Increasing Physical Activity in Elementary School Classrooms Dr. Brent Heidorn Health and Physical Education University of West Georgia.

Increasing Physical Activity in Elementary School Classrooms

Dr. Brent HeidornHealth and Physical Education

University of West Georgia

Reasons for Movement

1. The shape of our nation

2. Movement enhances learning

3. Development of the whole child

PE vs. PA

Physical Education - the instructional program designed to teach national and state standards and to develop physically educated individuals who have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of physical activity

Physical Activity - bodily movement that substantially increases energy expenditure

Discussion

Preparing Classroom Teachers to Meet Students’ Physical Activity Needs

A Shared Leadership Approach to Promoting School Wellness Policy and Program Change

Start the Day Movement Activities

• Get students moving early in the school day

– Recreational opportunities and intramurals– Announcements and movement– Videos (Example: Adventure to Fitness)

School Walking Program

• Students log miles walked each day, week, month, semester, year

– Class goal: walk across the state

ING Run for Something Better

Transitioning Breaks

• Get students moving between classes and during breaks throughout the day

Recess

What is Recess?

Recess is unstructured but purposeful break time during the school day that allows kids to engage in physical activity and social development

All children should engage in at least one daily period of recess for at least 15-20 minutes per period

Scheduling and Planning Recess

• Recess should be outdoors if weather is above freezing. If inclement weather prevents recess, indoor movement and social breaks should be the replacement

• Recess is not scheduled immediately before or after physical education class

• Recess does not interfere with physical education classes that are taking place in a common environment

Supervision at Recess

• Recess should be properly supervised by adults

• Adults should intervene only when a child’s physical or emotional safety is an issue

Promoting Physical Activity at Recess

• Adequate, safe, and developmentally appropriate equipment is provided for students to engage in enjoyable physical activity (balls, ropes, etc.)

• Adequate, safe spaces and facilities are provided for all students to be physically active at the same time

Promote Physical Activity at Recess

Teach low organization games children can play on their own

– Four Square– Hopscotch– Different versions of Kickball– Horse, Around the World, etc.– Wall Ball, Tetherball, etc.– Tag games– Long Rope Jumping Challenges– Short Rope Jumping Challenges– Recess Activities of the Week (RAW)

Promoting Physical Activity at Recess

Recess is not viewed as a reward but as a necessary educational support component for all children

Students should not be denied recess so they can complete class work or as a means of punishment

Before- and After-School Programs

Interscholastic Sports

Intramural Sports

Special Tournaments

Walk- and Bike-to-School Programs

• Safe routes to school• Motivational opportunities

Comprehensive School-Based Physical Activity Program

Physical Activity and the CommunityFamily game night

Share facilities

Nutrition and physical activity seminars

Newsletters, websites, emails

Physical activity at home

Special initiatives

Summer camp

Local partnerships

Guest speakers

Fundraisers

Community outreach

Energizers

UNO FITNESS

RED = JOG IN PLACE

YELLOW = SWIM

GREEN = SCISSOR JUMPS

BLUE = CROSS CRAWLS

MORNING ROUTINE

Participate in a series of simple activities lasting

30 seconds or more:

Jumping jacks Reach for the sky

Knee lifts Runner’s stretch

Flap arms like a bird Marching in place

Hopping on one foot Rotate ankles

Scissor jumps Scratch your back

PICK-IT-UP

Elbow and elbowFoot and foot

Knee and kneeForearm and elbow

Foot and elbowKnee and elbow

Forehead and back of hand

Foot and finger

SPORTS GALORE

Mimic the sport skills as they are called

Shooting a jump shot Juggling a soccer ballRunning through tires Shooting an arrowBatting a baseball Shooting a hockey puckServing a tennis ball Swimming underwaterDownhill skiing Fielding a grounderSpiking a volleyball Dunking a basketballSwinging a golf club Throwing a football

Physical Activity Integrated into Classroom Learning

MathReadingScienceSocial Studies

Language Arts

SpellingOther

SPACE JAM

Follow directions to the story

When you hear a verb, act it out for 5 seconds

Participate enthusiastically!

Let’s Walk

Using the Prepositions:

OVER, UNDER, AROUND, and THROUGH

Over Under Around Through

The Atlantic Ocean

A tree branch

Your desk A creaky door

A wiggly bridge

Your desk A chair A long tunnel

A steep hill Your dog A circle A window

A thorny bush

Water A dirty trash can

A haunted house

The bed of a sleeping

giant

A limbo stick A camp fire A swimming pool

Jump into Geography

• Create a scale relating movement to distances on a map

– 1 small step = 1 mile – 1 giant step = 10 miles – 1 jump = 100 miles

• Students use a map scale to measure the distance between two cities or countries

• Using movements on the map scale created, students identify which movements should be combined to travel between two points

– If the distance between two cities is 121 miles, students take 1 jump, 2 giant steps, and 1 small step

AS IF…

Act out each sentence for 10 secondsParticipate enthusiastically!

