Design for Active Living

Sustainability Education Resources

Bike Safe, Bike Smart (National Highway Traffic Administration)

Topic/Subtopic: Design for Active Living

Content Type: Video

Topics Covered: This video educates young children about bicycle safety including why they should wear a bicycle helmet and how to ride safely on city streets.

Target Audience: Grades K-5

Elementary School Physical Education Lesson Plans (Spark)

Topic/Subtopic: Design for Active Living

Content Type: Curriculum

Topics Covered: Spark has compiled this curriculum of physical education activities targeted at elementary school students. These activities are designed to encourage students to adopt healthy, active lifestyles which include sports and outdoor recreation.

Target Audience: Grades K-5

Trees Provide Amazing Benefits (Davey Trees)

Topic/Subtopic: Design for Active Living 

Content Type: Video

Topics Covered: Davey Trees produced this educational video to explain how trees contribute to environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Trees are valuable assets to our communities as they contribute to power conservation, higher real estate values, carbon sequestration, erosion prevention, urban air quality, and cooler summer temperatures.

Target Audience: Grades K-5, 6-8, 9-12

Blueprint America: Beyond the Motor City (PBS)

Topic/Subtopic: Design for Active Living

Content Type: Video

Topics Covered: Detroit, Michigan, like many American cities, was built around the automobile as its primary mode of transportation. Now, the city looks to rebound from its economic downtown by sparking revitalization through investment in transportation infrastructure. This 86-minute video highlights Detroit’s vision for implementing sustainable transportation infrastructure.

Target Audience: Grades 6-8, 9-12

Blueprint America: Road to the Future(PBS)

Topic/Subtopic: Design for Active Living

Content Type: Video

Topics Covered: This episode of Blueprint America examines America’s history of rampant traffic congestion, which has caused long commutes and high levels of air pollution. To solve this problem, the country must invest in alternative forms of transportation.

Target Audience: Grades 6-8, 9-12

E2 – Transport: Paris: Velo Liberte (PBS)

Topic/Subtopic: Design for Active Living

Content Type: Video

Topics Covered: Paris is pioneering a new public-private bike sharing initiative that relieves traffic congestion, increases public health, and encourages people to use public transportation rather than cars. This 26-minute episode called Velo Liberte, or “Bicycle Freedom, reviews the theory behind the new program and how it has been implemented to make Paris a more sustainable city.

Target Audience: Grades 6-8, 9-12

E2 - London: The Price of Traffic (PBS)

Topic/Subtopic: Design for Active Living 

Content Type: Video

Topics Covered: Automobile traffic has become a tremendous problem in London. In order to relieve congestion and create a more sustainable city, London is pioneering congestion pricing, whereby drivers must pay an extra fee for driving during peak commuting times. This video, narrated by Brad Pitt, highlights the successes of this innovative strategy.

Target Audience: Grades 6-8, 9-12

Middle School Physical Education Lesson Plans (Spark)

Topic/Subtopic: Design for Active Living

Content Type: Curriculum

Topics Covered: Spark has compiled this curriculum of physical education activities targeted at middle school students. These activities are designed to encourage students to adopt healthy, active lifestyles, which includes sports and outdoor recreation.

Target Audience: Grades 6-8

Walkable Communities (Iowa Public Television)

Topic/Subtopic: Design for Active Living

Content Type: Video

Topics Covered: People who live in walkable communities are more likely to adapt healthy lifestyles that include walking, bicycling, and other forms of exercise. This episode of Iowa Journal examines the numerous benefits of building walkable communities.

Target Audience: Grades 6-8, 9-12

Why Safe Routes to Schools Matter (The National Center for Safe Routes to School)

Topic/Subtopic: Design for Active Living

Content Type: Video

Topics Covered: The Safe Routes to School Program works to improve the transportation infrastructure near schools to encourage children to walk and bicycle to school. This video highlights how this initiative improves student health, reduces traffic congestion, and helps preserve the natural environment.

Target Audience: Grades 6-8, 9-12

Jane Jacobs: Neighborhoods in Action (Active Living Network)

Topic/Subtopic: Design for Active Living

Content Type:Video

Topics Covered: Jane Jacobs is a pioneer in urban design and well-known for her ground-breaking ideas about what makes city neighborhoods succeed. The film explores how the layout and design of neighborhoods can encourage public transportation, physical activity, and public health.

Target Audience: Grades 9-12