Increasing Physical Activity in Elementary School Classrooms Dr. Brent Heidorn Health 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 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 Community Family game night Share facilities Nutrition and physical activity seminars Newsletters, websites, s 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 jacksReach for the sky Knee liftsRunner’s stretch Flap arms like a birdMarching in place Hopping on one footRotate ankles Scissor jumpsScratch your back

PICK-IT-UP Elbow and elbow Foot and foot Knee and knee Forearm and elbow Foot and elbow Knee and elbow Forehead and back of hand Foot and finger

SPORTS GALORE Mimic the sport skills as they are called Shooting a jump shotJuggling a soccer ball Running through tiresShooting an arrow Batting a baseballShooting a hockey puck Serving a tennis ballSwimming underwater Downhill skiingFielding a grounder Spiking a volleyballDunking a basketball Swinging a golf clubThrowing a football

Physical Activity Integrated into Classroom Learning Math Reading Science Social Studies Language Arts Spelling Other

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 OverUnderAroundThrough The Atlantic Ocean A tree branch Your deskA creaky door A wiggly bridge Your deskA chairA long tunnel A steep hillYour dogA circleA window A thorny bush WaterA dirty trash can A haunted house The bed of a sleeping giant A limbo stickA camp fireA 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 seconds Participate 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 BridgeSurf in the Pacific Ocean Wave to your fans in HollywoodClimb up a Redwood tree Flex your muscles like the governorStomp the grapes Pick oranges in your yardIn-line skate on the boardwalk Ski on the Sierra NevadasCrawl through Death Valley Shoot a foul shot at the Staples CenterSwim 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 Attack Popcorn- 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

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 Right High Five Left Low Five Right Low Five Left High Ten Low Ten Backwards High Ten Backwards Low Ten Sole of Shoe Right Sole of Shoe Left Elbow 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 Heidorn Department of Leadership and Applied Instruction Health and Physical Education University of West Georgia Carrollton, GA