Jog in place AS IF a big scary bear is chasing you

Walk AS IF you’re walking through chocolate pudding

Jump in place AS IF you are popcorn popping

Reach up AS IF grabbing balloons out of the air

March in place AS IF you are in a marching band

Paint AS IF the paint brush is attached to your head

Swim AS IF you are in a giant pool of Jell-O

Move your feet AS IF you are ice skating

Shake your body AS IF you are a wet dog

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’

March across the Golden Gate Bridge Surf in the Pacific Ocean

Wave to your fans in Hollywood Climb up a Redwood tree

Flex your muscles like the governor Stomp the grapes

Pick oranges in your yard In-line skate on the boardwalk

Ski on the Sierra Nevadas Crawl through Death Valley

Shoot a foul shot at the Staples Center Swim in the backyard pool

This is a great energizer to help students practice different types of sport activities.

Hit a baseball like you play for the Atlanta Braves.

Throw a football like the quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons.

Shoot a basketball like you play for the Atlanta Hawks.

Hit a golf ball like you are playing in the Masters.

Kick a soccer ball like you play for the Atlanta Silverbacks.

Georgia on my mind

For 5 seconds each, pretend that you are…

Rowing a boat in the Oconee River.

Climbing up Stone Mountain.

Swimming around Tybee Island.

Flying like a bird out of Hartsfield Airport.

Racing around the track at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Chopping down a Pine tree.

Shooting baskets at Phillips Arena.

Throwing a touchdown pass between the hedges at Sanford Stadium.

Jogging around Centennial Park.

Hitting a homerun at Turner Field.

Hiking around the Georgia foothills.

Waterskiing at Lake Lanier.

• Hiking like …• Swinging a bat like …• Kicking a soccer ball like …• Flipping a big tire like …• Shooting a basketball like …• Doing a squat like …• Jogging like …

Teachers: you can fill in the blank with students in your class

ACT AS IF YOU ARE…

Lets take a walk through the Jungle and see what we can find….

Walking in place..

• STEP OVER THE VINES (knees up)…• Arms out and BALANCE on the LOG…• Hop in and Wade through the RIVER…• Use the ROPE LADDER to get out…• Dry off…• We found a forest fire; throw 3

buckets of WATER on it..

• MONKEY in the TREE!

SQUAT down and COVER your head!

We need to find our way out of HERE!

• Jog in place..• Move the VINES with your ARMS…

STOP• Now REACH up high… and GRAB a strong VINE!

Use it like a ROPE and

CLIMB up, up, up!• Monkey in the TREE!!!!• We made it!! BRUSH yourself off in

case of BUGS!

Snack AttackPopcorn- jump up like pop corn popping

Ice Cream- FREEZE!

A Cake Rising-start from the floor and rise up on your tip toes with hands towards the sky

Gumball-curl yourself up in to a ball with your knees to your chest and head between your legs

Toast-Start from a squat position and jump in the air spreading your arms and legs out while in flight. (star jump)

Jell-O- Wiggle in place like a bowl of jell-o

Sausage-lie on your side and curl yourself into a semi circle

Training for the Olympics

DirectionsYou are to act out the sport as it is

posted.

Winter Olympics

• Jump and do a 360° spin like you are Shaun White

• Sweep like you are on the USA curling team• Ski like Lindsey Vonn• Balance and spin like Peter Lysacek on the

ice• Shoot a goal like Sydney Crosby

Summer Olympics

• Swim like Michael Phelps• Shoot a basketball like the Dream Team• Sprint in place like Usain Bolt• Balance on one leg like Nastia Liukins• Spike a volleyball like Kerri Walsh

Move Counter-Clockwise around the room

– Flutter like a butterfly

– Jump like a frog from lily pad to lily pad

– Ice skate for a gold medal

– Row a boat away from a storm

– Run like a bear is chasing you

– Skip down the yellow brick road, all the

way back to your seats

High Five RightHigh Five LeftLow Five RightLow Five LeftHigh Ten

Low Ten

Backwards High TenBackwards Low Ten

Sole of Shoe RightSole of Shoe LeftElbow Right

Elbow Left

• Students are in a push-up position

• Students touch the opposite shoulder with their hand and state a multiple of a number called out by the teacher

• Number 2: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12• Number 3: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18• Spelling words, ABC’s, etc.

Dr. Brent HeidornDepartment of Leadership and

Applied InstructionHealth and Physical Education

University of West GeorgiaCarrollton, GA 30118

[email protected] 678-839-6189