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The Learning Events should always be prefaced by focusing on the essential questions:

• What does it mean to be fit?

Fitness Concepts: What Does It Mean to Be Fit? (Lesson 1)

Hook: show pictures of people in a variety of situations, with a variety of body shapes. Have students categorize the pictures into “fit” and “unfit.”‘

(A) Teacher will unpack the word “fit”, addressing some of the stereotypical bias that accompanies the word. Are skinny people fit? Are large people unfit? Challenge stereotypes with a picture of elite runner who is bulimic, or a large man who could be a champion shot putter (often, they don’t “look” fit). Essentially try to get to the point where students will not judge fitness based on physical appearance, as this is misleading. Consider all health components of fitness, explaining each one. Begin a word wall with these health components, ideally written by students.

(M) With an expanded concept of a “fit” person, have students describe a fit person in their life, other than themselves. Have them draw this person, and include aspects of his/her lifestyle that makes him/her fit, or create a mindmap about this person.

The Learning Events should always be prefaced by focusing on the essential questions:

• What does it mean to be fit?

Fitness Concepts: Does It Matter How We Move? (Lesson 2)

Hook: Show video clips of athletic performances, particularly those involving running, jumping and throwing.

(M) Have this essential question posted, and ask students to reflect upon this and then Think, Pair, Share. Have students discuss the various viewpoints, and draw in considerations of injury prevention, posture, efficiency for competition, aesthetic appreciation (dance), overall personal health, etc.

Discussion conclusion: Show a picture of “Mrs. Hunter” on her 100th birthday. She goes for a walk every day, and continues to live independently. Take away idea: sometimes it’s more important that we DO move, even if it’s not efficient / competitive.

(A) Teach the terms locomotor, non-locomotors and manipulative skills. Have students come up with as many examples of each to put around each definition. Add these terms to the word wall.

The Learning Events should always be prefaced by focusing on the essential questions:

• What does it mean to be fit?

Fitness Concepts: Movement Lab for Throwing Technique (Lessons 3)

Teacher can review throwing technique and catching technique before teaching the lab. (See this video on YouTube: “Baseball Throwing Fundamental Drills”.) Have students set it up as a proper science lab, listing equipment, procedures, etc.

Depending on the experience of the child, this lesson will involve some (A), (M), and (T)

Have students in partners. One partner will stand on a line going across a field that has cones showing a distance of every 5m down the field. The second partner will stand behind and watch to “spot” where the ball lands on the ground after it has been thrown. Students will try throwing a softball, getting 3 tries for each throwing technique. After each throw, the partner will provide a measurement of how far the ball went, estimating the distance if it went between two cones.  Once one partner has tried a technique three times, they will switch roles. Distances thrown should be recorded on an observation table.

SAFETY NOTE: Teachers should have students all throw at once, and then call out “retrieve” so kids aren’t collecting balls while others are throwing.

Technique #1:
Throwers stand with both toes on the line, hips staying still and square on the line as well. Arm is raised, but must be still; only the wrist can be propelled to throw the ball. Some students will discover that they can throw it farther if they “flick” their wrist when throwing; this is good technique, and will help when combined with other movements.

Technique #2:
Throwers throw the softball, keeping their torso still, toes and hips square, but now they get to use their entire arm to swing. Try 3 throws and switch roles.

Technique #3:
Throwers throw, beginning the movement from their lower torso. Some students will figure out that it helps to twist the torso, bringing the arm back, and leading with the elbow.  They may also discover that it helps to counterbalance the work of the throwing arm with the non-throwing arm. Try 3 throws and switch roles.

Technique #4:
Before throwing, students should practice the footwork of this technique. First, students should stand two strides BACK from the throwing line, with toes pointing forward down the field. Then, the foot that is the same as the throwing arm pe. Right) will take a step, placing their foot PARALLEL to the throwing line. Then, the opposite foot and arm take a step, with both toes and fingers pointing at the intended target Students pretend to throw an imaginary ball, focusing on the WEIGHT TRANSFER and FOLLOW THROUGH actions. When they feel confident that they have mastered the technique without the ball, they should try throwing three times with a ball. Throws should be measured as accurately as possible.

