Minimum 6-Lesson Plan for Middle School Students

Assumes 50-55 minute lessons.

Bicycle Safety Education Lesson Overview

Day/Lesson Activity

At least 2 weeks before unit

Administer student survey to find out who does not know how to ride a bike or who may want a helmet or bike.

After you have the results of the survey, meet with SRTS Coordinator (Sonia) to coordinate when you need volunteers in class and how to get students helmets or bikes after the unit.

At least 1 week before unit

Send letters to parents letting them know about the unit, along with consent forms.

Prep students for the bike unit. Let them know they will need to come to class with a helmet-friendly hairstyle. All students must wear helmets if they want to ride a bike. If the class performs well, we will get to go on a bike ride at the end of the unit.

At least 1 day before unit

Trailer dropped off with bikes, helmets, and equipment at school Walk-through trailer with checklist to check-in equipment (PE teacher/EtA

leader and SRTS coord)

Lesson 1 (Inside)(can be done before the bike fleet arrives)

Physical activity to get heart rate up Discuss common crashes for kids. Five “Rules of the Road”

Lesson 2(Gym)

Helmets: why we wear them and how to fit them Bicycle Fit & proper seat height ABC Quick Check Skills practice: Starting and Stopping technique (in gym, or outside)

Lesson 3(On school property)

Review helmet fit, bike fit, ABC Quick check Skills practice: Review starting, stopping, and restarting. Skills practice: “Scanning” (looking over left shoulder) and gears Skills practice: Entering the road/wait for wave/riding on the sidewalk

Lesson 4 (Gym or playground, then on-street)

Watch intersection video: http://vimeo.com/23826311 Review helmet fit, bike fit, ABC Quick check Skills practice: starting, scanning. Practice right- turns

Lesson 5 (Gym or playground, then on-street).

Discuss right-of-way Review helmet fit, bike fit, ABC Quick check Skills practice: starting, signaling. Practice right turns, left turns, right of way.

Final bike ride Bike ride through community

1

Pre-Lesson Resources

Name: _____________________________________________

Student Survey (Pre-Bike Unit)

1. Do you know how to ride a bike without training wheels? (circle one) Yes No Not sure(If no, you will have an opportunity to learn how to ride during the upcoming bike safety unit)

2. Do you use a helmet when you ride a bike? (circle one) Yes No I don’t ride a bikeIf no, why don’t you use a helmet?

3. Do you have a bike? Yes No If no, would you like find out how to get a free or low-cost bicycle from a local non-profit organization? Yes No

4. In several weeks, we will be starting a bike safety unit. There will be a fleet of bicycles you can use, or you can bring your own bike. If you bring your own bike, you and a parent will need to check it over to make sure it is safe to use. What do you intend to do?

o I will use one of the bikes in the fleet providedo I will bring my own bike

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name: _____________________________________________

Student Survey (Pre-Bike Unit)

1. Do you know how to ride a bike without training wheels? (circle one) Yes No Not sure(If no, you will have an opportunity to learn how to ride during the upcoming bike safety unit)

2. Do you use a helmet when you ride a bike? (circle one) Yes No I don’t ride a bikeIf no, why don’t you use a helmet?

3. Do you have a bike? Yes No If no, would you like find out how to get a free or low-cost bicycle from a local non-profit organization? Yes No

4. In several weeks, we will be starting a bike safety unit. There will be a fleet of bicycles you can use, or you can bring your own bike. If you bring your own bike, you and a parent will need to check it over to make sure it is safe to use. What do you intend to do?

o I will use one of the bikes in the fleet providedo I will bring my own bike

2

Pre-Lesson Resources

Sample letter to Parents

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Starting on __________ (date) your child has the opportunity to participate in a bicycle safety education unit. Please sign and have your child return the attached consent form to their Physical Education teacher by _____ (date). Allowing your child to participate in this unit and learn how to ride their bike safely on sidewalks and on the street will give him or her skills he or she can use as part of a healthy lifestyle. Children who understand the rules of the road not only reduce their chances of injury, but also enjoy bicycling and the freedom it brings. Bicycle riding not only serves as transportation, it can also improve the health of the body, mind, spirit and ultimately the planet.

The program is a 6- lesson unit offered during physical education classes that will teach traffic laws and skills through classroom activities and on-bike skills practice. Students will learn about helmet fitting, hand signals, traffic signs, and maneuvering through intersections and out of driveways. The on-bike portions of the bicycle safety education unit will be run on the school grounds and surrounding community streets; bicycles and helmets will be supplied by the school district for students use during these classes. If your child never learned to balance a bike on their own, they will have the opportunity to learn in a safe, quick, no-fall method with a teacher or volunteer. To see a video of the method we use, go to: www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/teach-child-to-ride-a-bike.html

There are two ways that we encourage you to become involved. First, if your child already has a bike, have them help you make sure it is safe to ride using the “ABC Quick Check”, and have them tell you whether their helmet fits correctly. Second, we encourage you to join us on the final day of the unit for a bike ride around the neighborhood. Look for another notice about this final bike ride in several weeks.

3

Do the “ABC Quick Check” on your child’s bike:

“A” is for Air Check the air pressure, and add air if needed. Look for the correct pressure rating on the tire sidewall. Each tire should feel firm. Your child has been taught “hard as a rock.” Also, spin the tires to look for wear and other damage.

