Don't let the title humble you: Walk and Bike Across America is something every classroom can achieve...with a little collaboration and imagination.

"Walk and Bike Across America" is a challenge sponsored by the Marin County Safe Routes to Schools program and the California Department of Health Services Nutrition Division. Here's how it works:

"The object of the game is for school classes to accumulate miles by tracking the miles students walk and bike to school. Use those miles to travel around the U.S. visiting as many sites on the map as possible. Each site represents a significant national park, historic site, or key agricultural location with nutritional information, that will broaden the students' knowledge of the United States."

"Walk and Bike Across America" can be played by an individual classroom or an entire school. Teachers can register their class by submitting an online application. Once the application is confirmed, they will receive a packet with both online materials and also a printed map that can be posted on a classroom bulletin board. Students keep track of the miles they walk or bike to school individually, and the total classroom miles are added weekly to determine how far the class can travel across the U.S. (Students who ride the bus and carpool can also earn miles for their class.) The starting point is the city or town where the school is located, and the class votes on the direction they want to travel. The more miles students collectively walk or bike to school, the more places around the country they can visit and learn about. Classes also track their progress on the website.

This innovative game is designed to be non-competitive, but it allows for adding a little competition to increase participation. Classes (or entire schools) can compete for who travels the farthest. There are plenty of options for adapting "Walk and Bike Across America" to your context.

Want to learn more? Check out the Walk and Bike Across America guidebook (PDF). Happy travels!