Bike to School Week teacher resources

Find our classroom resources and links to worksheets down this page. In case you need it, we’ve also provided a PDF version of the activities ready to download at the end of the page.

Getting ready: M-Check

Key info

  • 5 minutes 
  • group activity

Objective

Pupils learn how to make cycling safer with simple checks and practices.

Resources needed

Computer/laptop, projector/large screen

Session plan

First things first. Checking your bicycle is in peak condition is a vital step. Show the pupils Sustrans’ M-check video for bikes, to help make sure these are roadworthy each time they ride.

Day 1 activity: Bling your bike

Key info

  • 20-30 minutes
  • Solo activity

Objective

Reimagine your cycle. Learn about different types of cycles and cycle users.

Resources needed

Bling your bike colouring-in sheets, coloured pencils, bling/recycled materials

Activity outline

Get creative in the Bling your bike activity.

Each pupil picks a template for a cycle. You can use pencils, glitter, ribbons, coloured card, recycled materials such as magazines, or anything else colourful you can collect to make a collage of a decorated cycle.

Why not pick a theme such as the seasons, or tie it in with topic you’re covering in the classroom?

Extension 

+ 20 minutes

Get your class to show what they have designed for each type of cycle.

Download

Inspired by

Six-week step-by-step guide: A guide designed for teachers, parents and governors to help get more people active on the journey to and from school.

Additional information from Wheels for Wellbeing wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk

Day 2 activity: Air pollution detectives

Key info

  • 10-15minutes
  • Solo or group activity

Objective

Pupils think about who creates carbon emissions and other air pollutants and how we can change this.

Resources needed

Pencil and paper.

Activity outline

Discuss what generates carbon dioxide and other air pollutants and how it affects our climate and the air we breathe.

Ask pupils to complete the air pollution detective worksheet by finding and circling different sources of pollution.

Discuss what types of air pollution the pupils identified.

List these as emission-generating activities, e.g. transport, agriculture, manufacturing and industry. Talk as a group, is this something we can affect, or is it due to other people?

Download

Inspired by

Sustrans School Officers: Across the UK, Sustrans school officers work closely with schools, running classroom, playground, and school gate activities to transform the school run. 

Email education@sustrans.org.uk to find out more.

Day 3 activity: My journey to school

Key info

  • 15-20 minutes
  • Solo or group activity

Objective

Pupils think about their journey to school and discuss their experiences.

Resources needed

Printed storyboards, pencil and paper

Activity outline

Ask the pupils to draw a short storyboard of their journey to school. They start with their house in the first square and end with school in the last one. When all pupils have finished, ask them to write down how they travelled to school.

Ask the pupils to compare drawings in their groups. Which part of the journey do they like/ dislike? Ask them to put a traffic light in the corner of each of the squares representing how they feel.

Ask them to count how many ‘Greens’ and ‘Reds’ they have. What is the score? What is the class score? Ask the pupils to complete the following statements and discuss as a class or in groups.

  • The BEST part of my journey is…
  • The WORST part of my journey is…
  • My FAVOURITE PLACE in my local area is… because…

Extension

+ 20 minutes

+ tracing paper

Your dream journey — Ask pupils to overlap a piece of tracing paper on top of their storyboard.

Ask pupils to make three changes to their journey that would help change it into their ideal journey to school.

Ask, is there another way they could travel? Is there a better route? Could the streets be designed differently?

Download

Inspired by

Big Street Survey: A curriculum resource which enables pupils to investigate the area around their school and create a manifesto on how to make their streets safer and greener. The Big Street Survey meets numerous curriculum objectives, with various cross-curriculum opportunities and lesson plans.

Email education@sustrans.org.uk to find out more

Day 4 activity: Human body

Key info

  • 20-30 minutes
  • pairs or group activity

Objective

Pupils will learn about the effect of activity on the circulatory system and heart.

Resources needed

Pencil and paper

Activity outline

Tell pupils that they will be investigating our heart rate and the effect of exercise on heart rate. Start by helping pupils find their pulse on their left wrist, just beneath the thumb.

In pairs, one pupil counts their pulse while the other times 15 seconds on a watch. Multiply by four to get beats per minute. Record and swap roles.

Next, repeat the measurements immediately after one minute of an activity that makes pupils slightly out of breath (eg. running on the spot) and record, before resting completely for two minutes. Record a third pulse rate.

Compare measurements. Discuss the findings and chart the pupils’ heart rates. Who had the highest after exercise? Whose was the lowest?

Questions

  • How did being active make them feel?
  • How do they differ?
  • What is blood for?

A: picks up oxygen in the lungs and deposits it in muscles and organs.

  • How does blood get transported around our body?

A: The heart pumps it around.

  • How important is the heart to our health?
  • Why is ‘Active Travel’ (cycling, walking and scooting) good for us?

A: Keeps us healthy, we feel happy, good for brain, keeps us motivated and keeps muscles strong.

Inspired by

Sustrans Big Pedal: The UK’s largest inter-school cycling, walking and scooting challenge that inspires pupils, staff and parents to choose ‘human power’ for their journey to school. The next Big Pedal will take place Wednesday 22 April - Tuesday 5 May 2020.

Day 5 activity: Everyday adventures

Key info

  • 20 minutes
  • group or solo activity

Objective

To inspire pupils to think about how their cycle can be used in their spare time.

Resources needed

Computer/ laptop, projector/ large screen, paper and pens.

Activity outline

Explain that you can use bikes and other types of cycle to get around and explore your local area and beyond. The National Cycle Network and other cycling routes are great places to have these everyday adventures.

Show the pupils Sustrans’ Everyday Adventure video.

Then, give the class 10 minutes write a story of an Everyday Adventure they would like to have.

Encourage them to think about their local area. Ask them where they would like to explore? How they could get there using their cycle? Who do they meet? What interesting things could they see along the way? Do they encounter any problems on their adventure? How do they overcome them?

Extension

+ 20-30 minutes

Rather than writing a story, why not get pupils into small groups and give the class 20 minutes to create their own 2-3 minute mini-play of an Everyday Adventure.

Leave at least 20 minutes to watch all the plays at the end.

Inspired by

Our Everyday Adventures on the National Cycle Network campaign #MyEverydayAdventure

Bike to School Week Resources Download

The 5-day resources pack for Primary and Secondary schools in one handy document.