“B” is for Brakes Check to make sure the brakes will stop the bicycle. For coaster brakes, spin the back wheel and apply the brake. For hand brakes, squeeze the levers to make sure they do not touch the handlebars. Lift one tire off the ground at a time, spin it, and squeeze the brake lever. The brake pads should be clean, straight and not rub the rims when they are not being squeezed.

“C” is for Chain and Cranks Try to wiggle the crank arms side to side. There should be no movement. Spin the pedals and cranks to see if the chain drives the rear wheel. The chain should not have any rust or built-up debris.

“Quick” is for Quick Release Levers Some bicycles have quick releases on the wheels and the seat post. This allows for quick removal of the wheels and the ability to raise or lower the seat for proper fit. Check to make sure they are tight, closed properly and facing in the correct direction.

“Check” After making sure the seat and handlebars are tight and at the proper height, have your child ride the bicycle in a safe environment away from traffic, such as around the parking lot or grassy field. Check that everything is working well and that your child is comfortable on the bicycle.

Pre-Lesson Resources

Bicycle Education Unit--Parental Release and Consent Form

Student’s name____________________________Teacher’s name____________________________School name______________________________

All participants in the bicycle education unit must have this consent form signed by a parent or legal guardian. The following conditions apply:

1) All participants will be taking part in physical activity, mainly cycling. Individual in average health will be able to comfortably participate; it shall be each individual’s responsibility to be sure they are in a healthy condition.

2) Bicycle riding will occur both on the school grounds and on streets, therefore, all activities are potentially dangerous. Participants must adhere to the rules set out in class in order to assume responsibility for their risk.

3) Neither the Madison Metropolitan School District staff nor the volunteers who will be assisting teachers with the unit will assume legal liability for any program participants.

4) If my child is participating in this program using his/her own bicycle and/or helmet, I agree to inspect the bicycle and/or helmet prior to the course to ensure there items are safe for my child’s use. I understand that MMSD cannot inspect the bicycle or helmet for safety and that I must do so. I specifically understand that bicycle helmets are considered unsafe if they have been worn in a crash, no matter how slight, or if they have been dropped from a height more than three feet onto any hard surface or are over five years old. I understand that this is the case even if the helmet shows no visible signs of damage.

I, _______________________________(parents/guardian name), give my consent for

_________________________________(child’s name) to participate in bicycle safety education unit. I hereby release the Madison Metropolitan School District, the volunteers assisting MMSD staff with the unit, the state of Wisconsin and any other program participants from any and all liability with relationship to participation in the bicycle safety education program.

________________________________________ ___________________________Parent / Guardian Signature Date

4

Pre-Lesson Resources

Sample Letter in Spanish

Estimados padres/encargados:

Empezando el día __________(fecha) su hijo tendrá la oportunidad de participar en una unidad de educación de seguridad de bicicletas. Por favor firme el permiso adjuntado y pida a su hijo devolvérselo a su maestro/a de educación física antes del ____ (fecha). Al permitir que su hijo participe en la unidad y aprende como montar su bicicleta de una manera segura en las aceras y en la calle, le dará conocimiento que él o ella utilizará durante el resto de la vida.. Los niños que entienden las reglas del tráfico minimizan la posibilidad de lastimarse y también disfrutan del ciclismo y la libertad que ofrece. El ciclismo no solo sirve como medio de transporte, también mejora la salud del cuerpo, de la mente, del alma, y hasta la salud de la planeta.

Este programa es una unidad de 6 lecciones ofrecido durante las clases de educación física, en donde se enseña las leyes del tráfico y destrezas de bicicletas con actividades en el gimnasio y por medio de la práctica en la bicicleta. Los estudiantes aprenderán destrezas como el uso del casco, señales de mano, rótulos de tráfico, y como salir de la acera y cruzar intersecciones. La práctica en la bicicleta tomará lugar en el patio de la escuela y las calles adyacentes; las bicicletas y los cascos serán proveídos por el distrito escolar para el uso de los estudiantes durante las clases. Si su hijo/a nunca aprendió como balancear un una bicicleta, se les dará la oportunidad aprender en una manera segura, rápida, y sin caídas con un/a maestro/a o voluntario/a. Para ver un video del método que usamos, ver: www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/teach-child-to-ride-a-bike.html

Los animamos a participar en dos maneras. Primero, si su hijo/a ya tiene una bici, pide su ayuda para ver si está segura con el chequeo rápido “ABC Quick Check”, y que él/ella le dice si su casco le queda bien. Segundo, los invitamos a juntar con nosotros en el día final de la unidad para el paseo de bici en la vecindad de la escuela. Se les comunicara más información sobre este paseo final en unas semanas.

5

Pre-Lesson Resources

6

Haga el chequeo rápido “ABC Quick Check”

“A” es para aire Chequee la presión de aire, e infle la llanta si se necesita más. Busque la presión correcta en la llanta. Cada llanta debería estar dura. También, dé vuelta a las llantas para ver si están muy gastadas o dañadas.

