solid fats, added sugars, salt
reduce
moderation
watching TV, playing video games, computer time
balance
S
Balanced Energy Physical Activity Toolkit decrease increase
Author
Katherine Gunter, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist • School of Biological and Population Health Sciences • Extension Family and Community Health Program and Brendan Klein, MPH
Make at least half your grains whole grains
Balancing Calories Balancing physical activity with healthy eating
Participate in muscle-strengthening physical activities
balance
Switch to fat free or low fat milk
Enjoy your food, but eat less
Engage in bone-strengthening activities at
Enjoy physical activity, do it more
Avoid oversized portions
solid fats, added sugars, salt
moderation
reduce
watching TV, playing video games, computer time
S
Avoid sedentary activities
least 3 days a week
Foods to increase
decrease increase
Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous
Activities to reduce
Choose food with low sodium Choose activities with the most health
Activities to increase
Make half your plate vegetables & fruits
Foods to reduce
benefits
Drink water instead of sugary drinks Be active instead of sedentary
Hop Around My Plate
Balancing Calories Balancing physical activity with healthy eating
Instructions:
Step 1
• Find a spot on the floor where you can have “personal game space” all around you (demonstrate by extending arms and moving slowly around in a circle). • Each direction (forward, backward, right, left) represents a food group. Forward is vegetables (have everyone hop forward and then back to original position); backward is fruits (hop backward and return); left is grains (practice); right is meat & beans (practice).
Indoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Draw diagram on board to show game space (see below).
• OK – back to starting position.
Step 2
• When the game begins, everyone stand on one foot. When I name a food, hop on one foot in the direction of the category that food belongs in. Let’s try one, “BREAD.” Great job! Everyone should have hopped to their LEFT because BREAD is a GRAIN. • Keep your balance as long as possible. Be careful – let’s be safe and stay on our feet. If you have trouble hopping with one foot you can hop with both feet.
Step 3 – Are you ready?
Leader calls out food names while students hop to the squares. Continue until the allotted time has passed. • Monitor class for success – hopping in correct direction; balancing on one or two feet.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about balancing your body and how it compares to balancing calorie intake and expenditure.
Source: Adapted from Mind and Body Activities for the Elementary Classroom. 2008. “Brain Breaks” Michigan Department of Education. www.emc.cmich.edu.
balance
vegetables grains
“Hopper”
meat & beans
fruits
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: None
Balancing Calories Balancing physical activity with healthy eating
balance
Nutrition Key Message: Balancing Calories
Find your own balance between food and physical activity. Less active individuals generally need fewer calories than more active individuals.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Balancing physical activity with healthy eating. Balance time spent doing sedentary activities with active time. The more you participate in sports, active play and other physical activities, the more nutritious foods you need to fuel those activities.
Talking Points:
• Energy balance is very important to make sure that we get enough calories to sustain our activities. Balance calories from food and beverages according to your activity level. • Are there days of the week that you are more active than others? Do you eat differently on those days? Are you hungrier on those days? • Have class participants think about their own daily activity. Should all people of similar age, size and gender eat the same number of calories? Discuss how two people can be the same in appearance (gender, height, weight), but if one is much more active than the other, they need more calories (see the Fuel your Fun chart). • Talk to participants about energy balance. Ask them to think of ways that weight might increase (i.e. reducing PA or increasing calories) or decrease (i.e. increasing PA or reducing calories). Is one better than the other? Discuss.
Toss Across
Balancing Calories Balancing physical activity with healthy eating
Instructions:
Step 1
• Divide up into groups of two to six. Smaller groups are desirable to maximize movement for the most children. • Those in groups should form a straight line with each line parallel to one another. • Place a cone at the start of each line. This is the start line. Another cone will be placed at some distance in front of the lines (anything can be a cone).
Step 2
• When the game begins, the students at the front of the line run to the other cone while dribbling (basketball or soccer style), carrying, or tossing the ball (in the air to themselves) as they run. • Once you reach the other cone stay put and toss, roll, or kick the ball to the next person in line. • The next person in line takes their turn. Encourage students to jump, dance, or twirl as they wait their turn. Keep moving until everyone has reached the other side.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Allow the students to go back and forth between the cones several times until the allotted time has passed. • Monitor class for success – transporting the ball effectively; getting it back to the next student.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about controlling and balancing the ball and how it compares to balancing calorie intake and expenditure.
Source: Adapted from Willenberg, Barbara. Physical Activity Cards. University of Missouri Extension. 2006. Promoting Lifetime Activity for Youth (P.L.A.Y.) program. Arizona Department of Health Services.
Outdoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
balance
Get Ready:
Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: Foam Balls – 5 to 10 Cones – 2 or more
Note:
Students who have trouble with these skills can run with the ball, dribble the ball with their feet, or use an imaginary ball! If you have space, have all children do the activity at once. Challenge students to complete a set number of trips between cones.
Balancing Calories Balancing physical activity with healthy eating
balance
Nutrition Key Message: Balancing Calories
• Find your own balance between food and physical activity. Less active individuals generally need fewer calories than more active individuals.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Balancing physical activity with healthy eating. • Balance time spent doing sedentary activities with active time. The more you participate in sports, active play and other physical activities, the more nutritious foods you need to fuel those activities.
Talking Points:
• Energy balance is very important to make sure that we get enough calories to sustain our activities. Balance calories from food and beverages according to your activity level. • Are there days of the week that you are more active than others? Do you eat differently on those days? Are you hungrier on those days? • Have class participants think about their own daily activity. Should all people of similar age, size and gender eat the same number of calories? Discuss how two people can be the same in appearance (gender, height, weight), but if one is much more active than the other, they need more calories (see the Fuel your Fun chart). • Talk to participants about energy balance. Ask them to think of ways that weight might increase (i.e. reducing PA or increasing calories) or decrease (i.e. increasing PA or reducing calories). Is one better than the other? Discuss.
Moving Questions
Balancing Calories Balancing physical activity with healthy eating
Instructions:
Step 1
• The goal of this activity is to maximize movement and answer questions about energy balance. • You will be asked (as a group) to complete a movement (e.g. do a silly dance for 30 seconds) and answer a question. Every time you get the answer right, I’ll do the movement too!
Step 2– Are you ready?
Leader calls out the specified movements (ideas listed below). After students complete the movement, the leader asks a question and allows them to answer. If they get it right the first time, the leader does the movement too. Repeat this process for 5 or more questions.
Movement Ideas
• jump high toward the sky with your hands in the air and then reach down low and slap the floor 2 times. • hop on one foot while turning in a circle 5 times. • run in place for 30 seconds. • imaginary jump rope (or real jump rope if space allows) for 30 seconds. • Do all the previous movements non-stop in the same order! • Monitor the class for success – completion of the specified activity; maintaining balance; correctly answering the questions.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about balancing nutrition and physical activity in their lives and go over any questions that were answered incorrectly.
Source: Adapted from East Carolina University: Activity Promotion Laboratory. Healthful Living Middle-School Energizers. 2007.
Indoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
balance
Get Ready:
Create some simple questions related to balancing calorie intake and expenditure. See the Tool Kit “Guide” for sample questions. Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: None
Balancing Calories Balancing physical activity with healthy eating
balance
Nutrition Key Message: Balancing Calories
• Find your own balance between food and physical activity. Less active individuals generally need fewer calories than more active individuals.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Balancing physical activity with healthy eating. • Balance time spent doing sedentary activities with active time. The more you participate in sports, active play and other physical activities, the more nutritious foods you need to fuel those activities.
Talking Points:
• Energy balance is very important to make sure that we get enough calories to sustain our activities. Balance calories from food and beverages according to your activity level. • Are there days of the week that you are more active than others? Do you eat differently on those days? Are you hungrier on those days? • Have class participants think about their own daily activity. Should all people of similar age, size and gender eat the same number of calories? Discuss how two people can be the same in appearance (gender, height, weight), but if one is much more active than the other, they need more calories (see the Fuel your Fun chart). • Talk to participants about energy balance. Ask them to think of ways that weight might increase (i.e. reducing PA or increasing calories) or decrease (i.e. increasing PA or reducing calories). Is one better than the other? Discuss.
Dicey Moves
Balancing Calories Balancing physical activity with healthy eating
Instructions:
Step 1
• Divide into groups of 3 or 4 students. Each group will receive 1 die.
Step 2
• When the game begins one student in each group should roll their die onto the floor. • You should begin doing the activity that is listed next to your number on the board. Continue doing the activity until your group is able to name 5 items from the food group for the number you have rolled. For the physical activity category you should name one activity that needs lots of fuel (e.g. running race) and one activity that needs very little fuel (e.g. sleeping). • Once your group has named 5 food items, your group can roll the die again. Encourage students to NOT repeat food items. This will increase activity time.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader tells the class to begin and allows the activity to continue until the allotted time has passed. • Monitor the class for success – performing the correct activity and naming appropriate food items.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about balancing nutrition and physical activity in their lives.
Indoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15mins.
balance
Get Ready:
Write the food group – movement paired phrases on the classroom board. For example Grains = jog in place; see below. 1) Grains = Jog in Place 2) Vegetables = Jumping Jacks 3) Fruits = Hop in Place 4) Milk = Forward Lunge 5) Meat and Beans = Squats 6) Physical Activity = Dance Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: Dice – 1 die for each group of students. Source: Adapted from Willenberg, Barbara. Physical Activity Cards. University of Missouri Extension. 2006. Promoting Lifetime Activity for Youth (P.L.A.Y.) program. Arizona Department of Health Services.
Balancing Calories Balancing physical activity with healthy eating
balance
Nutrition Key Message: Balancing Calories
• Find your own balance between food and physical activity. Less active individuals generally need fewer calories than more active individuals.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Balancing physical activity with healthy eating. • Balance time spent doing sedentary activities with active time. The more you participate in sports, active play and other physical activities, the more nutritious foods you need to fuel those activities.
Talking Points:
• Energy balance is very important to make sure that we get enough calories to sustain our activities. Balance calories from food and beverages according to your activity level. • Are there days of the week that you are more active than others? Do you eat differently on those days? Are you hungrier on those days? • Have class participants think about their own daily activity. Should all people of similar age, size and gender eat the same number of calories? Discuss how two people can be the same in appearance (gender, height, weight), but if one is much more active than the other, they need more calories (see the Fuel your Fun chart). • Talk to participants about energy balance. Ask them to think of ways that weight might increase (i.e. reducing PA or increasing calories) or decrease (i.e. increasing PA or reducing calories). Is one better than the other? Discuss.
Speed Scarves
Balancing Calories Balancing physical activity with healthy eating
Indoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
balance
Instructions:
Step 1
• Have students pair up and give each pair a scarf.
Step 2
• To begin, I will give you an activity (jumping jacks, jogging in place, hopping, etc.). One partner is the “scarf thrower” and one will do the activity. • The scarf thrower will throw the scarf as high into the air as possible and the partner will try to do as many repetitions of the activity as they can before the scarf drops. • The scarf thrower should try to catch the scarf just before it touches the ground.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader gives the students an activity once they have thrown their scarves in the air. Repeat the process with different activities until the allotted time has passed. • Monitor class for success – correctly completing the activity.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about balancing nutrition and physical activity in their lives.
Source: Willenberg, Barbara. Physical Activity Cards. University of Missouri Extension. 2006. Ball, Steve, Assistant Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Human Environmental Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia.
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: Scarf – 1 scarf for every two students.
Balancing Calories Balancing physical activity with healthy eating
balance
Nutrition Key Message: Balancing Calories
• Find your own balance between food and physical activity. Less active individuals generally need fewer calories than more active individuals.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Balancing physical activity with healthy eating. • Balance time spent doing sedentary activities with active time. The more you participate in sports, active play and other physical activities, the more nutritious foods you need to fuel those activities.
Talking Points:
• Energy balance is very important to make sure that we get enough calories to sustain our activities. Balance calories from food and beverages according to your activity level. • Are there days of the week that you are more active than others? Do you eat differently on those days? Are you hungrier on those days? • Have class participants think about their own daily activity. Should all people of similar age, size and gender eat the same number of calories? Discuss how two people can be the same in appearance (gender, height, weight), but if one is much more active than the other, they need more calories (see the Fuel your Fun chart). • Talk to participants about energy balance. Ask them to think of ways that weight might increase (i.e. reducing PA or increasing calories) or decrease (i.e. increasing PA or reducing calories). Is one better than the other? Discuss.
Line Up for Balance
Balancing Calories Balancing physical activity with healthy eating
Instructions:
Step 1
• Draw and/or use jump ropes to create enough lines to maximize movement time for all students. • In this activity you will practice your balance. The goal is to stay “on track”.
Step 2
• First let’s walk along the straight lines, keeping our feet on the line the whole way. • Once all the students have walked the straight lines, we will make it more challenging!
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader monitors as students walk on the lines. Once they have completed both the straight and zig-zag courses, make it more challenging by having them balance a bean bag on their heads. Other challenges include: • Walking heel-to-toe
• Changing arm positions (arms overhead, arms straight out in front, etc.) • Walk on toes or on heels Continue until the allotted time has passed. • Monitor class for success – correctly and safely completing the activity.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about balancing nutrition and physical activity in their lives.
Source: Adapted from an activity found in – “Let’s Go Play!”, Oregon State University, 2010.
Outdoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
balance
Get Ready:
Draw 10-20 foot long straight and zig-zag lines on paved play surface. Place jump ropes end to end on the floor in straight and zig-zag lines if the play surface is grass or dirt. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: Jump Ropes: 5 to 10 OR Sidewalk chalk Bean Bags: 5 to 10
line formations
Balancing Calories Balancing physical activity with healthy eating
balance
Nutrition Key Message: Balancing Calories
• Find your own balance between food and physical activity. Less active individuals generally need fewer calories than more active individuals.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Balancing physical activity with healthy eating. • Balance time spent doing sedentary activities with active time. The more you participate in sports, active play and other physical activities, the more nutritious foods you need to fuel those activities.
Talking Points:
• Energy balance is very important to make sure that we get enough calories to sustain our activities. Balance calories from food and beverages according to your activity level. • Are there days of the week that you are more active than others? Do you eat differently on those days? Are you hungrier on those days? • Have class participants think about their own daily activity. Should all people of similar age, size and gender eat the same number of calories? Discuss how two people can be the same in appearance (gender, height, weight), but if one is much more active than the other, they need more calories (see the Fuel your Fun chart). • Talk to participants about energy balance. Ask them to think of ways that weight might increase (i.e. reducing PA or increasing calories) or decrease (i.e. increasing PA or reducing calories). Is one better than the other? Discuss.
Bean Bag Balance
Balancing Calories Balancing physical activity with healthy eating
Instructions:
Step 1
• In this activity you will practice your balance by completing a series of movements that require you to balance your body (ask children what it means to balance their bodies).
Step 2
• When the activity begins place the bean bag on your head and balance it there as you walk around the room. Try moving slowly at first and then more quickly.
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
balance
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements.
• Once you have that down, I will give you new tasks to try while balancing the bean bag on your heads.
Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Leader allows students to practice walking with the bean bags on their heads. After a short time, begin giving students more difficult tasks such as:
Equipment Needed:
Step 3– Are you ready? • jumping up and down • touching their toes • spinning in circles • standing on one foot • squatting down and up
• Monitor class for success – correctly and safely completing the activity.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about balancing nutrition and physical activity in their lives.
Bean Bags – 1 for each student.
Balancing Calories Balancing physical activity with healthy eating
balance
Nutrition Key Message: Balancing Calories
• Find your own balance between food and physical activity. Less active individuals generally need fewer calories than more active individuals.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Balancing physical activity with healthy eating. • Balance time spent doing sedentary activities with active time. The more you participate in sports, active play and other physical activities, the more nutritious foods you need to fuel those activities.
Talking Points:
• Energy balance is very important to make sure that we get enough calories to sustain our activities. Balance calories from food and beverages according to your activity level. • Are there days of the week that you are more active than others? Do you eat differently on those days? Are you hungrier on those days? • Have class participants think about their own daily activity. Should all people of similar age, size and gender eat the same number of calories? Discuss how two people can be the same in appearance (gender, height, weight), but if one is much more active than the other, they need more calories (see the Fuel your Fun chart). • Talk to participants about energy balance. Ask them to think of ways that weight might increase (i.e. reducing PA or increasing calories) or decrease (i.e. increasing PA or reducing calories). Is one better than the other? Discuss.
A Healthy Week
Enjoy your food, but eat less Enjoy physical activity, do it more
Instructions:
Step 1
Step 2
Healthy Week Song “On the (day of the week) of good health my best friend said to me, do…” Monday – “one breath that fills your lungs up” Tuesday – “two forward lunges” Wednesday – “three overhead reaches” Thursday – “four forward kicks” Friday – “five jumping jacks” Saturday – “six vertical jumps” Sunday – “seven deep squats” Note: This song is sung in the same tune/format as the “12 Days of Christmas”
• Today we will be singing a song together that is similar to the holiday song the “12 Days of Christmas.” It’s called the “Healthy Week” song. • For each day of the week there will be a different movement. When we sing the movement we will complete the movement before singing the next verse. • Practice by singing the Monday verse together.
Step 3– Are you ready?
• Monitor the class for success – completing the correct activity at the specified time.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about participating in physical activity and eating healthfully every day of the week. Source: Adapted from an activity in Take 10!®, a registered trademark of the ILSI Research Foundation. © 2000, 2002, 2007 ILSI Research Foundation.
Indoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Write the “Healthy Week” song on the classroom board. Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: None
Enjoy your food, but eat less Enjoy physical activity, do it more
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message: Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Everyone has a personal calorie limit. Staying within yours can help you get to or maintain a healthy weight.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Enjoy physical activity, and do it more. • Children should accumulate at least 60 minutes, and up to several hours, of age-appropriate physical activity on all, or most days of the week.
• It is important to choose healthy foods (e.g. fruits) over less healthy foods (e.g. candy) as often as possible, and it is important to choose physical activity more often over less active options. • Have class participants think about time spent in daily physical activity and write it down. • Ask them to think of activities that they do non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time (active play, walking to school, sports) and activity that happens in shorter bouts (taking the stairs, walking to get the mail). Have kids work on math skills by adding up the minutes of physical activity in each category. • Talk about ways to increase the minutes of physical activity if they are not getting at least 60 minutes every day. • Talk to participants about making physical activity part of their daily lives outside of “exercise” and playtime. Ask class participants to think of active alternatives (or modifications) to the following activities: • sitting on the sidelines and watching a sibling play soccer • taking the elevator • sitting on the sofa and watching TV • Ask students to give other examples of inactive time that could be made more active.
Food Group Fitness
Enjoy your food, but eat less Enjoy physical activity, do it more
Instructions: FOOD GROUP-ACTIVITY Combinations Fruit = Jog In Place Vegetable = Skip in Place Grain = March with High Knees Protein = Deep Squats Dairy = Jump Up and Down My Plate = Dance
Step 1
• We will be doing different movements based on the food or food group name I call out. • Each food group is represented by a different movement. When I name a food group or a food that belongs to one of those groups, begin doing the movement. Keep going until I name another food or food group.
Step 2– Are you ready?
Leader calls out the names of food groups or foods while the students complete the movement for that group. Continue until the allotted time is passed.
• Monitor the class for success – completing the correct movement for the named food group or food.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about participating in physical activity and eating healthfully every day of the week.
Source: Adapted from an activity in Willenberg, Barbara. Physical Activity Cards. University of Missouri Extension. 2006. Jump Into Foods and Fitness. 4-H youth Development, Michigan State University Extension.
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Write or Draw the Food Group – Movement Combinations on the classroom board. Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: None
NOTE:
You may need to draw pictures for children who cannot read.
Enjoy your food, but eat less Enjoy physical activity, do it more
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message: Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Everyone has a personal calorie limit. Staying within yours can help you get to or maintain a healthy weight.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Enjoy physical activity, and do it more. • Children should accumulate at least 60 minutes, and up to several hours, of age-appropriate physical activity on all, or most days of the week.
• It is important to choose healthy foods (e.g. fruits) over less healthy foods (e.g. candy) as often as possible, and it is important to choose physical activity more often over less active options. • Have class participants think about time spent in daily physical activity and write it down. • Ask them to think of activities that they do non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time (active play, walking to school, sports) and activity that happens in shorter bouts (taking the stairs, walking to get the mail). Have kids work on math skills by adding up the minutes of physical activity in each category. • Talk about ways to increase the minutes of physical activity if they are not getting at least 60 minutes every day. • Talk to participants about making physical activity part of their daily lives outside of “exercise” and playtime. Ask class participants to think of active alternatives (or modifications) to the following activities: • sitting on the sidelines and watching a sibling play soccer • taking the elevator • sitting on the sofa and watching TV • Ask students to give other examples of inactive time that could be made more active.
Bean Bag Football
Enjoy your food, but eat less Enjoy physical activity, do it more
Instructions:
Step 1
• Divide students into two groups of approximately equal number. The two groups should go to opposite ends of the activity area. • One team is given the bean bag and must decide which students will carry it. The team with the bean bag will also be given a scarf for each student in the group. Instruct students to tuck the scarf into the back of their shorts/pants/skirts. • The student carrying the bean bag cannot pass it to another student but can conceal that they have it.
Step 2
• When the game begins, the team with the bean bag should try to make it to the other side of the activity area. • The other team will try to stop them by pulling out each student’s scarf before they reach the other side of the activity area. • When a student loses their scarf, they must reveal whether or not they have the bean bag and then run back behind their activity area to cheer for their team. Continue until the student with the bean bag reaches the other end or loses their scarf.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader switches which team has the bean bag for each round. Continue until the allotted time has passed.
• Monitor class for success – non-stop movement throughout the activity and safe participation by all students.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about participating in physical activity and eating healthfully every day of the week. Source: Adapted from an activity in from Waterloo Catholic District School Board. Exercise in Disguise 2. Ontario. 2005.
Outdoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready: None
Equipment Needed: Bean Bag – 1
Scarf – 1 for each student on the bean bag team Cones – 6 – Use to set up activity area as shown below.
Enjoy your food, but eat less Enjoy physical activity, do it more
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message: Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Everyone has a personal calorie limit. Staying within yours can help you get to or maintain a healthy weight.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Enjoy physical activity, and do it more. • Children should accumulate at least 60 minutes, and up to several hours, of age-appropriate physical activity on all, or most days of the week.
• It is important to choose healthy foods (e.g. fruits) over less healthy foods (e.g. candy) as often as possible, and it is important to choose physical activity more often over less active options. • Have class participants think about time spent in daily physical activity and write it down. • Ask them to think of activities that they do non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time (active play, walking to school, sports) and activity that happens in shorter bouts (taking the stairs, walking to get the mail). Have kids work on math skills by adding up the minutes of physical activity in each category. • Talk about ways to increase the minutes of physical activity if they are not getting at least 60 minutes every day. • Talk to participants about making physical activity part of their daily lives outside of “exercise” and playtime. Ask class participants to think of active alternatives (or modifications) to the following activities: • sitting on the sidelines and watching a sibling play soccer • taking the elevator • sitting on the sofa and watching TV • Ask students to give other examples of inactive time that could be made more active.
I’m a Food, You’re a Food
Enjoy your food, but eat less Enjoy physical activity, do it more
Instructions:
Step 1
• Stand up next to your desks and begin marching or jogging in place.
Step 2
• When the game begins, I will choose a food group from My Plate and say aloud, “I’m a (food group) and you’re a (food group) too if we are a…” • Then I will toss the foam ball to one student. The student who receives the ball should quickly name a healthy food item from that group. • If you like to eat the food that the students names, you should dance. And if you do not like that food you should jump up and down in place. • Once this is complete, the student with the ball should say the phrase again, choosing whichever food group they want. Example Phrase: “I’m a vegetable and you’re a vegetable too if we are a carrot.” The students will then dance or jump depending upon whether or not they like that food.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader begins the activity and then allows the students to pass the ball to each other. Continue until the allotted time has passed.
• Monitor class for success – correctly completing the activity and making sure that every student has a turn to catch the ball.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about participating in physical activity and eating healthfully every day of the week.
Source: Adapted from an activity in East Carolina University: Activity Promotion Laboratory. Healthful Living Middle-School Energizers. 2007
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: Foam Ball – 1
Enjoy your food, but eat less Enjoy physical activity, do it more
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message: Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Everyone has a personal calorie limit. Staying within yours can help you get to or maintain a healthy weight.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Enjoy physical activity, and do it more. • Children should accumulate at least 60 minutes, and up to several hours, of age-appropriate physical activity on all, or most days of the week.
• It is important to choose healthy foods (e.g. fruits) over less healthy foods (e.g. candy) as often as possible, and it is important to choose physical activity more often over less active options. • Have class participants think about time spent in daily physical activity and write it down. • Ask them to think of activities that they do non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time (active play, walking to school, sports) and activity that happens in shorter bouts (taking the stairs, walking to get the mail). Have kids work on math skills by adding up the minutes of physical activity in each category. • Talk about ways to increase the minutes of physical activity if they are not getting at least 60 minutes every day. • Talk to participants about making physical activity part of their daily lives outside of “exercise” and playtime. Ask class participants to think of active alternatives (or modifications) to the following activities: • sitting on the sidelines and watching a sibling play soccer • taking the elevator • sitting on the sofa and watching TV • Ask students to give other examples of inactive time that could be made more active.
We Like to Move it
Enjoy your food, but eat less Enjoy physical activity, do it more
Instructions:
Step 1
• This activity is simple and fun: 10 minutes of dancing. • Four students will be given a plastic bucket and will create the music using it as a drum. We will rotate drummers every two minutes until everyone has had a turn. • Some of you may think you don’t know how to dance or may be shy, but the most important thing is that you keep moving and have fun!
Step 2– Are you ready?
Leader select drummers and rotates them every two minutes. The leader should also dance with the class and show them some active dance moves (these can be as simple as waving both arms back and forth or jumping up and down with both arms up in the air).
• Monitor class for success – non-stop movement throughout the activity. • If the classroom (or you) have alternative or additional “music makers” such as bells or rhythm sticks you can mix it up. • The DVD included in the kit could also be used for this activity.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about participating in physical activity and eating healthfully every day of the week.
Indoor Grades: K-5 Time: 10 mins.
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements.
Equipment Needed: Plastic Buckets – 4
Optional Additional Equipment: Other music makers or instruments. DVD (included with kit).
Enjoy your food, but eat less Enjoy physical activity, do it more
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message: Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Everyone has a personal calorie limit. Staying within yours can help you get to or maintain a healthy weight.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Enjoy physical activity, and do it more. • Children should accumulate at least 60 minutes, and up to several hours, of age-appropriate physical activity on all, or most days of the week.
• It is important to choose healthy foods (e.g. fruits) over less healthy foods (e.g. candy) as often as possible, and it is important to choose physical activity more often over less active options. • Have class participants think about time spent in daily physical activity and write it down. • Ask them to think of activities that they do non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time (active play, walking to school, sports) and activity that happens in shorter bouts (taking the stairs, walking to get the mail). Have kids work on math skills by adding up the minutes of physical activity in each category. • Talk about ways to increase the minutes of physical activity if they are not getting at least 60 minutes every day. • Talk to participants about making physical activity part of their daily lives outside of “exercise” and playtime. Ask class participants to think of active alternatives (or modifications) to the following activities: • sitting on the sidelines and watching a sibling play soccer • taking the elevator • sitting on the sofa and watching TV • Ask students to give other examples of inactive time that could be made more active.
Bucket Ball
Enjoy your food, but eat less Enjoy physical activity, do it more
Instructions:
Outdoor Grades: K-5 Time: 10 mins.
• Divide students into four groups of approximately equal number. Each group should go to a different corner of the activity area.
Get Ready:
Step 1
Step 2
• When the activity begins, each student should grab a bean bag or ball from their bucket and place it in another team’s bucket. You may only grab one item per trip. The team with the least amount of items in their bucket at the end of the time is the winner for that round. • Occasionally, I will yell out the name of an activity (such as hopping, skipping, or dancing) and you must begin doing that activity while continuing to move items out of your bucket and into another team’s bucket.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader allows the game to begin and after a minute calls out a movement (e.g. hopping). Allow each round to continue for a set amount of time. Adjust teams if necessary to ensure “ability equity”. Continue until the allotted time has passed. • Monitor class for success – grabbing only one item per trip and safely / correctly completing the activities.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about participating in physical activity and eating healthfully every day of the week.
Source: Adapted from an activity in – “Let’s Go Play!”, Oregon State University, 2010.
Setup the activity area with one bucket in each corner of the activity area. Place an equal number of bean bags and foam balls in each bucket. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: Plastic Buckets – 4 Bean Bags – 32 Foam Balls – 10
Enjoy your food, but eat less Enjoy physical activity, do it more
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message: Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Everyone has a personal calorie limit. Staying within yours can help you get to or maintain a healthy weight.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Enjoy physical activity, and do it more. • Children should accumulate at least 60 minutes, and up to several hours, of age-appropriate physical activity on all, or most days of the week.
• It is important to choose healthy foods (e.g. fruits) over less healthy foods (e.g. candy) as often as possible, and it is important to choose physical activity more often over less active options. • Have class participants think about time spent in daily physical activity and write it down. • Ask them to think of activities that they do non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time (active play, walking to school, sports) and activity that happens in shorter bouts (taking the stairs, walking to get the mail). Have kids work on math skills by adding up the minutes of physical activity in each category. • Talk about ways to increase the minutes of physical activity if they are not getting at least 60 minutes every day. • Talk to participants about making physical activity part of their daily lives outside of “exercise” and playtime. Ask class participants to think of active alternatives (or modifications) to the following activities: • sitting on the sidelines and watching a sibling play soccer • taking the elevator • sitting on the sofa and watching TV • Ask students to give other examples of inactive time that could be made more active.
Amoeba Racing
Enjoy youroversized food, butportions eat less Avoid Enjoy physical activity, do it more Avoid sedentary activities moderation
enjoy
Outdoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
Instructions:
Step 1
• Divide students into two groups of approximately equal number. Half the students in each group should link arms at the elbow forming a circle with students facing outward. The rest of the students in each group should go inside of the circles. • The two “amoebas” (circles of students) will race each other across the activity area. If one of the circles breaks, that group must name three sedentary activities that they should do less often before reconnecting. May need to review what a sedentary activity is with the group.
Step 2– Are you ready?
Leader tells the two groups of students to begin the race. If one of the circles breaks, have that group name three sedentary activities before reconnecting the circle. Once the race is complete, have the outside and inside students switch places and race again. Continue until the allotted time has passed. • Monitor the class for success – completing the activity safely and correctly.
Get Ready: None
Equipment Needed:
Cones – 6 – Use to set up activity area as shown below. students with linked arms in circle facing out - Team 1
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about avoiding oversized portions and sedentary activities.
students with linked arms in circle facing out - Team 2
Source: Adapted from an activity in Mr. Gym, http://www.mrgym.com/Cooperatives/GameAmoebaRaces.htm, 2011
Avoid oversized portions Avoid sedentary activities moderation
Nutrition Key Message: Avoid oversized portions.
• Use a smaller plate, bowl, and glass. • Stop eating when you are satisfied, not full.
PA Conceptual Connection: Avoid sedentary activities.
• Break up sedentary time with short activity breaks (stand, stretch, and stomp out sedentary activity). • Extended periods (two hours or more) of inactivity are discouraged for children, especially during daytime hours.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be enjoyable, but these activities should be done in moderation because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Break up inactive time on the computer or in front of the TV with activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do. Physical activities are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (video games – talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play). • Ask students to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide greater benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once).
Blob Tag
Enjoy youroversized food, butportions eat less Avoid Enjoy physical activity, do it more Avoid sedentary activities moderation
enjoy
Outdoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
Instructions:
Step 1
• One student will start the activity as the blob and act as the first chaser. Instruct all students that they must stay within the defined activity area. • If you are tagged by the chaser you must link arms with them and begin running around together. • Once the blog has six people it must split into two groups of three. The game will continue until every student has been tagged and is part of a blob.
Step 2– Are you ready? • Monitor the class for success.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about avoiding oversized portions and sedentary activities.
Get Ready:
Define and (if possible) mark the activity area (use cones, poly spots, sweatshirts, extra balls, etc.).
Equipment Needed:
Cones – 6 – Use to set up activity area as shown below.
Avoid oversized portions Avoid sedentary activities moderation
Nutrition Key Message: Avoid oversized portions.
• Use a smaller plate, bowl, and glass. • Stop eating when you are satisfied, not full.
PA Conceptual Connection: Avoid sedentary activities.
• Break up sedentary time with short activity breaks (stand, stretch, and stomp out sedentary activity). • Extended periods (two hours or more) of inactivity are discouraged for children, especially during daytime hours.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be enjoyable, but these activities should be done in moderation because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Break up inactive time on the computer or in front of the TV with activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do. Physical activities are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (video games – talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play). • Ask students to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide greater benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once).
Take a Break
Enjoy youroversized food, butportions eat less Avoid Enjoy physical activity, do it more Avoid sedentary activities moderation
Instructions:
Step 1
• This activity is for cool down and relaxation. Cool down and relaxation activities are important to prevent injuries, improve flexibility and promote overall good health. • I will be giving you a list of activities to do while standing next to your desks.
Step 2– Are you ready?
Lead the students though the following pattern of exercises, taking time with any activities that the students have trouble with. • Take a deep breath in and out • Take another deep breath; reach and stretch your arms to the sky • Reach your right hand toward your left foot, and stand back up • Reach your left hand toward your right foot, and stand back up • Do five squats (vary the depth of the squats, particularly if you go through this pattern more than one time) • Do small cross-over kicks • March in place with high knees • Make small circles with your arms to the side of your body • Take a deep breath; reach and stretch your arms to the sky • Take a deep breath in and out Ask younger students for ideas for new movements to include if you do the pattern multiple times. Older students can break into groups and develop their own movement patterns to share with the class. • Monitor class for success – correctly completing the activity.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about avoiding oversized portions and sedentary activities. Source: Adapted from an activity in Waterloo Catholic District School Board. Exercise in Disguise. Ontario. 2004.
enjoy
Indoor Grades: K-5 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: None
Avoid oversized portions Avoid sedentary activities moderation
Nutrition Key Message: Avoid oversized portions.
• Use a smaller plate, bowl, and glass. • Stop eating when you are satisfied, not full.
PA Conceptual Connection: Avoid sedentary activities.
• Break up sedentary time with short activity breaks (stand, stretch, and stomp out sedentary activity). • Extended periods (two hours or more) of inactivity are discouraged for children, especially during daytime hours.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be enjoyable, but these activities should be done in moderation because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Break up inactive time on the computer or in front of the TV with activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do. Physical activities are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (video games – talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play). • Ask students to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide greater benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once).
