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Running head: SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM

PPE 310: Health Literacy for Schools


Sustainability Program
Signature Assignment
Emalie Harrison and Megan McDonald
Course: #22400 Gilbert
Mary Dean

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Introduction
The idea of sustainability is a difficult and complex concept to grasp at the elementary
level due to the fact that it involves individual, environmental, and social change. Sustainability
can be defined as using the necessities for our survival and well-being, which directly or
indirectly affects our environment (Learn About Sustainability, 2015). These actions by the
human population protect the earth from running out of the essential resources to live a normal
and healthy life, but without sustainability our well-being and environment would be at risk. By
teaching younger generations how to live sustainably their life expectancy increases due to
healthy life choices, the environment's health increases due to climate control, and different
species living in our environment are no longer in danger due to our choices as a community.
Our younger generation is the future and so implementing sustainability in the education
curriculum helps educate the new generations on how to make better choices for their health as
well as the environment. Students need to be aware of how their actions can have a negative and
positive impact on the environment and on their health. By incorporating sustainability within
the curriculum students learn how to make the proper choices through a variety of methods,
which leads a healthier lifestyle. Sustainability and physical activity can be aligned and
integrated into any school. For example, a Walk to School Day school wide-program can be
implemented to promote both sustainability and physical activity. A Walk to School Day is a
great way to bring the family, community, and school altogether. This program will encourage
and promote others to be physically fit and environmentally sustainable. Attached are our Weebly
websites where you can find more information on the Walk to School Day event:
http://pykeportfolio.weebly.com/healthy-leadership.html

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http://mamcdon.weebly.com/signature-assignment.html
Literature Review
Canyon Rim Elementary is an AYP, Title I Gilbert Public School, which is located in the
suburban area. In the 2014 to 2015 school year, there were 973 students enrolled (Canyon Rim
Elementary, 2015). Canyon Rim offers grade levels: full day preschool to sixth grade with an
average class size of 30 students. Overall, there are around 30 preschool students, 110
kindergartners, 125 first graders, 130 second graders, 140 third graders, 135 fourth graders, 160
fifth graders, and 145 sixth grade students (Public School Review, n.d.). Out of the 973
students, 67% are White, 4% are African American, 23% are Hispanic, 2% are Asian, and 4%
have two or more races. The ethnic makeup of the surrounding area is 81% White, 4% African
American, 3.3% Asian, 2% American Indian, 6.5% other races, and 3.9% two or more races
(Canyon Rim Elementary, 2015).
Canyon Rims population includes 2.4% of students who receive free or reduced lunch.
Although the free and reduced lunch percentage is low the overall district poverty level is 18.9%.
Canyon Rim has a diverse group of students and does their best to accommodate the needs of
those students. Currently, they are rated 189th out of all elementary schools in Arizona (Canyon
Rim Elementary, 2015). Offered at Canyon Rim is a special education program, speech and
language program, English language learner program, and occupational therapy, but the
percentage of students who receive those services is not currently stated on any documentation
(School Profile, n.d.). Based on Canyon Rims statistics, there is a large and diverse population
of students who can be impacted through a sustainable curriculum that is implemented within the
classroom.
The first step to being sustainable and implementing sustainability within the education
curriculum is teaching students how to change their thinking. The article, Sustainability

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Education: Is Thinking the Key? explains in detail that sustainability is a complex concept for
students to grasp. Students need to learn how to think using metacognition, which involves selfregulating and self-monitoring to become self-motivated. Students need to also learn how to use
creative, innovative, liminal, and system thinking to solve problems related to our environment.
Methods on how to implement sustainability into the classroom includes a teacher mentor who
acts as a role model and contributes high level abilities, experiences, excitement, awareness, and
inspiration to enhance student success. Methods that students learn to use include pulling
information from our environment and incorporating that information along with their thinking
skills to integrate sustainability into their lifestyle. Results show that students optimism and
cognitive activity towards sustainability has increased their leadership roles in a more sustainable
and impactful direction (Lander, 2015).
Sustainability benefits a students physical and mental wellness as well as makes the
environment healthier. The purpose of the article, The Benefits of Regular Walking for Health,
Well-being and the Environment is to explain the drastic results walking can have on a students
overall well-being along with the impact humans have on the environment through their
sustainable choices. Researchers in this study used a pedometer to determine an individual's
physical activity. During this study, the individuals were required to participate in one of the
following: walk once a week through a walking program, become involved in a walking group,
mall walking that met three times per week, and elder individuals had to participate in Nordic
walking (walking with a stick). Overall, results showed an increase in walking by 96%,
improvement in moods and attention span, decrease in participant's body mass index, improved
posture, more energy, and reduced levels of depression (Hancock, 2012).

