Fit4Kids -First grade- Taylor Small, Kiana McCummings, Shannon Ehret, Morgan Gaters, Marissa Lynch

What is it? “Non-profit organization dedicated to improving children’s health and wellness and reducing childhood obesity.” (grfit4kids.org) *Stimulates the brain *Increases focus and alertness *Enhances mood *Improves memory *Bolsters test performance *Makes learning fun Integrating physical activity Into any subject

Why we need it Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates have tripled and now more than one-third of American children between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight or obese. This could possibly be the first generation to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents if this trend continues. In Virginia, 45% of youth do not have at least 1 serving of vegetables per day In Virginia, 52% of youth do not have at least 1 serving of fruit per day.

Who will benefit? The school: Research: The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) states, “…physical activity can have an impact on cognitive skills, attitudes and academic behavior, all of which are important components of improved academic performance. These include enhanced concentration and attention, as well as improved classroom behavior.” The school: Teachers will benefit because physical activity leads to enhanced concentration and attention as well as improved classroom behavior. Parents: Parents will have healthier kids that are more health conscious, in better moods, and more successful in school. The students: This innovative program promotes physical activity and healthy eating in school and the community. That leads to improving children’s health, reducing the prevalence of childhood obesity, and also improving the way students learn in the classroom.

Year at a glance Introduce the program to students in the second week of school to allow students to adjust to the unique lesson style. For the first nine weeks, do one or two lessons a week depending on what timing allows. The second nine weeks, start to plan two active lessons per week and possibly one brain break a week. By the third nine weeks, try to do 2-3 active lessons per week, but always do at least two. Include 1-2 brain breaks in a week as well. The fourth nine weeks, students should expect to do 2-3 active lessons in a week and 2 brain breaks. For each nine weeks, use active lessons for multiple of the core subjects throughout the week.

Week at a glance Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Morning Meeting- 30 min Social Studies- 1 hr 15 min ACTIVE LESSON Social Studies- 1 hr 15 min Recess- 30 min Lunch- 25 min Math- 1 hr 15 min Language arts- 1 hr 15 min Language Arts- 1 hr 15 min Language Arts- 1 hr 15 min ACTIVE LESSON Music- 45 min Art- 45 min PE- 45 min Computer- 45 min Library- 45 min Science- 1 hr 15 min Science- 1 hr 15 min BRAIN BREAK

Sample Lesson Plans

1st grade lessons Language Arts: Math: Students will practice word wall words with dance moves (Language Arts SOL 1.13), in a game of “freeze dance”. When the music stops, the teacher will hold up a word, choose a student to read the word, then all students will spell the word out with their bodies. Once every student spells the word, then the music is turned back on. Students will apply phonetic principles in a consonant blend scavenger hunt. They will be given a worksheet containing the ends of the words with the beginning consonant blends missing, and successfully find the index cards with their missing letters on it around the room. Math: Students will practice counting by twos, fives, and tens to one hundred (Math SOL 1.2), in a aerobics exercise. For each activity students will pick an exercise to do while they count to one hundred. For example, count by twos doing arm circles until the class reaches one hundred.

1st grade lessons Science: Students will review weather and seasonal changes by understanding the relationship between the sun and the Earth (Science SOL 1.7). The students will accomplish this by pretending to be the Earth, sun and moon and by rotating and revolving around each other and the room. Social Studies: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of goods and services (Social Science SOL 1.7) through a relay game where students hop to the opposite cone, locate a picture and determine if it goes in the good or service bag, then hop back to the team.

Sources: Ratey, John J., and Eric Hagerman. Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. New York: Little, Brown, 2008. Print. @gr_fit4kids. "About Us - Fit4Kids." Fit4Kids. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016. "How Physical Activity Affects Academic Performance." SPARK PE. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.