This guide discusses the benefits of encouraging a student-led "active" transportation campaign, the steps a school must take to become a certified Oregon Green School, and provides a number links to additional information, ally organizations, and funding opportunities.
Schools will learn that active transportation can make their community healthier, safer, and more environmentally friendly.
Teaching Tips
Positives
This resource can be used by teachers in Oregon to support an idle-free zone, student project, or Green School certification.
The links are placed in an organized manner.
Additional Prerequisites
This is meant for teachers and staff to support green initiatives and projects.
Differentiation
This project can be initiated by a number of different classes and at varying grade levels.
Teachers in Oregon can use the information to become certified and apply for funding to reduce the air pollution near their school.
Social studies classes could use this project to research access to public transportation, bike paths, and sidewalks in their area.
Science classes could use this project to investigate the health impacts of pollution from combustion.
Scientist Notes
This resource from Oregon Green Schools features a wealth of links and other resources to help schools get certified as an Oregon Green School on the Walk and Roll to School Track. This track aligns with the National Wildlife Federation’s Transportation Pathway allowing for certification as an Eco-School USA. After discussing the myriad of benefits of moving towards active transportation for students, the school, and the environment, the resource offers a long list of links to various sites that offer both state-wide and regional programs and grant opportunities. Learning standards are addressed and lesson plans for K-8 students are linked from the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School program. This resource includes resources to help administrators, teachers and students all get involved in getting their school certified as an Oregon Green School and is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
MS-ESS3-3 Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
Dimension 2: Civics
D2.Civ.5.9-12 Evaluate citizens' and institutions' effectiveness in addressing social and political problems at the local, state, tribal, national, and/or international level.
National Health Education Standards
Standard 2: Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.
2.12.4 Evaluate how the school and community can affect personal health practice and behaviors.