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Impacts of Residential Self-Selection and Built Environments on Childrens Walking-toSchool Behaviors, examines the affects of a built community, social and personal factors, and a
close school zone can have on a students self-selection of walking to school. Research states that
childhood obesity rates between the ages 6 to 11 have more than doubled between the years 1980
and 2010. Physical activity is a healthy way to help reduce childhood obesity rates. Methods
used to examine a students self-selection of walking to school included a parental survey that
collected data from 20 elementary schools in Austin, Texas. Factors included in the survey were
school distance, ownership of car, availability of buses, and parental guidance. Results showed
that a 74% of the population who lived in a built community and walk-able neighborhoods
selected the option of walking to school. A total of 62% of people who do not currently live close
to the school considered selecting a home that is closer to the school. Lastly, the majority of
participants agreed that walking to school positively impacts the environment as well as builds
up a closer community, which encouraged the parents self-selection of having their child walk to
school (Yu & Zhu, 2015).
Students who are motivated to walk to school and increase their physical activity have a
higher chance of reducing their future obesity rates. Stated in the British Medical Journal,
different methods of traveling have increased and become more accessible, which makes the
populations physical activity level decrease. The reduction in physical activity is the fourth
highest way to die before the age of 75. The purpose of this research is to examine active ways of
commuting from one location to another and if those ways of traveling increase the individual's
overall activity and physical levels. There were a total of 7391 participants in this study that had
their body mass index, body fat percentage, and current activity levels analyzed. Half of the
participants were asked to continue their normal routine of living while the other half were asked

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to find a more active way to commute from one location to another. Participants were analyzed
over a seven-day period by regularly having a health assessment. The results from this study
showed that half of the participants who were asked to find more active ways of transportation
were 45% more active during the weekdays, had a lower BMI, and lower body fat percentage.
Overall, an increase in physical activity in both males and females resulted in a healthier body
weight, increase in energy, and motivation to continue finding active ways of transportation
(Flint, Cummins, & Sacker, 2014).
Sustainability and physical education go hand-in-hand when it comes to a student's
mental wellness. Chaddock-Heyman, Hillman, Cohen and Kramer (2014) analyze how physical
activity positively impacts a student's cognition, such as: memory, academic achievement, and
attention span. During this study, researchers analyzed the effects of physical activity on a
students neurological system. The goals during the study were to see if students had an increase
in retaining information, discard irrelevant information, be able to transition, and use prior
knowledge to help learn a new concept. MRI studies were used to determine if the goals were
met. Researchers analyzed each section of the brain to determine if there was cognitive
development. Results showed that there was an increase in oxygen level, blood flow, increase in
memory, and cognitive control. Overall, there is a significant relationship between physical
activity and cognitive ability, which increases a students academic achievement (ChaddockHeyman, Hillman, Cohen, & Kramer, 2014).
Synthesis of Information
After analyzing all articles, the common theme that arose is that sustainability and
physical activity betters a persons well-being as well as the environment. Hancock (2012)
determined the appropriate amount of physical activity that an individual needs to exert based on

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several factors that will increase the environments health, an individual's mental health, and an
individual's physical health. Participants in these studies ranged in age between six year old and
sixty. The results from both articles concluded that people of all ages benefit from an increase in
daily physical activity such as various methods of transportation, which was proved to have a
positive sustainable impact on the environment.
Flint, Cammins and Sacker (2014) shared a common theme of promoting physical
activity to enhance a childs cognitive ability. In one article, a study was conducted with over
7,000 participants to analyze if physical activity affects their mental and physical well-being.
Half of the participants continued with their daily routine while the other increased their physical
activity. The other article-analyzed students MRI scans to determine if an increase in physical
activity impacts a students cognition. Results from both articles concluded that there is a
significant increase in a students cognitive control, blood flow, mood, energy, and memory with
an increase in physical activity.
Based on all articles, sustainability and physical activity needs to be incorporated into the
educational curriculum, which is stated by Lander (2015). Researches believe that teaching
students at a young age how to self-monitor and self-regulate will lead to self-motivating actions.
In order for students to be sustainable they must be self-motivating in changing the environment
that they live in today, which will cause for an increase in the environments health for the future.
Physical activity is apart of sustainability such as transportation, which also needs to be taught on
how to implement into their everyday lives. Researchers created a variety of methods on how to
implement sustainability into the classroom, which includes role-model teaching.
Overall, these articles concluded that sustainability and physical activity are critical to a
persons health, academic success, cognitive ability, and the environments health. Researchers
suggest that sustainability needs to be implemented into the curriculum to teach young students
how to be aware of the factors that sustainability and physical activity have on their well-being.

