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RICE Injury Care

Ninth graders learn the RICE method — Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation — basic first aid for a minor sprain or strain, plus knowing when an injury needs a doctor or athletic trainer.

Grade 9First Aid50 minutes1 class periodSHAPE / Skills-BasedExplicit teaching4 StandardsSHAPE
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain RICE.
  • ✓Care for a minor injury.
  • ✓Know when to see a pro.
  • ✓Respond safely.
Essential Question

Twist an ankle in a game? The RICE method is the go-to first aid for minor sprains and strains. What does RICE stand for?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

The RICE Explorer

Project this and tap each step. Have students learn the RICE method for minor injuries.

🩹 Explore the RICE method — tap eachTry it

The Lesson · Health & PE Flow (Warm-Up · Learn · Practice · Apply · Cool-Down)

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — First Aid for Sprains

5 min

A twisted ankle needs quick, correct care — what’s the method?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Describe a sprain.
  • Ask what to do.
  • Get ready.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Consider.
  • Wonder.
  • Get ready.
2

Learn — The RICE Method

11 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to the RICE Explorer.
  • Note each letter.
  • Note seeing a pro.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Tap each.
  • Note them.
  • Reflect.
3

Practice — Practice

13 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Demonstrate rest and ice.
  • Explain compression.
  • Explain elevation.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Rest/ice.
  • Explain.
  • Explain.
4

Apply — Apply

11 min

Students apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Apply RICE to a scenario.
  • Decide if a pro is needed.
  • Explain it.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Apply it.
  • Decide.
  • Explain.
5

Cool-Down — Cool-Down

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say what RICE stands for.
  • Say when to see a pro.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to SHAPE America National Health Education & Physical Education Standards.

SHAPE
HE.1

Comprehend first-aid concepts.

SHAPE
HE.7

Practice injury care.

SHAPE
HE.4

Communicate in an injury.

SHAPE
PE.4

Practice safe behaviors.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • RICE letter cards.
  • Sentence frame: “___ means ___.”
  • Demonstrate each step.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with Rest and Ice.
  • Use one example.
  • Name one letter.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Explain when RICE isn’t enough.
  • Role-play an injury.
  • Make a first-aid poster.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🧊An ice pack & wrap
  • 💻The RICE Explorer
  • 🩹A bandage
  • ✏️Pens
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

RICERest, Ice, Compression, Elevationspraina stretched or torn ligamentstraina pulled musclerestto stop and let it healiceto reduce swellingcompressiona gentle wrapelevationraising the areafirst aidquick basic care
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What does RICE stand for?
Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.
QUESTION 2
Why do you elevate an injured area?
To help reduce swelling by raising it above heart level.
QUESTION 3
When should you see a doctor or trainer?
For a serious injury — not just a minor sprain.

Cool-Down: R.I.C.E. it.

Have students explain the four RICE steps to a family member. A printable RICE sheet is in the PE & Health library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 RICE Injury CareFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 RICE Injury CareQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ RICE Injury CarePrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: compression, elevation, first aid, ice, rest, RICE, sprain, strain
  1. a pulled muscle
  2. to reduce swelling
  3. a gentle wrap
  4. to stop and let it heal
  5. a stretched or torn ligament
  6. quick basic care
  7. Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation
  8. raising the area

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What does RICE stand for?
  2. Why do you elevate an injured area?
  3. When should you see a doctor or trainer?
Answer key — Part A: 1) strain · 2) ice · 3) compression · 4) rest · 5) sprain · 6) first aid · 7) RICE · 8) elevation
Part B: 1) Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. 2) To help reduce swelling by raising it above heart level. 3) For a serious injury — not just a minor sprain.