I Like to Move Dance
Enjoy youroversized food, butportions eat less Avoid Enjoy physical activity, do it more Avoid sedentary activities moderation
enjoy
Instructions:
Step 1
• In this activity each student will be given a chance to name an activity that they like to do.
Step 2
• When the activity begins, one person will say, “My name is [name], and I like to [state an activity such as “play soccer”]. Won’t you play soccer with me?” • Then everyone will pretend to do that activity. Each student will get a turn. This activity is fun to do accompanied by instrumental music. The music encourages students to sing out their words and dance their movements. If you use music with lyrics, students may get distracted from sharing the movements they like to do or listening to what others enjoy.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader begins the activity by being the first one to participate. Then select a student to select an activity. Continue until each student has had a turn.
• Monitor class for success – full class participation in each movement.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about avoiding oversized portions and sedentary activities.
Source: Adapted from an activity in – “Let’s Go Play!”, Oregon State University, 2010.
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements.
Equipment Needed: None
Avoid oversized portions Avoid sedentary activities moderation
Nutrition Key Message: Avoid oversized portions.
• Use a smaller plate, bowl, and glass. • Stop eating when you are satisfied, not full.
PA Conceptual Connection: Avoid sedentary activities.
• Break up sedentary time with short activity breaks (stand, stretch, and stomp out sedentary activity). • Extended periods (two hours or more) of inactivity are discouraged for children, especially during daytime hours.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be enjoyable, but these activities should be done in moderation because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Break up inactive time on the computer or in front of the TV with activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do. Physical activities are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (video games – talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play). • Ask students to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide greater benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once).
Ball Roll Up
Enjoy youroversized food, butportions eat less Avoid Enjoy physical activity, do it more Avoid sedentary activities moderation
enjoy
Instructions:
Step 1
• In this activity each student will try to roll their ball through the obstacle course using their hands.
Step 2
• When the activity begins, form a line and the first person in the line will begin rolling their ball through the course. Give the person in front of you some time before beginning the course. It is not a race! The leader may need to tell students when to go to avoid a pile up.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader begins the activity and allows students to complete the course rolling the ball with their hands. Then have students complete the course again using their feet to roll the ball, jogging along next to the ball, or using any other creative variation. After each lap – have students switch the “type” of ball they have so everyone gets at least one chance with each kind of ball. Encourage students to focus on controlling the ball rather than speed. Allow each student to have a turn with both kinds of ball. Continue until the allotted time has passed.
• Monitor class for success – correct completion of the activity.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about avoiding oversized portions and sedentary activities.
Source: Adapted from an activity in – “Let’s Go Play!”, Oregon State University, 2010.
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Inflate 10 beach balls. Create a basic “obstacle course” for children to roll the balls through by moving and rearranging desks, chairs, etc. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins. Demonstrate the path of the obstacle course to the class.
Equipment Needed: Beach Balls – 20
Foam Balls – 1 for every student who does not have a beach ball.
Avoid oversized portions Avoid sedentary activities moderation
Nutrition Key Message: Avoid oversized portions.
• Use a smaller plate, bowl, and glass. • Stop eating when you are satisfied, not full.
PA Conceptual Connection: Avoid sedentary activities.
• Break up sedentary time with short activity breaks (stand, stretch, and stomp out sedentary activity). • Extended periods (two hours or more) of inactivity are discouraged for children, especially during daytime hours.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be enjoyable, but these activities should be done in moderation because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Break up inactive time on the computer or in front of the TV with activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do. Physical activities are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (video games – talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play). • Ask students to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide greater benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once).
Bung-A-Low Ready Go!
Enjoy youroversized food, butportions eat less Avoid Enjoy physical activity, do it more Avoid sedentary activities moderation
enjoy
Instructions:
Step 1
• This is a fun activity where I will be the leader and you will be the followers. This is a repeat-after-me game!
Step 2– Are you ready?
• When the activity begins I will call out the name of a student and say: • Leader: “Hey [student’s name]!” • Child: “Hey what?” • Leader: “BUNG!” • Child: “Bung what?” • Leader: “Bung-A-Low, Ready Go!” • Child: “My hand are high (lift hands overhead), my feet are low (bend and touch toes), and this is how I Bung-A Low (perform a dance or silly move)!” • All Class Repeats: “Her hands are high, her feet are low, and this is how she Bung-A-Lows!” • All Class Sings: Bung-A-Low, Bung, Bung-A-low-a-low two times; then the student who had their name called calls on the next child: “Hey [student’s name]”; repeat with the next student.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader demonstrates the activity and then selects a student to begin. Repeat until everyone has had their name called – including the leader! • Monitor class for success – ensure that everyone is participating in the movements.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about avoiding oversized portions and sedentary activities.
Source: Adapted from an activity in – “Let’s Go Play!”, Oregon State University, 2010.
Indoor Grades: K-5 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: None
Avoid oversized portions Avoid sedentary activities moderation
Nutrition Key Message: Avoid oversized portions.
• Use a smaller plate, bowl, and glass. • Stop eating when you are satisfied, not full.
PA Conceptual Connection: Avoid sedentary activities.
• Break up sedentary time with short activity breaks (stand, stretch, and stomp out sedentary activity). • Extended periods (two hours or more) of inactivity are discouraged for children, especially during daytime hours.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be enjoyable, but these activities should be done in moderation because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Break up inactive time on the computer or in front of the TV with activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do. Physical activities are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (video games – talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play). • Ask students to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide greater benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once).
Food Group Ball Pass
Foods to increase Activities to increase
Instructions:
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
• Divide students into groups of six. Each group should form a circle with the group members facing toward the middle of the circle.
Get Ready:
• When the game begins, start by marching, jogging, hopping, or dancing in place.
Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Step 1
Step 2
• One student in each group will begin with the ball, and when I call out the name of a My Plate food group, the student with the ball must name a food from that group before passing it to another student. Every student in the group must catch the ball and name a food before the round is over. Leaders may also instruct students to gently toss, roll or pass the ball with their feet to keep the game interesting and work on different movement skills.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader calls out names of food groups while students name foods and pass the ball. Continue until the allotted time has passed.
• Monitor class for success – naming a correct food and passing the ball to other students.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about foods that students should eat more often and activities they should do more often.
Source: Adapted from an activity in East Carolina University: Activity Promotion Laboratory. Healthful Living Middle-School Energizers. 2007.
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements.
Equipment Needed: Foam Balls – 1 for each group of students.
Foods to increase Activities to increase
Nutrition Key Message: Foods to Increase
• Foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein foods contain the nutrients you need without too many calories.
PA Conceptual Connection: Activities to Increase
• Some activities give you many health benefits (jumping rope, playing tennis) and others give you very little (watching TV). Varying the physical activity that you do is important so that many muscles and body systems benefit.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activity such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promotes cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities (weight lifting) build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask participants to think of “benefit dense” activities (i.e. activities that include many different fitness components and benefits such as strengthening, cardiovascular, balance, etc.). Examples of benefit dense activities: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Ask them to share any ideas for “benefit-dense” activities they could do in the classroom. • Prompt them with an activity such as chair stands (standing up and sitting down repeatedly for a period of time - which is a muscle strengthening and cardiovascular activity).
Color My Plate
Foods to increase Activities to increase
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 10 mins.
Instructions:
Step 1
• When the game begins, start by marching, jogging, hopping, or dancing in place. • I will call out one of the My Plate food groups (i.e., Vegetables, Fruits, Grains, Protein, Dairy) and each student should shout out the name of a healthy food that belongs to that food group. • Once you have named a food, you must then run (walk, hop, skip) to something in the room that is the same color as that food. • After you have touched the colored item, run (walk, hop, skip) back to your place and resume marching, jogging, hopping, or dancing in place.
Step 2– Are you ready?
Leader calls out names of food groups while students name foods and run to items. Continue until the allotted time has passed. • Monitor class for success – naming a correct food and finding an item of the correct color.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about foods that students should eat more often and activities they should do more often.
Source: Adapted from an activity in Mahar, Matthew, et al. Music Middle-School Energizers. North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. March 2007.
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: None
Foods to increase Activities to increase
Nutrition Key Message: Foods to Increase
• Foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein foods contain the nutrients you need without too many calories.
PA Conceptual Connection: Activities to Increase
• Some activities give you many health benefits (jumping rope, playing tennis) and others give you very little (watching TV). Varying the physical activity that you do is important so that many muscles and body systems benefit.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activity such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promotes cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities (weight lifting) build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask participants to think of “benefit dense” activities (i.e. activities that include many different fitness components and benefits such as strengthening, cardiovascular, balance, etc.). Examples of benefit dense activities: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Ask them to share any ideas for “benefit-dense” activities they could do in the classroom. • Prompt them with an activity such as chair stands (standing up and sitting down repeatedly for a period of time - which is a muscle strengthening and cardiovascular activity).
Food Group Fun
Instructions:
Step 1
Leader asks students to raise their hand if they know the My Plate food groups. Leader calls on one student and asks them to name one My Plate food group. • When the game begins start by doing an activity of your choice, such as jumping jacks, jogging in place, hopping on one foot, etc. (ask them to be creative – dance?!).
Step 2
Foods to increase Activities to increase
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 10 mins.
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements.
Keep doing the activity you chose until I call out a food from the food group that was selected.
Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Leader asks the students: “For example if the Food Group is Fruits and I call out “meatballs” – do you keep moving or do you stop?” Ask students to raise their hands if they can give an example of a food that would allow them to stop moving. When leader is confident students understand how to play, begin the game.
Equipment Needed:
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader calls out names of foods while students keep moving. Once a correct food has been named, ask students to select another food group and repeat the process until the allotted time has passed.
• Monitor class for success – moving non-stop and stopping when a correct food is named.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about foods that students should eat more often and activities they should do more often.
Source: Adapted from an activity in Waterloo Catholic District School Board. Exercise in Disguise. Ontario. 2004.
None
Foods to increase Activities to increase
Nutrition Key Message: Foods to Increase
• Foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein foods contain the nutrients you need without too many calories.
PA Conceptual Connection: Activities to Increase
• Some activities give you many health benefits (jumping rope, playing tennis) and others give you very little (watching TV). Varying the physical activity that you do is important so that many muscles and body systems benefit.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activity such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promotes cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities (weight lifting) build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask participants to think of “benefit dense” activities (i.e. activities that include many different fitness components and benefits such as strengthening, cardiovascular, balance, etc.). Examples of benefit dense activities: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Ask them to share any ideas for “benefit-dense” activities they could do in the classroom. • Prompt them with an activity such as chair stands (standing up and sitting down repeatedly for a period of time - which is a muscle strengthening and cardiovascular activity).
Activity Stations
Foods to increase Activities to increase
Instructions:
Indoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
• Divide into four groups of approximately equal number. Each group should go to a different side/area of the room.
Get Ready:
Step 1
• Each side/area of the room will be assigned one of four different types of physical activity (i.e. moderate to vigorous aerobic, muscle strengthening, bone strengthening, balance).
Step 2
• Work as a group to name three movements or activities that fit into the assigned category for your group. • When I say “Move it” begin doing one of the three activities (or mimic the movement patterns – e.g. soccer) for 30 seconds; when I say “Move it again” switch to the second activity; when I say “Last one” switch to the final movement or activity your group identified.
Discuss with the students the importance of doing different types of physical activity (see below) and provide examples of activities that fall into each physical activity category listed below: 1) Moderate to Vigorous Aerobic 2) Muscle-strengthening
• Once everyone has completed three activities, rotate to a different station (area/side of the room) and repeat the process with a new activity type.
3) Bone-strengthening
• Monitor class for success – naming correct activities and completing one of the activities correctly.
Equipment Needed:
Step 3– Are you ready? Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about activities that fit into all three categories.
Source: Adapted from an activity in Mahar, Matthew, et al. Music Middle-School Energizers. North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. March 2007.
4) Balance
None
Foods to increase Activities to increase
Nutrition Key Message: Foods to Increase
• Foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein foods contain the nutrients you need without too many calories.
PA Conceptual Connection: Activities to Increase
• Some activities give you many health benefits (jumping rope, playing tennis) and others give you very little (watching TV). Varying the physical activity that you do is important so that many muscles and body systems benefit.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activity such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promotes cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities (weight lifting) build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask participants to think of “benefit dense” activities (i.e. activities that include many different fitness components and benefits such as strengthening, cardiovascular, balance, etc.). Examples of benefit dense activities: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Ask them to share any ideas for “benefit-dense” activities they could do in the classroom. • Prompt them with an activity such as chair stands (standing up and sitting down repeatedly for a period of time - which is a muscle strengthening and cardiovascular activity).
Treasure Rescue Instructions:
Step 1
• Divide into two groups of approximately equal number. Groups should go to opposite ends of the activity area. • Each team will be given 5 bean bags and must place them on the ground on their end of the activity area. A jump rope can be used to define the “bean bag space”.
Step 2
When the game begins, each team should try to capture the other team’s bean bags and bring them back to their end of the activity area to place on the ground.
Foods to increase Activities to increase
Outdoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 20 mins.
Get Ready:
Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
• Students should focus on capturing the other team’s bean bags rather than protecting their own. • If you are tagged by the other team while carrying one of the bean bags, you must drop the bag and (hop, skip, lunge, walk heel-to-toe) back to your side of the activity area before rejoining the game. • The team with the most bean bags on their side at the end of a round wins that round – as long as the team can name one category of foods to increase (e.g. vegetables) and one kind of food in that category (e.g. carrots)!
Step 3– Are you ready?
Equipment Needed: Bean Bag – 10 Cones – 6 – Use to set up activity area as shown below. Team 1
Leader monitors the activity and stops the round after a certain amount of time (e.g 5 minutes). Continue with more rounds until the allotted time has passed.
• Monitor for success – non-stop movement during the activity and correctly following rules.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about foods that students should eat more often and activities they should do more often.
Source: Adapted from an activity in Waterloo Catholic District School Board. Exercise in Disguise 2. Ontario. 2005.
Team 2
Foods to increase Activities to increase
Nutrition Key Message: Foods to Increase
• Foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein foods contain the nutrients you need without too many calories.
PA Conceptual Connection: Activities to Increase
• Some activities give you many health benefits (jumping rope, playing tennis) and others give you very little (watching TV). Varying the physical activity that you do is important so that many muscles and body systems benefit.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activity such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promotes cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities (weight lifting) build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask participants to think of “benefit dense” activities (i.e. activities that include many different fitness components and benefits such as strengthening, cardiovascular, balance, etc.). Examples of benefit dense activities: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Ask them to share any ideas for “benefit-dense” activities they could do in the classroom. • Prompt them with an activity such as chair stands (standing up and sitting down repeatedly for a period of time - which is a muscle strengthening and cardiovascular activity).
Partner Tag Instructions:
Step 1
• This activity is a variation of tag. One student will be selected as the “chaser” to begin the game.
Step 2
• When the activity begins, the chaser will begin chasing and tagging other students. • When you get tagged, you must stop in place and begin hopping on one foot (students can hop with two feet if they have trouble hopping on one). • Then you must find another student who has been tagged, hop towards them, and give them a high-five. You are then free to beginning running from the chaser once again. For older children, along with the high five have students name a “food to increase” as a requirement to begin running again.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader selects the first chaser and allows the game to begin. Rotate chasers occasionally or select additional chasers to make the game more difficult. Continue until the allotted time has passed.
• Monitor class for success – non-stop movement and correctly doing the activity.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about foods that students should eat more often and activities they should do more often.
Source: Adapted from an activity found in – “Let’s Go Play!”, Oregon State University, 2010.
Foods to increase Activities to increase
Outdoor Grades: K-5 Time: 10 mins.
Get Ready:
Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: None
Foods to increase Activities to increase
Nutrition Key Message: Foods to Increase
• Foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein foods contain the nutrients you need without too many calories.
PA Conceptual Connection: Activities to Increase
• Some activities give you many health benefits (jumping rope, playing tennis) and others give you very little (watching TV). Varying the physical activity that you do is important so that many muscles and body systems benefit.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activity such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promotes cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities (weight lifting) build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask participants to think of “benefit dense” activities (i.e. activities that include many different fitness components and benefits such as strengthening, cardiovascular, balance, etc.). Examples of benefit dense activities: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Ask them to share any ideas for “benefit-dense” activities they could do in the classroom. • Prompt them with an activity such as chair stands (standing up and sitting down repeatedly for a period of time - which is a muscle strengthening and cardiovascular activity).
Overhead Relay
Make half your plate vegetables & fruits Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous
Step 1
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
• Place one inflatable beach ball on the floor in front of each group of students.
Get Ready:
Instructions: • Divide into groups of 4 to 6 students. Each group should form a straight line facing the front of the room and spread out for the activity.
Step 2
• When the game begins the student at the front of each line should hop up and down three times, name a moderate or vigorous physical activity, and pick up the ball. Then lift the ball over your head and hand it to the student behind you. If students have trouble passing the ball overhead, they may turn around and hand the ball to the student behind them. • When the next student in line gets the ball, they should repeat the process of hopping and calling out an activity until the last student in each line has the ball. Then that student should (hop, skip, walk) to the front of the line and the rest of the line should shift backwards to give that student room at the front. • Repeat this process until the student who started at the front of each group has moved to the front once again.
Step 3– Are you ready?
