive activities available, the resource also includes three online
multiple-choice quizzes – one for each of the three main themes.
The quizzes will help you to assess knowledge and understanding of first aid, and will also measure pupils’
confidence in using first aid and their willingness to act. Additionally, there are opportunities to use peer
assessment with older pupils.
Q Will I be expected to give practical demonstrations of first aid?
A Not unless you want to; otherwise there are videos, information sheets and other materials that demonstrate
very clearly how first aid should be given for a range of situations.
Q What about pupils who are afraid of blood?
A Giving first aid is not all about dealing with gore or broken bones. In Life. Live it. the emphasis is on teaching
children first how to stay safe when helping others, then how to get help and call 999 if there is an emergency.
Although in some scenarios blood is inevitably present, the videos and learning materials carefully avoid
graphic depictions of serious injuries.
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The British Red Cross should be credited wherever this content is used and it should only be used for education purposes. British Red Cross Life. Live it. redcross.org.uk/teachchildrenfirstaid
Teacher resource
Teaching first aid Q & A
Q What kind of first aid situations are covered by the resource?
A In addition to the themes of keeping safe and getting help, Life. Live it. covers:
> Calling 999, dealing with burns and nosebleeds, supporting others, keeping calm and controlling emotions
(all ages)
> severe bleeds, choking, checking for breathing, the recovery position, broken bones, asthma attacks and
allergic reactions (suggested for age 7+).
Pupils are taught how to call 999 if they come across emergency situations and to follow the instructions of the
operator.
Q Do I need a first aid kit and other material to teach this?
A No, you don’t need a first aid kit to teach (or give) first aid. Life. Live it. does not require any special materials or
first aid training equipment either. It uses the minimum basic classroom materials and requires little organisation
time. An interactive whiteboard or projector and whiteboard with internet access are the only essential
requirements.
Q Isn’t first aid more complicated than this?
A To enable people to learn, remember and be confident to take action, our first aid messages are simple, clear
and memorable. This resource includes easy directions and supporting illustrations to show the most important
things people need to do. Simple actions can make a big difference.
Q Can I copy the materials? (i.e. information sheets, lesson plans and worksheets)
A Yes, teachers and other educators are free to use, copy and circulate these materials for education purposes.
Lesson plans and worksheets are provided in an alterable format for maximum flexibility. The British Red Cross
should be credited wherever content is used and it should only be used for education purposes.
Q What are the technical requirements for using this resource?
A We recommend you use an interactive whiteboard so that you can play the interactive activities with, and show
the films to, a whole class. However, these activities will also work on individual computers for small-group work
and/or homework activities. A projector and regular whiteboard are also suitable to show the films and
interactive activities.
Q Where did the Red Cross emblem come from?
A The red cross on a white background is an internationally recognised sign of protection under international law.
It is primarily used by armed forces’ medical services. This emblem was adopted in the original Geneva
Convention in Switzerland of 1864 and is a reversal of the Swiss flag – which has a white cross on a red
background. The red cross has no religious meaning. In some Muslim countries a red crescent is used. More
information on the emblem can be found at: redcross.org.uk/About-us/Who-we-are/The-internationalMovement/The-emblem.
Q What is the first aid symbol?
A The official European symbol for first aid is the white cross on a green background, shown beside the title of the
resource on each page of the website.
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The British Red Cross should be credited wherever this content is used and it should only be used for education purposes. British Red Cross Life. Live it. redcross.org.uk/teachchildrenfirstaid