ASSESSMENT RUBRIC

Objective: Recognizing a spinal injury

Swimming Unit | Level 33

TECHNIQUE
Today we are going to learn how to recognize a spinal injury. 

IMPORTANCE
Recognizing a spinal injury is important because spinal injuries are often associated with swimming. Spinal injuries require immediate attention by a lifeguard so knowing the signs can reduce the risk of any lifelong consequences.

VOCABULARY
Spinal injury: Trauma or damage to the spinal cord.
Spinal cord: the major column of nerve tissue that is connected to the brain.

When performing proper techniques for possible head, neck, or back injuries; it is important to look for:

PRACTICE

1. I will divide the class into partners. With your partner, find an area on the field. I will call out a "true" or "false" statement about how to recognizing a spinal injury. With your partner, decide if the statement is "true" or "false" and raise your hand to answer.

OBJECTIVE
Today we are playing Rescue Relay III. In this game, the objective is to recognize a spinal injury and help your team finish the relay.

INSTRUCTIONS

• I will divide the class into two teams.
• I will choose four students to be the posts to hold the jump ropes.
• From each team, I will choose a student to start as the sinker.
• The sinker will begin inside the hula-hoop and will silently act out a symptom of a spinal injury.
• Before the game begins, line up single file behind your team’s marker cone.
• When I say, “GO!” army crawl underneath the jump ropes.
• When you reach the sinker, guess which symptom of the spinal injury he/she has.  
• Once you guess correctly, the sinker will run back to your team’s maker cone and you will become the next sinker inside the hula-hoop and must choose a new symptom to act out.
• The first team to have all their teammates rescued will earn one point.

TEACHING TIPS

• ELL Accommodation:
  • Post labeled pictures of skills.
  • Partner with proficient English speakers for directions/modeling and reflections.
• SpEd Accommodation:
  • Allow students extra time to respond.
  • Allow students to respond with the help of pictures, a peer helper, manipulatives, or teacher.
  • Set individual goals for physical or behavioral modifications.
• Reflection:
  • Why is it important to recognize a spinal injury and let a lifeguard know immediately?
  • How did you and your partner work together effectively?

OBJECTIVE
Today we are playing Plot Generator III. In this game, the objective is to act out a plot that involves recognizing a spinal injury.

INSTRUCTIONS

• I will divide the class into teams of four.
• Before the game begins, find an area on the field for you and your team to create a plot that involves how to recognize a spinal injury.
• Each plot may only be 30-seconds long.
• When all teams are ready, I will call a team to come up and perform their plot.
• When the team is finished performing, other teams may guess what happened in the storyline.
• A point will be awarded to each team to correctly guess the storyline.
• Two points will be awarded to the team to correctly guess the characteristic of spinal injury.
• After all teams have performed, we will total the points up to see which team has earned the most.

TEACHING TIPS

• Approach:
  • If teams are having difficulty guessing the entire storyline, have teams earn one point if they correctly guess an element of the plot.
  • Remind students that their storylines should not involve any stunts.
• ELL Accommodation:
  • Post labeled pictures of skills.
  • Partner with proficient English speakers for directions/modeling and reflections.
• SpEd Accommodation:
  • Allow students extra time to respond.
  • Allow students to respond with the help of pictures, a peer helper, manipulatives, or teacher.
  • Set individual goals for physical or behavioral modifications.
• Reflection:
  • Why is it important to recognize a spinal injury and let a lifeguard know immediately?
  • How did you and your partner work together effectively?

OBJECTIVE
Today we are playing Passing Ships V. In this game, the objective is to cross the ocean when you can answer “Yes” to the statement about recognizing a spinal injury.

INSTRUCTIONS

• I will choose a student to begin as the pirate.
• Before the game begins, line up on the baseline shoulder-to-shoulder.
• I will call out a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ statement (If a person was having pain or pressure in their back, would that be a sign of a spinal injury? Or, should you call a lifeguard for help immediately if you suspected someone had a spinal injury?)
• If you answer, “Yes” you must run to the end line without being tagged.
• If you answer, “No” you stay on the baseline.
• You have three seconds to leave the baseline after I call out the statement.
• If you are tagged or go out-of-bounds, you become a pirate the next round.
• We will begin a new game once there are no ships left.

TEACHING TIPS

• ELL Accommodation:
  • Post labeled pictures of skills.
  • Partner with proficient English speakers for directions/modeling and reflections.
• SpEd Accommodation:
  • Allow students extra time to respond.
  • Allow students to respond with the help of pictures, a peer helper, manipulatives, or teacher.
  • Set individual goals for physical or behavioral modifications.
• Reflection:
  • Why is it important to recognize a spinal injury and let a lifeguard know immediately?
  • How did you and your partner work together effectively?