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Ways to promote sustainability is through physical activity. A Walk to School event is an


example on how to promote sustainability among all ages that also promotes physical activity.
Practical Implications
A Walk to School event promotes school-wide sustainability, physical activity, and a
healthier lifestyle for all ages. There are several practical implications to incorporate in the
planning of this event. Areas to consider when planning the Walk to School event include a
proposal to administration, funding, marketing, student engagement, family and community
involvement, and integration within the curriculum. By incorporating the Walk to School event
at Canyon Rim Elementary School and all of Gilbert Public School district the students will learn
what actions are needed in order to increase their well-being and the environments well-being
through sustainable implementation. Sustainability is only using the necessities needed for
survival, which directly and indirectly affects the environment. Students need to be educated on
how to use their necessities in order to have a drastic, positive impact on their future
environment (Learn About Sustainability, 2015).
Proposal to Administration
A presentation on the Walk to School event will be created in the Climate Committee,
which meets every other Wednesday to discuss upcoming event. The committee will create a
newsletter that includes a description of the event, the importance for involvement, the date,
time, and location (See Appendix A). The committee will also create safety procedures and a
map for staff members to follow while leading the students in the event (See Appendix B).
Members of the committee will collaborate on a Walk to School t-shirt for students to purchase
and help raise awareness for sustainability (See Appendix C). After the Climate Committee
finalizes the event presentation they will present their detailed ideas to the administration and the

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parent-teacher association. The administration will then share the overall concept of the Walk to
School event during the monthly faculty meeting. During this meeting the principal will
emphasize the importance of implementing sustainability at Canyon Rim Elementary School to
encourage teachers to involve students and their families in this event.
Funding
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education offer schools a maximum of $35,000 a
school year for a project that promotes a sustainable and healthy community. This funding will
be used to buy sustainable science kits that include hands-on activities and workshops within the
curriculum. Parent-teacher association will be responsible for writing a letter to the Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education foundation advocating for why Canyon Rim needs to
promote a sustainable and active lifestyle for students (SARE, 2012). After the grant has been
received the school will have the opportunity to purchase supplies needed for this event along
with the science kits. Supplies include water, t-shirts, signs, and maps. The t-shirts will be sold to
students for $10 each and the money collected will go towards purchasing more sustainable
science kits for all grade levels. This will increase the number of students impacted by the
sustainable curriculum across the school and encourage students to participate.
Marketing
To promote sustainability, a health lifestyle through physical activity, and a healthy
environment, a Walk to School event needs to be marketed on several different levels. The first
marketing step is sending home a newsletter to all students that explain in detail the description
of the event, the impact, date, time, and location (See Appendix A). Each week teachers at
Canyon Rim Elementary are responsible for sending out an electronic newsletter to parents or
guardians to inform them of upcoming events. The Climate Committee will email teachers and

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staff members a short description of the Walk to School event to include in their weekly
newsletter to inform parents. In addition to the newsletter, teachers will have their students write
in their daily agenda when the event is along with the time the week before the event. The
parents are required to check their child's agenda each night and sign it as a Canyon Rim policy,
which will ensure parents see this reminder. Parents will also receive a flyer that includes the
events procedures, safety rules, and a map of where the event begins and ends (See Appendix
B).
The Monday before the event, flyers will be posted around the school along with t-shirts
to remind and encourage students, staff members, and teachers. To inform the community, the
marquee in the front of the school will display the Walk to School event with the date and
time. Parents will see the marquee when picking and dropping their students off daily along with
people who live within the neighborhood. The price for t-shirts will be on the marquee to remind
parents to purchase a Walk to School event shirt for their child. T-shirts will be available for
purchase every morning before and after school in the office (See Appendix C).
Student Engagement
Canyon Rim Elementary School advocates for student involvement in all activities
through a reward system called cougar paws. Every time a student participates in any school
event the teachers provide that student with a cougar paw. The student then write his or her name
on the paw, places it in their grade level container by the library, and waits for an assembly to see
if their paw is drawn for a prize. To engage students in the Walk to School event students will
receive a cougar paw for wearing their t-shirt (See Appendix C) on the day the event takes place.
Canyon Rim currently has one student council representative in each class who will take a
headcount of all the students who actively participated in the event. That representative will then