• Monitor class for success – naming a moderate or vigorous physical activity and completing the activity correctly.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about adding more moderate/vigorous physical activity and more fruits and vegetables into their daily lives.
Source: Adapted from an activity in Willenber, Barbara. Physical Activity Cards. University of Missouri Extension. 2006. Promoting Lifetime Activity for Youth (P.L.A.Y.) program, Arizona Department of Health Services.
Inflate five to ten beach balls (one for each group of students). Discuss with students the difference between light, moderate, and vigorous activity. Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed:
Beach Balls – 1 for each group of students.
Make half your plate vegetables & fruits Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message:
Make half your plate vegetables and fruits. • Eat red, orange, and dark-green vegetables, such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, in main and side dishes. • Eat vegetables, fruit, or unsalted nuts as snacks.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous. • Children and adolescents should do 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day.
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promote cardiovascular (heart) health, and muscle strengthening activities build strong muscles. Both activities help maintain a healthy weight. • Walking is a good physical activity, but more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in moderate to vigorous activities. • Moderate activities include those that you can talk during but cannot sing. For vigorous activities you can only say a few words without stopping to catch your breath. Be sure to participate in vigorous-intensity physical activity at least 3 days each week. Moderate or vigorous activities may be different for each person. • The following is a brief activity that applies these concepts. • Ask students to find their pulse (place the pointer and middle fingers of the right hand on the left wrist, in line with the left thumb, just below where the wrist bends). Once everyone has found their pulse, do a 10-second count and have everyone write down their number. Next do a 30-second march in place and take the pulse again. Finally, do a 30-second jog in place (knees up!) and take the pulse again. This is an example of the heart rate response during a light, moderate, and vigorous activity. • To calculate an approximate heart rate in beats per minute (bpm), multiply the number of beats in 10 seconds by 6. If someone counted 10 beats in ten seconds, their estimated heart rate would be 60 bpm. • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify if they could be moderate or vigorous. Encourage students to spend the majority of their free time participating in moderate or vigorous physical activities.
Fruit and Veggie Volleyball
Make half your plate vegetables & fruits Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous
Instructions:
This game can be modified to fit the space. If classroom desks and tables cannot be moved, have students move/ stack chairs out of the way and stand near their desk space. If you play this way – you don’t need to divide students into groups and you can put multiple balls into play at once.
Step 1
• Divide students into groups of 4-6. Each group should form a circle facing toward the center. Give each group a beach ball. • The goal of the game is to hit the ball up in the air to your teammates without letting it touch the ground. Encourage students to make sure that each person gets an equal chance to hit the ball. Leader can make the game more vigorous by asking students to jog or march in place throughout the game. • If a ball hits the ground, the team (or class if you are playing as a large group) must name 1 fruit and 1 vegetable and do 10 jumps (two-foot jumps, side-to-side jumps, jumping jacks) before play resumes.
Step 2– Are you ready?
Leader keeps track of the fruits and vegetables named on the classroom board. Let the students know there can be no repeats! Allow students to continue the game until the allotted time has passed or they can no longer think of any more vegetables or fruits. • Monitor class for success – make sure every student gets a chance to hit the ball.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about adding more moderate/vigorous physical activity and more fruits and vegetables into their daily lives.
Source: Adapted from an activity in Willenber, Barbara. Physical Activity Cards. University of Missouri Extension. 2006. Promoting Lifetime Activity for Youth (P.L.A.Y.) program, Arizona Department of Health Services.
Indoor/Outdoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Inflate five to ten beach balls (one for each group of students). Move desks and tables and/or chairs out of the way if playing in a classroom. Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed:
Beach Balls – 1 for each group of students.
Make half your plate vegetables & fruits Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message:
Make half your plate vegetables and fruits. • Eat red, orange, and dark-green vegetables, such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, in main and side dishes. • Eat vegetables, fruit, or unsalted nuts as snacks.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous. • Children and adolescents should do 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day.
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promote cardiovascular (heart) health, and muscle strengthening activities build strong muscles. Both activities help maintain a healthy weight. • Walking is a good physical activity, but more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in moderate to vigorous activities. • Moderate activities include those that you can talk during but cannot sing. For vigorous activities you can only say a few words without stopping to catch your breath. Be sure to participate in vigorous-intensity physical activity at least 3 days each week. Moderate or vigorous activities may be different for each person. • The following is a brief activity that applies these concepts. • Ask students to find their pulse (place the pointer and middle fingers of the right hand on the left wrist, in line with the left thumb, just below where the wrist bends). Once everyone has found their pulse, do a 10-second count and have everyone write down their number. Next do a 30-second march in place and take the pulse again. Finally, do a 30-second jog in place (knees up!) and take the pulse again. This is an example of the heart rate response during a light, moderate, and vigorous activity. • To calculate an approximate heart rate in beats per minute (bpm), multiply the number of beats in 10 seconds by 6. If someone counted 10 beats in ten seconds, their estimated heart rate would be 60 bpm. • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify if they could be moderate or vigorous. Encourage students to spend the majority of their free time participating in moderate or vigorous physical activities.
Find the Veggie
Make half your plate vegetables & fruits Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous
Instructions:
Step 1
• One student will be the veggie finder and should stand at the front of the room with his/her eyes covered until called upon. • One student will receive the beanbag (veggie) and must hide it from view (but keep possession of the bean bag).
Step 2
• I will call out a specific movement (jumping jacks, jogging in place, hopping, etc.) for you to do while the veggie finder walks around looking for the beanbag.
Indoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements.
• As the veggie finder gets closer to the student with the beanbag, the other students should do the activity faster. Students should slow down if the veggie finder moves farther away from the beanbag. The veggie finder must guess which student has the beanbag based on the actions of the rest of the students.
Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins
• When the student with the beanbag has been identified, the class must name as many vegetables as they can that are the same color as the beanbag.
Equipment Needed:
Step 3
• The leader will then select a new veggie finder and a new student to hide the beanbag. Give out a different color beanbag for each round. Repeat the steps above.
Step 4– Are you ready?
• Monitor class for success – make sure the students are helping the veggie finder locate the beanbag by performing the activity faster.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about adding more moderate/vigorous physical activity and more fruits and vegetables into their daily lives. Source: Willenber, Barbara. Physical Activity Cards. University of Missouri Extension. 2006. Promoting Lifetime Activity for Youth (P.L.A.Y.) program, Arizona Department of Health Services.
Bean Bag – 1
Make half your plate vegetables & fruits Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message:
Make half your plate vegetables and fruits. • Eat red, orange, and dark-green vegetables, such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, in main and side dishes. • Eat vegetables, fruit, or unsalted nuts as snacks.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous. • Children and adolescents should do 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day.
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promote cardiovascular (heart) health, and muscle strengthening activities build strong muscles. Both activities help maintain a healthy weight. • Walking is a good physical activity, but more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in moderate to vigorous activities. • Moderate activities include those that you can talk during but cannot sing. For vigorous activities you can only say a few words without stopping to catch your breath. Be sure to participate in vigorous-intensity physical activity at least 3 days each week. Moderate or vigorous activities may be different for each person. • The following is a brief activity that applies these concepts. • Ask students to find their pulse (place the pointer and middle fingers of the right hand on the left wrist, in line with the left thumb, just below where the wrist bends). Once everyone has found their pulse, do a 10-second count and have everyone write down their number. Next do a 30-second march in place and take the pulse again. Finally, do a 30-second jog in place (knees up!) and take the pulse again. This is an example of the heart rate response during a light, moderate, and vigorous activity. • To calculate an approximate heart rate in beats per minute (bpm), multiply the number of beats in 10 seconds by 6. If someone counted 10 beats in ten seconds, their estimated heart rate would be 60 bpm. • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify if they could be moderate or vigorous. Encourage students to spend the majority of their free time participating in moderate or vigorous physical activities.
Fruit and Veggie Fun
Make half your plate vegetables & fruits Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous
Instructions:
Step 1
• When the game begins students should start hopping or jogging in place. • I will name a series of colors. When I name a color, you should raise your hand if you can name a fruit or vegetable that is the same color. After a student correctly names a fruit or vegetable, the leader can ask the class to name the letter of the alphabet that fruit or vegetable begins with.
Step 2
• I will make a list on the board of all the fruits or vegetables that you named correctly. When the game is over the entire class will do jumping jacks (or another fun movement) equal to the number of fruits and vegetables listed on the board. Leader can ask students for ways to make the activity more vigorous.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader should continue naming colors and calling on students until the allotted time is completed. • Monitor class for success – moving non-stop and giving correct names of fruits and vegetables based on the color you’ve chosen.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about adding more moderate/vigorous physical activity and more fruits and vegetables into their daily lives.
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins
Equipment Needed: None
Make half your plate vegetables & fruits Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message:
Make half your plate vegetables and fruits. • Eat red, orange, and dark-green vegetables, such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, in main and side dishes. • Eat vegetables, fruit, or unsalted nuts as snacks.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous. • Children and adolescents should do 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day.
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promote cardiovascular (heart) health, and muscle strengthening activities build strong muscles. Both activities help maintain a healthy weight. • Walking is a good physical activity, but more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in moderate to vigorous activities. • Moderate activities include those that you can talk during but cannot sing. For vigorous activities you can only say a few words without stopping to catch your breath. Be sure to participate in vigorous-intensity physical activity at least 3 days each week. Moderate or vigorous activities may be different for each person. • The following is a brief activity that applies these concepts. • Ask students to find their pulse (place the pointer and middle fingers of the right hand on the left wrist, in line with the left thumb, just below where the wrist bends). Once everyone has found their pulse, do a 10-second count and have everyone write down their number. Next do a 30-second march in place and take the pulse again. Finally, do a 30-second jog in place (knees up!) and take the pulse again. This is an example of the heart rate response during a light, moderate, and vigorous activity. • To calculate an approximate heart rate in beats per minute (bpm), multiply the number of beats in 10 seconds by 6. If someone counted 10 beats in ten seconds, their estimated heart rate would be 60 bpm. • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify if they could be moderate or vigorous. Encourage students to spend the majority of their free time participating in moderate or vigorous physical activities.
Fruit Salad
Make half your plate vegetables & fruits Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous
Instructions:
Step 1
• Please have a seat at your desks and turn your chair so you can easily stand up and sit down. I am going to take a chair away so there is one less chair than there are students. I need one volunteer to begin the game as the “chef.” Each student (including the chef) must select one of four fruits: apple, orange, strawberry, or banana, and keep their choice a secret. To practice writing and spelling, ask children to write their choice on a piece of paper.
Step 2
The leader will start the game by saying “let’s move” and all students should start doing chair stands (standing up and sitting back down repeatedly). • Once everyone begins doing chair stands, the “chef” will call out one of the four fruits or they will say “fruit salad.”
• If the “chef” calls out the fruit you selected, you must leave your seat and find a different one. When the student says “fruit salad” everyone must get up and switch seats. You cannot switch places with someone right next to you unless there are no other seats left. • Whichever student is left without a seat becomes the new “chef.”
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader should allow students to continue the game until the allotted time is completed. • Monitor class for success – moving from chair to chair depending on what fruit the “chef” calls out.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about adding more moderate/vigorous physical activity and more fruits and vegetables into their daily lives.
Source: Adapted from an activity in Willenberg, Barbara. Physical Activity Cards. University of Missouri Extension. 2006. Promoting Lifetime Activity for Youth (P.L.A.Y.) program. Arizona Department of Health Services.
Indoor/Outdoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Write the following words on the classroom board: Apple, Orange, Strawberry, Banana
Equipment Needed: Poly Spots – if played without chairs.
Paper and Pencil for each child – if the game is played at desks or tables
Note:
This game can also be played in the gym or outdoors. Use poly spots spread out on the floor in place of the desks/chairs.
Make half your plate vegetables & fruits Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message:
Make half your plate vegetables and fruits. • Eat red, orange, and dark-green vegetables, such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, in main and side dishes. • Eat vegetables, fruit, or unsalted nuts as snacks.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous. • Children and adolescents should do 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day.
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promote cardiovascular (heart) health, and muscle strengthening activities build strong muscles. Both activities help maintain a healthy weight. • Walking is a good physical activity, but more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in moderate to vigorous activities. • Moderate activities include those that you can talk during but cannot sing. For vigorous activities you can only say a few words without stopping to catch your breath. Be sure to participate in vigorous-intensity physical activity at least 3 days each week. Moderate or vigorous activities may be different for each person. • The following is a brief activity that applies these concepts. • Ask students to find their pulse (place the pointer and middle fingers of the right hand on the left wrist, in line with the left thumb, just below where the wrist bends). Once everyone has found their pulse, do a 10-second count and have everyone write down their number. Next do a 30-second march in place and take the pulse again. Finally, do a 30-second jog in place (knees up!) and take the pulse again. This is an example of the heart rate response during a light, moderate, and vigorous activity. • To calculate an approximate heart rate in beats per minute (bpm), multiply the number of beats in 10 seconds by 6. If someone counted 10 beats in ten seconds, their estimated heart rate would be 60 bpm. • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify if they could be moderate or vigorous. Encourage students to spend the majority of their free time participating in moderate or vigorous physical activities.
Fruit and Veggie Zigzag
Make half your plate vegetables & fruits Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous
Instructions:
Step 1
• Arrange students as shown below (the dots represent students and the arrows represent the path of the ball that they will be passing along):
Step 2
1
• The student at the beginning of the row (1 above) will be given a beach ball and must name a fruit before tossing the ball to the next student. • Older kids can start two balls at the same time (one from each end) with one direction naming fruits and the other vegetables. • If students have trouble tossing the ball, encourage them to roll, kick, or hand it to the next student. • Keep passing the ball until students can no longer name a new fruit. • The leader should write a list of fruits on the classroom board. Students must do jumping jacks (squats, toe raises, knee raises, etc.) equal to the number of foods they were able to name. • Repeat this process by having students name vegetables.
Step 3– Are you ready?
• Monitor class for success – ensure ball is moving along the correct path and that students are not repeating fruits or vegetables by keeping track with a list.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about adding more moderate/vigorous physical activity and more fruits and vegetables into their daily lives. Source: Adapted from an activity in Mind and Body: Activities for the Elementary Classroom. 2008. “Brain Breaks.” Michigan Department of Education. www.emc.cmich.edu.
Indoor Grades: K-5 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Inflate five to ten beach balls (one for each group of students). Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins
Equipment Needed:
Beach Balls – 1 for each group of students.
Make half your plate vegetables & fruits Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message:
Make half your plate vegetables and fruits. • Eat red, orange, and dark-green vegetables, such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, in main and side dishes. • Eat vegetables, fruit, or unsalted nuts as snacks.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous. • Children and adolescents should do 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day.
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promote cardiovascular (heart) health, and muscle strengthening activities build strong muscles. Both activities help maintain a healthy weight. • Walking is a good physical activity, but more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in moderate to vigorous activities. • Moderate activities include those that you can talk during but cannot sing. For vigorous activities you can only say a few words without stopping to catch your breath. Be sure to participate in vigorous-intensity physical activity at least 3 days each week. Moderate or vigorous activities may be different for each person. • The following is a brief activity that applies these concepts. • Ask students to find their pulse (place the pointer and middle fingers of the right hand on the left wrist, in line with the left thumb, just below where the wrist bends). Once everyone has found their pulse, do a 10-second count and have everyone write down their number. Next do a 30-second march in place and take the pulse again. Finally, do a 30-second jog in place (knees up!) and take the pulse again. This is an example of the heart rate response during a light, moderate, and vigorous activity. • To calculate an approximate heart rate in beats per minute (bpm), multiply the number of beats in 10 seconds by 6. If someone counted 10 beats in ten seconds, their estimated heart rate would be 60 bpm. • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify if they could be moderate or vigorous. Encourage students to spend the majority of their free time participating in moderate or vigorous physical activities.
Color My Plate Tag
Make half your plate vegetables & fruits Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous
Instructions:
Step 1
To begin, all students are given a scarf to tuck into their shorts, skirt, or pants with most of the scarf left hanging. The leader selects three students to be “it.” These students should gently tie a scarf over their eyes (scarves are sheer and distort vision slightly, while allowing them to safely see others). • The “it” students will try to tag students who are not it. Be careful not to run into each other!
Step 2
• Students that are not “it” must hop on one foot while trying to avoid getting tagged. If you have trouble hopping on one foot, you may hop with both feet. • Once you are tagged you must tie your scarf over your eyes and try to tag other students. Please keep moving rather than standing still in order to avoid being tagged.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Outdoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Examine the activity area and be sure to clear it of any obstacles.
Equipment Needed: Scarves - 1 per student Masking tape
Leader should allow the game to continue until every student has been tagged and then ask students if it was hard to tag others when their vision was obscured. Explain that it is important to eat lots of green and orange fruits and vegetables in order to keep their eyes healthy and to see well in the dark. Ask students to name examples of green and orange fruits and vegetables (i.e. sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, cantaloupe, apricots, peppers). • Monitor class for success – students are hopping and being careful of others.
Note:
End the activity with a discussion about adding more moderate/vigorous physical activity and more fruits and vegetables into their daily lives.
• Students wearing clothing without a waistband can tape a scarf to their clothing.
Discussion
• This activity is best done on a grassy field with no holes or divots, or in a gym space with no fixed hazards in the play area to ensure students’ safety.
Make half your plate vegetables & fruits Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message:
Make half your plate vegetables and fruits. • Eat red, orange, and dark-green vegetables, such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, in main and side dishes. • Eat vegetables, fruit, or unsalted nuts as snacks.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Make much of your physical activity moderate or vigorous. • Children and adolescents should do 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day.
