Physical Education for the 21st Century
Grade 4
Health and Fitness 2024
Central Idea:
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Recognizing the factors that affect health and fitness can help improve people's well-being​​​
Learner Outcomes
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Identity:
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Reflect on their own cultural influences, experiences, traditions, and perspectives, and are open to those of others​
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Active Living:
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Identify new capabilities and other benefits that may result from improved cardiorespiratory fitness
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Understand that there are substances that can cause harm to health
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Based on the principles of training, develop and act on personal fitness goals which include interests, self-assessments, and feelings when participating in physical activities
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Assess their level of exertion during physical activity, using simple self-assessment techniques & explain how intrinsic & extrinsic factors affect the exertion required to perform physical activities
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Explain how the body's capacity for movement develops as it grows in relation to the body systems
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Unit Introduction​
Health and Fitness units tend to be quite bland. The usual format appears to be where students do a fitness test, set a goal, work towards that goal, and then re-test at the end of the unit. This unit, for me, was created because we were instructed to start doing national fitness tests. Rather than waste a lesson by doing these tests, collecting some data, and sending the data away, I thought we could use this valuable time and data to make this unit meaningful and purposeful. With my background in personal training and my Master’s degree needing an assignment, I started experimenting with this unit to see if I could make Health and Fitness a bit more engaging and empowering for my students. Thus, Warrior Fitness was born.
What is Warrior Fitness?
This is our public product at the end of this Health and Fitness unit. The G4 students become ‘Warrior Trainers’ (personal trainers) and run one-on-one personal training sessions where they conduct fitness tests and then based on the data collected, create a training program for their client. In the past, the grade 4s undertook over 400 personal training sessions. Grade 1 students up to Grade 10, teachers, parents, and admin have all been trained by these Warrior Trainers. It is a big event that encourages the G4s to step into a leadership role with their clients and to be empowered with the knowledge and skills they learned through the unit.
Lesson 1
We started the lesson with 5 minutes of Moving Time. I have a trolley consisting of various equipment including jump ropes, basketballs, frisbees, tennis balls, etc. Moving Time aims to have the kids explore the different equipment, move, get warmed up, and have fun before starting the lesson.
Once all the equipment had been returned to the Moving Time trolley, we gathered in our gym corner where I introduced the new unit. I played a video that contained snippets of previous Warrior Fitness events throughout the years. This year would be the 6th time we did this event and therefore, this grade 4 cohort would be the 6th batch of Warrior Trainers.
After the introduction, my teaching assistant and I started airdropping the PowerPoint for this unit. You can access it by clicking on the image below.
Once everyone had the PowerPoint and had a brief exploration, we navigated our way to the Cardiovascular Endurance section – our first area of fitness to inquire into.
We will inquire into this in more detail in the next lesson but the main purpose of today was to get them moving and for them to notice how the CVE system operates during a game. We got stuck into a game of Bullrush. These are the instructions:
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The whole class stands on one side of your playing area, in my case, a gym
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One student volunteers to be the farmer, and everyone else on the side of the gym are bulls.
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The farmer wants their bulls back, so they yell, “bullrush!”
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The class has 20 seconds to run to the other side of the gym without getting tagged.
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If you are tagged they become a farmer also.
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Once everyone is on the other side and they are not caught, they have 10 seconds rest.
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After 10 seconds, the farmers yell, “Bullrush!” and the class has 20 seconds to get to the other side.
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This continues until all bulls are caught.
After a couple of rounds of Bullrush, we gathered around and used the RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) scale to determine their effort.
I then asked them which type of CVE exercise is Bullrush based on the options in the PPT. We cycled through the different options and determined it was Interval Training due to the start-stop nature of the exercise.
I then introduced the class to the Central Idea but did not spend much time unpacking it. That would be done next class. We then reflected upon the lesson and determined the main learning points.
After Moving Time, we gathered in our little classroom corner for our review session. I did our Jump Up routine where I asked, “What’s our unit?” Students jump up if they want to answer. They then get to put the Central Idea poster onto the board. This is a simple way for kids to get involved in the discussion. Eventually, we will do this for the Learner Profile and 2 AtL skills as well.
I then shared the Driving Question for the unit.
