A Curriculum-Based Physical Activity Challenge

Program

What is ?

activ8 is a Curriculum-Based Physical Activity Challenge Program. activ8 consists of eight pre-planned lessons for each grade (K-8)

including warm-ups, cool-downs and everything in-between. Developed by curriculum and child development experts, activ8’s pre-

planned lessons have direct links to each province’s curriculum* in Canada.

activ8 provides fun physical activity challenges that help students of all abilities develop their fitness and skill levels.

activ8 is available in English and French and is free of charge to school communities.

* Please note at this time there are no curriculum connections for Quebec.

What are Challenges?

There are 8 developmentally appropriate physical activity challenges per grade from JK to grade 8 to help students reach their personal best based on achievement not performance. This is a program that has been designed on a progressive continuum with a general emphasis on skill development in the younger grades and more emphasis on fun, physical fitness in the upper grades.

activ8 is packaged in four different grade modules: JK/Kindergarten Grades 1-3 Grades 4-6 Grades 7-8.   

How does encourage participation?

activ8 rewards personal best, and does not encourage competition between students.

For example, the program doesn't measure how fast you can run or how high you can jump, but it focuses on "can you run and jump?" and emphasizes proper running and jumping techniques. Students are encouraged to complete the challenges at their own rate.

How do teachers benefit from ?

activ8 is flexible and adaptable based on achieving learning expectations. You and your students can activ8 indoors or outdoors, and activ8 is an excellent resource to assist educators in meeting a minimum of 20 minutes of Daily Physical Activity (DPA) (in Ontario).

The resource is simple - you open it up and implement. You can do it step by step or pick pieces of the program to integrate into your lesson plans.

activ8 has been developed by health and physical education specialists and includes background information that makes it easy for any teacher to use.

activ8 has been developed

by teachers for teachers.

Whether you are a generalist teacher or a physical education specialist, activ8 contains everything you need to know to activ8 your students.

Objectives of

For students:

To allow students to demonstrate their achievement of learning expectations/outcomes in physical education.

To provide positive physical activity experiences as an important and enjoyable part of students’ daily lives to encourage the development of an active healthy lifestyle.

To help all students feel good about their physical activity accomplishments.

For teachers:

To assist teachers in planning, instructing and evaluating physical activity based on provincial learning expectations/outcomes.

To provide teachers with educational tools that celebrate physical activity in their curriculum

As part of a minimum 20 minutes of physical activity that meets the Daily Physical Activity requirements (in Ontario)

Introducing The eight challenges for each grade cover a full range of physical activities, emphasizing movement, skills, concepts and fitness. The areas that are developed include (see activ8 inserts for linkages to the provincial curriculum in your province/territory)

Movement Skills: Manipulation Locomotion Stability/non-loco motor

Movement Concepts: Relationships Body awareness Spatial awareness Effort

Physical Fitness: Strength Endurance (includes muscular and cardio respiratory) Flexibility

Using the resourceAll activities are designed specifically to develop the skills involved in the challenge (“Challenge Development”) and apply the skills addressed in the challenge (“Challenge Application”)

Challenge Title

Learning Strategies

Challenge Application

Cool Down

Notes to Teacher

Challenge Instructions

Challenge Description

Warm-Up & Challenge Development

Materials

Challenge Check & Reflect

Challenge Example (JK/K)

Balancing ShapesDescription: Balance on various parts of the bodyStudent Learning: 1. Movement Skill – stability 2. Movement Concept – body awareness

Challenge Students balance themselves in a variety of interesting shapes using different body parts

and hold the balances for 3 seconds. A shape may including balancing on different points of your body (ex. 1 point – a leg, 3 points – two legs, one arm).

activ8: A Curriculum-Based Physical Activity Challenge Program, Senior Kindergarten, pg. 36-37.

Challenge Example (1-3)

Right on TargetDescription: Throwing a ball at a targetStudent Learning: 1. Movement Skill – manipulation 2. Movement Concepts – relationships

Challenge Using floor tape or wall signs, on the wall draw one or more

of the grids shown in the illustration. Divide students into groups of three. Students take turns throwing the different balls underhand at the grid to score points. The object is to score as many points as possible in three throws, using the dominant

hand. While other students wait for their turn, they should call out the target areas and add the

points.

activ8: A Curriculum-Based Physical Activity Challenge Program, Grade 2, pg. 40.

Challenge Example (4-6)

Continuous CardioDescription: Eleven minutes of aerobic activity with a leaderStudent Learning: 1. Physical Fitness – endurance 2. Movement Skills – spatial awarenessChallenge Students complete a follow the leader aerobic challenge to music, in which the students

are always one movement behind the leader. Demonstrate or choose students to demonstrate the exercises. The leader starts an aerobic movement such as jumping jacks or knee & elbow bends. The group waits until the movement is completed before they copy it. As the group begins the first movement, the leader starts a new movement, so the group

is always one group behind. Each time the leader changes movement, the group starts the previous movement.

This activity requires concentration. While students are doing one thing, they pay attention to what they will be doing next.

Each movement should last for 8-12 beats and continue the activity for 11 minutes. activ8: A Curriculum-Based Physical Activity Challenge Program, Grade 6, pg. 54.

Challenge Example (7-8)

Gigantic JumpsDescription: Performing two-foot jumps for maximum distanceStudent Learning: 1. Physical Fitness – strength

2. Movement Concepts – effortChallenge Mark off a distance of 15 metres. Starting at the beginning line, students cover a distance of 15 metres in the fewest

possible consecutive jumps, demonstrating maximum effort. Students may use two-foot jumps, one-foot to same foot, one-foot to other foot or one-foot

to two-foot jumps. Students repeat the challenge, attempting to reduce the number of jumps.

activ8: A Curriculum-Based Physical Activity Challenge Program, Grade 8, pg. 32.

Warm-Up/Cool-Down ExamplesWarm-Ups

Target Role Divide students into pairs. Students identify targets on the floor in different parts of the

gymnasium; e.g., lines, corners, line intersections. Partners take turns rolling the ball to see how many times they can hit the target.activ8: A Curriculum-Based Physical Activity Challenge Program, Grade 1, pg. 28.

Blob Tag Designate 1 player as the ‘blob’, who runs and tags others. As players are tagged, they join the

‘blob’ by holding the hand of an outside person. Only players on the ends of the ‘blob’ may tag other players. When the ‘blob’ reaches 6 players in size, it splits into 2 blobs of 3 and continues. activ8: A Curriculum-Based Physical Activity Challenge Program, Grade 5, pg. 40.

Cool-DownsMirror Students get into groups of four, one leader and three followers. The leader demonstrates arm

and body movements and the group mirrors the action. Switch leaders during the cool-down period. activ8: A Curriculum-Based Physical Activity Challenge Program, Grade 4, pg. 21.

Partner Walk Students walk with a partner around the gym. On a signal, they stop and do a stretch. On another

signal, they continue walking.activ8: A Curriculum-Based Physical Activity Challenge Program, Grade 8, pg. 39.

For more information… Active Healthy Kids Canada

1185 Eglinton Ave. East, Suite 501Toronto, ON M3C 3C6

Phone: (416) 426-7120Toll Free: 1-888-446-7432Fax: 416-426-7373Web: www.activehealthykids.caEmail: info@activ8.org

Don’t forget to visit www.activ8.org for more activ8 ideas, contest information, teacher tools and so much more!