Free classroom resources to teach students about carbon monoxide safety
CO Safety Lesson Plans
Why Teach CO Safety?
Here at CO Safe Schools, we call carbon monoxide (CO) the “gas ninja” because you can’t see it, smell it, or hear it — but it can make people very sick. Students spend most of their day inside classrooms, gyms, cafeterias, and buses. Yet, most children don’t know what CO is or how to stay safe if an alarm sounds.
Our CO Safety Lesson Plans are designed to help teachers introduce this critical life skill in age-appropriate, engaging ways. These free, ready-to-use lessons tie into science and health standards and give students the knowledge to protect themselves — at school, at home, and beyond.
Lesson Plans by Grade Level
👶 Primary Grades (K–3): Meet The Gas Ninja
Introduce students to the idea of invisible dangers in the air. Using the story of the Gas Ninja and the Superhero Alarm, students learn:
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How CO makes people feel (dizzy, sleepy, sick).
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What a CO alarm sounds like.
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The safety response: Stop, Tell An Adult, Evacuate the Building
👉 Includes drawing activities, role-play, and a CO Safety Hero Certificate to take home.
📚 Intermediate Grades (4–8): The Science of Safe Air
Students take a deeper look at how CO is created and why it’s harmful. Lessons emphasize:
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Common sources of CO in homes and schools.
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Symptoms of exposure.
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Mapping “CO risk zones” on a building plan.
👉 Includes hands-on demos and a Family Safety Checklist for students to share at home.
🎓 High School (9–12): Auditing for CO Safety
Older students connect science and civic responsibility by using the CO Safety Check Toolkit to audit their own school property. They will:
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Investigate CO sources and risks.
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Analyze real case studies.
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Present findings and recommendations for improving safety.
👉 Encourages student-led advocacy and real-world problem solving.
How to Use These Lessons
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Each plan is free to download and comes with teacher notes, student worksheets, and classroom activities.
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Lessons can be taught in 30–45 minutes and adapted for science, health, or safety education classes.
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Activities are designed to create take-home connections so students spread CO awareness to their families
Download Now
Equip your classroom with these free resources and help students become CO Safety Heroes.
→ Download the Grade K-3 Lesson Plan
→ Download the Grade 4-8 Lesson Plan