1. ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY
Fitness for Life
Elementary School
Webinar
Chuck Corbin
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
Guy Le Masurier
VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY
Fitness for Life: Elementary School is part of a K-12 fitness education program. This webinar is designed to provide the information necessary to implement the program.

2. Teaching-Learning Process
The Teaching-Learning Process provides the basis for quality program development. Programs are built on a strong foundation that includes a well-established philosophy, a clear understanding of the body of knowledge (kinesiology), an understanding of the needs of learners, and attention to standards (e.g., SHAPE America standards, Fitness Education framework).
Objectives provide a blueprint for program development based on foundations.
Programs are the tools used to meet student objectives.
Methods refer to the way that tools are used to provide optimal learning.
Evaluation is the last step of the process and is designed to determine if programs and methods are effective, if student objectives are met, and if the needs of learners are met.

3. HELP Philosophy Health and wellness for Everyone with an emphasis on
Lifetime behavior change designed to meet
Personal needs for each student
The HELP philosophy provides the basis for the Fitness for Life program. The philosophy was created by the authors of Fitness for Life, but the philosophy is now shared by Physical Best and FITNESSGRAM with permission from the authors.

4. Standards
SHAPE America standards Fitness Education Framework Healthy People 2020 Physical activity guidelines USDA guidelines
The Fitness for Life program is based on the standards and guidelines shown on the slide.

5. Physically Literate Person
Is physically active
Knows about health benefits of activity
Values physical activity
Is physically fit
Has skills
Fitness for Life helps students to become physically literate by promoting lifelong physical activity, teaching knowledge and self-management skills that lead to lifelong physical activity, and teaching students to value activity. Students learn to self-assess fitness and to plan a personal activity program that builds fitness. Student learn about a variety of skills that can be used as part of a lifelong activity program.

6. New Physical Activity Pyramid for Kids
The Physical Activity Pyramid is used to help students learn about the various types of physical activity. The FIT Formula gives the suggested frequency, intensity, and time (duration) for each type of physical activity. FIT is used rather than FITT because the Type of activity (the second T in FITT) is already determined for each segment of the pyramid.

7. What is Fitness for Life ES?
Package includes nine books, 10 DVDs, one CD-ROM, and one music CD
* Guide for Wellness Coordinators for the coordinator who manages the overall program; book includes a DVD with videos and resources
* Physical Education Lesson Plans for PE teachers; book includes two DVDs with videos, one CD-ROM of resources, and one CD of music
* Classroom Guide for teachers for each grade from K to 6; each book includes a DVD with videos and resources

8. The Basics Four Wellness Weeks each year
One Wellness Week every nine weeks
Physical activity and nutrition theme each week
Total school involvement
The basic Wellness Week program includes the features in the slide.

9. Program Foundations Implement a school wellness program
Help students meet physical activity guidelines
Help students meet nutrition goals
Help prevent childhood obesity
Help build youth fitness
Promote academic achievement
The program helps students and schools in many ways.
Schools with school lunch programs must have a wellness plan. Implementing FFLES can be a significant step in this direction. The program helps students meet nutrition and physical activity guidelines, contributing to the fight against obesity. The program gets kids active to build fitness and improve academic performance.

10. Program Components Classroom activity breaks (plug and play)
PE activities
Schoolwide nutrition and fitness events
Eat Well Wednesday and Get Fit Friday
School signs
Educational messages
Schoolwide celebration activities
Family newsletters
Program website
The whole school Wellness Week program includes all aspects of the school. All members of the staff, students, and parents can contribute as listed on the slide.

11. Classroom Guides One guide for each grade (K-6) Lesson plans
Morning video activity (plug & play)
Afternoon activities
DVD with each guide
20 plug & play activity videos for each grade
Classroom signs, worksheets
Family newsletters
There are 7 classroom guides, one for each grade level K-6. Each guide has lesson plans for morning (with plug and play videos) and afternoon activities. The DVDs contain the exercise break videos plus teacher resources (e.g., signs, worksheets, newsletters).

12. Classroom Activity (Morning)
Video routines are 5 to 6 minutes long No equipment required (plug and play) Routines performed beside desk Grade-level appropriate Instructional videos teach the movements Activity and nutrition messages Different messages are given each day
The morning exercise breaks use the DVD videos (plug and play). The slide describes the features of the morning activities.

13. Classroom Activity (Afternoon)
No equipment required Routines performed beside desk Grade-level appropriate Integrate with academic content Include relaxation activities (wind down)
The afternoon exercise breaks do not use video. They are described in the lesson plans and designed to integrate academic content in math and language arts. All exercise breaks are followed by relaxation exercises that allow kids to wind down before continuing normal daily activities.

