Published on November 9, 2021
The Walking Classroom — sounds pretty simple, but it's a new way 5th-grade students at Lititz Elementary have been learning, and walking at the same time. The Walking Classroom is exactly that, a portable classroom.
Students have “Walkkits” which is a small audio player that is preloaded with over 167 podcasts. Topics include science, social studies, and language arts. They can plug in headphones, select a lesson, and listen while getting a brisk 20 minute fresh air walk. These lessons are custom-written, kid-friendly podcasts. Each podcast begins with a brief health literacy message. It’s a great way to get students out of their seats, walking outdoors, without sacrificing instructional time.
Faith Siegrist, 5th-grade teacher at Lititz Elementary applied for a $4,200 grant from The Walking Classroom and was thrilled when she found out her class would be receiving it. “I’m passionate about this program because it combines listening with exercise to capitalize on the strong connection between physical activity and improved brain function, resulting in improved performance in the classroom. Plus it's fun!” Students in her 5th-grade class enjoy picking out a topic, and selecting which podcast they want to listen to that day.
The Walking Classroom is a national award-winning program that provides students and teachers with an innovative way to exercise, while continuing to learn.