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promote cardiovascular (heart) health, and muscle strengthening activities build strong muscles. Both activities help maintain a healthy weight. • Walking is a good physical activity, but more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in moderate to vigorous activities. • Moderate activities include those that you can talk during but cannot sing. For vigorous activities you can only say a few words without stopping to catch your breath. Be sure to participate in vigorous-intensity physical activity at least 3 days each week. Moderate or vigorous activities may be different for each person. • The following is a brief activity that applies these concepts. • Ask students to find their pulse (place the pointer and middle fingers of the right hand on the left wrist, in line with the left thumb, just below where the wrist bends). Once everyone has found their pulse, do a 10-second count and have everyone write down their number. Next do a 30-second march in place and take the pulse again. Finally, do a 30-second jog in place (knees up!) and take the pulse again. This is an example of the heart rate response during a light, moderate, and vigorous activity. • To calculate an approximate heart rate in beats per minute (bpm), multiply the number of beats in 10 seconds by 6. If someone counted 10 beats in ten seconds, their estimated heart rate would be 60 bpm. • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify if they could be moderate or vigorous. Encourage students to spend the majority of their free time participating in moderate or vigorous physical activities.
Muscle Tag
Make at least half your grains whole grains Participate in muscle-strengthening physical activities
Instructions:
Step 1
• I am going to select 2 or 3 students (depending on the overall group size) to be designated as chasers. Each chaser will wear a scarf around their arm and will try to tag the free runners (the students not selected as chasers). • When free runners are caught by a chaser, they must stop and do five push-ups, sit-ups, slow knee raises (or other strengthening activities) before rejoining the game.
Step 2
• Continue the game as long as desired. Rotate chasers and free runners as time allows.
Step 3– Are you ready?
• Monitor class for success – ensure tagged free runners are attempting to do five push-ups or sit-ups when tagged.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about the importance of eating whole grains and engaging in musclestrengthening activities. Ask students which activities they did during the game were muscle strengthening (e.g. sit-ups, push-ups, knee raises) and which were aerobic (e.g. running, chasing). Ask them to give examples of other muscle-strengthening activities, and examples of whole grain foods.
Source: Adapted from an activity in Willenberg, Barbara. Physical Activity Cards. University of Missouri Extension. 2006. Jump Into Foods and Fitness. 4-H Youth Development: Michigan State University Extension.
Outdoor Grades: K-5/6 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Discuss the difference between aerobic activity and muscle strengthening activity. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: Scarf – 1 for each chaser (2-3 Students)
Cones – 6 – Use to set up activity area as shown below.
Make at least half your grains whole grains Participate in muscle-strengthening physical activities
Nutrition Key Message:
Make at least half your grains whole grains. • Choose 100% whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, and pasta. • Eating whole grains provides many health benefits. Whole grains provide more nutrients and are better for our bodies than refined grains.
PA Conceptual Connection: Make sure to participate in musclestrengthening physical activities.
• Children and adolescents should engage in musclestrengthening activities, like climbing, at least 3 days a week.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promote cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask students to talk about the different muscle-strengthening activities that they do. • Talk about other types of activities that are also important such as balance and flexibility activities. • Balance activities help build coordination and lower the risk of falls, especially as we get older. Balance exercises are not hard and can be a great activity for children, parents, and grandparents to do together! • Flexibility activities help to keep muscles limber and may help to reduce the risk of injury when doing other activities. • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Encourage the class to think of examples of activities that help to make their muscles stronger. • Think about how balance and flexibility exercises can promote better muscle strength. • For example, flexibility exercises (stretching) keep your muscles healthy and limber and allow them to move through an entire range of motion. Practicing balance (standing on one leg, tandem walk) enables you to be able to perform all activities more effectively and with greater stability.
Four Corners
Make at least half your grains whole grains Participate in muscle-strengthening physical activities
Step 1
Outdoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 20 mins.
Step 2
Get Ready:
Instructions: • Divide into three groups of equal size. Each group should go to a different corner of the activity area. One corner will remain open. Leader should adjust groups if necessary to ensure “ability equity”. • When the game begins I will ask one of the groups a question. All groups should work together to come up with an answer. • If the group I called on answers correctly on the first attempt, they receive 2 points and must run, hop, shuffle, etc. to the open corner and make-up a “strength” (victory) dance. • If the group misses on the first attempt (they get several more attempts to get it right), they receive 1 point and must skip to the open corner and make up a “we muscled through it” dance. The other teams should be working on and practicing their “strength” and “muscle through it” dances while they wait their turn. Every time a team answers a question the leader will call out “strength dance go” or “muscle dance go” and all groups will join in and do the appropriate dance in their corners.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader gives questions to each group in order. Continue until the allotted time has passed. • Monitor the class for success – correctly answering the questions and completing the correct activity while traveling between cones.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about the importance of eating whole grains and engaging in muscle-strengthening activities.
Source: Adapted from an activity in Waterloo Catholic District School Board. Exercise in Disguise. Ontario. 2004.
Create 5-10 questions about whole grains related to today’s lesson. Add 1-2 questions about muscle strength using the back of the activity card to guide your question development. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: Cones – 4 – Use to set up the activity area as shown below.
Make at least half your grains whole grains Participate in muscle-strengthening physical activities
Nutrition Key Message:
Make at least half your grains whole grains. • Choose 100% whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, and pasta. • Eating whole grains provides many health benefits. Whole grains provide more nutrients and are better for our bodies than refined grains.
PA Conceptual Connection: Make sure to participate in musclestrengthening physical activities.
• Children and adolescents should engage in musclestrengthening activities, like climbing, at least 3 days a week.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promote cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask students to talk about the different muscle-strengthening activities that they do. • Talk about other types of activities that are also important such as balance and flexibility activities. • Balance activities help build coordination and lower the risk of falls, especially as we get older. Balance exercises are not hard and can be a great activity for children, parents, and grandparents to do together! • Flexibility activities help to keep muscles limber and may help to reduce the risk of injury when doing other activities. • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Encourage the class to think of examples of activities that help to make their muscles stronger. • Think about how balance and flexibility exercises can promote better muscle strength. • For example, flexibility exercises (stretching) keep your muscles healthy and limber and allow them to move through an entire range of motion. Practicing balance (standing on one leg, tandem walk) enables you to be able to perform all activities more effectively and with greater stability.
Race Against Time
Make at least half your grains whole grains Participate in muscle-strengthening physical activities
Instructions:
Step 1
• For this game you will work with a partner. I will call out a movement. You and your partner will do that movement non-stop for 3 minutes while I ask you questions about whole grains and muscle strength.
Step 2
• When I say “Go”, start doing the movement that I name (jumping jacks, arm circles, etc.). Remember the focus is on muscle strength, so you have an opportunity to talk about what happens to muscles when you use them for 3 minutes non-stop! Vary the activities to focus on different muscle groups (e.g. squats, arm circles, knee raises, shoulder blade squeezes). • I will ask the class a question – you may talk with your partner to come up with the answer. Raise your hand if you would like to answer.
• We will encourage each other to keep moving for the entire 3 minutes while I ask questions. • Then we will take a break and stretch the muscles that we just used for 3 minutes!
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader gives the class an activity and begins asking questions. Keep track of the time using the classroom clock. At the end of the 3 minute period, tally the number of questions answered correctly. Perform (as a group) a series of celebratory stomps, claps, or high fives (or another creative physical expression of celebration) equal to the number of correctly answered questions. Repeat this process until the allotted time is completed. Talk about what muscles are tired and why. • Monitor class for success – non-stop movement throughout the activity and correctly answering the questions.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about the importance of eating whole grains and engaging in muscle-strengthening activities. Source: Adapted from an activity in Mind and Body: Activities for the Elementary Classroom. 2008. Take 10! ™ is a trademark of the International Life Sciences Institute.
Indoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Create 5-10 questions about whole grains related to today’s lesson. Add 1-2 questions about muscle strength using the back of the activity card to guide your question development. Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: None
Make at least half your grains whole grains Participate in muscle-strengthening physical activities
Nutrition Key Message:
Make at least half your grains whole grains. • Choose 100% whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, and pasta. • Eating whole grains provides many health benefits. Whole grains provide more nutrients and are better for our bodies than refined grains.
PA Conceptual Connection: Make sure to participate in musclestrengthening physical activities.
• Children and adolescents should engage in musclestrengthening activities, like climbing, at least 3 days a week.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promote cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask students to talk about the different muscle-strengthening activities that they do. • Talk about other types of activities that are also important such as balance and flexibility activities. • Balance activities help build coordination and lower the risk of falls, especially as we get older. Balance exercises are not hard and can be a great activity for children, parents, and grandparents to do together! • Flexibility activities help to keep muscles limber and may help to reduce the risk of injury when doing other activities. • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Encourage the class to think of examples of activities that help to make their muscles stronger. • Think about how balance and flexibility exercises can promote better muscle strength. • For example, flexibility exercises (stretching) keep your muscles healthy and limber and allow them to move through an entire range of motion. Practicing balance (standing on one leg, tandem walk) enables you to be able to perform all activities more effectively and with greater stability.
Cross the River
Make at least half your grains whole grains Participate in muscle-strengthening physical activities
Instructions:
Step 1
• In this activity you must cross the “river” without falling into the “water.” Students should split into two groups with one group on each side of the river to begin. If you have created two “rivers”, split students into four groups.
Step 2
• When I say “Go”, you must make your way across the river hopping from rock to rock in order to stay dry. Try hopping with one foot and with two. Be sure not to run into each other while crossing the river. • When I say “freeze” – stop and use your muscles to balance your body so you don’t fall into the river. • If you fall into the water, you must go back to the side where you started and try crossing again.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader monitors the activity. The width of the river or the amount of rocks can be varied in order to increase difficulty. • Monitor class for success – safely and correctly completing the activity.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about the importance of eating whole grains and engaging in muscle-strengthening activities.
Outdoor Grades: K-5 Time: 10 mins.
Get Ready:
Create one or two “rivers” using jump ropes to create two sides of the shore. The rivers should be at least 20-feet wide. Spread poly spots throughout the river to represent rocks.
Equipment Needed:
Jump Ropes – 4 or more if needed. Poly Spots – 24
Note:
Use scarves to create more “rocks” if the group is large.
Make at least half your grains whole grains Participate in muscle-strengthening physical activities
Nutrition Key Message:
Make at least half your grains whole grains. • Choose 100% whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, and pasta. • Eating whole grains provides many health benefits. Whole grains provide more nutrients and are better for our bodies than refined grains.
PA Conceptual Connection: Make sure to participate in musclestrengthening physical activities.
• Children and adolescents should engage in musclestrengthening activities, like climbing, at least 3 days a week.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promote cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask students to talk about the different muscle-strengthening activities that they do. • Talk about other types of activities that are also important such as balance and flexibility activities. • Balance activities help build coordination and lower the risk of falls, especially as we get older. Balance exercises are not hard and can be a great activity for children, parents, and grandparents to do together! • Flexibility activities help to keep muscles limber and may help to reduce the risk of injury when doing other activities. • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Encourage the class to think of examples of activities that help to make their muscles stronger. • Think about how balance and flexibility exercises can promote better muscle strength. • For example, flexibility exercises (stretching) keep your muscles healthy and limber and allow them to move through an entire range of motion. Practicing balance (standing on one leg, tandem walk) enables you to be able to perform all activities more effectively and with greater stability.
Dancing Body Parts
Make at least half your grains whole grains Participate in muscle-strengthening physical activities
Instructions:
Step 1
• In this activity we will be moving all of our body parts. Sometimes we will just move one part and other times we will move many parts at once! • First, the entire group should form one big circle with everyone facing toward the middle.
Step 2
• When the activity begins I will name a body part. Begin moving that part in a fun, silly, or creative way (stay in your personal space). Keep moving until I say “stop” OR until I add another body part. • If I name more than one body part, such as right arm and left leg, try to move both of those parts at the same time.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader names body parts until the allotted time has passed. Mix it up by naming big body parts (head, arms, legs) as well as small body parts (eyes, nose, eyebrows). Keep kids moving for at least 1-minute each time you call out a body part. This gives you a chance to talk about what happens to muscles when you use them non-stop. They get tired!! The more you regularly move your muscles – the less tired they get. • Monitor class for success – safely and correctly completing the activity.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about the importance of eating whole grains and engaging in muscle-strengthening activities.
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 10 mins.
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements.
Equipment Needed: None
Make at least half your grains whole grains Participate in muscle-strengthening physical activities
Nutrition Key Message:
Make at least half your grains whole grains. • Choose 100% whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, and pasta. • Eating whole grains provides many health benefits. Whole grains provide more nutrients and are better for our bodies than refined grains.
PA Conceptual Connection: Make sure to participate in musclestrengthening physical activities.
• Children and adolescents should engage in musclestrengthening activities, like climbing, at least 3 days a week.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promote cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask students to talk about the different muscle-strengthening activities that they do. • Talk about other types of activities that are also important such as balance and flexibility activities. • Balance activities help build coordination and lower the risk of falls, especially as we get older. Balance exercises are not hard and can be a great activity for children, parents, and grandparents to do together! • Flexibility activities help to keep muscles limber and may help to reduce the risk of injury when doing other activities. • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Encourage the class to think of examples of activities that help to make their muscles stronger. • Think about how balance and flexibility exercises can promote better muscle strength. • For example, flexibility exercises (stretching) keep your muscles healthy and limber and allow them to move through an entire range of motion. Practicing balance (standing on one leg, tandem walk) enables you to be able to perform all activities more effectively and with greater stability.
Moving Corners
Make at least half your grains whole grains Participate in muscle-strengthening physical activities
Instructions:
Outdoor Grades: K-2 Time: 20 mins.
• In this activity you will divide into four groups of equal size. Each group should go to one corner of the activity area.
Get Ready:
Step 1
Step 2
• When the activity begins I will call out a certain type of movement, such as hopping, skipping, running, marching, or dancing. • Each group must move from their corner to the next corner using the given movement. All groups should move in a clockwise direction. Leader should demonstrate what “clockwise motion” means before starting the game.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader gives students a new movement to do for each time they pass a different corner. Occasionally, tell students to stop and reverse their direction, (moving counter clockwise – not backwards). Continue until the allotted time has passed. • Monitor the class for success – non-stop movement throughout the activity.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about the importance of eating whole grains and engaging in muscle-strengthening activities.
Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: Cones – 4 – Use to set up the activity area as shown below.
Make at least half your grains whole grains Participate in muscle-strengthening physical activities
Nutrition Key Message:
Make at least half your grains whole grains. • Choose 100% whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, and pasta. • Eating whole grains provides many health benefits. Whole grains provide more nutrients and are better for our bodies than refined grains.
PA Conceptual Connection: Make sure to participate in musclestrengthening physical activities.
• Children and adolescents should engage in musclestrengthening activities, like climbing, at least 3 days a week.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promote cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask students to talk about the different muscle-strengthening activities that they do. • Talk about other types of activities that are also important such as balance and flexibility activities. • Balance activities help build coordination and lower the risk of falls, especially as we get older. Balance exercises are not hard and can be a great activity for children, parents, and grandparents to do together! • Flexibility activities help to keep muscles limber and may help to reduce the risk of injury when doing other activities. • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Encourage the class to think of examples of activities that help to make their muscles stronger. • Think about how balance and flexibility exercises can promote better muscle strength. • For example, flexibility exercises (stretching) keep your muscles healthy and limber and allow them to move through an entire range of motion. Practicing balance (standing on one leg, tandem walk) enables you to be able to perform all activities more effectively and with greater stability.
Food Group Race
Switch to fat free or low fat milk Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week
Instructions:
Step 1
• Divide into teams of 5 students per team. Each team should form a circle facing toward the middle. • I will place one small ball in the center of each team’s circle and also place a cone in a location that is an equal distance away from each team. • Each student within a team will be given a number from 1 to 5. Have students count off 1 through 5 and ask them to recall their numbers several times before beginning the game.
Step 2
• When I say “Go” everyone should start doing jumping jacks (or variation). • When I call out a number, the student from each team who is that number should grab the ball from the center of the team circle, run around the cone, run back to their team, and place the ball back in the center. • Everyone should keep doing jumping jacks until I switch the movement.
Step 3
• Leader should keep calling out numbers until the allotted time is over. Vary the movements during the game. Introduce different bone building activities (jumps, hops, squats, lunges, pretend basketball dribble and shoot, pretend soccer kicks)
Step 4– Are you ready?
• Monitor class for success – completing the correct activity at the specified time.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about lower-fat dairy options and the importance of participating in bonestrengthening physical activities. Relate the bone building activities you did during the game to the discussion.
Source: Adapted from an activity in Waterloo Catholic District School Board. Exercise in Disguise 2. Ontario. 2005.
Outdoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: Cone – 1
Foam Ball – 1 for each group of students.
Switch to fat free or low fat milk Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week
Nutrition Key Message:
Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk. • Fat-free and low-fat milk have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but less fat and calories. • Try calcium fortified soy products as an alternative to dairy foods.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week. • Certain physical activities are better for bone than others. Weight bearing activities such as jumping, soccer, dance, gymnastics, and running games (with lots of direction changes and stops/go’s such as tag) are great for bone.
