Read and Ride

Submitted by: Kim Ramsey
School: Rivers Edge Elementary

Summary

“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” Since the first day of school when my 4th graders entered our classroom they have been evaluating this quote posted outside my door. In the room, we have several stationary bikes, a treadmill, and shelves full of Accelerated Reader books of all levels. The students set up an Interactive Notebook during the first week of school to keep track of all of their “reading and riding” data . Their goal is to read as many interesting AR books this year in a variety of genres AND to exercise on our equipment at school simultaneously. On my Blog (http://blogs.henrico.k12.va.us/kjott/) we have also created a Google Spreadsheet tab for the students to record their “AR Read and Ride Logs.” For example, when they walk on the treadmills at the local gym with their parents and read their AR books, they can go online to our Blog and record this data instantly. Finally, as a teacher with heart disease, my passion is for my fourth graders to become lifelong readers, learners, and exercisers at the same time!

TIPC Ratings

Being their Science teacher, we have been focusing on 4.1 The Scientific Method since the beginning of the year and applying this to our daily lives. As kids, our curious minds want to know, and all investigations begin with a question. Therefore, each group has begun their research with questions and have been following the Scientific Method to draw conclusions. Some of the questions they brainstormed include:
Do we read more if given the opportunity to ride our stationary bikes?
Does exercise help our bodies and brains grow?
What if I do not make healthy choices in my life? Are there long-term effects?
Would it be a good day according to the weather report to go for bike ride after school?
As previously stated, students will be comparing and gathering data throughout the year using our Google Spreadsheet (Blog) and their Read and Ride Keynote (which includes a “21st Century Skills Rubric”) created in the Library on the questions they were curious to learn about the positive effects of exercise and learning. They will be applying this research daily when making healthy choices, updating their AR logs, and formulating their final authentic products (see above). This program has already proven to have had a major impact on my students, and especially to my fourth grade boys who have not loved reading in the past, but DO love exercise! The posts on my Blog have been contagious! They can’t wait to have their turn on the stationary bikes and treadmill in our classroom with a book in their hands to read!

Is today a good day for a bike ride in California? How about Virginia? Well, my students can go onto our Blog and find out the weather report for each state. We have 2 students in Northern California who are tracking the weather for us there while we are doing the same thing here in Virginia. This data is being posted on our Google Calendar (http://blogs.henrico.k12.va.us/kjott/meteorology/) specifically designed for our West Coast and East Coast Meteorologists! We are having a blast communicating across the USA and predicting weather as it heads our way!
Each of my reading groups will be using their authentic, relevant experiences with the “read and ride” program to get the message across to the community about their wish for getting fit from our community via emails, letters, Blog posts, and Public Service Announcement videos. We are also submitting these “Public Service Announcements” to the Henrico County Public Schools multimedia “What’s Happening in our Schools” site (https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dGgxZk0zYnZUMkx1TnVXZ2pNYnNEQ3c6MQ) via of our Media Representative, Melinda Aldestein . This would allow for my students in that group to communicate and collaborate with peers and experts, regardless of time zone or physical distances. The letters to local businesses and our class video was submitted to an online contest located in My Portal (http://www.produceforkids.org/teachers/healthy_curriculum) called “My Plate.” We will find out by the end of November if we won! The students will have the opportunity to prove why they feel the “Read and Ride” program is a purposeful and personal goal which will have a positive impact on their future. We also will send the video to National School Nutrition at “Tray Talk” (http://www.traytalk.org/hot-topics/). The “Flat Stanley” idea using our “Read and Ride” logo and letters will hopefully travel globally throughout the school year since we have many cultures represented here at REES! Finally, I created a flipchart using ActivInspire Studio to summarize what we have learned about reading and exercising which involved videoclips, songs, and interactions with the students.

“What your MIND can conceive and your HEART can believe your BODY can achieve!”
In their Interactive Notebook, my students have a page called “Thin vs. Thick Questions” which they use to self-question while reading their AR books and to formulate questions. They also have a copy of “Bloom’s Taxonomy” which is helpful when collaborating and problem solving amongst their Tyner Reading Groups. We will be referring to these resources often to generate and to respond to purposeful, higher level questions, as well as to be critical thinkers as a useful reading strategy.
Daily, my students and children around the world are faced with the challenges of making the right, healthy choices. Should I have the carrots or the chips when going through the lunch line? Should I go for a bike ride or watch tv after school? Why is this program worthwhile and beneficial for students’ brains and bodies?

Why just read when you can read and ride?! My fourth graders are purposefully engaged and inspired by this program. They will apply their research knowledge and personal growth to design and develop other ways that they can continue to get exercise while learning throughout the school day versus just sitting in a desk for hours or being a couch potato while reading at home. They will collaborate, brainstorm, invent, and communicate these ideas throughout the school year by completing “High-5 Challenges,” my classroom bulletin board which gives the students activities to stretch their brains stemming from HCPS Advanced Curriculum while using a variety of resources.
Examples include…
Use Children’s Engineering to invent chairs with pedals to be used in our classrooms;
Design a Brochure which demonstrates as many ways as you can think of to get exercise while learning and their benefits;
Create and plan a “Rivers Edge Bike Ride to School Day” invitation;
Use the 4.1 Scientific Method to design a Lab to test our “Read and Ride” program;
Hopefully, this trend will continue to be contagious and spread like fire, as they each set personal future goals to get FIT!

Student Artifact

Download Files

Ramsey Files
Contents:

  • Lesson Plan
  • Video
  • Websites
  • Read & Ride LogoS

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