NCTIES2022

The Walking Classroom is a national award-winning nonprofit program that provides students and teachers with an innovative way to get exercise without sacrificing instructional time. The method is simple: students take brisk walks (preferably outside) while listening to kid-friendly podcasts (many with a STEM focus) that are 15-18 minutes in length. Detailed lesson plans contain objectives, discussion questions, and comprehension quizzes for each podcast, so that when students return from their walk, the content can be reviewed and synthesized.

Students also build their health literacy while using The Walking Classroom. At the beginning of each podcast, there is a brief health literacy message (generally < 1 minute in length), and a social-emotional theme is also featured in each podcast.

This session will highlight the research-proven physical, mental, and academic benefits of walking while listening to educational podcasts. Attendees will get to experience these benefits first hand when they go for a walk listening to a Walking Classroom podcast, and upon return from the educational walk, attendees will learn how to create a walking classroom of their own.