Riders and Walkers is an interactive, multi-media presentation created and delivered by the Environmental Education Exchange for third grade classrooms across Pima County. During this 60-minute presentation, student teams help Sofia and Santiago safely navigate their route to school by bike and on foot. The presenter guides students through a Chutes & Ladders-inspired game that reviews pedestrian and bicycle safety skills and builds enthusiasm to get students ready to ride and walk.
*NEW* View the Riders and Walkers online presentation at home with your child (perfect for 2nd-4th graders):
Once you finish watching the video, complete the Walking Checklist together in your neighborhood to reinforce safe routes concepts and learn ways to improve walking in your neighborhood.
Riders & Walkers Highlights:
- It’s interactive. The presenter covers content in an engaging and relatable way for students through utilizing a large magnetic game board, videos and photos featuring Tucson-area neighborhoods, and various team exercises.
- It’s curriculum-based. The presentation have been created to meet Arizona Department of Education standards for third-grade students. Teachers receive pre-visit activity ideas and vocabulary lists to help their students get ready for the presentation.
- It promotes walking and biking. Presentations encourage students to consider the joys of foot-powered travel meanwhile focusing on key, age-appropriate safety messages. After the visit, students receive a bag of goodies to encourage them to walk and roll. Included in the take-home materials is a Walking Checklist which students are instructed to complete during a short walk in their neighborhood with an adult family member. Students who complete the checklist and return it to school are entered into a raffle to win a brand new bicycle!
Third grade student teams compete to get Santiago and Sofia to school safely.
Sofia and Santiago are fun characters who remind students that walking and biking can be enjoyable ways to explore their neighborhood.
Photos and videos used during the presentation feature the “real-life” Sofia and Santiago characters riding and walking around Tucson.
The Riders & Walkers game board inspired by Chutes & Ladders features famous Tucson landmarks.
Would you like Riders & Walkers to visit your school? Contact saferoutes@livingstreetsalliance.org for more information.