Fitness Education for Children Book

Teach students about real-world health issues—such as inactivity and obesity—and how they can take steps to avoid them. This book provides examples of ways to incorporate physical activity in the classroom. It also offers supporting research and statistics regarding childhood obesity to promote positive behavioral changes in children.

Staying Healthy at a Young Age

Within each chapter, teachers will find critical information pertaining to young student activity levels and how it affects corresponding lifestyle traits. The book also highlights how a lack of activity affects today's youth. All of this feeds into the chief goal of the book: to help educators promote physical activity in the classroom and teach kids about fitness.

Each part of this 272-page book focuses on a critical way to get students moving. Chapters focus on principles of fitness, teaching children with disabilities, teaching fitness concepts, collaborating with other teachers, and getting parents and community members involved in boosting student activity levels. Each chapter builds on an ever-expanding world of physical activity to help make it a regular and integral part of a young student's day.

Contents

Part I. Developing a Foundation

• Chapter 1. A New Perspective in Elementary Physical Education
  • Heart Disease Begins in Childhood
  • Physical Activity as a Key Factor
  • National Physical Activity Plan
  • SHAPE America Physical Activity Guidelines for Children
  • Physical Activity Philosophy
  • Components of Health-Related Physical Fitness
  • Sport-Related Physical Fitness
  • Fitness Education
  • Summary
• Chapter 2. A Team Approach to Fitness Education
  • Mixed Messages
  • Multidisciplinary Team Approach
  • Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs
  • Let's Move and Let's Move in School
  • School Wellness Plan
  • Health-Related Physical Fitness Testing
  • Youth Fitness Tests
  • Authentic Assessment
  • Summary
• Chapter 3. Behavioral Change and Motivational Strategies
  • Rainbow to Youth Fitness and Active Lifestyles
  • What Motivates Children to Move?
  • Types of Motivation
  • Motivational Strategies
  • Summary
• Chapter 4. Principles of Health-Related Physical Fitness
  • Core Principles of Health-Related Physical Fitness
  • Stages of a Physical Activity Session
  • Components of Health-Related Physical Fitness
  • Summary
• Chapter 5. Fitness Education for Children With Disabilities
  • Individualized Education Plan
  • Guidelines for Inclusion
  • Obesity
  • Asthma
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Spinal Cord Impairments
  • Intellectual Disability
  • Summary

Part II. Planning and Teaching Fitness Education

• Chapter 6. Teaching Strategies
  • Traditional Teaching Models
  • Humanistic Approach to Teaching Fitness
  • Spectrum of Teaching Styles
  • Instructional Technology
  • Class Structure
  • Summary
• Chapter 7. Planning for Fitness
  • Sample Yearly Plan for Developmental Level III
  • Sample Lesson Plans
  • Fitness Education Lessons
  • Fitness Integration Lessons
  • Summary
• Chapter 8. Teaching Health-Related Physical Fitness Concepts
  • Strategies for Teaching Fitness Concepts and Active Lifestyles
  • Scope and Sequence
  • Developmental Level I Fitness Concepts: Physical Activity Is Fun
  • Developmental Level II Fitness Concepts: The Best I Can Be
  • Developmental Level III Fitness Concepts: Let's Get Heart Smart
  • Summary
• Chapter 9. Collaborating With the Classroom Teacher
  • Interacting With the Classroom Teacher
  • Communication Strategies
  • Thematic Units: An Approach to Integrated Learning
  • Cardiovascular Health: A Thematic Unit
  • Health-Related Physical Fitness Classroom Activities
  • Developmental Level I Classroom Activities
  • Developmental Level II Classroom Activities
  • Developmental Level III Classroom Activities
  • Summary
• Chapter 10. Getting Parents and Your Community Involved
  • Establishing a Plan of Action
  • Communication
  • Parent Education
  • Parent Participation During School Hours
  • Home-Based Activities
  • Community Involvement
  • Summary

Part III. Fitness Activities

• Chapter 11. Developmental Exercises
  • Cardiorespiratory Endurance
  • Muscle Fitness
  • Flexibility
  • Exercises to Avoid
  • Summary
• Chapter 12. Active Games
  • Characteristics of Developmental Games
  • Promoting Physical Activity Through Active Games
  • Developmental Level I Games
  • Developmental Level II Games
  • Developmental Level III Games
  • Summary
• Chapter 13. Dance and Rhythmic Activities
  • Safety Precautions
  • Planning Developmentally Appropriate Activities
  • Developmental Level I Dance and Rhythmic Activities
  • Developmental Level II Dance and Rhythmic Activities
  • Developmental Level III Dance and Rhythmic Activities
  • Summary
• Chapter 14. Yoga for Children
  • Helpful Hints
  • Breathing Poses
  • Standing Poses
  • Kneeling Poses
  • Sitting Poses
  • Lying Poses
  • Support Poses
  • Games
  • Summary
• Chapter 15. Schoolwide Events
  • Fitness Field Day
  • Fit for Life Family Night
  • Geography Run
  • School Health Fair
  • Early Bird Wake-Up and Afternoon Perk-Up
  • Jump Rope for Heart, Hoops for Heart, and Step for Heart
  • ACES: All Children Exercising Simultaneously
  • Recess Workouts
  • Fitness Clubs
  • Principal Walks
  • Holiday Classics
  • Summary

Appendix A. Sample Personal Active Lifestyle Portfolio

Appendix B. Additional Websites

References and Resources

Index