Lesson 2
I then ask “What’s our Driving Question?” Here, the class has an opportunity to respond to the question based on our learning from the previous lesson as well as their prior knowledge from other experiences. I ensured to frame my questions by linking them to our previous lesson. “What was our focus in the last lesson? What is Cardiovascular Endurance? How does that connect with our unit? How can we improve our cardiovascular endurance? How does improving our cardiovascular endurance improve our well-being?”
We dug a bit deeper into cardiovascular endurance by having the kids learn the exercises in the PowerPoint. We separated into 4 groups and spent 5 minutes at each station.
With 5 minutes left at the end of the session, we gathered and reflected upon the lesson. I briefly introduced the Learner Profile for the unit – Thinker. To finish up, I asked them what their thoughts were on this Learner Profile and how it connects with the unit.
Lesson 3
We started the lesson with Moving Time so the kids could have a bit of fun and get their wiggles out before the lesson officially started. After 5 minutes, we gathered in our gym corner and started our Jump-Up routine. “What’s our unit? What’s our Learner Profile? What’s our Driving Question? Does anyone want to try and answer the Driving Question?”
After this discussion, we got into a game of Bullrush for a bit of fun but also to remind them what area of fitness this game is working on and what type of exercise it is.
We then dug a bit deeper into what the Thinker Learner Profile is and how it connects with the unit. This will become more obvious once the kids start programming fitness programs.
We then inquired into Muscular Endurance, what it is, how it benefits our bodies, and what exercises help it.
We separated into 3 groups and worked on the exercises relevant to the upper body, lower body, and core. After the first rotation, I clarified what sets, reps, and rest mean. We then got into the next 2 remaining rounds.
With 5 minutes left, we gathered in our discussion area and introduced the Warrior Fitness Committee.
The Warrior Fitness Committee
This committee would consist of 2 students from each class totaling 10 students. These students would assist in creating Warrior Fitness. The committee would meet once to twice a week to work on different jobs they felt needed to be done, such as equipment checking, field design, t-shirt design, advertising, etc. This group would also be required to come into school early on the day of Warrior Fitness to help set up the field and stay back to pack away. It is a big job but an incredibly rewarding one where these kids are empowered by creating an event. I highly encourage any teacher looking to create an event to include a student committee.
To express their interest in joining I sent a link to their relevant class in Microsoft Teams that sends them to a Microsoft Form.
Lesson 4
After Moving Time, Jump-Up review, and answering the Driving Question using the Thinker Learner Profile we reviewed what Muscular Endurance is and how it helps our body. To emphasize Muscular Endurance we got into the Sally Challenge. This is a very simple challenge that can be adjusted according to your class needs.​
The Sally Challenge
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Play the song, ‘Flower’ by Moby
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Whenever you hear the lyric, “Bring Sally up”, you go up.
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When you hear the lyric, “Bring Sally down”, you go down.
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Fortunately, the gap between ‘bring Sally down’ and ‘bring Sally up’ is a few seconds, which means you get a great isometric hold at the bottom of the rep.
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The song is 3:22.
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I spend a minute or so on different exercises, push-ups, squats, and Tuck Crunches.
During this challenge, my teaching assistant and I could walk around and help correct different movements, such as having a straight back during the push-up, feet at hip-width during the squat, and only the glutes touching the ground during the Tuck Crunch.
After a brief water break, we gathered in our classroom corner and moved to the final area of fitness – Flexibility.
We got into partners for this part of the lesson. One partner does the stretch, and the other partner counts and compares their partner’s technique to the PowerPoint. Each take turns to complete all the flexibility exercises on the PowerPoint.
With 5 minutes to spare, we reflected on our lesson and the key points achieved. I then announced the Warrior Fitness Committee members for each of the classes and created a Microsoft Teams for the group where we could share our work and organize meetings.
Lesson 5
After Moving Time and reviewing using the Jump-Up routine and Driving Question answering, we got into our lesson focus – testing. I asked questions such as, “Why do we do fitness tests? Why should we get our clients to do fitness tests? What can we do with the data we collect?”
I gave each student a Fitness Test Result document where they could record their fitness test data. You can download it by clicking on the image below.
