Lesson 1: The Professional Lifeguard
Duration of Days: 2
Lesson Objective
This foundational unit introduces students to the primary responsibilities, professional expectations, legal obligations, and dynamic teamwork required of an American Red Cross certified lifeguard. Students explore off-stand and on-stand expectations, facility safety inspections, and professional communication strategies.
What does it mean to be a professional lifeguard?'
What is a standard of care?
What does a lifeguard look like?
Duty to act
Standard of care
Negligence
Abandonment
Consent
Refusal of care
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Standard 3: Demonstrates the knowledge and skills to achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical activity and fitness. (Applies through maintaining personal fitness to fulfill lifeguarding duties).
Standard 4: Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others. (Applies through ethical decision-making, professional conduct, teamwork, and patron rule enforcement).
Standard 5: Recognizes the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or social interaction. (Applies through building career readiness, civic duty, and community safety awareness).
NA
Description, Purpose, DOK Level
DOK 2 (Skills & Concepts): Categorizing legal principles (e.g., negligence vs. abandonment) and describing lifeguard responsibilities.
DOK 3 (Strategic Thinking): Analyzing real-world scenarios to evaluate whether standard of care was met and determining appropriate professional action in complex patron interactions.
Career Readiness & First-Time Employment, Community Health & Aquatics Equity, Civic Duty & Leadership
Lifeguards spend most of their time watching people swim for fun."
“If someone is injured, I must force help on them no matter what."
Support/Intervention (Scaffolding)
Provide graphic organizers/flowcharts for legal decision-making trees (e.g., Victim Conscious? - Request Consent -Refused? - Document & Call EMS).
Pair students for role-play scenarios using prompt cards with built-in scripts.
Vocabulary matching games and visual anchor charts for core legal concepts.
Assessment of Understanding
Analyze real legal case studies involving aquatic negligence to identify where breaks in the chain of care occurred.
Assign leadership roles during practice scenarios, allowing advanced students to act as Head Lifeguards managing facility safety audits or patron conflict resolution simulations.
Articles from Newspapers
ARC Instructors Manual
ARC Participant Manual
Skill Sheets