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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Keep an eye open at this week for some well-researched and artfully designed fire prevention brochures created by Maureen Hans' Grade 4/5 class from N.J. Macpherson School.

Wyntre Ryan, left, and Kameron Burt of Maureen Hans' Grade 4/5 class conduct research on fire safety via classroom tablets. - Lyndsay Herman/NNSL photo

Students in the class started their project by discussing what they did and didn't know about fire safety. From there, they researched important safety tips and put them together into a printed, illustrated and informative brochure on fire prevention.

"We started with a survey of the class to see what information they knew about what was in their house," said Sharon Oldford, a teacher at N.J. Macpherson School who helped with the program. "From there we broke the class into three groups ... to work on either fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, or carbon monoxide detectors and they did the research."

Using tablets and websites recommended during a visit by Gerda Groothuizen, deputy fire chief, the class put together a list of things to know and what to do to keep a household as safe as possible from the dangers of fire.

Oldford said students were responsible for illustrations, typing, proofreading, and research.

Many of the students said they learned a lot about fire safety along the way.

"Always have smoke alarms on each floor and especially the kitchen," said Jenaya Hanninen. "You should have one in the kitchen because there are things like the stove that might be left on."

Chasity Atigikyoak said she learned a fire extinguisher should be on every floor of a house so there is always one nearby when you need it.

Once the brochures were completed, each student received their own to take home containing their work and that of their classmates.

They'll also be sharing their findings with their little buddy class in Grade 2, teaching them what they learned as they go through the brochure, said Oldford.

"At the end they will present their information to the class to the other groups because they each researched one section," she said.

"They'll do some teaching of what they've learned because they'll each go over it with their little buddies."

Hans said the students have really taken to the project, particularly when it came to using the tablets to research on the websites Groothuizen recommended.

The brochures, as well as a display, will be entered into a class project competition at the Fire Safety Fair on Oct 13.

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