Talking Points:
• Different physical activities have different benefits. Swimming is a GREAT activity for cardiovascular health, but not as good for bone. It’s important to include some activities that are good for bone such as jumping and muscle-strengthening exercises. • Ask students to stand at their desks and stomp their feet really hard for 30 seconds. Tell them this is good for their bones. • Ask students to jump in place for 30 seconds and have them count how many jumps they do. Research suggests 300 jumps per week helps to build strong bones. Depending on their age, have them calculate how many minutes of jumping per week they need to reach this goal. • To do this, ask students to write down the number of jumps they did in 30 seconds and multiply this by 2. This will give them the number of jumps they are able to complete in one minute. If a child completed 20 jumps in 30 seconds, we would estimate they could perform approximately 40 jumps in one minute. If they divide 300/40, this equals 7.5. Thus we would encourage that child to spend 7.5 minutes per week jumping. It’s best to spread this out over time so 1 minute per day is all it takes to build strong bones!! • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are good for their bones. Brainstorm ways to include more bone building activities in their daily lives.
Buy a Vowel
Switch to fat free or low fat milk Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week
Step 1
Indoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
• Students who wish to guess a letter must sit down and stand up three times before raising their hands to be called upon. If the named letter is not part of the word the entire class must do 5 one-foot hops on each foot before the next letter is named.
Get Ready:
Instructions: • The game we are playing today is similar to the game “hangman”.
• If a student wishes to “buy a vowel” the entire class must pay the cost of 10 jumping jacks (or some other bone building activity such as squats, forward kicks, lunges, etc.)
Think of 5-10 healthy foods from the Dairy group (fat free milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.)
• When the game begins everyone should start marching or jogging in place.
Draw blank spaces for letters on the classroom board to represent the letters of a calcium rich food.
Step 2
• Do the chair sit-to-stands and raise your hand if you would like to name a letter.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader calls on students and allows them to name letters until the entire word is complete. Continue the game using different calcium rich foods as the words until the allotted time has passed. If desired, change the cost to buy a vowel for each new puzzle. • Monitor class for success – non-stop movement throughout the activity and completing the movements correctly.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about lower-fat dairy options and the importance of participating in bone-strengthening physical activities.
Source: Adapted from and activity in Take 10!® is a registered trademark of the ILSI Research Foundation. © 2000, 2002, 2007 ILSI Research Foundation.
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: Chalk
Switch to fat free or low fat milk Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week
Nutrition Key Message:
Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk. • Fat-free and low-fat milk have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but less fat and calories. • Try calcium fortified soy products as an alternative to dairy foods.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week. • Certain physical activities are better for bone than others. Weight bearing activities such as jumping, soccer, dance, gymnastics, and running games (with lots of direction changes and stops/go’s such as tag) are great for bone.
Talking Points:
• Different physical activities have different benefits. Swimming is a GREAT activity for cardiovascular health, but not as good for bone. It’s important to include some activities that are good for bone such as jumping and muscle-strengthening exercises. • Ask students to stand at their desks and stomp their feet really hard for 30 seconds. Tell them this is good for their bones. • Ask students to jump in place for 30 seconds and have them count how many jumps they do. Research suggests 300 jumps per week helps to build strong bones. Depending on their age, have them calculate how many minutes of jumping per week they need to reach this goal. • To do this, ask students to write down the number of jumps they did in 30 seconds and multiply this by 2. This will give them the number of jumps they are able to complete in one minute. If a child completed 20 jumps in 30 seconds, we would estimate they could perform approximately 40 jumps in one minute. If they divide 300/40, this equals 7.5. Thus we would encourage that child to spend 7.5 minutes per week jumping. It’s best to spread this out over time so 1 minute per day is all it takes to build strong bones!! • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are good for their bones. Brainstorm ways to include more bone building activities in their daily lives.
Calcium Ball
Switch to fat free or low fat milk Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week
Instructions:
Step 1
• Divide into groups of 4 to 6. Each team should form a circle facing toward the middle. Leader should divide the class if necessary to ensure “ability equity” among groups. • I will place one foam ball in the center of each team.
Step 2
• When the game begins, start marching, hopping or jogging in place. I will then select a student from each group to pick up the ball and run with it around the outside of their group. • Once that student returns to their original position they should place the ball back in the center of their group. The group that completes the task first earns the letter “C” (the first letter in the word CALCIUM). • For each new round, a different student will run around the circle and complete the task with the first one back earning a letter. The game will continue until one of the groups has all of the letters of the word CALCIUM.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader selects a student from each group to be the first to complete the task. Continue the activity until one team has spelled CALCIUM. If desired, tell the students to do a different bone strengthening activity for each round (jumping jacks, jog in place, hop, dance, etc.). You can also add words to keep the game going (e.g. BONE, DAIRY, MILK, YOGURT). • Monitor class for success – non-stop movement throughout the activity and completing the movements correctly.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about lower-fat dairy options and the importance of participating in bonestrengthening physical activities.
Source: Adapted from an activity in Waterloo Catholic District School Board. Exercise in Disguise. Ontario. 2004.
Outdoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed:
Foam Balls – 1 for each group of students.
Switch to fat free or low fat milk Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week
Nutrition Key Message:
Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk. • Fat-free and low-fat milk have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but less fat and calories. • Try calcium fortified soy products as an alternative to dairy foods.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week. • Certain physical activities are better for bone than others. Weight bearing activities such as jumping, soccer, dance, gymnastics, and running games (with lots of direction changes and stops/go’s such as tag) are great for bone.
Talking Points:
• Different physical activities have different benefits. Swimming is a GREAT activity for cardiovascular health, but not as good for bone. It’s important to include some activities that are good for bone such as jumping and muscle-strengthening exercises. • Ask students to stand at their desks and stomp their feet really hard for 30 seconds. Tell them this is good for their bones. • Ask students to jump in place for 30 seconds and have them count how many jumps they do. Research suggests 300 jumps per week helps to build strong bones. Depending on their age, have them calculate how many minutes of jumping per week they need to reach this goal. • To do this, ask students to write down the number of jumps they did in 30 seconds and multiply this by 2. This will give them the number of jumps they are able to complete in one minute. If a child completed 20 jumps in 30 seconds, we would estimate they could perform approximately 40 jumps in one minute. If they divide 300/40, this equals 7.5. Thus we would encourage that child to spend 7.5 minutes per week jumping. It’s best to spread this out over time so 1 minute per day is all it takes to build strong bones!! • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are good for their bones. Brainstorm ways to include more bone building activities in their daily lives.
Go Bananas
Switch to fat free or low fat milk Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week
Instructions:
Step 1
• Let’s start with everyone standing up with your legs in a wide stance (demonstrate). Place your arms straight out to your sides (palms up). Next, keep your arms straight and bring your hands together slowly (in a clap) over your head. • As you do this say “B-A-N-A-N-A-S unite!” (say the word “bananas” slowly as you raise your arms and then say “unite” as you clap your hands). When you say “unite” jump and bring your feet together. • Next, say “B-A-N-A-N-A-S split!” (open arms wide out to your sides and jump so your legs are in a wide stance again). Leaders – this movement can be done like a jumping jack or a lunge and should be practiced first.
Step 2
• Each of the following verses should be repeated 2 times in a “sing-song” manner. • “Pick bananas, pick, pick bananas” (jump and reach up and pick bananas from a tree) • “Peel bananas, peel, peel bananas” (arms overhead with hands together and peel down one arm at a time while bouncing on your feet) • “Mash bananas, mash, mash bananas” (jump and shuffle as if mashing bananas underfoot) • “Eat bananas, eat, eat bananas” (stuff “banana” in mouth and sing with mouth full) • “Go bananas, go, go bananas!” (do a crazy dance)
Step 3– Are you ready?
Ask students what part of the dance was best for bone (the jumping). How can they make bananas even better for bone? (Make a yogurt smoothie!!). Repeat the activity and add the following two verses after “mash bananas”:“Blend bananas, blend, blend bananas” (twirl and/or wiggle as if in a blender); and then instead of eating the banana they can “Drink a smoothie, drink, drink a smoothie.” • Monitor class for success – everyone participating and being safe correctly.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about lower-fat dairy options and the importance of participating in bone-strengthening physical activities.
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 5-10 mins.
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: None
Switch to fat free or low fat milk Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week
Nutrition Key Message:
Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk. • Fat-free and low-fat milk have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but less fat and calories. • Try calcium fortified soy products as an alternative to dairy foods.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week. • Certain physical activities are better for bone than others. Weight bearing activities such as jumping, soccer, dance, gymnastics, and running games (with lots of direction changes and stops/go’s such as tag) are great for bone.
Talking Points:
• Different physical activities have different benefits. Swimming is a GREAT activity for cardiovascular health, but not as good for bone. It’s important to include some activities that are good for bone such as jumping and muscle-strengthening exercises. • Ask students to stand at their desks and stomp their feet really hard for 30 seconds. Tell them this is good for their bones. • Ask students to jump in place for 30 seconds and have them count how many jumps they do. Research suggests 300 jumps per week helps to build strong bones. Depending on their age, have them calculate how many minutes of jumping per week they need to reach this goal. • To do this, ask students to write down the number of jumps they did in 30 seconds and multiply this by 2. This will give them the number of jumps they are able to complete in one minute. If a child completed 20 jumps in 30 seconds, we would estimate they could perform approximately 40 jumps in one minute. If they divide 300/40, this equals 7.5. Thus we would encourage that child to spend 7.5 minutes per week jumping. It’s best to spread this out over time so 1 minute per day is all it takes to build strong bones!! • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are good for their bones. Brainstorm ways to include more bone building activities in their daily lives.
Bone up at Breakfast
Switch to fat free or low fat milk Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week
Instructions:
Indoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
Step 1
Get Ready:
Start by talking with students about the importance of dairy for bone, but brainstorm about calcium-rich foods from all food groups that are good for bone.
• Think of a calcium-rich breakfast food from one of the five My Plate food groups. Keep your choice secret.
Step 2
• When the game begins, start doing the activity that corresponds to the food group of the food you have selected. • Keep doing your movement, and find another student who is doing the same movement. • Take turns trying to guess the food that the other person is thinking of. When the food is guessed correctly, both students should do 10 jumping jacks and then balance on one foot. Keep balancing until everyone finds a match or until I tell you to think of a new food and begin a new movement.
Write the phrases (food group – movement pairs) on the classroom board: Food Group – Movement Pairs • Vegetables = Skip
• Grains = Hop on One Foot • Fruits = March with High Knees • Dairy = Hop with Two Feet
Leaders keep the game moving by prompting students to think of a new food and repeat the process.
• Protein = Sideways Slide
Step 3– Are you ready?
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements.
Discussion
Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
• Monitor class for success – performing the correct activity and completing the tasks. End the activity with a discussion about lower-fat dairy options and the importance of participating in bone-strengthening physical activities.
Equipment Needed: None Source: Adapted from an activity in Mind and Body: Activities for the Elementary Classroom. 2008. “Brain Breaks.” Michigan Department of Education. www.emc.cmich.edu.
Switch to fat free or low fat milk Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week
Nutrition Key Message:
Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk. • Fat-free and low-fat milk have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but less fat and calories. • Try calcium fortified soy products as an alternative to dairy foods.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week. • Certain physical activities are better for bone than others. Weight bearing activities such as jumping, soccer, dance, gymnastics, and running games (with lots of direction changes and stops/go’s such as tag) are great for bone.
Talking Points:
• Different physical activities have different benefits. Swimming is a GREAT activity for cardiovascular health, but not as good for bone. It’s important to include some activities that are good for bone such as jumping and muscle-strengthening exercises. • Ask students to stand at their desks and stomp their feet really hard for 30 seconds. Tell them this is good for their bones. • Ask students to jump in place for 30 seconds and have them count how many jumps they do. Research suggests 300 jumps per week helps to build strong bones. Depending on their age, have them calculate how many minutes of jumping per week they need to reach this goal. • To do this, ask students to write down the number of jumps they did in 30 seconds and multiply this by 2. This will give them the number of jumps they are able to complete in one minute. If a child completed 20 jumps in 30 seconds, we would estimate they could perform approximately 40 jumps in one minute. If they divide 300/40, this equals 7.5. Thus we would encourage that child to spend 7.5 minutes per week jumping. It’s best to spread this out over time so 1 minute per day is all it takes to build strong bones!! • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are good for their bones. Brainstorm ways to include more bone building activities in their daily lives.
The Breakfast Song
Switch to fat free or low fat milk Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week
Instructions: Note: This song is sung to the tune of the “ABCs Song” The Breakfast Song Breakfast starts your brain each day. (begin marching) So you can think, learn, and play. (keep marching) Breakfast helps you to grow strong. (jump and land with legs wide; hold arms out to show muscles) It feeds your body all day long. (begin marching) Breakfast gives you lots of fuel. (keep marching) To run and jump and be real cool! (mime running, jumping and “being cool”)
Step 1
• In this activity we are going to be singing “The Breakfast Song.” When the game begins, start marching in place. • We will the sing the song together as a class. At the end of the song I will name a My Plate food group and you must name healthy foods from that food group that you eat for breakfast. • If someone mentions a food that is calcium-rich, talk about this with the class (e.g. “that’s a good one! Did you know that (the food mentioned) has lots of calcium and is good for bone – like milk and yogurt?
Step 2– Are you ready?
Leader sings the song along with the class and then gives them a My Plate food group. After students have named breakfast foods from that group, sing the song again and repeat the process until all food groups have been named or until the allotted time has passed. If desired, change the movement from marching to (hopping, skipping, etc.) each time the song is sung
• Monitor class for success - non-stop movement throughout the activity and correctly naming healthy foods.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about lower-fat dairy options and the importance of participating in bone-strengthening physical activities.
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Write the “The Breakfast Song” on the classroom board. Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: None
Switch to fat free or low fat milk Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week
Nutrition Key Message:
Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk. • Fat-free and low-fat milk have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but less fat and calories. • Try calcium fortified soy products as an alternative to dairy foods.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Engage in bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week. • Certain physical activities are better for bone than others. Weight bearing activities such as jumping, soccer, dance, gymnastics, and running games (with lots of direction changes and stops/go’s such as tag) are great for bone.
Talking Points:
• Different physical activities have different benefits. Swimming is a GREAT activity for cardiovascular health, but not as good for bone. It’s important to include some activities that are good for bone such as jumping and muscle-strengthening exercises. • Ask students to stand at their desks and stomp their feet really hard for 30 seconds. Tell them this is good for their bones. • Ask students to jump in place for 30 seconds and have them count how many jumps they do. Research suggests 300 jumps per week helps to build strong bones. Depending on their age, have them calculate how many minutes of jumping per week they need to reach this goal. • To do this, ask students to write down the number of jumps they did in 30 seconds and multiply this by 2. This will give them the number of jumps they are able to complete in one minute. If a child completed 20 jumps in 30 seconds, we would estimate they could perform approximately 40 jumps in one minute. If they divide 300/40, this equals 7.5. Thus we would encourage that child to spend 7.5 minutes per week jumping. It’s best to spread this out over time so 1 minute per day is all it takes to build strong bones!! • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are good for their bones. Brainstorm ways to include more bone building activities in their daily lives.
Couch Potato
Foods to reduce Activities to reduce
Step 1
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
Step 2
Get Ready:
Instructions: The leader divides students into groups of 4 to 6. • Each team should form a circle facing toward the middle. One student in each group will be given a beach ball. To begin the game, the person with the ball must name a “sedentary-type” of activity (everyone pretends to do that activity (e.g. watching TV, sleeping) and passes the ball to the next person.
• The next person calls out an ACTIVE movement (marching in place, jogging in place, hopping on one foot, dancing, etc.). Everyone should begin doing that movement and the person passes the ball along to the next person. • While doing the activity the student with the ball must name another sedentary activity (everyone pretends to do that activity, e.g. watching TV, sleeping) before passing the ball to the person next to them. • The next person names an ACTIVE movement. • Continue passing the ball around the group until I yell “STOP!” The person holding the beach ball when the activity stops is the “Couch Potato.”
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader allows the game to continue and tells student to “STOP” at their discretion. Encourage students to name different movements. Keep going until the allotted time has passed.
• Monitor the class for success – non-stop movement throughout the activity and correctly naming activities.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about minimizing unhealthy foods and sedentary activities and increasing healthy foods and time spent in physical activity. Source: Adapted from an activity in Mind and Body: Activities for the Elementary Classroom. 2008. “Brain Breaks.” Michigan Department of Education. www.emc.cmich.edu.
solid fats, added sugars, salt
reduce
watching TV, playing video games, computer time
Talk with students about the phrase sedentary activity. Give examples of activities that are sedentary. Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed:
Beach Ball – 1 for each group of students.
Foods to reduce Activities to reduce
solid fats, added sugars, salt
reduce
watching TV, playing video games, computer time
Nutrition Key Message: Foods to Reduce
• Cut back on foods high in solid fats, added sugars, and salt.
PA Conceptual Connection: Activities to Reduce
• Some activities give you many health benefits (jumping rope, playing tennis) and others give you very little (watching TV). Varying the physical activity that you do is important to ensure that many muscles and body systems benefit.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be fun, but these activities should be done less often because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Physical activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (playing sedentary video games – can talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play), and ask them to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide the most benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once). Examples of activities that benefit multiple systems include: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination
Empty Calories Instructions:
Step 1
• Two students will be selected to act as chasers (depending on the class size more chasers may be selected). These students represent empty calories. • The chasers goal is to tag as many people as they can.
Step 2
• The first time you are tagged, you must put one hand on your stomach while continuing to run from the chasers. The second time you are tagged, you must put two hands on stomach.
