This unit equips Year 9 students with essential water survival and rescue techniques that could save their own life or others' in emergency situations. Moving beyond recreational swimming, students develop a critical life skill set including safe entry, survival swimming whilst clothed, and non-contact rescue methods. The emphasis on real-world scenarios and progressive skill application makes this unit both highly engaging and genuinely life-preserving.

Lessons in This Unit

9 lessons in this unit

Lesson 1

Water Survival & Entry
1h 10min

Big Question:

How can developing water survival skills potentially save your life in emergency situations?

Key Objectives:

  • • Develop essential water survival skills while wearing clothing in water
  • • Master safe water entry techniques to prevent injury

Lesson 2

Treading Water & Signals
1h 13min

Big Question:

How can developing water survival skills and rescue awareness help save lives in emergency situations?

Key Objectives:

  • • Improve treading water duration to 1 minute while maintaining calm breathing
  • • Master arm signalling techniques while treading water to attract attention

Lesson 3

Reach and Rescue Techniques
1h 21min

Big Question:

How can you save someone's life in water without putting yourself at risk?

Key Objectives:

  • • Master reach and rescue techniques safely and effectively
  • • Demonstrate rope rescue skills over distances of 5 metres or more

Lesson 4

Straddle Entry and Clothed Swimming
1h 2min

Big Question:

How can mastering safe water entry and clothed swimming techniques save lives in emergency situations?

Key Objectives:

  • • Learn and demonstrate safe straddle entry technique for deep water access
  • • Develop continuous swimming ability while wearing clothing to understand real-world challenges

Lesson 5

Rescue Skills Overview
1h 9min

Big Question:

How can advanced swimming skills and rescue techniques help save lives in emergency situations?

Key Objectives:

  • • Complete 200m continuous swimming in clothing to understand survival swimming conditions
  • • Master reaching rescue techniques with clear instruction giving to aid casualty communication

Lesson 6

Safety Skills Assessment
58 min

Big Question:

How can mastering advanced water safety skills save lives in emergency situations?

Key Objectives:

  • • Perfect treading water for 2 minutes with regular signalling every 30 seconds
  • • Complete surface dive and recovery challenge in deep water

Lesson 7

Survival Swimming Techniques
52 min

Big Question:

How can mastering different swimming strokes save your life in real water emergencies?

Key Objectives:

  • • Begin 400m continuous swimming using multiple strokes
  • • Learn lifesaving backstroke and sidestroke techniques

Lesson 8

Advanced Water Rescue Skills
1h

Big Question:

How can advanced water rescue techniques save lives in emergency situations?

Key Objectives:

  • • Master 3-minute treading water whilst wearing clothing
  • • Execute safe clothing removal techniques in water

Lesson 9

Survival Skills Assessment
1h

Big Question:

How can mastering advanced water survival techniques save lives in emergency situations?

Key Objectives:

  • • Complete 400m continuous swimming in under 15 minutes using three different strokes
  • • Demonstrate clothing flotation and HELP position techniques for extended periods