I explained how to conduct a cardiovascular endurance test, the 800m Walk/Run test.
The kids were split into partners, partner 1 did the test, and partner 2 had a timer and counted the laps. I also linked this particular test with our first AtL of the unit – Interpersonal Relationships. We briefly touched on this but unpacked it in more detail as the unit progressed.
Lesson 6
After Moving Time, we reviewed the unit and answered the Driving Question using the new AtL.
We then reviewed the 800m Walk/Run test and the key points of it.
To mix things up, rather than doing Bullrush as a Cardiovascular Endurance game, I introduced the kids to Shark.
Shark
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We have 3 large circles in the gym, where the basketball free-throw line is.
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These 3 circles are islands and the people are safe inside these islands.
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The rest of the gym is the ocean
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One student volunteers to be a shark in the ocean
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My role in the game is to make islands disappear by stepping on the islands.
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Once the islands disappear the sharks can swim in and tag the people.
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Once a person is tagged, they become a shark also.
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Once I leave an island, the island comes back and can be used as a safe zone.
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This keeps going until there is one person left
Once we did a couple of rounds of Shark, we moved to our classroom corner and learned about Muscular Endurance testing. We did two tests in this lesson – the Push-Up test, and the Plank test.
I broke down the steps to do these tests properly, handed out the fitness test result sheets, and let the kids at it.
With 5 minutes to spare, we reflected upon the lesson and worked out some key points to be aware of with their testing.
Lesson 7
After Moving Time, we did our usual review routine and then reviewed the steps to the tests we learned so far.
We then got into the Sally Challenge to improve their muscular endurance exercises.
Afterward, we inquired into the Sit-and-Reach test to determine flexibility levels.
This test did not take long to work on, the testing protocols are straightforward. Knees flat, two hands together, if the hands come apart get the measurement from the hand closest to the body, hold for 3 seconds, etc.
Once the kids completed this, I introduced the second AtL of this unit – Forming Decisions.
This is where all the fitness test data they gathered comes together. Using their data, the kids need to be a ‘Thinker’, and ‘Form a Decision’ on a fitness area they need to work on. Once they have used their data to make a choice, the students access the PowerPoint and start training in that particular area.
This part of the lesson was quite self-directed, which left me and my teaching assistant free to attend to students needing a bit more attention.
Lesson 8
We started with 5 minutes of Moving Time and then answered the Driving Question using all elements of the unit – the Central Idea, Learner Profile, and the 2 AtLs.
This review took a little bit more time since we needed to make the connections between all the elements as well as put all of their knowledge into context. Therefore, I asked the big question, “Why are we learning this? What is the purpose of all of this?”
We got into a couple of rounds of Shark and then moved into the main purpose of the lesson. To create their first training program.
The kids used their fitness test data and copied it into the template. I emphasized the Thinker Learner Profile where they need to use their critical thinking skills to analyze their data and find areas for improvement. From there, they use the Forming Decisions AtL to choose appropriate exercises that will assist in improving those chosen areas of fitness.
At this stage, the kids had some familiarity with the exercises but this was largely teacher-directed to introduce them to the exercises. This was their chance to take charge of their learning by creating their first fitness program to enhance their chosen areas of fitness.
This was fairly self-directed therefore, my teaching assistant and I were available to help anyone needing some extra support.
Lesson 9
After our Moving Time, review, and a couple of games of Bullrush, we continued working on their fitness program. We provided some clarifications on the exercises and ensured everyone was focused on improving their chosen areas of fitness.
Lesson 10
This next lesson was a fairly significant one since the kids will be running a full personal training session, from introduction to testing to training program creation, and finally to training their client.
After Moving Time, reviewing, and a game of Bullrush, we returned to our discussion area. The Warrior Fitness Committee then presented the training program they created for all Grade 4s.
During our lunchtime meetings, the Committee made several iterations of this template. I showed them how to format tables, add and delete columns/rows, borders, shading, etc. Overall, I am proud of what they came up with.
After the presentation, we brainstormed the steps of running a personal training session, which we attempted to implement in their first practice session today.
With everything all in place, the kids were partnered up and would remain together for the next 2 lessons, with partner 1 being the trainer, and partner 2 being the client.
