| Purpose: |
To allow 6th through
8th grade students an opportunity to explore personal
physical fitness. |
| Objectives: |
- Students
will explore their own levels of physical
fitness according to the three components
of fitness: strength, flexibility, and endurance.
- Students
will be able to identify activities that they
can use on a regular basis to maintain or
improve fitness.
- Students
will set their own physical activity goals
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Summary of Learning Activities:
Before participating in these activities
check for students who might not be able to participate
fully due to health or medical reasons.
Moving On
Students will check items that will help them be more
active. As a class you may take a few days or a week
for the students to practice some of the activities
they have checked. At a later class session schedule
a report of the students' progress toward increased
activity. Are they meeting their goals? What helps
or hinders them from meeting goals? Is it possible
to change the obstacles? If so, how?
Pulse Jump
This activity helps students identify the effect of
exercise on heart activity. Students will take their
pulses at rest. Pulse may be felt by placing the first
two fingers of one hand on the inside wrist of the
opposite arm or on the carotid artery located on the
side of the neck. (Don't use thumbs for taking pulses.)
Count the number of beats for 15 seconds and multiply
by four to get the resting heart rate.
Then, instruct students to jump in place
for two minutes and re-check heart rate.
Ask: Has the heart rate doubled? Has the heart rate
more than doubled?
Rest one minute and check heart rate
again.
Ask: After a one minute rest following jumping what
is the new heart rate?
Is the rate returning to normal? If not, what does
that indicate about fitness? ( If physically fit,
heart rates should be returning to normal after rest.)
What can students do to increase their heart fitness?
Assessing
Fitness
This activity allows students to check their current
level of fitness for strength, flexibility and endurance.
Students should wear comfortable clothing that will
allow them to move. Students will work in pairs for
the flexibility and strength testing.
Endurance testing should be done after the flexibility
and strength activities because they will serve as
a warm-up period. Have the students complete their
warm-up by walking briskly for 30-60 seconds. For
the endurance activity use an area that you can measure
distance before hand. If students will be running
laps ask them to keep track of their own number of
laps. When students complete the five minute run have
them walk through a cool down period and finish with
some stretches.
Retests of the flexibility, strength
and endurance tests should be completed after you
have completed the Nutrition, Fitness and Youth units
and after the students have had a chance to develop
and practice towards their physical activity goals.
It will be a good opportunity to see if the students
are making some positive changes in their physical
activity levels. Allow at least four weeks between
the first test and the re-test.
My Fitness Goals
Complete this goal setting activity after the Assessing
Fitness Activity. Ask each student to complete the
worksheet "My Fitness Goals" and submit
it to you. When students are setting fitness goals
in this activity ask them to set short-term goals
for a four week period.
At the end of the four weeks, you can
review the goals and level of fitness. Students should
also re-check their resting pulse rates.
Questions for the students to
address at the end of the four week period. You can
make this a written assignment or have the students
discuss these questions in a group setting:
- What changes, if any, have been made in fitness
level and resting pulse rate? If there are changes,
what has caused them?
- What are the students' feelings abut them? Have
the changes been worth the effort?
- Will students continue their fitness goals? Why
or why not?
- Will students make changes in their fitness goals?
In what way?
- If there are not any changes recorded, why not?
- What conclusions can students make about working
toward an appropriate fitness level?
One part of the success of this worksheet
is helping students identify people who can help them
with their fitness plans. Physical education teachers,
coaches, parents, or friends may be logical choices.
Be ready for some suggestions for the students.
Final Note
National norms for physical fitness are available.
This unit may be taught by a physical education teacher
who has the information or write:
President's Council on Physical Fitness
and Sports
Department W
200 Independence Ave., SW
Room 738?H
Washington, D.C. 20201?0004
Phone: 202-690-9000
Fax: 202-690-5211
E-mail: PCPFS@OSOPHS.DHHS.GOV
Website: http://www.fitness.gov
Additional information may be obtained from the:
American Alliance for Health,
Physical Education, Recreation and Dance
1900 Association Drive
Reston, VA 22091
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