Pedal Power: How One Community Became the Bicycle Capital of the World (Green Power)
What’s inside...
Cycling rules the road in Amsterdam today, but that wasn't always the case. In the 1970's, Amsterdam was so crowded with vehicles that bicyclists could hardly move, but moms and kids relied on their bicycles to get around the city. 'Pedal Power' is the story of the people who led protests against the unsafe streets and took over a vehicles-only tunnel on their bikes, showing what a little pedal power could do! Author and illustrator Allan Drummond returns with the story of the people that paved the way for safe biking around the world.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
4-8
Length
40 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What are some ways your community could become more bike-friendly?
How do bicycles help reduce pollution and benefit our environment?
What did you learn about teamwork from how the community in the book worked together?
Can you think of a problem in our community that we could solve together like they did in the book?
How did reading about the bicycle capital make you feel about riding a bike?
Tip: Role play these questions
Start by sharing your own experiences or wishes about bicycling and its benefits to both health and the environment.
Encourage your child to imagine and describe what their ideal bike-friendly city would look like.
Discuss the importance of community efforts and teamwork by drawing parallels from the book to real-life scenarios in your community.
Help them think critically about the changes they can contribute to, no matter how small, towards making their environment more sustainable.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Environmental Stewardship
Explanation: The story illustrates the transformation of a community through the adoption of bicycles, highlighting the reduction of carbon emissions and promoting sustainable living.
Real-World Application: Children can be encouraged to use eco-friendly modes of transportation like biking or walking for short distances to help reduce their carbon footprint.
Example Lesson: Community Collaboration
Explanation: The book showcases how the collective effort of a community can lead to significant positive changes, emphasizing teamwork and cooperation.
Real-World Application: Kids can learn to participate in community projects or group activities at school that aim for a common good, fostering a sense of teamwork.
Example Lesson: Problem Solving
Explanation: The narrative follows the community as they tackle traffic and pollution issues through innovative solutions, teaching the importance of critical thinking and creativity in addressing problems.
Real-World Application: Children can be encouraged to think creatively to solve everyday problems, whether it’s finding ways to organize their rooms or coming up with a plan to reduce waste at home.
Example Lesson: Healthy Living
Explanation: The adoption of bicycles in the story promotes physical health through exercise, and mental well-being by reducing pollution-related stress.
Real-World Application: Children can be inspired to engage in regular physical activities like cycling or walking, which are great for their physical and mental health.
Example Lesson: Civic Responsibility
Explanation: The book depicts how individual actions contribute to the larger community’s welfare, instilling a sense of responsibility and citizenship.
Real-World Application: Kids can learn to make decisions that not only benefit themselves but also positively impact others around them, such as recycling or conserving water.