Lesson 11
We began the lesson in the usual fashion and then we went through the session timeline which we discussed in the previous lesson.
I then introduced the story of Shi Wenhao, and his battle with leukemia. Our school works closely with some charities and we got word about this particular teenager who had been battling his condition since he was 8 years old. Considering our Driving Question was about finding ways to improve people’s well-being, Warrior Fitness was now helping our school community as well as Shi Wenhao and his fight against cancer.
With that in mind, the kids met their partners and switched roles – partner 2 being the trainer, and partner 1 being the client.
Lesson 12
It was one week before Warrior Fitness. We had two more lessons to prepare for this event.
The Warrior Fitness Committee sent out an email advertising the event and sent out a live document where teachers could sign up for their classes to be trained. Included also was a video and poster about what to expect on the day and the encouraged donations for Shi Wenhao.
After our Moving Time, Jump-Up routine, and responding to the Driving Question, I shared with the kids of the schedule for the day and who they would be training. Most of the Elementary School classes signed up and then a handful of Secondary School PE classes joined in as well, who were past Warrior Trainers themselves.
We reviewed a few key points when running a session, such as staying with and focusing on your client, 3-second holds on the sit and reach test, when the client is resting is when you can write in your training program, etc.
The kids were given new partners for the next 2 lessons and went off to run a full session from introductions to testing, to training.
Lesson 13
This was the last lesson before Warrior Fitness. We did a very brief review of the unit, session timeline, and schedule. I opened the floor up if the kids had any questions about the day. With the mini-lesson covered, the kids met their partners, switched roles, and started their personal training session one last time before Warrior Fitness.
Lesson 14
Today was the big day. After school on the previous day, the Committee met briefly on the field to start setting up the field. Two of the committee members designed the field layout and they were there to help coordinate. See below their first draft of the field layout. The Committee gave them feedback and they used it to refine their design.
The morning of, the Committee got to school early to do final preparations, such as getting all clipboards ready with 5 exercise program templates on them, pencils, stopwatches, jump ropes, etc. all had to be ready by the time the rest of the grade came to the field. Another big thing we had to get ready was the t-shirts that the Committee worked on for several weeks. We went through a few iterations, but the final product was excellent.
The first session was at 8:45. The grade 4s came from the morning line-up to the field at 8:15. We had 30 minutes to get everything ready. With all trainers equipped, I gathered all of the students (now trainers), together and went through a few reminders.
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Why are we doing this event?
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Why did we learn how to be a trainer?
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How long is the push-up test?
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How do we show interpersonal relationships to our clients?
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Etc.
The first session ran well. The kids knew their roles, they knew what was expected of them, and only a couple of grade 1 kids lost their trainer (or vice versa). Unfortunately, with 10 minutes left of the second session, rain crashed the party.
With rain predicted for the rest of the day, the Committee decided that we could move everything into the gym. With only 30 minutes to do this, we had to move quickly. I am so incredibly proud of this team. They managed to move sit-and-reach boxes, clipboards, pencils, and benches, into the gym, rearrange the gym for our needs, and lay down cones for a running track, all in the space of 30 minutes. It is amazing what these kids can do when they are given the opportunity.
Overall, the event was a huge success. We managed to raise 12,500RMB for the charity, which went towards Shi Wenhao’s cancer treatment. It is hard to predict how many sessions we ran but judging by the number of students in each class, we are looking at around 440 personal training sessions led by 110 grade 4 students.
Unit Reflection
In this unit, my goal was to make Health and Fitness a bit more exciting, and meaningful. Throughout this unit, the kids got fitter and stronger judging by their fitness test data. They also learned how to lead a personal training session by becoming a leader themselves whilst also showing interpersonal relationships. They were critical thinkers by using the Thinker Learner Profile by analyzing gathered data and then forming decisions to create the best training program for their clients. This unit is hard work but the rewards at the end are fantastic. Furthermore, the kids get an awesome t-shirt at the end of it that you get to see now and then at school for the years to come. A reminder of what they achieved.
I hope you have a chance to run a unit like this. If you need any help planning it, please let me know! Questions, comments, and feedback, please reach out to me in the chat bubble.