Next Step Creates & Develops

We started with using centering breath at the beginning of Leadership Development workshops at Drake University. Mindfulness spread to our families, and then to kids’ classes, and then we developed the first set of activity Cards.

• Mindfulness & Movement Activity Cards–
  • The Foundation Deck
  • The Growth Deck
• Content for the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s own Mindfulness and Movement cards for student athletes

When COVID19 deep sixed three major Next Step events, we thought we had come to the end of the journey. But as we watched the pandemic unfold, and parents were challenged to work from home AND educate their kids, we thought, Hey! We have something to offer! So, we got to work and developed and collected a bunch of activities and lessons, each designed for ANYONE to lead with kids. They’re loosely gathered into these four categories:

• Outdoors
• Mindfulness & Movement
• Art
• Social Justice

During the process, we developed print-and-go activities for several organizations’ clientele, and they’re available right here on our website. Most are fun, hands-on activities that don’t require a lot of supplies or know-how. Try them out. They’re great!

Just like most Iowans, Next Step team members don’t have to look too far back to find roots in agriculture. Martha spent her best summers on her grandparents’ farm, learning to milk the cow, and helping make hay.

Sara’s family moved back to help with the family farm, and Sara is working with her dad on trying new, environmentally friendly and sustainable practices. We know farms are where our food come from. NOT the grocery store, at least not initially. Here are some of the resources we’ve developed to teach kids the connection between food and farming:

• Teachers Going Green
• A Garden for Every School
• Waukee Schools science curriculum

We LOVE food! Throughout her career at ISU Extension, Martha created, developed and managed nutrition education programs. And now Next Step continues the work. Here are some of the projects where we promote good health through good food–

• Developed Farm to School lessons for Waukee Schools, including taste tests!
• Created content for Choose Iowa for the Iowa Department of Education
• Teacher training workshops in collaboration with Food Corps and other organizations
• You’ll find some recipes and lessons on our Home Learning Resources page too

So many outstanding lessons and teaching activities exist. Aligning them with the Iowa Academic Standards gets them into classrooms. Our team of teachers know the standards inside and out. We can easily connect your content with academics taught in every classroom.

• Pick A Better Snack Lessons – Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
• Farm to Schools Lessons – Waukee Schools
• Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge Lesson Plans
• Teachers Going Green
• Pollinator lessons for Story County Conservation

The way to reach kids, families, and communities is to think like them. That’s what we do best! We created a printable Family Fun Pack for Travel Iowa complete with games, activities, and picnic ideas. For Choose Iowa we developed learning activities and eye-catching posters to promote local foods in schools.

• Choose Iowa
• Travel Iowa
• Central Iowa Yoga Retreat
• Social media