sutton007

"I feel pumped up now!" shared Domenic after our first official Walking Classroom  (TWC) lesson.  Other student comments included: "I'm more awake now - sometimes I'm tired when I come to school." and "I think this is going to be great - we get to go outside and learn!" Last year I saw a tweet about the "Walking Classroom" program and I knew I HAD to use this with my classroom.  The premise: get kids moving and learning - the perfect combination. I had to find a way to get the WalkKits (WalkKit is a device-like an mp3 player-that is preloaded with podcasts specifically geared towards 4th grade) into the hands (and ears) of my class.  So I applied for a GO! Grant but my proposal was not accepted. Knowing that this program would have many benefits to my class I reached out to TWC to see what else I might try.  They suggested applying for a donation through their site. My application was reviewed and our class was put on a waiting list (...

Hiking through the woods this week I found myself humming  "Catalina Madalina Hoopa Stada Walk-a-dada Hoka Poka Loka was her name!"  and  "Boom Chicka Boom! Boom Chicka Boom! Boom Chicka Ra Ra Boom Boom Boom!"     I had learned those songs about 40 years ago while in sixth grade at Camp Calumet during our  school's Environmental Education week.  Environmental Education Week  consisted of the entire sixth grade class (about 70 kids) leaving our classrooms and homes for 6 days, traveling over 200 miles away and learning our lessons at camp.  My first exposure to hiking was climbing Red Hill and Jackman's Ridge during that week away from home.  Canoeing, orienteering and cooking outdoors were some of the other activities in which we participated.  We learned teamwork,  how to live with people other than family and took on new responsibilities (KP duty and such). We still spent time doing English Language Arts, Math, ...