1. Our 5th graders are Fit Kids!
The importance and implementation of the Fit4Kids program in our school

2. The Problem and The Solution
Problem: (Let’s Move)
Today, children experience a very different lifestyle. Walks to and from school have been replaced by car and bus rides. Gym class and after-school sports have been cut; afternoons are now spent with TV, video games, and the internet. Parents are busier than ever and families eat fewer home-cooked meals. Snacking between meals is now commonplace.
Solution:
Use active lesson plans, Active! recess, and Brain Breaks to reduce stress, socialize, foster creativity and encourage emotional development.

3. The TOP 10 Reasons to Implement!
Greater self-esteem and better self-images
Improves quantity and quality of sleep
Maintain and achieve a healthy body weight
Fewer reports of anxiety & depression symptoms
Builds on cognitive development & function
Enhanced academic performance
Improved school attendance
Helps build & maintain healthy muscles, bones and joints
Improves motor coordination
Aids in the development of important interpersonal skills

4. A brain with and without exercise.

6. What are the benefits of Fit4Kids? How do we implement it?
-Free*
-Easy Implementation
-Professional Development
-Works well with other sites such as:
-GoNoodle
-Improves Student Attention
-Grades/Retention
-Implements:
-Brain Breaks
-Active Recess
-Active Lesson Plans
-Learning Garden
*Learning Garden would require an area to grow food. Any supplementary equipment would also require money.
N.B.- This presentation does not include information about the Learning Garden.

7. Student at Bellwood Elementary exercising while reading

8. Active Lesson Plans Benefits: What is it? Strategies:
Retention rate is higher
Children have fun while learning
Prevent obesity
Their mind and body are connected to produce positive results
Cognitive function and academic performance increased
Inspire students to lead healthier lives
What is it?
Detailed lesson plans that incorporate movement in the classroom
Taught alongside Virginia SOL’s
Movement recording sheet is available for keeping track of answers/exercises
Strategies:
Relay race
Freeze dance
Retrieval
Sort
Musical chairs
Four corners
Stations (match up)
Scoot

9. Example of an Active Lesson Plan (Scoot)

10. Jump to Mean, Median, and Mode!
Sample Lesson Plans:
Math
Jump to Mean, Median, and Mode!
Students will pair up and take turns jumping from a starting line, they will measure their jumps. After 5 jumps each they will calculate the mean, median and mode of their own 5 jumps then of their partners.
Language Arts
Words on the Move
Students will be given a secret word that they must go around the classroom and use homophones, affixes, synonyms, antonyms, and definitions to guess. After each pairing, they will complete a series of exercises.

11. Social Studies: Freeze Dance!
Sample Lesson Plans:
Social Studies:
Freeze Dance!
When the music stops a North American geographical region index card will be shown by the teacher. The children will then label the correct section on their map. Repeat for all regions.
Science:
Ocean Floor Relay!
Children are split into several teams. Parts of the ocean floor are on flashcards. Each flashcard definition is called out by the teacher. Children will hop/skip/dance to the correct flashcard and place it in the correct location on their ocean floor diagram.

12. Adjustments for mental/physical disabilities
Math
If a student has a physical disability and cannot jump for the math lesson, the team could fly paper airplanes and calculate the mean, median, and mode of how far the planes traveled
Language Arts
If a student is movement disabled, they will not be expected to move around and will complete arm exercises instead of leg exercises.
Social Studies
Alter songs genre and speed based on class capabilities.
Science
If the student has a physical disability, that child could be the team captain. He/She would be in charge of the team and ocean floor diagram. Arm movements would be included in the active lesson.

13. TIME FOR A BRAIN BREAK with Mr. Catman

14. Brain Break! What is it? Benefits? Examples?
A short break during instruction to get up and move that uses movement to activate and stimulate the brain
Benefits?
Develop strength, coordination, and flexibility
Improve focus
Relax and calm students before a test
Activate both hemispheres of the brain
Works with lesson and SoL plans
Examples?
Walk the plank (students stand behind their desk and walk their hands out to a plank position, hold, then walk back and repeat)
Answering true or false questions - walk, jog, or hop to one side of the room that is “true” or the other side that is “false”

15. Taking a Brain Break before the next activity

16. What is it? Benefits? Examples? Active! Recess
Teacher-led recess activities.
Includes a:
Warm-up
Play time
Cool down
Benefits?
Boosts activity levels amongst all children regardless of activity
Reduces bullying on the playground and better focus in the classroom
Examples?
Relay race
Sharks and minnows
Switch
Watch your back tag
Circuit walk
Circuit walk: Designate an appropriate walking trail or path for students. Through the path, place signs that ask students to complete an exercise such as 10 squats, 5 push ups, 15 mountain climbers, hop for 1 min, etc. Spread the exercises out throughout the walking path or lead the exercises yourself.

17. Student playing at Active Recess

18. Year at a Glance
Introduction:
August will focus on having a Fit4Kids trainer come to the school to train teachers with best practices.
The trainer would return at certain points of the year to update teachers and to answer questions.
Implementation:
The following calendars will show what the upcoming year would look like with implementations.
Following that are two week at a glances that show possible 5th grade schedules for November and May as more items are implemented.

19. Year at a Glance: What to Implement When
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Teacher Training
Implement Active Lesson Plans
(1/week)
1 Brain Break 3 Days a Week
(M/W/F)
1 Active Recess a Week
(W)
(1-2/week)

20. Year at a Glance: What to Implement When
Jan.
Feb.
March
April
May
June
Implement Active Lesson Plans
(1-2/week)
1 Brain Break Every Day
1 Active Recess a Week
(W)
1 Brain Break Every Day & Additional Brain Break
(T/R)
2 Brain Breaks Every Day
2 Active Recess a Week
(W & M or F)
3 Active Recess a Week
(M/W/F)

21. Week at Glance: November
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
9:00-9:15
Welcome
9:20-9:45
Morning Meeting
9:50-10:50
Math
10:55-11:05
Brain Break
11:10-12:00
Reading
12:05-12:30
Lunch
12:35-1:15
Writing
1:20-1:50
Free-Play Recess
Active Recess
1:55-2:30
Art
Music
Library PE
Computer/Language
2:35-3:25
Science/Social Studies
3:30-3:45
Pack Up/Dismissal
Week at Glance: November

22. Week at a Glance: May Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
9:00-9:15
Welcome
9:20-9:45
Morning Meeting
9:50-10:50
Math
10:55-11:05
Brain Break
11:10-11:45
Reading
11:50-12:00
12:05-12:30
Lunch
12:35-1:15
Writing
1:20-1:50
Active Recess
Free-Play Recess
1:55-2:30
Art
Music
Library PE
Computer/Language
2:35-3:25
Science/Social Studies
3:30-3:45
Pack Up/Dismissal
Week at a Glance: May

23. Sources:
(Problem:
(Top 10:
(Brighter Brain:
(More they Burn:
(Bellwood:
(Active! Recess Information:
(Active! Recess Picture:
(Brain Break ideas:
(Brain Break/Active Lesson Plans:
(Example of Active Lesson Plan:
(CatMan Brain Break: