Physical education class provides students with the opportunity to learn through movement during collaborative and cooperative lessons and activities. PE supports the development of teamwork, listening skills, following directions, and sportsmanship. Students are also exposed to the importance of mental and emotional wellness and ways to calm their bodies. All the while, students understand the value of social relationships connected to physical activity. Although there are many valuable skills learned in physical education, a current focus at the elementary level is to promote physical activity outside of the school day.
According to the CDC, less than 25% of adolescents in the United States participate in the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity. Through the development of the Animal Fitness Club, our team is working to increase student physical activity levels outside of the school day as students do not have PE every day. Students are encouraged to apply classroom learning to find or create ways to be physically active when they are not at school.
Participants are currently working through the 10 levels of the fitness club. Each level requires 10 days of physical activity in addition to completing five days of various mental, social, and physical wellness challenges. At the completion of each level, students receive a small incentive to congratulate and encourage further physical activity. If a student completes all 10 levels, they receive a certificate and a fitness club t-shirt. Staff and students are able to encourage one another as they see their picture progress across the fitness walls located in the Atkins, Keystone, and Norway buildings. This program has encouraged comradery, competition, and the development of healthy lifestyle habits among students and staff.
From stress management to prevention of chronic disease, to increasing social opportunities, the benefits of physical activity are endless. Our goal is for students to experience and value the many benefits of physical activity and develop lifelong healthy relationships with physical activity.