14. K-2 Activity Routines Kindergarten First Grade Second Grade 1
Week
Kindergarten
First Grade
Second Grade 1
Exercise on the Farm
Some More
Get Fit 2
Frank and Franny Fitness
I Can
La Raspa 3
We Get Fit
CYIM Fit
Wave It 4
Shake It
Stomp and Balance
It’s the One
There are different videos for each grade level and for each Wellness Week. The K-2 activities/videos are listed on this slide.

15. 3-6 Activity Routines Third Grade Fourth Grade Fifth Grade Sixth Grade
Week
Third Grade
Fourth Grade
Fifth Grade
Sixth Grade 1
It’s Our Plan
Robot
Hip Hop 5
Hip Hop 6 2
Go Aerobics Go
Latin Aerobics
Tinikling
Salsaerobics 3
Tic Tac Toe 3
Tic Tac Toe 4
Tic Tac Toe 5
Tic Tac Toe 6 4
Jumpnastics
Keep on Clapping
Fit Funk
Harvest Time
There are different videos for each grade level and for each Wellness Week. The 3-6 activities/videos are listed on this slide.

16. Classroom Teacher Responsibilities
Morning activity break (plug and play)
Discuss messages in the routine (guide)
Afternoon activity break (connects to academics)
Signs and worksheets
Classroom teacher responsibilities are included on this slide.

17. Finding Time in the Classroom
5 to 15 minutes per day
1 to 3 minutes per hour of the school day
Activity improves student health and fitness
Activity contributes to academic achievement and better test performance
Research conducted before building the FFLES program found that teachers were willing to give 5-15 minutes a day but not on every day of the year. The Wellness Week concept (four weeks per year) resulted. Activities were designed to fit in 5-15 minutes per session.

18. Sample Classroom Lesson Plan
The classroom lesson plans describe how to conduct morning and afternoon exercise breaks and include information about resources such as class signs and worksheets.

19. Sample Classroom Signs
This slide shows example of classroom signs that can be printed from the DVD teacher resources. Some signs include “chants” that require students to chant information after the teacher reads part of the sign: example, the teacher says “the heart is a muscle” and the students chant “that allows me to hustle!”

20. Sample Classroom Worksheets
Worksheets are available for use in the classroom if the teachers want to use them. They can be printed from the DVD. The slide shows examples.

21. PE Teacher Responsibilities
Teach routines before each Wellness Week Wellness Week PE lessons Discuss messages Signs, worksheets, and newsletters Help with schoolwide activities
The principal responsibilities of the physical education teacher during wellness weeks include the topics listed on the slide.

22. PE Lesson Plans 3 lesson plans for each Wellness Week
28 activity videos on DVDs
Same as classroom routines
For all grades K-6
CD-ROM of resources
Activity and task cards
Signs, worksheets, newsletters
CD of music
Music and intervals for lessons
Cadences for fitness tests
This slide provides an overview of the PE Lesson Plans book and discs.

23. Lesson Plans Key criteria Specific focus Lots of support
FFLES lesson plans were created with three main criteria in mind including:
Engaging students in movement experiences that meet SHAPE America standards and focus on physical activity and nutrition concepts
Providing a consistent lesson plan structure for teachers that is easy-to-use, flexible and considers equipment limitations of many programs
Applying evidence-based teaching strategies

24. Evidence-based Techniques
Maximizing activity Giving effective feedback Checking for student understanding Promoting healthy lifestyles outside school
In the FFLES lesson plans we integrated evidence-based teaching strategies into the lesson plans that would help teachers:
Maximize activity in activity lessons
Provide effective feedback to students to support learning
Check for student understanding
Promote physical activity and healthy eating outside school

25. Lesson Plans Key criteria Specific focus Lots of support
The FFLES lesson plans have a specific focus on teaching health-related fitness activities, fundamental movement skills and motor skill activities, and health-related fitness self-assessment.

26. Lesson Plans Key criteria Specific focus Lots of support
Finally, the FFLES lesson plans are supported by well-organized sections in the teacher’s guide, a CD-ROM, and a program-specific music CD.

27. Sample PE Lesson Plan
All FFLES lesson plans follow a consistent format that is easy to use and flexible for teachers who want to make changes.
The FFLES lesson plans also take into consideration the equipment demands an elementary physical educator must deal with each day. We understand that a 6th grade class might be followed by a 1st grade class and then a 4th grade class. The lesson plans for the lower and upper elementary levels are different, but the equipment is the same to minimize setup time.

28. Sample PE Signs
Teachers can post the pre-made signs that reinforce health-related fitness concepts, encourage positive attitudes, promote healthy eating, and remind students of the importance of practice.

29. Sample PE Activity Cards
The FFLES program has numerous activity cards for a variety of health- and skill-related fitness circuits. These activity cards can be modified by the teacher and can be mixed and matched to create unique activity circuits.

