I started using The Walking Classroom a few years ago in my fourth grade classroom. It was easy to find podcasts that aligned with the curriculum, and the resources are great. During Covid-19, I sent the WalkKits home with my students. We used Google Meets to conduct our discussions before and after the kids took their walks.
We didn’t all walk at the same time; the kids had a day or two to get their walks in. Though in person learning is the best, it was a good way to continue a structured activity we were used to before the shutdown.
I have also used the Walking Classroom as a club/activity in our after school program for a month’s worth of fun. For example, one month I chose the Middle Ages as a theme. We focused on four podcasts (one each week): Castles of the Middle Ages, Knights of the Middle Ages, Women and Girls in the Middle Ages, and Joan of Arc. That club met once a week.
This summer, I used The Walking Classroom for a summer school class. Each of the four weeks of summer school, we had a theme. I could easily find a podcast that went with each theme. For example, with “Happy Campers” as the theme, we did the lesson about John Muir, known as the father of our national parks. The kids loved it! With “Creature Feature” as the theme, we used the podcast Animal Classification.
Our Walking Classroom summer groups combine first through sixth graders, and it works! I have never been disappointed. As the kids left school one day, I heard one of them say to a friend, “Happy trails! That means good bye — see you next time.”
Mary Hanson
Fourth Grade Teacher
Whitehall Memorial Elementary
My 3rd and 4th graders love the STEM podcasts! (I teach STEM at my school!) I wish I had TWC when I was a 4th grade teacher—my last group of students could have benefited so much from the break since I taught all subjects that year and they didn’t switch classes.
I love that you did it as an after school activity! That’s such a great idea!