“B” es para “Brakes” (los frenos) Asegure que los frenos paren la bici. Para frenos de pedal, dé vuelta a la rueda trasera y mueve el pedal atrás. Para frenos de mano, apriete las palancas para asegurar que no toquen la barra. Levante una rueda, de vuelta, y apriete la palanca. Las pastillas deberían estar limpias, derechas, y no deberían tocar los aros cuando la palanca no está apretada.

“C” es para cadena y “crank” (la multiplicadora) Trata de menear los brazos de la multiplicadora de lado al lado. No deberían moverse. Levante la rueda trasera y de vuelta a los pedales para ver si la cadena está bien puesta en los dientes. La cadena no debería estar muy oxidada o sucia.

“Quick” es para “Quick Release Lever” (la palanquita) Algunas bicis tienen palanquitas en las ruedas y el poste del sillón. La palanquita permite quitarse las ruedas de una manera rápida y subir y bajar el sillón fácilmente. Compruebe que están apretadas y cerradas correctamente.

“Check” es para chequeo Después de asegurar lo arriba, pida a su hijo/a que monta su bici en un área segura, como en un parqueo o la acera. Compruebe que todo funciona bien, no hace ruido, y que su hijo/a esta cómodo/a en la bici.

Pre-Lesson Resources

Unidad de Educación de Seguridad de Bicicletas--Forma de Permisión

Nombre del estudiante_____________________________Nombre del maestro_______________________________Nombre de la escuela______________________________

Todo participante en la unidad de educación de seguridad de bicicletas necesita tener un permiso firmado por su padre/encargado. Se aplicaran las siguientes reglas:

1) Todos los participantes tomaran parte en actividades físicas, principalmente el montar bicicleta. Los estudiantes necesitan estar en buen estado de salud y son responsables de informar si tienen algún problema.

2) Usaremos las bicicletas en la calle, con posibilidad de algún peligro. Los estudiantes necesitan seguir nuestras reglas y asumir responsabilidad para su propio bienestar.

3) Ni el Distrito Escolar Metropolitano de Madison ni los voluntarios quienes estarán ayudando a los maestros con la unidad se responsabilizarán de alguna situación legal que pueda surgir. Los participantes deben de asumir la responsabilidad de la misma.

4) Si mi niño está tomando este curso usando su propia bicicleta o casco, es mi deber revisar la bicicleta y el casco antes del comienzo del programa. Entiendo que el distrito no puede revisar la bicicleta ni el casco para seguridad y yo debo hacerlo. Entiendo que los cascos se consideran inseguros si ya han sufrido algún choque, o si se han caído de una altura de más de 3 pies o tienen más de cinco años de uso. Entiendo que esto es el caso, aunque el casco se perfectamente bien.

Yo __________________________________ (nombre del padre/encargado) doy permiso a

______________________________________(nombre de mi hijo/hija) a participar en el la unidad de educación de seguridad de bicicletas. Ni el Distrito Escolar Metropolitano de Madison, ni los voluntarios que ayudan con la unidad, ni el estado de Wisconsin se responsabilizarán por alguna situación legal que pudiera surgir durante la duración del programa.________________________________________ ___________________________Firma del padre/encargado Fecha

7

Lesson 1: Intro to the Bicycle Safety Unit, Common Causes of Crashes, Five Rules of the Road

Materials Needed:

Roll-paper and markers for transportation chart (optional—see resources)

For common causes of crashes, have a scaled version of a roadway and intersection.

(Eventually, the trailers will include two big groundcovers diagrammed as intersections)

Printed out sign of Five Rules of the Road

The “Common Causes of Crashes” part of this lesson can occur before you actually have the bike

fleet. It would be easiest to see if you can get Steve Meiers to come and present the common causes

of crashes. He knows examples of nearby kids’ bike crashes off the top of his head. If you are unable

to find a time he is free, we will be developing a lesson plan that we can do with a giant ground

cover that has been painted to look like an intersection.

A. Physical Activity to get heart rate up (10 min) and Transportation Investigation

If this lesson is being taught in Physical Education class, it’s probably a good idea to give

students an activity where they can run around and burn some energy before sitting down and

listening and reflecting.

Transportation Investigation: If you’re charting modes of transportation, have students chart

their mode on the roll paper or transportation chart as they transition from this activity to the

next activity during this and future.

B. Introduce the Bike Safety Unit (3 min)

In this unit, you will learn how to “drive your bike”.

You will learn how to drive your bike because bicycles are vehicles.

Today, we won’t be getting on the bikes. Before we get on the bikes we need to talk about

how bicycles are vehicles and how to keep yourself safe by following traffic laws.

As long as we get through the presentation today, we should be able to get on the bikes

during your next class. If the class gets through all the lessons, we will get to go on a bike

ride at the end of the unit.

C. Why do we have Traffic Laws? (5 min)

Laws exist to help keep us safe.

What’s an example of a law that sometimes gets broken? What are the consequences and

punishment for breaking it?

There are many different laws and a variety of consequences for breaking laws.

In addition to punishment, it’s important to recognize that your actions will affect other

people’s lives as well. We must take responsibility for our actions and behaviors.

8

Bicycles are vehicles and must follow the same traffic laws as other vehicles. ARE

BICYCLES VEHICLES?

What are some laws that all vehicles, including cars and bikes should follow?

One way that traffic laws keep us safe is by keeping our actions predictable and visible.

o Predictable—what does that mean?

o Visible: What does that mean?

