It’s that time of year…when the return of warm sunshine allows us to enjoy being healthy
outdoors! An important part of being healthy – indoors and out – is achieving energy
balance: eating and drinking (energy in) to provide the right amount of fuel our bodies need
for healthy growth, everyday living and physical activity (energy out).

The Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital w i t h sponsorship by the PA Department of
Conservation and Natural Resour ces, is pleased to offer the nrg Outdoors Challenge. The
t w o-week, t u r n-key program features school wide lessons and activities designed to teach
s t u d e n t s the five behaviors for achieving energy balance and promote active outdoor
recreation. The five behaviors are part of a health education message promoted by the
Children’s Hospital and include:

1 or more hours of physical activity each day
B e a c t i v e o u t d o o r s

2 or less hours of screen time each day
Find alternatives to screen time and conserve electricity

3 balanced meals each day
Pack balanced meals or snacks for outdoor adventures

4 or more cups of water or low/no-calorie beverages each day
Drink plenty of water and conserve it too

5 or more servings of fruits and veggies each day
Eat local fruits and veggies

The following provides a description of materials and resources provided in the nrg Outdoors
Challenge Kit. This overview is designed t o assist your school in the devel opment and
implementation of the nrg Outdoors Challenge.

The nrg Outdoors Challenge is a two-week activity that equips youth with the skills needed to engage in outdoor recreation activities and learn five important behaviors for maintaining good health.

During week one of the curriculum, a classroom teacher instructs youth on ways to achieve each of five daily behaviors: one hour of physical activity – emphasizing outdoor activity; limiting non-educational screen time to less than two hours and conserving electricity; eating three balanced meals and nutritious snacks; drinking at least four cups of water to stay hydrated throughout the day; and buying local fruits and vegetables to get the recommended five servings per day.

The second week, students are “challenged” to act one or more of the behaviors with a friend or family member outside of the classroom.

Bring the nrg Outdoors Challenge to your school. Download the following materials to get started:

• nrg Outdoors Implementation Guide
• nrg Outdoors Challenge Checklist
• Five Days of nrg Outdoors Activities:
  • Day 1 (PDF)
  • Day 2 (PDF)
  • Day 3 (PDF)
  • Day 4 (PDF)
  • Day 5 (PDF)
• Challenge Materials
  • Poster (PDF)
  • Goal Card (PDF)
  • Take Home Recipes (PDF)
  • Bulletin Board (PDF)
• Template Promotional Materials
  • Newsletter Insert (DOC)
  • Parent Letter (DOC)
  • Teacher Letter (DOC)
  • Recreation Leader Letter (DOC)
  • Thank you Letter (DOC)
  • Template Press Release (DOC)

The diversity of our parks system

Today, 390 units of the National Park, only 58 are designated as “national parks”. The classification system used by the National Park Service has 18 other names, including descriptive lists, such as lake shores, beaches and battlefields, and other securities that can not be fully classified due to diversity of resources within them.

Several important events in the history of our nation are interpreted in the national park system, including the completion of the transcontinental railroad, the Supreme Court decision (Brown vs. Board of Education), which aims to eliminate segregation in public schools, and the flood of Johnstown, one of the worst disasters in American history. Many of our historic sites tell the stories and preserve the legacy of important people who helped shape our nation’s past and present, including notable African Americans, Hispanics and women. Parks to celebrate inventors like Thomas Edison and the Wright brothers, writers such as Eugene O’Neill and Edgar Allan Poe, and also to recognize the contributions of many of our former presidents. Battle of the historic sites, battlefield parks, military parks, and tell the stories of major conflicts in the course of our nation’s history, including the Revolutionary War, the Civil War. and more recently the World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

And it’s fun …

The National Park System now comprises 388 areas covering more than 83 million acres in 49 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan and the Virgin Islands. Although rich in history of the interpretation provided by the National Park Service, the statistics still show that the most visited parks are generally those that include scenic and / or provide opportunities for outdoor recreation. These include national parks and national recreation areas, including popular parks such as the Golden Gate National Recreation, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Yosemite National Park, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Canyon National Park.

If your interest is history, geography, biology, zoology, archeology, or simply enjoy the outdoors, the National Park System is definitely something to capture your interest. Teachers and students can access a number of excellent educational resources available at our park system, including the ability to learn through the parks of classrooms and the curriculum with Historic Places. In addition, voluntary work, seasonal or full-time can provide valuable training and experience, and offer the chance to explore some of the most beautiful natural areas of protected land and the country has to offer.

Many of the important events in the history of our nation are interpreted in the system of national parks, including the completion of the transcontinental railroad, the Supreme Court decision (Brown vs. Board of Education) aimed at ending segregation in public schools, and the Johnstown Flood , one of the worst disasters in American history. Many of our historic sites tell the stories and preserve the legacy of important people who helped shape our nation’s past and present, including notable African-Americans, Hispanics and women. Parks celebrate inventors like the Wright brothers and Thomas Edison, writers like Eugene O’Neill and Edgar Allan Poe, and also recognize the contributions of many of our past presidents. National historic sites, battlefields, military parks, and tell the stories of major conflicts in the course of our nation’s history, including the Revolutionary War, the Civil War. and more recently the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

And then there’s fun …

The National Park System now comprises 390 areas covering more than 83 million acres in 49 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan and the Virgin Islands. Although rich in history with the interpretation provided by the National Park Service, the statistics still show that the most visited parks are usually those that include great scenery and / or provide opportunities for outdoor recreation. In 1998, the five most popular destinations including the Blue Ridge Parkway, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Lake Mead National Recreation Area. and Gateway National Recreation Area. Only one of 20 most visited sites is a national historic park or national historic site.
If your interest is history, geography, biology, zoology, archeology, or simply enjoy the outdoors, the national park system is definitely something to capture your interest. Teachers and students can access a number of excellent educational resources available at our park system, including the ability to learn through the Parks as Classrooms Program and Teaching with Historic Places. In addition, voluntary and seasonal work or full-time can provide valuable training and experience, and offer the chance to explore some of the most beautiful natural areas protected lands and that the country has to offer.

nrgOutdoors : annual program designed to improve outdoor recreation skills, promote the use of parks and trails and improve conservation practices among youth and families.