Ready Kids › Home Alone Ready › Badge 2 › Lesson 2.2

Grades 4–5 · Home Alone Ready · Badge 2

The one who keeps knocking

Recognise a visitor who will not take the answer, message a parent, stop answering, and call 911 if it does not stop.

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Step 1 of 9

1Watch

Still there

Film

Still there

She has said the words through the door. A pause. The knock comes again. Then again. The film runs longer than feels comfortable and ends on her looking at her phone.

30 seconds

It is too long on purpose. Notice the moment you wanted her to do something.

2The idea

Persistence is information

Somebody who accepts leave it on the step and goes is a delivery. Somebody who will not take an answer through the door has told you something, and you do not need to know what. The knocking after the answer is the thing to notice.

Most people who knock twice are nothing. You are not grading them. You are following a rule that gets the right answer either way, and that means you never have to be sure.

3The idea

The three steps

1. Answer once, through the door.
2. Still there? Message a parent now, not after. Someone at the door, won’t go. I haven’t opened it.
3. Stop answering. Away from the door, phone in hand, somewhere you can see it.

If it does not stop: trying the handle, going round the back, still knocking after minutes. That is a 911. You will not be in trouble for calling. Not if it turns out to be a neighbour, not if they leave as you dial.

4The idea

Dev, and the third knock

Knock. Can’t come to the door right now. Knock again: I just need you to sign. Dev messages his dad and goes to the kitchen. Third knock. Then the side gate rattles. Dev calls 911, says his address first, then someone is trying to get into my house and I’m home alone.

The man is gone before the police arrive. Nobody is cross. His dad says: that is exactly it. The call was right even though nothing happened. Nothing happening is what a good call looks like.

5Decide

You have said the words once. He knocks again and says he just needs a signature.

Right. The message goes now, while it is still small. Then you stop answering, because every reply you give him is a reason to stay. If he goes, you have lost nothing. If he does not, the next step is already loaded.

He has already had the answer. Saying it again is a conversation, and a gap in the door is an open door. The second knock after a clear no is your cue to get a parent in the loop and go quiet. You do not owe him a signature or a reply.

Pick one to carry on.

6Say it

The sentence for the operator

Say it clearly, then your address

“Someone is trying to get into my house and I am home alone.”

You will probably never need it. Saying it once now means it is there if you do.

7Try it

The scene runs long

Interactive

When is enough?

The knocking scene plays and keeps going. A counter shows the knocks; the Feeling Dial moves. You tap Message when you would message and Call when you would call. The page shows where most kids tap, and where the steps say.

There is no prize for waiting. The message can go at the second knock. The call can come at the handle.

8Find them

Which of these mean the phone comes out to call 911?

Tap the ones that count.

Find all 4.

9Do it

Before you leave this page

Tell a parent this is practice. Then send them the real message: Someone at the door, won't go, I haven't opened it. Look at how long it took to type.

Tick it when you have done it.

Lesson done.

Will not take no through the door? Message now, stop answering. If it does not stop, call 911.

Next lesson: The phone

Badge 2 · The Door and the Phone

2.1Nobody comes in 2.2The one who keeps knocking 2.3The phone 2.4People you know ★Badge Challenge

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