Content Area: Health and Physical Education

 

Index: 2.6A Grade 6 CPI 3

 

Standard: 2.6 - Fitness

 

Strand: A -   Fitness and Physical Activity

 

Cumulative Progress Indicator: 3 -   The student will describe how body systems adapt over time to regular physical activity.

 

Grade: 6

 

Sample Activities:

 

·        IN THE TARGET ZONE - An important concept for training is the ability to monitor one’s heart rate and modify exercise to stay within an appropriate aerobic zone. Teach students how to determine their maximal heart rate and then have students determine the upper and lower limits of their aerobic target zone. (Review ways to monitor the pulse rate during exercise, or introduce heart rate monitors if available.) Once students are comfortable taking and recording their own pulse, explain why it is so important to monitor one’s pulse rate during exercise. Introduce the concept of intensity level, and show students a simple chart to help them gauge how hard they are working when they exercise (e.g., create a scale from 1 (very, very light) to 10 (extremely hard). Each student jumps rope at a slow pace for 30 seconds, takes and records his/her pulse, and then rates the intensity of the exercise. Next, each student jumps rope at a medium pace for 30 seconds and repeats the pulse and intensity recording. Finally, each student jumps rope at a challenging pace, one that puts him/her in the target zone. After recording the appropriate data, students evaluate if they were above or below the target zone and adjust the next exercise accordingly. Discuss the importance of reaching the target zone and using it to get the most benefit  from exercise.

 

·        BEAT IT - Each student needs a small index card and a pencil. Students practice taking their resting heart rate. Once they feel comfortable with this, students warm up and complete a one-minute period of aerobic exercise. After the one-minute period, students take their pulse and record it on the card. After a one-minute rest, students repeat the entire sequence a total of five times. Circulate and assist students who may have difficulty finding their pulse. At the end of the series, students share the data collected and discuss why there may be variations.

Variation: Divide the class into pairs to review their pulse rate findings and create an idea web that explains why the heart rate increases with consecutive periods of exercise.

 

      Variation: Divide the class into two groups. One group monitors heart rate while the other monitors respiratory rate, then the groups switch roles. Discuss the correlation between exercise, heart rate, and respiratory rate.