Observations from the lab can be expressed in a chart, then bar graph. Students should generate conclusions based on their data, but also on the observations that they made about their throwing partner. Conclusions for the lab can focus on a creating a Tip Sheet for effective throwing, or a Coaches Corner type video.

The Learning Events should always be prefaced by focusing on the essential questions:

• What does it mean to be fit?

Fitness Concepts: Movement Lab for Catching (Lesson 4)

Depending on the experience of the child, this lesson will involve some (A), (M), and (T)

This lab should occur after the throwing lab, and once students have a sense of how important it is to step forward during a throw to generate power. Once they have this understanding, it is easier to grasp the concept of stepping backward to facilitate catching. Just as stepping forward accelerates the throw, stepping back DECREASES the velocity of the throw, making the ball easier to catch.

SAFTEY NOTE: Use soft pink balls or bouncy rubber balls for this lab so if students fail to catch, they will not be hurt.

Have the students work with a different partner from the previous lab, and try the following catching techniques. Students should make anecdotal observations after each technique, and should see how far apart they can move and still successfully catch the ball while maintaining form.

Technique #1:
Arms and feet pointing toward thrower, elbows locked straight. Try to catch the ball without bending elbows or moving feet Record observations.

Technique #2:
All joints can move (flex/extend) as they try to catch the ball, but feet must remain in the same place. (This also reinforces throwing accuracy!)

Technique #3:
Arms begin out in front of body. As hands begin contact with the ball, catcher takes a step backward, “absorbing” the momentum of the ball.

Observations from the lab can be expressed using diagrams, measurements of how far apart the partners can be and still catch effectively while maintaining the prescribed technique.  Conclusions for the lab can focus on a creating a Tip Sheet for effective catching, or a Coaches Corner type video.

The Learning Events should always be prefaced by focusing on the essential questions:

• What does it mean to be fit?

Fitness Concepts: Movement Lab for Running (Lesson 5)

Depending on the experience of the child, this lesson will involve some (A), (M), and (T)

Have the students set up their Movement Lab, using the following as part of the materials necessary to complete the lab: a section of grass, a section of gravel path, a section of paved road (that is blocked from cars), running shoes.

In partners, students will use a particular running technique for about 50m each. Partners will record observations about their partners. The running technique will all be performed on grass or gravel path. Compare/contrast the effects of different types of terrain at the end of each lab in an anecdotal manner.

Technique #1:
Run 50m on grass keeping your arms pinned to your sides, (very awkward – no counterbalance).

Technique #2:
Run 50m taking strides as long as possible, and leading with the feet, (forward foot will break momentum – ineffective).

Technique #3:
Run 50m with arms moving in a north-south direction, staying bent at a 90 degree angle, with elbows driving back (not worrying about bringing arms up high in front – also -breaks momentum), and chest “up and out”.

Technique #4:
Run 50m with arms the same as in Technique #3, but now each leg pushes off and the knees drive “up and through”, and the foot touches down just in front of the body, or slightly underneath the body.

The Learning Events should always be prefaced by focusing on the essential questions:

• What does it mean to be fit?

Fitness Concepts: Movement Lab for Jumping (Lesson 6)

Depending on the experience of the child, this lesson will involve some (A}, (M), and (T)

This movement lab will involve a series of stations, and may be broken up into multiple lessons.  Stations can be set up for students to try skipping, hopscotch, hurdles, standing broad jump into a sand pit (if available]. As students go from one station to another, they should record observations about themselves and a lab partner. Observations should address the following:

1. What body movements help initiate a two foot take-off jump? A one foot take-off?

2. What body movements help initiate a controlled stop to the jumping action? (Think: motorcycle stop.)

3. How can your body generate more height (power]?

4. How can music help your jumping technique?

5. What components of fitness are targeted by skipping?

Students can create reasoned hypotheses about each of these questions before the lab and after, and can make conclusions based on observations.

This lab offers an excellent interdisciplinary opportunity to learn limericks, songs, etc. that students can sing while skipping. They can even make their own lyrics to an established song; perhaps tailoring the lyrics to the class or school.