Foods to reduce Activities to reduce
Outdoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
solid fats, added sugars, salt
reduce
watching TV, playing video games, computer time
Get Ready:
Describe what empty calories are and have a discussion about their effects on health. Provide examples of foods that contain empty calories.
• The third time you are tagged, you must run outside the activity area and visit the “doctor’s office.” Because of unhealthy eating habits, the doctor prescribes 10 jumping jacks (or other activity) and a healthy dose of [student must name a healthy food to replace their empty calories]. You must complete the movement and name a healthy food before you can return to the activity area.
Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Leader monitors the game and occasionally rotates the students acting as chasers. Continue until the allotted time has passed. • Monitor class for success – students properly completing the activity and following the rules of the game.
Equipment Needed:
Step 3– Are you ready? Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about minimizing unhealthy foods and sedentary activities and increasing healthy foods and time spent in physical activity.
Source: Adapted from an activity in KidsHealth from Nemours, http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/learning/school_age_games.html#, 2011
Cones – 6 – Use to set up activity area as shown below.
Foods to reduce Activities to reduce
solid fats, added sugars, salt
reduce
watching TV, playing video games, computer time
Nutrition Key Message: Foods to Reduce
• Cut back on foods high in solid fats, added sugars, and salt.
PA Conceptual Connection: Activities to Reduce
• Some activities give you many health benefits (jumping rope, playing tennis) and others give you very little (watching TV). Varying the physical activity that you do is important to ensure that many muscles and body systems benefit.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be fun, but these activities should be done less often because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Physical activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (playing sedentary video games – can talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play), and ask them to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide the most benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once). Examples of activities that benefit multiple systems include: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination
Copy Cat
Foods to reduce Activities to reduce
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
Instructions:
Step 1
• Pair up with one other student and face your partner. One partner is “number 1” and one partner is “number 2”. Take a moment to decide who is 1 and who is 2. Pretend you are looking into a mirror. Partner “2” is going to copy partner “1’s” movements. • While you and your partner are copying each other, take turns naming foods from the My Plate Food Group listed on the board. Leader reviews the My Plate Food Group that you listed on the board.
Step 2– Are you ready?
Leader reviews the Food Group on the board and calls out a movement for the class to do. The activity and the food group can be changed at the leader’s discretion. • Monitor the class for success – non-stop movement throughout the activity and naming foods from the correct food group.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about minimizing unhealthy foods and sedentary activities and increasing healthy foods and time spent in physical activity.
Source: : Adapted from an activity in Take 10!® is a registered trademark of the ILSI Research Foundation. © 2000, 2002, 2007 ILSI Research Foundation.
solid fats, added sugars, salt
reduce
watching TV, playing video games, computer time
Get Ready:
Write/Draw the name of a My Plate Food Group on the classroom board. Review the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods so students are prepared for the game. Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: None
Foods to reduce Activities to reduce
solid fats, added sugars, salt
reduce
watching TV, playing video games, computer time
Nutrition Key Message: Foods to Reduce
• Cut back on foods high in solid fats, added sugars, and salt.
PA Conceptual Connection: Activities to Reduce
• Some activities give you many health benefits (jumping rope, playing tennis) and others give you very little (watching TV). Varying the physical activity that you do is important to ensure that many muscles and body systems benefit.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be enjoyable, but these activities should be done in moderation because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Physical activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (playing sedentary video games – can talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play), and ask them to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide the most benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once). Examples of activities that benefit multiple systems include: • Ice skating: Strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination
Tails Instructions:
Step 1
• In this activity, each student will receive a scarf. Tuck your scarf into the back of your shorts/pants/skirt.
Step 2
• When the activity begins, you must chase each other using the activity that I tell you (running, skipping, hopping, etc.). • Try to remove other students’ “tails,” while being careful not to run into or trip one another. • If you lose your tail, you must move to the outside of the play area and (jump, skip, heel-to-toe walk, lunge) around the outside of the play area (stay outside the cones) until one person is left with a scarf or I yell “everyone in”.
Step 3– Are you ready?
• Monitor the class for success – non-stop movement throughout the activity and ensuring that children are participating in the activity safely. Leaders should vary the types of activities that students do when they lose their scarves (strength, balance, aerobic, flexibility). Talk about the importance of increasing time spent in different kinds of activity and why that is important for our bodies.
Foods to reduce Activities to reduce
Outdoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
solid fats, added sugars, salt
reduce
watching TV, playing video games, computer time
Get Ready:
Define the play area so students know where they can and cannot run to stay away from chasers. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: Scarves – 1 for each student.
Cones 6 – Use to set up activity area as shown below.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about minimizing unhealthy foods and sedentary activities and increasing healthy foods and time spent in physical activity.
Source: Adapted from an activity in Waterloo Catholic District School Board. Exercise in Disguise. Ontario. 2004.
Note:
Students wearing clothing without a waistband can tape a scarf to their clothing.
Foods to reduce Activities to reduce
solid fats, added sugars, salt
reduce
watching TV, playing video games, computer time
Nutrition Key Message: Foods to Reduce
• Cut back on foods high in solid fats, added sugars, and salt.
PA Conceptual Connection: Activities to Reduce
• Some activities give you many health benefits (jumping rope, playing tennis) and others give you very little (watching TV). Varying the physical activity that you do is important to ensure that many muscles and body systems benefit.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be fun, but these activities should be done less often because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Physical activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (playing sedentary video games – can talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play), and ask them to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide the most benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once). Examples of activities that benefit multiple systems include: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination
Snowball Fun Instructions:
Step 1
• In this activity you will be playing with snowballs! Leader divides students into several small groups of equal number. More groups will maximize movement for all students. • Each group should begin at one of the jump rope start lines.
Step 2
• When the activity begins I will name a type of movement such as run, hop, march, or skip. • Using this movement, make your way to the bucket of snowballs. • Shovel your snowball by pushing it across the ground with your hands and place it into the circle jump rope. • Repeat this process until the all the snowballs are in the circle. The first team to complete this task wins the round.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Foods to reduce Activities to reduce
Outdoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
solid fats, added sugars, salt
reduce
watching TV, playing video games, computer time
Get Ready:
Create multiple starting lines using the jump ropes. Form an equal # of other jump ropes into circles a good distance and directly across from the start lines. Fill an equal # of plastic buckets with foam balls and bean bags to represent snowballs.
Leader provides a movement and allows the game to begin. For each round switch the movement that students must use. Keep going until the allotted time has passed.
Place the buckets halfway between the start lines and the circles.
Another variation is to move to the bucket, select and toss a snowball from the bucket into the circle, keep moving to the circle, place your snowball in the circle (if the toss missed), move around the circle and back to group. If toss was on target – just move around the circle and back.
Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
• Monitor the class for success – non-stop movement throughout the activity and ensuring that children are safely participating .
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about minimizing unhealthy foods and sedentary activities and increasing healthy foods and time spent in physical activity.
Equipment Needed:
Jump Ropes – 4 or more if needed Plastic Buckets – 2 or more if needed Foam Balls – 10 Bean Bags – 32
Foods to reduce Activities to reduce
solid fats, added sugars, salt
reduce
watching TV, playing video games, computer time
Nutrition Key Message: Foods to Reduce
• Cut back on foods high in solid fats, added sugars, and salt.
PA Conceptual Connection: Activities to Reduce
• Some activities give you many health benefits (jumping rope, playing tennis) and others give you very little (watching TV). Varying the physical activity that you do is important to ensure that many muscles and body systems benefit.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be fun, but these activities should be done less often because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Physical activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (playing sedentary video games – can talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play), and ask them to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide the most benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once). Examples of activities that benefit multiple systems include: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination
Over, Under, Around and Through Instructions:
Step 1
• In this activity you will be working your way through an obstacle course by going over, under, around, or through the items in your way. Form a single file line behind me.
Step 2
Foods to reduce Activities to reduce
Indoor/Outdoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
solid fats, added sugars, salt
reduce
watching TV, playing video games, computer time
Get Ready:
• When the activity begins I will lead you through the obstacle course. When I reach an obstacle I will call out whether I am going over, under, around, or through it.
Create an obstacle course using plastic buckets, jump ropes, cones, poly spots, etc.
• While traveling between different obstacles try using different forms of movement, such as hopping, skipping, marching, galloping, or dancing. Leader can call out movement changes for younger students and encourage older students to call out creative, varied movements when they are the line leaders.
Define the play area. You may choose to use existing play features as part of the obstacle course.
If doing this outdoors – there can be multiple courses and lines and students may be encouraged to use the outdoor play features (e.g. playground equipment, etc.) as part of an obstacle course.
Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader leads the class through the obstacle course. The course can be repeated with students leading the group as well. Keep going until the allotted time has passed. • Monitor the class for success – non-stop movement throughout the activity and ensuring that children are participating in the activity safely.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about minimizing unhealthy foods and sedentary activities and increasing healthy foods and time spent in physical activity.
Equipment Needed:
Plastic Buckets Jump Ropes Cones Poly Spots Any Other Items for the Obstacle Course
Note:
Equipment may not be needed if classroom or outdoor features are used.
Foods to reduce Activities to reduce
solid fats, added sugars, salt
reduce
watching TV, playing video games, computer time
Nutrition Key Message: Foods to Reduce
• Cut back on foods high in solid fats, added sugars, and salt.
PA Conceptual Connection: Activities to Reduce
• Some activities give you many health benefits (jumping rope, playing tennis) and others give you very little (watching TV). Varying the physical activity that you do is important to ensure that many muscles and body systems benefit.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be fun, but these activities should be done less often because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Physical activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (playing sedentary video games – can talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play), and ask them to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide the most benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once). Examples of activities that benefit multiple systems include: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination
Choose food with low sodium Choose activities with the most health benefits
Instructions:
Step 1
• Pair up with one other student. If there are an odd number of students, there can be one group of three.
Step 2
• When the game begins I will call out a movement and the entire class should begin doing that movement. Examples of movements that I might call out are jumping jacks, jogging in place, hopping on one foot, etc. • After you have been doing the movement for 1 minute, I will name one of the categories of physical activity benefits that we talked about (physical, mental/emotional, social). • When I name a type of benefit, you and your partner should (keep moving) and come to agreement on a specific example of that type of benefit. Once you agree, write it down on your paper and balance on one foot. • Once all the pairs have come up with an example and are balancing, I will name a new movement, followed by one of the categories of physical activity benefits and we will repeat the process.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader calls out a movement for students to do and then calls out a benefit category. Once students have had time to write down an example and balance, call out a new movement followed by a new benefit category. Keep going until the allotted time has passed. Leader can ask students to balance differently each round (e.g. right foot, left foot, heel-to-toe, on toes, etc.) • Monitor class for success – non-stop movement and providing correct benefit examples.
Discussion
End the activity by going over the students examples and holding a discussion about activities that have the most benefits.
Source: Adapted from an activity in East Carolina University: Activity Promotion Laboratory. Healthful Living Middle-School Energizers. 2007.
Indoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 15 mins.
S
Stop and Scribble
decrease increase
Get Ready:
Discuss how physical activity has many kinds of benefits (physical, mental/emotional, and social). Give examples of each type. Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: Paper – 1 piece for each pair of students.
Writing Utensils – 1 for each pair of students.
S
Choose food with low sodium Choose activities with the most health benefits
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Nutrition Key Message: Choose foods with low sodium.
• Too much sodium may increase your blood pressure and cause other health problems.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Choose activities with the most health benefits. • Some types of activities provide more health benefits compared to others.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promotes cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities (weight lifting) build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask participants to think of “benefit dense” activities (i.e. activities that include many different fitness components and benefits such as strengthening, cardiovascular, balance, etc.). Examples of benefit dense activities: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Ask them to share any ideas for “benefit-dense” activities they could do in the classroom. • Prompt them with an activity such as chair stands (standing up and sitting down repeatedly for a period of time - which is a muscle strengthening and cardiovascular activity).
Choose food with low sodium Choose activities with the most health benefits
Instructions:
Step 1
• This is a game where I am going to call out healthy and unhealthy foods and healthy and unhealthy activities. When I call out something healthy – everybody should DANCE. When I call out something unhealthy everyone should HOP on one or both feet. Leaders ask students to raise their hands and give an example of one healthy food and activity and one unhealthy food and activity. Review the movements that go with healthy (dance) and unhealthy (hop) foods and activities.
Step 2
• Let’s start jogging or marching in place. Try to jog as much as you can. When you get tired, march. When you are not tired any more, jog again. • While you are jogging/marching in place, I will name a food or activity and you will DANCE if the food or activity I name is healthy and HOP if the food or activity is unhealthy. • After you have danced or hopped for a little while. I will call out “jog or march” and you should start jogging or marching in place again. Then I’ll call out a new food or activity.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader calls out names of foods or activities and students dance or hop. One variation is for Leaders to ask selected students to call out a healthy or unhealthy food or activity. Keep going until the allotted time has passed. • Monitor class for success – non-stop movement and doing the correct activity.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about activities that have the most benefits and foods that are lower in sodium.
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
S
Healthy Says
decrease increase
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: None
S
Choose food with low sodium Choose activities with the most health benefits
decrease increase
Nutrition Key Message: Choose foods with low sodium.
• Too much sodium may increase your blood pressure and cause other health problems.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Choose activities with the most health benefits. • Some types of activities provide more health benefits compared to others.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promotes cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities (weight lifting) build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask participants to think of “benefit dense” activities (i.e. activities that include many different fitness components and benefits such as strengthening, cardiovascular, balance, etc.). Examples of benefit dense activities: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Ask them to share any ideas for “benefit-dense” activities they could do in the classroom. • Prompt them with an activity such as chair stands (standing up and sitting down repeatedly for a period of time - which is a muscle strengthening and cardiovascular activity).
Choose food with low sodium Choose activities with the most health benefits
Instructions:
Step 1
• In this game you will do movements from different daily activities, sports, and games. Use your imagination to “act out” the daily activity, sport or game I call out. Use as many movements and muscles as you can!
Step 2– Are you ready?
Leader calls out the activities listed below, demonstrating those that students may not know how to do. Allow students to do each activity for at least 30 seconds before changing the activity. Keep going until the allotted time has passed. • Gardening: dig, rake, weed, reach and plant • Soccer: shot on goal, inside foot pass, outside foot pass, juggle soccer ball, trap ball with • Walking up Stairs: one at a time, two at a time, chest, trap ball with thigh, head the ball with/without the handrail
• Laundry: removing wet laundry from washer, folder, putting away on high shelves • Sitting down and Standing up from a chair • Dance: Salsa, line dance, twist, mashed potato, sprinkler, monkey, etc. • Basketball: dribble with fingertips, dribble through legs, dribble behind the back, jump shot and follow through, bounce pass, chest pass, overhead pass, defensive slide
• Baseball/Softball: swing bat, windup and pitch, field a ground ball, catch a fly ball, play catch with another student • Tennis: forehand, backhand, overhead serve • Volleyball: serve, set, dig, spike • Football: long pass, short pass, catch a pass, kick a field goal, punt • Golf: swing, putt • Frisbee: backhand, forehand, jump and catch
• Other Activities: be creative – ask students for ideas. • Monitor class for success – safely participating.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about activities that have the most benefits and foods that are lower in sodium. Source: Adapted from an activity in Mahar, Matthew, et al. Music Middle-School Energizers. North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. March 2007.
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 10 mins.
S
Always On the Move
decrease increase
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: None
S
Choose food with low sodium Choose activities with the most health benefits
decrease increase
Nutrition Key Message: Choose foods with low sodium.
• Too much sodium may increase your blood pressure and cause other health problems.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Choose activities with the most health benefits. • Some types of activities provide more health benefits compared to others.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promotes cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities (weight lifting) build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask participants to think of “benefit dense” activities (i.e. activities that include many different fitness components and benefits such as strengthening, cardiovascular, balance, etc.). Examples of benefit dense activities: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Ask them to share any ideas for “benefit-dense” activities they could do in the classroom. • Prompt them with an activity such as chair stands (standing up and sitting down repeatedly for a period of time - which is a muscle strengthening and cardiovascular activity).
Choose food with low sodium Choose activities with the most health benefits
Instructions:
Step 1
• In this activity you will be pretending to walk on a tightrope. An equal number of students should go to each “tightrope.” Leaders should put out as many jump ropes as possible to maximize movement among students.
Outdoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 10 mins.
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Tightrope
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Get Ready:
Step 2
Place each jump rope in a separate line and spread them out as much as possible.
• Then I will give you a series of more challenging ways to move on the “tightropes.”
Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
• When the activity begins, start by walking normally across the entire length of the rope.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader gives students a series of increasing difficult tasks with the jump ropes. Have children walk in different ways: heel to toe, on tip toes, sideways, and backward. Then have students jump across the rope in different ways: forward, backward, side-to-side. Also have students try balancing on one leg on the rope and then crouch down while on one foot. Keep going until the allotted time has passed. • Monitor class for success – safely and correctly doing the activity.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about activities that have the most benefits and foods that are lower in sodium. Ask students to talk about the health benefits of balance activities. Ask students how can you change the activity to increase the health benefits.
Equipment Needed: Jump Ropes - 16
S
Choose food with low sodium Choose activities with the most health benefits
decrease increase
Nutrition Key Message: Choose foods with low sodium.
