:Swimming
Trend Task
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Approach:  Station Level: Year 4 
Focus: Rules for swimming safety. 
Resources: Pictures in answer booklet.
488KB
Questions/instructions:

Look at these 3 pictures of swimming places. Try to write 2 special rules for each place.

% responses
2002 ('98)
y4
Swimming pool
Special rules for swimming in pools:
appropriate special rule for pools
32 (28)
appropriate special rule for pools
19 (24)
River
Special rules for swimming in rivers:
 
appropriate special rule for rivers
23 (25)
appropriate special rule for rivers
17 (17)
Beach
Special rules for swimming at the beach:
appropriate special rule for beaches
60 (56)
appropriate special rule for beaches
35 (36)
Total score:
4–6
11 (13)
2–3
47 (43)
0–1
42 (44)
Commentary
This task was marked for the choice of rules especially appropriate to each place shown. General rules (don’t swim alone; don’t dunk people; don’t dive in shallow water) were not counted. Students had more success with rules for the beach than for pools or rivers. There was almost no change between 1998 and 2002. The parallel task for year 8 students (Safe Swimming) was apparently better because it asked students to identify general rules first, helping to make clear what a special rule was.