Classroom
Ideas
The following sites are useful
resources for classroom use:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/kids/
National Highway Traffic Safety Association for kids (for teachers:
go to Safety School icon, then to Teacher's Lounge) http://www.peds.org/
Children's page from Atlanta, GA (go to Search the type in
Kids Page and press search, click the 2nd Kids Page notation)
http://www.saferoutestoschools.org/events.html
Classroom Activities by grade level from National Safe Routes
to School (go to toolkit then classroom activities)
Other
ideas:
1.
Class by class competition. Reward the class with the most
students who: walk to school, wear decorated shoes for the
Walk, have the most parents walking, etc. Throw a pizza party
for the class with the most walkers.
2.
Frequent Rider Miles contest. This contest rewards children
who come to school walking, biking, by bus or carpool. For
further information, contact Safe Routes to Schools at www.saferoutestoschool.org.
3.
Hold a "Best Ways to Get Your Parents to Walk to School
With You" contest. Have students come up with one-sentence
ideas for getting parents to walk with kids. Get a panel of
local radio, TV and news journalists as judges (this assures
coverage in local media too). Reward both creativity and practicality.
Compile a top 10 list, printed with the winners' names.
4.
For students in higher grades, have them write letters to
city or county council members asking for more sidewalks and
more safe places to walk, ride bikes, and play in neighborhoods.
Students in lower grades could draw a picture of a safe place
to walk.
5.
Have students draw a memory map of their walk to school. Have
the teacher review the highlights with the class. Find out
what different things, people, and events the children passed
on their way to school. The teacher can ask about what interesting
things they saw, what was beautiful, or what needed improving.
6.
Have students start a family exercise program. Have students
work with their parents to substitute one driving trip with
a walking trip that week. Have students report what the trips
were and how many miles. At the end of the week, figure out
how many car miles were reduced or how many gallons of gas
did the whole school save.
7.
Count people who are walking. For one day have kids count
how many pedestrians they see and if they see them doing something
unsafe.
8.
Have students interview people who walk a lot. The postman,
police officers on foot patrol, neighbors who walk for exercise,
etc. What do they see because they walk a lot? What needs
to be improved for more people to walk?
9.
Invite local experts for a school assembly. The entire school
can hear about traffic/walking safety from a policeman or
benefits of walking from a fitness professional, etc.
10.
Have students try the 2-1-5 plan for a week. That's no more
than 2 hours of TV per day, 1 hour of physical activity, and
at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
11.
Incorporate a walking theme into your physical education class.
12.
Hold a health fair for students in conjunction with the walk.
13.
Hold a safety-coloring contest.
14.
Take a tour of an ambulance or fire truck in conjunction with
the walk.
15.
Have kids design promotional materials for the event. Make
and hang posters and banners promoting the event at school,
along the walking route and throughout the community. Carry
signs that display physical activity or pedestrian safety
messages.
16.
Have a song or poem contest about walking or pedestrian safety.
Have the winners perform over the school PA system and/or
publish in the local paper.
17.
Hold an entire week of pedestrian safety and health events
associated with walking.
18.
Hold a pep rally before the walk.
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