• Too much sodium may increase your blood pressure and cause other health problems.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Choose activities with the most health benefits. • Some types of activities provide more health benefits compared to others.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promotes cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities (weight lifting) build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask participants to think of “benefit dense” activities (i.e. activities that include many different fitness components and benefits such as strengthening, cardiovascular, balance, etc.). Examples of benefit dense activities: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Ask them to share any ideas for “benefit-dense” activities they could do in the classroom. • Prompt them with an activity such as chair stands (standing up and sitting down repeatedly for a period of time - which is a muscle strengthening and cardiovascular activity).
Choose food with low sodium Choose activities with the most health benefits
Instructions: • In this activity you will practice your balance and ball movement skills. Each student will be given either a bean bag or a ball. Students should start using a bean bag and move to a foam ball for a greater challenge.
Indoor Grades: K-5 Time: 10 mins.
• When the activity begins, I will give you a movement to do with the bean bag or ball. Try your best to do the movement!
Get Ready:
Step 1
Step 2
• I will keep giving you new challenges as your balance and skill improves.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader provides students with the following tasks to complete:
• Place bean bag on feet with feet together, toss up and catch the ball with feet or hands • Place bean bag on elbow, flip into air and catch with hand on same side • Toss bean bag/ball overhead and catch behind back • Toss bean bag/ball from behind your back and catch in front • Circle waist with the bean bag/ball while standing
• From a seated position, lift legs out in front (bend knees if this is too hard) hold together in the air, and pass ball over and under feet using hands • Hold arms straight out at your sides with bean bag/ball in one hand. Toss the bean bag/ball over your head and catch with the other hand. Now do arm circles (can call them salt shakers and tell kids to “shake out the salt/sodium” for 30-seconds and try again. Did this make it easier or harder? Why? – Because those muscles got tired! • Be creative and add movement ideas!
• Monitor class for success – safely and correctly doing the activity.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about activities that have the most benefits and foods that are lower in sodium. Source: Adapted from an activity in East Carolina University: Activity Promotion Laboratory. Healthful Living Middle-School Energizers. 2007
S
Have a Ball
decrease increase
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: Bean Bags – 32
Foam Balls – 10
S
Choose food with low sodium Choose activities with the most health benefits
decrease increase
Nutrition Key Message: Choose foods with low sodium.
• Too much sodium may increase your blood pressure and cause other health problems.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Choose activities with the most health benefits. • Some types of activities provide more health benefits compared to others.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promotes cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities (weight lifting) build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask participants to think of “benefit dense” activities (i.e. activities that include many different fitness components and benefits such as strengthening, cardiovascular, balance, etc.). Examples of benefit dense activities: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Ask them to share any ideas for “benefit-dense” activities they could do in the classroom. • Prompt them with an activity such as chair stands (standing up and sitting down repeatedly for a period of time - which is a muscle strengthening and cardiovascular activity).
Choose food with low sodium Choose activities with the most health benefits
Instructions:
Step 1
Indoor Grades: 3-5 Time: 10 mins.
• To do this activity you will need to pair up with another student. You will have to guess what sport, game or activity your partner is doing. One student should face the board and the other should be seated (to start) with their back to the board.
Get Ready:
• When the game begins, I will write several activities on the classroom board.
Hockey
• The student who is facing the board must act out each of the activities until their partner is able to guess them all.
Basketball
• To keep everyone moving – the guesser will be doing (chair stands, toe raises, squats) the whole time they are guessing!
Swimming
Step 2
• Then partners will switch roles.
Step 3– Are you ready?
Leader writes new activities on the board for each new round. Keep going until the allotted time has passed. You may want to put one or two low movement or near sedentary activities on the board. This will support a discussion about activities that have many benefits and those that do not. • Monitor class for success – safely and correctly doing the activity.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about activities that have the most benefits and foods that are lower in sodium.
S
What’s My Activity
decrease increase
Write a series of physical activities on the classroom board such as:
Gardening Golf Biking Mowing the lawn Running Climbing Etc. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: Source: Adapted from an activity in East Carolina University: Activity Promotion Laboratory. Healthful Living Middle-School Energizers. 2007.
None
S
Choose food with low sodium Choose activities with the most health benefits
decrease increase
Nutrition Key Message: Choose foods with low sodium.
• Too much sodium may increase your blood pressure and cause other health problems.
PA Conceptual Connection:
Choose activities with the most health benefits. • Some types of activities provide more health benefits compared to others.
Talking Points:
• Different activities have different benefits. Aerobic activities such as walking, dancing, running or swimming promotes cardiovascular (heart) health, and musclestrengthening activities (weight lifting) build strong muscles. Both of these activities help to maintain a healthy weight. • Ask participants to think of “benefit dense” activities (i.e. activities that include many different fitness components and benefits such as strengthening, cardiovascular, balance, etc.). Examples of benefit dense activities: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination • Ask class participants to share the different types of activities that they do and ask them to identify the benefits (i.e. dancing = cardiovascular health, coordination, etc.). Ask them to share any ideas for “benefit-dense” activities they could do in the classroom. • Prompt them with an activity such as chair stands (standing up and sitting down repeatedly for a period of time - which is a muscle strengthening and cardiovascular activity).
Movin’ & Groovin’
Drink water instead of sugary drinks Be active instead of sedentary
Instructions:
Step 1
• We are going to sing a song that is sung to the tune of “Row Your Boat”. You should act out each activity mentioned in the song. Row, row, row your boat…Keep your muscles strong… Turn around, turn around, turn around, turn around, now we start again… Dance, dance, dance around, make a silly face… Turn around, turn around, turn around, turn around, now we start again… Kick, kick, kick your legs…Out in front of you… Turn around, turn around, turn around, turn around, now we start again… Jump, jump, jump real high…Try to touch the sky… Turn around, turn around, turn around, turn around, now we start again… Twist, twist, twist your hips…Back and forth you go… Turn around, turn around, turn around, turn around, now we start again… Punch, punch, punch your arms…Straight in front of you… Turn around, turn around, turn around, turn around, now we start again… March, march, march your legs…Keep your knees up high… Turn around, turn around, turn around, turn around, now we start again… Run, run, run in place…Get your heart beating… Turn around, turn around, turn around, turn around, now we start again… Clap, clap, clap your hands…Underneath each leg…
Discussion
Turn around, turn around, turn around, turn around, now we are all done…
End the activity with a discussion about limiting sugary drinks and living active lives rather than sedentary ones. Source: Adapted from activities in: 1. Mind and Body: Activities for the Elementary Classroom. 2008. 2. Take 10! ™ is a trademark of the International Life Sciences Institute.
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 15 mins.
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate singing the song for students before beginning the activity.
Equipment Needed: None
Drink water instead of sugary drinks Be active instead of sedentary
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message:
Drink water instead of sugary drinks. • Replace drinks such as soda, Kool-Aid, juices, and energy drinks with water.
PA Conceptual Connection: Be active instead of sedentary.
• Replace some time spent in sedentary activities with time spent being physically active.
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be fun, but these activities should be done less often because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Physical activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (playing sedentary video games – can talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play), and ask them to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide the most benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once). Examples of activities that benefit multiple systems include: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination
Human, Banana, Soda Pop
Drink water instead of sugary drinks Be active instead of sedentary
Instructions:
Step 1
Leaders should help students form pairs. If there is an “extra” student, leaders can partner with that student (preferable), or form one group of three and have them take turns.
• Stand back-to-back with your partner (there should be at least 12 inches of space between partners and ample space between pairs of students). • This game is like the game “Rock, Paper, Scissors”, except instead of “rock” (demonstrate by making a fist), “paper” (demonstrate by putting your hand out flat, palm down) “scissors” (demonstrate scissors with your index and middle fingers) we have different “signs” and we use our whole body to make them. Here are the signs: • Human: Student flexes arms overhead like a body builder and says “Oh Yeah” • Banana: Stands on tippy toes, puts both arms straight up in the air and says “Banana” • Soda Pop: Squats down slightly and makes arms into a circle shape in front of their chest while saying “Fizzzzz”
Indoor Grades: K-5 Time: 20 mins.
Get Ready:
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
• Humans eat bananas, so humans beat bananas. Bananas are healthier than soda pop, so bananas beat soda pop. Soda Pop is full of empty calories and may have lots of sugar, so soda pop beats humans. • When the game begins, both partners should jump in the air and spin around to face one another. When you face your partner, you should use your body to make the sign for human, banana or soda pop..
Step 2– Are you ready?
• I will place a deck of cards at the front of the room. After each round, the loser collects a card from the deck. If there is a tie (both students choose the same sign), nobody gets a card. • The winner picks a movement (jumping jacks, star jumps, hops) and BOTH partners do the movement the number of times that correspond to the number on the card (face cards = 10). After each round, you must find a new partner to play with. We will play until all the cards are gone from the deck. • Monitor class for success – safe participation and correctly doing the activity.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about avoiding sugary drinks and living active lives rather than sedentary ones. Source: Adapted from an activity from Mr. Gym, http://www.mrgym.com/SmallSpace/Tie_U_Die.htm, 2011
Equipment Needed: Playing Cards – 1 Deck
Drink water instead of sugary drinks Be active instead of sedentary
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message:
Drink water instead of sugary drinks. • Replace drinks such as soda, Kool-Aid, juices, and energy drinks with water.
PA Conceptual Connection: Be active instead of sedentary.
• Replace some time spent in sedentary activities with time spent being physically active.
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be fun, but these activities should be done less often because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Physical activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (playing sedentary video games – can talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play), and ask them to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide the most benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once). Examples of activities that benefit multiple systems include: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination
True or False
Drink water instead of sugary drinks Be active instead of sedentary
Indoor Grades: K-5 Time: 10 mins.
Instructions:
Step 1
• In this activity you will be answering some True/False questions. • If you believe the answer is “TRUE” you must jog in place, hop on one foot, march, etc.. If you believe the answer is “FALSE” you must do star jumps, squats, toe raises, etc. • To begin the game, Leaders select one movement to represent “FALSE” and one movement to represent “TRUE.” Leaders are encouraged to change the movements representing true and false responses after every 3-5 questions.
Step 2– Are you ready?
Leader asks the class questions and allows them to answer with movement. • Monitor the class for success – answering the questions with the correct movement. Go over the answers to questions that class members find challenging.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about avoiding sugary drinks and living active lives rather than sedentary ones.
Get Ready:
Create some basic True/False questions about limiting sugary drinks and the importance of minimizing time spent being inactive for today’s lesson. Write the movement students should do if they believe the answer to a question is “TRUE” and the movement they should do if they believe the answer is “FALSE” on the classroom board. Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: None Source: Adapted from an activity in East Carolina University: Activity Promotion Laboratory. Healthful Living Middle-School Energizers. 2007.
Drink water instead of sugary drinks Be active instead of sedentary
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message:
Drink water instead of sugary drinks. • Replace drinks such as soda, Kool-Aid, juices, and energy drinks with water.
PA Conceptual Connection: Be active instead of sedentary.
• Replace some time spent in sedentary activities with time spent being physically active.
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be fun, but these activities should be done less often because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Physical activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (playing sedentary video games – can talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play), and ask them to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide the most benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once). Examples of activities that benefit multiple systems include: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination
Activate the Alphabet
Drink water instead of sugary drinks Be active instead of sedentary
Step 1
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 20 mins.
• When the game begins we will start with the letter ‘A’ and I will name an activity that begins with that letter such as arm circles.
Get Ready:
Instructions: • In this activity we are going to do an “Active Alphabet.” We will go through the letters of the alphabet and do movements that begin with each letter of the alphabet.
• As a class we will do that activity for 30 seconds before moving on to the next letter
Step 2– Are you ready?
Leader lists letters of the alphabet one at a time and names an activity. Everyone does the movement and then the leader calls out the next letter and the next movement. Once the alphabet is complete, the process can be repeated by asking students to come up with new activities for each letter. Keep going until the allotted time has passed. • Monitor class for success – correctly completing each activity. A – arm circles N – nod your head B – balance (on one leg) O – overhead stretch C – crawl P – push up D – dancing Q – quiet feet (tip toe in place) E – elephant steps (big stomps) R – running in place F – frog jumps S – shake out sillies G – gallop T – toe touches H – hopping (two feet) U – up (jump with arms up) I – ice skating (slide/hop side-to-side) V – violin (pretend) J – jumping jacks W – walking (around the room) K – kicks X – make an X shape (wide legs and wide arms ) L – lunges (right and left) Y – yawn and stretch Z – zig-zag walk
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about avoiding sugary drinks and living active lives rather than sedentary ones. Source: Adapted from an activity found in - “Let’s Go Play!”, Oregon State University, 2010.
Write the letters of the alphabet on the classroom board. Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements. Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Equipment Needed: None
Drink water instead of sugary drinks Be active instead of sedentary
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message:
Drink water instead of sugary drinks. • Replace drinks such as soda, Kool-Aid, juices, and energy drinks with water.
PA Conceptual Connection: Be active instead of sedentary.
• Replace some time spent in sedentary activities with time spent being physically active.
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be fun, but these activities should be done less often because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Physical activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (playing sedentary video games – can talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play), and ask them to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide the most benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once). Examples of activities that benefit multiple systems include: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination
Animal Acts
Drink water instead of sugary drinks Be active instead of sedentary
Instructions:
Step 1
• In this activity each student will name a different animal. We will make a list of these animals on the classroom board.
Indoor Grades: K-2 Time: 10 mins.
Get Ready:
• Then I will name one of the animals listed on the board, and you must move like that animal.
Write a list of animals suggested by the students on the classroom board.
• When I say “we need water,” everyone should slow down because our bodies (and animals) need water for healthy movement.
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements.
• When the game begins, you should start walking around the room.
• When I say “we found water,” everyone should pretend to drink and begin moving faster.
Step 2– Are you ready?
Leader creates a list of animals that the students have named. Then begins naming animals while the students walk around the room. If students are unsure of what movement to make for a certain animal, demonstrate it for them. But allow them to be creative in their movements. Keep going until the allotted time has passed. • Monitor the class for success – non-stop, safe movement throughout the activity.
Discussion
• End the activity with a discussion about avoiding sugary drinks and living active lives rather than sedentary ones. Talk about what animals drink. Do they drink sugary drinks? • Ask students why the animals move more slowly without water.
Equipment Needed: None
Drink water instead of sugary drinks Be active instead of sedentary
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message:
Drink water instead of sugary drinks. • Replace drinks such as soda, Kool-Aid, juices, and energy drinks with water.
PA Conceptual Connection: Be active instead of sedentary.
• Replace some time spent in sedentary activities with time spent being physically active.
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be fun, but these activities should be done less often because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Physical activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (playing sedentary video games – can talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play), and ask them to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide the most benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once). Examples of activities that benefit multiple systems include: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination
World’s Strongest Students
Drink water instead of sugary drinks Be active instead of sedentary
Instructions: • In this activity you will pretend you are participants in the world’s strongest student competition.
Indoor Grades: K-5 Time: 10 mins.
When the activity begins I will give you a series of “events” that you must complete as part of the “strongest student” competition. They will involve pretending to be the world’s strongest students!
Get Ready:
Leader provides students with the following tasks: • 100 pound Chain Drag (walking backwards and pulling)
Demonstrate movements so all students are ready to move when the game begins.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3– Are you ready?
• 10 pound Chain Drag (ask students how this is different from the 100-pund drag) • Car Lift • Train Push (walking forward and pushing) • Pole Toss (pretend to toss a tree trunk as far as possible) • Iron Cross (pretend to hold great weights with arms to the side) • Stone Wall (picking up heavy stones from the ground and stacking them) • Giant Tire flip (pretend you have to lift up a tire and move it end-over-end • Giant Tire Roll (roll the same tire – how is this different from the flip) • Monitor the class for success – safely and correctly completing the activities.
Discussion
End the activity with a discussion about avoiding sugary drinks and living active lives rather than sedentary ones. Ask students if they believe they could win a “Strongest Student” competition if they were inactive and drank lots of sugary drinks? Source: Adapted from an activity in East Carolina University: Activity Promotion Laboratory. Healthful Living Middle-School Energizers. 2007.
Stand with enough ‘personal space’ for safe movements.
Equipment Needed: None
Drink water instead of sugary drinks Be active instead of sedentary
Talking Points: Nutrition Key Message:
Drink water instead of sugary drinks. • Replace drinks such as soda, Kool-Aid, juices, and energy drinks with water.
PA Conceptual Connection: Be active instead of sedentary.
• Replace some time spent in sedentary activities with time spent being physically active.
• Different activities have different benefits. Sitting in front of the TV, playing video games, or chatting on the computer may be fun, but these activities should be done less often because they do not provide much benefit to our bodies. Physical activities that promote a healthy heart and lungs, improve muscle strength, AND are fun to do are better for our bodies than sitting and watching TV. • Walking is a good activity, but other more vigorous (harder) activities (walking up hills and running games) may provide more heart healthy benefits. It’s important to spend at least 60 minutes a day in these more moderate to vigorous activities. • Ask class participants to think about activities that they do that are not very beneficial to their bodies (playing sedentary video games – can talk about options that might be better such as games that require you to dance and move while you play), and ask them to identify other activities that provide some benefits (walking to school) and the activities they do that provide the most benefits (i.e. activities that are non-stop for at least 10 minutes at a time; activities that benefit multiple systems at once). Examples of activities that benefit multiple systems include: • Ice skating: strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness • Gymnastics: strength, balance, flexibility • Rock climbing: strength, flexibility, coordination
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