D. Sidewalk Riding. (5 min)

"Does anyone know what the laws are about riding on the sidewalk in Madison or in surrounding towns?"  In Madison, you can ride on the sidewalk unless the building is right up against the sidewalk (like in the downtown area).

Do you think it is safer to ride on the sidewalk, or on the street? If you are younger than 9 years

old, it’s usually safer to ride on the sidewalk. If you are older than 9 years old, it’s usually safer

to ride on the street. Does anyone have any ideas why that is so? (Younger kids move slower,

are less predictable, don’t understand traffic as well. Older kids move faster and are more likely

to crash with vehicles that are exiting driveways or turning at intersections. Also, more of a

danger to other pedestrians on sidewalk, and are ready to understand traffic. Of course, on

busy streets, even some adults like to ride on the sidewalks!)

E. Common Causes of Crashes (15 min)

Ask students if they have ever been in a bike crash. Ask them to describe how it happened.

(Usually, they are self-inflicted at this age, by doing silly stunts).

Most bicycle crashes do not involve vehicles. But the worst bicycle crashes occur when crashing

with a car. Youths are at fault almost all the time when they do crash with cars. Therefore, the

really bad accidents can be avoided by smart cycling.

What do you think the frequent causes of major bicycle crashes for youths, where a youth was

seriously injured or died? The top three reasons are:

Cyclists come out of a driveway, don’t stop and crash with a car

Cyclists riding on the sidewalk crash into a car at a driveway or intersection.

Cyclists don’t follow the rules at intersections—they run stop signs

Using a scaled version of a roadway (with volunteer “cyclists” and “drivers”, illustrate all three

of the top reasons for crashing. After you’ve illustrated each reason, ask students how the

cyclist could have avoided the crash. Some ideas that might come up:

Making eye contact with drivers on the sidewalk

Looking for traffic before going into the street.

9

Identifying and abiding by all traffic signs,

signaling before turning,

Riding predictably.

F. Rules of the Road (7 min)

Let’s go over the five rules that bicyclists should follow to keep themselves and others safe.

1) Ride Ready

What is the most important thing to be wearing when you are ready to ride?

A helmet. Why?

What else can you do to make you and your bike “ride ready”?

Check that your tires have sufficient air, brakes are working, chain runs smoothly, and quick

release levers are closed. Wear a helmet. Roll up your pant leg and tie your shoelaces.

2) Follow the Law

Do bicyclists need to follow traffic laws, or are there exceptions?

Obey all traffic signs. Why?

What are some traffic signs? What do they mean?

What side of the street do bicycles ride on?

Is it legal to ride on the sidewalk?

You have the same rights and duties as drivers. Obey traffic signals and stop signs. Ride with

traffic; use the rightmost lane headed in the direction you are going. Know when it’s legal to

ride on the sidewalk. People aged 10 and up should usually ride in the road, except on busy

roads or where you feel it’s safer to be on the sidewalk.

3) Be Predictable

What does it mean to be predictable and how does it keep us safe?

When we’re predictable other drivers will know what we are going to do and where we

are going to be and can therefore avoid hitting us.

How many feet away from the curb or parked cars should we ride our bicycles?

3 feet. Why shouldn’t you ride in the gutter?

You are approaching a turn. You look behind you and left-right-left and see that it is clear,

what do you do next?

Use hand signals. Why? (predictable)

Should you signal before, after, or during a turn? How do hand signals help us be

predictable?

10

Make your intentions clear to everyone on the road. Ride in a straight line and don’t swerve

between parked cars. Signal turns, and check behind you well before turning or changing lanes.

4) Be Visible

What does it mean to be visible and how does it keep us safe?

When we are visible other vehicles will be able to see us.

If you are going to be riding at night, what should you have on your bicycle?

o White front headlight and either a red rear light or reflector depending on local laws.

o Does this keep you predictable or visible?

o Wearing white or brightly colored clothing can also help to keep you visible.

Ride where people can see you and wear bright clothing. Use a front white light, red rear light

and reflectors it’s dark out. Wait for drivers to wave you across before riding in front of a

stopped car.

5) Think Ahead

Anticipate what drivers, pedestrians, and other people on bikes will do next. Watch for turning

vehicles and ride outside the door zone of parked cars. Look out for debris, potholes, and other

road hazards. Cross railroad tracks at right angles.

11

“Rules of the Road”

1) Ride ReadyCheck that your tires have sufficient air, brakes are working, chain runs smoothly, and quick release levers are closed. Wear a helmet. Roll up your pant leg and tie your shoelaces.

2) Follow the LawYou have the same rights and duties as drivers. Obey traffic signals and stop signs. Ride with traffic; use the rightmost lane headed in the direction you are going. Know when it’s legal to ride on the sidewalk. People aged 10 and up should usually ride in the road.

3) Be PredictableMake your intentions clear to everyone on the road. Ride in a straight line and don’t swerve between parked cars. Signal turns, and check behind you well before turning or changing lanes.

4) Be VisibleRide where people can see you and wear bright clothing. Use a front white light, red rear light and reflectors it’s dark out. Wait for drivers to wave you across before riding in front of a stopped car.