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send those students down to the library to get their picture taken with their Walk to School tshirt. These pictures will be posted on the morning announcements for all students in each grade
level to see.
The week prior to the event, the student council committee will sell t-shirts in the front
office for parents, students, and staff members to purchase. One student representative from each
grade level starting in fourth grade operates student council. These students will engage the
school by making a kid-friendly video that will appear on the morning announcements the week
before the event, posting signs in the hallways about t-shirts for sell, and visiting classrooms to
give a verbal reminder. These actions will engage and encourage students, parents, teachers, and
the community to participate in making themselves healthier through physical activity and the
environment healthier through sustainability.
Family and Community Involvement
A newsletter (See Appendix A) will be sent home to inform parents that participating in
the Walk to School event is highly recommended for students and adults. The letter also
includes the importance of bettering the environment and the students through physical activity.
The student and their families will become familiar with the community around the school by
starting at one checkpoint and walking through the neighborhoods to hit each checkpoint until
they reach the school. By the event-taking place within the community itself, other community
members will see the event and want to participate in future events. By parents participating in
the event with their child they will become familiar with the surrounding environment, which
will lead to a continuation of this sustainable activity. Hopes for this event include a high student,
staff, community, and family member participation outcome that are continuous throughout the
year even on days when the event is not taking place.

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Curriculum Implementation
The overall outcome of this event is to educate students of all ages on how to be
sustainable through their actions and mindset. In order educate students on sustainability it needs
to be implemented into the curriculum. The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
grant will provide Canyon Rim with the necessary resources needed for student success when
learning how to live a sustainable and healthy lifestyle. These resources will include hands-on
science kits that require students to be problem solvers, open thinkers, and creative when
discovering new ways to protect the environment. These kits will also promote a new mindset on
how students can change their way of living in their current lifestyle that will better their wellbeing and the environments. Teaching students about sustainability to the younger generations
will drastically impact the future in a positive aspect when it comes to the environment,
childhood obesity prevention, and physical activity implementation. A Walk to School event is
a stepping-stone in the right direction for teaching students how to not only be physically active,
but also proactive in bettering the world they live in.
Conclusion
A Walk to School event promotes sustainability through physical activity, which is a
critical concept for students to comprehend and implement in their daily lifestyles. By
incorporating sustainability into the curriculum, students are learning how to have a positive
mindset toward making a difference in their community. Not only will the students learn how to
better the environment through sustainable actions, they will also learn how to better their health
through physical activity. This promotes a decrease in childhood obesity and an increase in
cognitive ability, academic success, motivation, energy, and an active participant within the
community.

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A steady and consistent way to promote sustainability within the educational curriculum
is by hosting the Walk to School event. Canyon Rim Elementary will continue hosting this
event for years to come in hopes that their students are learning how to be physically and
mentally healthy as well as helping the environment. In one to three years, the school hopes for a
bigger event that will involve all of Arizonas public school districts. The events will occur
quarterly with a designated theme for each quarter. For example, one quarter may be a luau
theme while the next quarter may be country themed. These thematic events will increase
participation and enthusiasm to participate. In five years, the hope is that all districts will be able
to raise enough money by hosting the events to obtain more sustainable resources within the
classroom curriculum. Additionally, the school can use the data collected from the events to
analyze the effects sustainability and physical activity have on the students well-being and the
environments. This event is a stepping-stone for students on how to live a sustainable, active,
and healthy lifestyle.

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Appendix A

Appendix B

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Front

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Back

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Appendix C
Front

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Back

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References

Canyon Rim Elementary. (2015). Retrieved January 28, 2016, from


http://www.schooldigger.com/go/AZ/schools/0340002284/school.aspx
ChaddockHeyman, L., Hillman, C. H., Cohen, N. J., & Kramer, A. F. (2014). iii. the importance
of physical activity and aerobic fitness for cognitive control and memory in children.
Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 79(4), 25-50.
doi:10.1111/mono.12129
Hancock, C. (2012). The benefits of regular walking for health, wellbeing and the environment.
C3 Collaborating for Health, 1-42. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
Flint Ellen, Cummins Steven, Sacker Amanda (2014). Associations between active commuting,
body fat, and body mass index: population based, cross sectional study in the United Kingdom
BMJ 2014;349(4887)
Learn About Sustainability. (2015, September 21). Retrieved February 22, 2016, from
http://www.epa.gov/sustainability/learn-about-sustainability#what
Lander, L. (2015). Sustainability Education: Is Thinking the Key? Sustainability: The Journal of
Record, 8(1), 27-31. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
Public School Review Canyon Rim Elementary School. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2016,
from http://www.publicschoolreview.com/canyon-rim-elementary-school-profile/85212
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. (2012). Retrieved March 23, 2016, from
http://www.sare.org/Grants/Apply-for-a-Grant
Yu, C., & Zhu, X. (2015). Impacts of residential self-selection and built environments on
Childrens walking-to-school behaviors. Environment and Behavior, 47(3), 268-287.

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