30. Sample PE Worksheets
Student worksheets make it easy for students to build a portfolio of their work. The teacher can modify all worksheets.

31. Guide for Wellness Coordinators
Schoolwide Wellness Week plans
Get Fit Friday activities
Eat Well Wednesday activities
Detailed educational foundations
DVD
TEAM Time video activities
Signs for halls, cafeteria, playground
Family newsletters
Assessment tools
In-service video and slides
TEAM stands for “Together Everyone Achieves More.”

32. Wellness Coordinator Responsibilities
Coordinate four Wellness Weeks each year
Conduct in-service training and events
Organize Eat Well Wednesday activities
Organize Get Fit Friday (TEAM Time) events
Encourage active playgrounds
Post signs (halls, cafeteria, playground)
Distribute family newsletters
Coordinate celebration activities
The Wellness Coordinator is often the physical education teacher who plays the role of school physical activity director. He/she has the responsibilities in the slide. If there is no physical education teacher, the Wellness Coordinator can be a teacher, administrator, or parent.

33. Eat Well Wednesday Activity
Every Wednesday of Wellness Week
Nutrition event in cafeteria
Fruit and vegetable bar
Healthy breakfast
Yogurt bar
Fruit, veggie, and bottled water bar
Emphasis on nutrition in classrooms and PE
Eat Well Wednesday occurs on Wednesday of each of the four Wellness Weeks. The Wellness Coordinator and cafeteria staff plan special nutrition events. Parents can be called on to assist.

34. Get Fit Friday Activity
Every Friday of Wellness Week
TEAM Time schoolwide activity
TEAM = “Together Everyone Achieves More”
10 minutes at the beginning of the school day
Empower students to lead classmates in fun activities
Get Fit Friday involves a “whole school” activity. There is a special DVD that contains activities for Get Fit Friday. These are called TEAM Time and the activities were developed and performed by Meg Greiner, one of the program authors.

35. Active Playgrounds Promote active play on the playground
Post Active Playground signs by doors
Make activity equipment available during recess and lunch
Teach active playground games
Have supervisors encourage active play
During Wellness Weeks, active playgrounds are promoted. Some features are listed on the slide.

36. Sample Cafeteria and Active Playground Signs
The Wellness Coordinator, with the help of other school staff and students, can post signs on the playground or playground entrances and in the cafeteria. The signs are included on the DVD.

37. Other Staff Responsibilities
Principal: support and assist Wellness Week Art teacher: students create wellness-related art Music teacher: students learn songs in video routines Librarian: promote books on wellness Cafeteria staff: help with Eat Well Wednesday Administrative staff: help with signs and newsletters Parents: nutrition, wellness committee
All staff should be involved. Examples are included on the slide.

38. Physical Activity and Academic Achievement
Research shows that physical activity contributes to academic achievement Physical activity improves cognitive function Time spent in activity does not reduce learning Fitness for Life: Elementary School reinforces learning in many areas
Physical activity improves academic learning and cognitive functioning. FFLES increases activity during the day and contributes to academic learning and cognitive functioning.

39. Brain Function Sitting quietly
This slide shows that exercise “lights up the brain.” 20 minutes of exercise improves cognitive functioning. Based on research by Hillman et al at the University of Illinois. Images used by permission.
Sitting quietly
After 20 minutes of walking
Hillman et al. Neuroscience (2009)

40. Activity and Brain
Hillman’s research shows that exercise (vs. sitting quietly) is associated with better reading, spelling, and math scores on tests.

41. Activity and Achievement
Donnelly’s work at the University of Kansas shows that activity in the classroom increases reading, math, and spelling scores.
Reading
B yr
Math
B yr
Spelling
B yr
Courtesy of Joe Donnelly-University of Kansas

42. Evidence Courtesy Harvard Forums
The Harvard Forums results show that parents support health and physical education.

43. Successful Programs
Pima County (Tucson) Colina Elementary School Horizon Charter School Verde Valley Initiative
FFLES and Wellness Week programs have shown good research results in places identified on the slide.

44. Suggestions
Divide the load Volume control: start small and add more elements as you gain experience Use the materials anytime during the year, not just during the four Wellness Weeks Involve parents and families
When starting a new program, we offer some suggestions.

45. click Elementary Program
Website
click Elementary Program
Fitness for Life Elementary School has a book specific website that includes resources for teachers.

46. Reading
Corbin, C. B., Kulinna, P. H., Dean, M., & Reeves, J. (2013). Wellness Weeks: A Total School Approach to Promoting Physical Activity and Nutrition. JOPERD, 84(6),
This reading from JOPERD describes Wellness Weeks and the research supporting them.

47. END OF WEBINAR