5) Be AlertAnticipate what drivers, pedestrians, and other people on bikes will do next. Watch for turning vehicles and ride outside the door zone of parked cars. Look out for debris, potholes, and other road hazards. Cross railroad tracks at right angles.

12

Lesson 2: Helmet Fit, Bike Fit, ABC Quick Check, Starting & Stopping (50 minutes)Materials Needed:

Helmets & masking tape & permanent marker

Painters caps/surgical caps (to go under helmets--optional)

Bike Fleet, lined up from smallest to largest

Cones or markers to designate 4-6 lines in gym, basketball court, or soccer field.

A. Pre-Bike Activity: Helmets (15 min)

1. Ask, “What do you think the most important part of the human body is?” Discuss the

importance of the brain, and how it controls all the functions of the body, even ones you

don’t realize. Not only is the brain super important, it is also delicate. It has a consistent

similar to jello, and unlike other parts of us, cannot repair itself. To injure our brain

permanently it does not require a big bloody injury. In fact, any injury to the brain is very,

very difficult to repair. You can ask students if any of them has ever had a concussion,

and to talk about it (and how they could have avoided it). That’s why so many athletes in

so many sports wear helmets. In this course, you will have to wear a helmet if you want to

ride a bike. Wearing a helmet is one way we can be “ride ready”.

2. Demonstrate fitting a helmet with the Head, Eyes, Ears, Mouth check.

a. A helmet has to be worn properly to protect your brain. Have one instructor explain

how to fit a helmet, while another instructor demonstrates the following steps:

b. Head—Choose a helmet that is the right size for your head. If the helmet has a dial

on the back, use it to adjust the helmet until it is snug. Lean forward and shake your

head slightly—it should stay on.

c. Eyes—The front edge of the helmet should be visible when you look up.

d. Ears—The two ear straps should meet under your years so that the adjustable piece

fits almost like an earring with y our ear in the center of a Y formed by the straps.

e. Mouth—The chinstrap should be adjusted so that when y ou open your mouth wide,

the strap becomes tight.

13

3. Distribute painters caps/surgical caps and helmets (optional). Have students put the

helmets on and help to adjust each other’s helmets using “Eyes, Ears, Mouth”

assessment. Label the helmets with the kids’ names on masking tape (optional)

4. Ask peers to help identify whether their friends helmet is on right.

5. Ask students to check their clothes: If your pant legs are loose, roll them up or put

rubber bands around your ankles. Make sure your shoe laces are tied and tucked into

your shoes if they are long. Any kind of shoe is fine—flip-flops are fine for riding.

B. On-Bike activities: Bike Fit, ABC Quick Check, Starting & Stopping.

Prep the students by explaining that before they can ride the bikes, they have to wait until

you blow your whistle, or give a special signal. Before they ride the bikes, they will need to

first make sure they have a bike that fits them, and second make sure it is safe to ride.

1. Bike Fit. (15 min)

Grab a bike from the bike fleet that is too small for you and ask your students if they

think you have the right bike fit. Ask why it might matter if a bike fits you or not, and

how you can tell what the best fit would be. There are three steps:

a. Standover height. Stand over the top tube, bring the handlebars up to your legs,

and lift the bike up. You should be able to pick up the bike with 2-3” of

clearance.

b. Saddle height. Stand with one foot flat on the ground and lean the bike

diagonally so that you can extend your leg with one pedal at the bottom of the

strock and your heel resting on the pedal. The saddle height should be adjusted

so that the leg is straight or nearly straight. Then place the ball of your foot on

the pedal; now the knee should have a slight bend when at the bottom of the

pedal stroke.

c. Handlebar reach. Note whether you are reaching for the handlebars or feel

cramped by the handlebars.

Now have the students line up from shortest to tallest, like the bike fleet, and have them

pick a bike that is roughly across from them. Remind them that they cannot ride the

bikes yet until you give the signal, because they have to check to make sure it is

safe to ride first.

14

Once they pick a bike, they should check to see that the bike fits them by checking

standover height, saddle height, and handlebar reach (and brake lever reach, if you have

especially small kids). Remind them how to do this by doing each step with them.

2. ABC Quick Check. (5 min)

Using your own bicycle, demonstrate the ABC Quick Check. The ABC Quick Check is a

simple check that students should do each time before riding one of the bikes in the bike

fleet, to ensure it is safe. Each letter or word in ABC Quick Check stands for something.

Be sure to demonstrate. As you are demonstrating, they should be checking their own

bicycle.

“What do you think A stands for?” Air—tires should be as “hard as a rock”

“What do you think B stands for?” Brakes—The Right brake lever stops the Rear

brake, the LeFt brake lever stops the Front brake

“What do you think C stands for?” Chain—check to see that the chain is clean and

that it is on the chainrings by lifting up the seat and pedaling forward

● Quick stands for quick release levers (wheels and seat post) Look to see that all

the quick release levers are secure (they may be located on each wheel and the

seat post).

o Demonstrate how to properly close a quick release lever. Holding the

quick release lever open, tighten the axle nut so that when you close the

lever you feel some resistance.

o A quick release lever is closed properly if the side of the lever facing

outward says “closed” or the lever is curved inward..

o Demonstrate how easily a front wheel can fall off if the quick release

lever is not secured. Imagine if your wheel came off while you were

riding!

Check: spin each wheel to check it is straight and not rubbing the brakes.

