Connect
Think about your day yesterday. In your journal:
- Record all the times you were outdoors (things like walking to school or soccer practice, but also having a picnic or reading a book in your backyard).
- Make a list of all the times you were active (walking to school and soccer practice would both count here, but so would things like cleaning the house).
- Write down what you ate. Consider your meals and snacks. Put a star next to the items you would consider healthy and an X next to the items that weren’t.
- Think about how you felt yesterday. Were you stressed? Worried? Happy? Sad? Upset? Draw a smiley face that expresses how you felt. You may have more than one face.
Was yesterday a pretty normal day for you? Do you think you were outside very much? Were you very active? Did you eat healthy foods? How was your mood? These are all components of a healthy body and mind.
Explore
Go outside. If you can, do it while you are at school - maybe your teacher can teach their lesson outside. If not, go outside after school:
- Do your homework in the backyard.
- Go for a walk with your family.
- Explore the forest near you.
- Ride your bike or skateboard.
When you are exhausted, sit down and pick a video to watch. What did you notice these schools doing to improve the health of students' bodies and minds?
Watch as students in Vermont practice mindfulness with their teachers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
School cafeterias in California start with basic foods and cook tasty food. Watch the kids help grow, cook, and eat healthy food!
Watch how schools in Madison, Wisconsin depend on Farmer Chris Blakeney for fresh vegetables for school lunches.
Oneida Nation school children help to test the meals served in their school cafeteria. Notice how the school staff chooses local, traditional ingredients and dishes.
This video explains some of the science behind why your brain needs several breaks throughout the day. What kind of break do you think helps your brain the most?
Engage
Before you watch this video, think about why you like recess and how you think it might be important to you.
Paul Zientarski taught Physical Education for 40 years. In this TEDxBend Talk, he talks about how PE classes in his school changed to improve the health of their students' minds and bodies.
Use the information you learned earlier to convince them!
Share your list with others.
Watch the video below to learn how people can work together to improve the health and wellness of the whole school community.
Ask your teacher for examples from Children and Nature Network.
Learn how green schoolyards support a healthy body and mind.