My Cross-Curriculum School-Wide Project!

You can find this picture at: www.baptistonmission.org

This year, being my second year of teaching, I have created and implemented a school-wide cross curriculum project for every class in the school. This program was developed to increase physical activity for our students and also the teachers and faculty. My program is called "The Selser Gold Rush". I created the name by using my schools name "Selser Elementary School" and the "Gold Rush" that took place in the United States in 1848. The idea is for our school, as a whole, working together, will walk across America and get to Sutters Mill, in Coloma, California to reach "the gold!" Two students in every class will wear a pedometer every day and at the end of the day they take it off and mark how many steps they achieved during their day in school. Not only do the students wear a pedometer, but the classroom teacher and para-professional will as well. I also divided our other staff in the school into groups and they share a pedometer as well. For example, the front office has my principle, vice-principle, two secretaries and our nurse that wears a pedometer one day of the week. I have set up cones on the soccer field and promote that students can jog, or walk around them during recess with their friends, instead of just sitting and talking. The students have engaged themselves in this program and really enjoy wearing the pedometer and seeking as many steps as they can. Students are so proud of how many steps they accomplished at the end of the day and it encourages others to try their best and be as active as they can as well. You can find this picture at: http://www.thepreppyprincess.wordpress.com/

The other half of the project is that every class is designated a specific state. During our journey we travel through 14 different states and they will research information on their state and present it to the entire school at the end of the year. This is where the cross-curriculum comes into play. Our science teacher gets into the land, environment, animals, plant life and lakes with them. Our classroom teachers teach about their states information: state bird, flag, song, inventors, inventions, historic events, and important people. Our music teacher teaches them about their states musical talents and specific songs and types of music. We are bringing it all together and at the same time being active, which fits into my teaching strategy perfectly: Learning while moving!

We have already walked over 700 miles, and are currently located in the Great Smokey Mountains in Tennessee. I am very interested to see how long it will take us to get to California and walk across America!