Demonstration. Ask how long the students think the ABC quick check would

take. Have them time you doing it. (It could take as little as 10 seconds).

3. Ride Around. (2-3 min) At this point, you could let the kids ride their bikes around the

gym/field for a minute or two while you attend to students who may need help

adjusting their saddles or fixing their bikes. Tell them which direction they need to ride

in, then blow your whistle or make the signal that they can ride. Then direct them to

form 4-6 lines on one side of the gym, court, or soccer field.

4. Demonstrate and teach the Power Position (or “Blast off” position) (7 min)

15

Stand over the bicycle. Place one foot on the pedal in the 10:00 position. Show how you

can push off on the pedal and sit on the saddle in the same fluid movement.

Choose two students. Have one cyclist put their foot in the Power position and the other

stand over the bicycle with their feet on the ground. Say “Ready, Set, Go” and see who

has the faster and safer start.

“Now you are ready to get a good push when the traffic light changes, when there is a

break in traffic to cross the street”

Have students line up in their lines and get in the Power position, ready for you to yell

“Ready, Set, Go”. When you yell “Go”, the first kids in line will cycle across to the other

side of the court and then circle around to get back in line. Remind students to keep

their eyes up, not look down at their pedals.

5. Demonstrate and teach controlled stopping. (7 min)

After students have had a few opportunities to practice, talk about braking and

stopping. Some students may not be used to hand brake levers, or to stopping in a

controlled way.

Tell students to apply equal pressure to each brake lever (or coaster and front brake).

Demonstrate how easy it is for the back of the bicycle to lift up when there is no weight

over the rear wheel. Then show how difficult it is for the back of the bicycle to be lifted

up with weight over the back wheel by staying seated.

Now, have them practice “Ready, Set, Go”, and then tell them to brake suddenly when

you blow your whistle. Remind students to apply equal pressure to each brake lever.

Always keep your butt on the seat when braking hard, but then be ready to get off the

seat when coming to a stop.!

As students practice their “Ready, Set, Go” blow your whistle or yell out “freeze” signal

once and awhile. Students should be able to come to a controlled stop characterized by

using both brakes (or coaster and front brake), keeping their butt on seat, and placing

one foot down on the ground in a controlled way.

16

Lesson 3: Scanning; Gears; Entering the Road and Riding on a SidewalkMaterials Needed:

Helmets & painters caps/surgical caps (to go under helmets)

Bike Fleet, lined up smallest to largest

Straight lines somehow marked out for scanning drill

Bottom bracket bike stands (for learning about gears)

2 posters of car or motorcycle, or actual vehicles parked on street/driveway.

At least 2 (preferably 3) instructors/adults

A. Review: Helmets, ABC Quick Check, Starting and Stopping (15 min)

1. Helmets (5 min). Students pick out helmets and put them on. Review “Eyes, Ears, Mouth”

check.

2. Bike distribution (5 min)

Students pick their bike and do an ABC Quick Check of the bike.

3. Starting & Stopping (5 min).

Remind students about the “Power position”. Have them line up and get into the power

position, then cycle across to the other side of the field/court and then circle around to get

back in line.

As students practice their “Ready, Set, Go” blow your whistle or yell out “freeze” every now

and then. Students should be able to come to a controlled stop characterized by using both

brakes (or coaster and front brake), butt on seat, and placing one foot down on the ground,

then get their foot back in the power position.

B. Split into 2 groups. One group will work on “scanning”, the other group will learn about gears.

Then, after 10 minutes, the groups will change places.

1. Scanning (10 min). Ideally, you would have 2 instructors here, to form 2 lines.

Have students bike in a straight line, following a line on the ground. (try and find lines that

you can use that are already painted into the parking lot) Can they do it?

Introduce the idea of “scanning” or looking over left shoulder.

--When we want to turn left on a bicycle, or move into the center of the street, where do we

need to look for cars? Behind us. We scan to make sure there are no vehicles behind us or

on our left.

17

Everyone needs to practice riding in a straight line and checking behind them. Why is it

important to keep biking straight while looking backwards?

Have students take turns biking in a straight line away from the instructor. The instructor

should position himself 5-8 feet to the left of the line. When the instructor says “look”,

students should look back over their left shoulder and tell the instructor if they are holding

up one or two arms. Students should be able to scan over their left shoulder while

continuing to bicycle in a straight line.

Let students try different ways of scanning. They may find it easier to take their left hand

off the handlebar while they look back over their shoulder. Or they may find it easier to

bend their neck slightly down and to the left.

1. Gears (10 min)

In a different part of the school grounds (preferably near a hill or incline), have a bike on a

bike stand. (The bike trailer has bottom bracket bike stands). Ask the students how many

gears the bike has. Most of the bikes in the middle school fleet have 21 speeds. Point out the

front chainrings and derailleurs and the rear chainrings and dereaillluers, and the left and

right shifters. Then explain why it is 21 speeds, instead of just 7 speeds or 10 speeds.

Then explain that the mechanics who work on the bike fleet have disabled the front

derailleur so that the chain is stuck in the middle chainring. “Why on earth would they do

that?” Explain that the front derailleur sometimes pushes the chain off the chainring, and

it’s messy to put back on. Remind them that the right hand controls the rear, and the left

hand controls the front. So the left shifters don’t work on any of the bikes.

Ask for two volunteers: one to pedal the bike, and the other to shift using the shifters. Ask

the shifter volunteer what gear the right shifter is in. Then ask the pedaler to start pedaling,

and ask the shifter volunteer to shift into 7th gear (with their index finger). Ask the pedaling

volunteer whether it feels harder or easer. Then ask the shifter volunteer to shift into the 1st

gear (with their thumb). Ask the pedaling volunteer whether it feels harder or easier.

Ask the group to make an observation about shifting and gears: which was “easier” to pedal

in back (the large chainring).

Once they get on their bikes, they should NOT attempt to shift the gears unless they are

pedaling forward. Otherwise, if they shift the gears while they are still, they may break the

shifters when they start pedaling.

18

Now, have the students get back on their own bikes, and try to climb up a hill. Tell them they

need to shift down to the 2nd or 1st gear to climb the hill. Once they are at the top of the hill,

they can bike down, and as they are pedaling on their way down, they should shift into 4th or

5th gear.

C. Entering the Road, “Wait for the Wave”, and Riding on the Sidewalk (15 min)

This is a drill that is a nice way to practice 3 skills in one. Have each student do the full drill at

least 3 times through.

Students will practice entering the road from a driveway, ride about a block on the road, come

back up on to the sidewalk, and practice “waiting for the wave” from a “driver” of a car exiting a

driveway.

You’ll need to go to the street in front of the school for this drill. Set up the drill as below. It’s

helpful to have 3 volunteers/instructors for this activity. Break the students up into two groups

—half at Station A, half at Station B.

--Station A: at driveway or curb cut, monitoring the “entering the road” drill

--Station B: at another driveway or curb cut, pretending to be a driver or a car, for the

“wait for the wave” drill

--Pedestrian on a sidewalk (optional)

Station A: Entering the road. Have students wait in line and enter the road one at a time.

They will be making a right turn onto the road and riding down the road in the proper lane

position.

Before entering the road:

1. Come to a complete stop and get into the power position

2. Signal the direction you want to go

3. Look left, right, and left again

4. Enter the roadway when it is clear.

19

Tell the students they should bike on the road (SINGLE FILE) all the way past Station B, come up onto the sidewalk, then do the "wait for the wave" drill.

As to make the "Entering the road" drill more realistic, you can add in other road hazards to the side of the "driveway".  You can park a car to the left of the “driveway”.  When cars are parked, have students move out slowly so they can see past the "parked car", and enter the travel lane when they are sure it is clear.

Station B: Wait for the Wave. The instructor will need to be a "driver" pretending to leave the driveway, but looking to the left and not noticing the cyclists on the sidewalk. Students will need to come to a complete stop by the driveway exit and wait for the motorist to wave them through the parking lot. If they do not, they could get "hit" by the motorist (instructor).  The students will then bike on the sidewalk down towards Station A.

Station C: Pedestrian on Sidewalk (optional). Students need to practice announcing

“passing on your right” or “passing” to the pedestrian who is walking on the sidewalk.

D. Review (if you have time)

Can anyone remember the Five Rules of the Road?

(1. Ride Ready, 2. Follow the Law, 3. Be Predictable 4. Be visible 5. Be alert)

Ask how what were some of the rules that they were practicing in the “Entering the Road” drill and

the “Wait for the Wave” drill.

--Follow the law: it’s legal to ride on the sidewalk; yield to cars on street

--Be predictable: ride 3 feet from the curb when you are on the street

--Be visible: try to make yourself visible to drivers when you are on the sidewalk

--Be alert: don’t assume that a driver will see you when you are on the sidewalk.

20

Lesson 4: Right Turns

Materials Needed:

Bike Fleet, lined up smallest to largest

Halved tennis balls, cones, plastic discs, markers, for marking the course.

Inside (10 minutes)Prepare to Go outside

1. Distribute helmets. Students pick out helmets and put them on. Review “Eyes, Ears, Mouth”

check.

2. Overview of activities:

-Review how to enter the street. (Remind students that riding out from a driveway is a

common cause of crash for youth)

-Practice right turns

-Ask students if they know the proper hand signals, and practice hand signals (3 min). Yell

out “Right” “left” or Stop in random order and have students respond with the proper signal.

Then, turn away from them and signal right, left, or stop in random order and have students yell

out the proper direction.

Outside (40 minutes)A. Get on bikes. (7 min)

1. Students pick their bike and do an ABC Quick Check of the bike. (2 min)

2. Students can go for a warm up ride around school grounds/ on the field. (5 min)

B. Exiting a Driveway (5 min)

1. Remind students what they need to look for when they are exiting a driveway:

--oedestrians on the sidewalk

--vehicles turning into the driveway

--cross traffic on the street.

2. Remind them how to safely exit a driveway:

--slow down, look and yield to pedestrians on the sidewalk

--stop at the end of the driveway before entering the street

--check for cross traffic by looking left right left

--turn and begin biking three feet away from the curb.

C. On-street right-turn practice. (13 min)

21

Cycle with your students to a nearby quiet intersection where you can practice coming to a stop and

making right turns. Students should stop, signal right, look left-right-left, then turn right. They

should continue down the block and then bike back to the group on the sidewalk.

Right Turn Diagram

22

Lesson 5: Right of Way, Left Turns

Materials Needed:

Helmets

Bike Fleet, lined up smallest to largest

Inside (15 minutes)1. Distribute helmets. Students pick out helmets and put them on. Review “Eyes, Ears, Mouth”

check.

2. Overview of activities:

-Review hand signals, and practice hand signals (3 min). Yell out “Right” “left” or Stop in

random order and have students respond with the proper signal. Then, turn away from them

and signal right, left, or stop in random order and have students yell out the proper direction.

-Explain we will be learning about right of way, practicing left turns and stop signs.

3. Discussion: Right-of-Way (5 min.)

Draw a few intersections on the board, both 2-way and 4-way.

What does a traffic stop sign mean? Ok, once we stop what do we do? How do we know if we should go first or let the other driver go first?

There are two kinds of stop signs, 2-way and 4-way. Imagine biking down the street and you see that the intersection ahead of you is controlled by a stop sign only on your street, meaning the traffic on the cross street does not stop (this is called a 2-way intersection).

When you come to the intersection you stop, look to the left to see if there is a car approaching. If they don’t have a stop sign, what do you do? If they do have a stop sign, what do you do? Count the number of stop signs to see if it’s a 2-way or 4-way stop.

Now, imagine biking down a street and coming to an intersection with a stop sign on each corner (this is called a 4-way intersection). You and two other vehicles all stop at different stop signs at the exact same time. How do you decide who gets to go first?

The vehicle that arrives at the intersection first has the “right-of-way” and other vehicles, bicycles included, must yield to this vehicle. Yield means to let other vehicles go first.

Knowing the right of way rules would help you decide who would go first at this intersection or at an intersection without any signs.

Right of Way Rules:

- First to Stop: Vehicles must yield Right of Way to the first vehicle that stops at the intersection.- Right Goes First: When more than one vehicle gets to an intersection at the same time, vehicles yield Right of Way to the vehicles farthest to the right.

23

- Straight Goes First: When two vehicles get to an intersection at the same time and are across from each other, the vehicle that is turning yields Right of Way to the vehicle continuing straight. - Explain what happens when both vehicles are continuing straight.

Outside (35 minutes)A. Get on bikes. (7 min)

--Students pick their bike and do an ABC Quick Check of the bike. (2 min)

--Students can go for a warm up ride around school grounds/ on the field. (5 min)

A. On-street left-turn practice. ( min)

Cycle with your students to a nearby quiet intersection where you can practice coming to a stop and

making left turns using the following course layout:

24

25

Lesson 6: On-street ride

Materials Needed:

Bike Fleet, lined up smallest to largest

Ride leader vests

Ride leader “cue sheets” with turn-by-turn directions and maps

Cell phone numbers of all ride leaders

Students get on their bikes.

Review the 5 rules of the road with the students, and introduce the ride leaders. Split up into the

groups that you’ve arranged in advance.

An example cue sheet is attached.

26

SHMS to Marshall Park1. Right out of parking lot onto Spring Harbor Drive2. Right on University Ave sidepath3. Right on Allen Blvd. (Can descend in right lane)4. Right into Marshall Park Driveway

Marshall Park to SHMS1.Left out of driveway onto sidepath (we won’t cross

Allen Blvd)2. Return on University Ave sidepath to SHMS

Phil Friedl’s Cell: 608-335-0514

Sonia Dubielzig’s Cell: 262-271-6549

8:49 a.m. class ends at 9:38

9:48 a.m. class ends at 10:37

Guidelines for the Bike Rides

1)      One adult is always in front, and one adult is always in back.

2)      Stay together as a group.  If the group gets split up, the adult leader in front should stop and wait for the rest of the group to catch up—especially after intersections.

3)      Bicycles on the sidepath have to follow the same traffic controls as the adjacent road.  If there is no stop sign on the adjacent road, cyclists on the sidepath can cross intersecting streets without stopping.  However, they should look over their shoulders to see whether there are any cars turning into their path. 

4)      Students should ride “predictably”. For these rides, that means single file in the proper lane position (they should know this: about 3-4 feet from the curb, or 3-4 feet from parked cars).  If a student is riding on the wrong side of the road, everyone has to stop and wait for them to get into the proper lane position.

5)     While riding on streets, every single student to signal (and look over their shoulder if necessary), and look both ways at intersections. They should put their foot down if you are at a Stop sign.  Encourage them not to fall into the herd mentality and “follow the leader”.

6)      Call out oncoming cars or upcoming obstacles, of if you will be stopping or slowing. “Car up!” = oncoming car, or parked car on the right hand side “Car back!” = car coming up from behind. “Stopping!”

27

“Slowing!” “Turning Left!” “Turning Right!”

7)  Remind students to start shifting to easier gears when they are at the base of a hill. If the student is riding one of the bikes in the bike fleet, only their right shifter (rear derailleur) will work. The left shifter (front derailleur) has been disabled so that students are less likely to break their shifters and drop their chains.

28

RESOURCES

Format for Transportation Investigation Chart

On a big roll paper, draw the following chart. Students will mark the chart on their own during class.

Class:Date 1 Date 2 Date 3 Date 4 Date 5 Date 6

WalkedBikedOther (car/bus)

29