ERIC Number: EJ733982
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Mar
Pages: 7
Abstractor: ERIC
Reference Count: 14
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1045-4853
Standards-Based Activities for Elementary Physical Education
Greer, Felicia; Gilbert, Jenelle N.
Teaching Elementary Physical Education, v17 n2 p18-24 Mar 2006
The number of overweight and obese youth has been increasing dramatically in recent decades, and there is no sign the trend is ending (Ogden, Legal, Carroll, & Johnson, 2002). Many factors have been suggested as causes, including decreased physical activity, more television viewing, and larger portion sizes. Exercise behaviors and attitudes developed at an early age, such as in elementary school, lay the groundwork for a lifetime of exercise involvement or, sadly, a lifetime of physical inactivity. Therefore, physical education programs may be a potentially important channel through which physical activity and fitness can be promoted (Carter, 2002). The lack of specialized training for multiple-subject elementary classroom teachers hinders the quality of physical education they can offer to their students. Limited financial resources and lack of equipment also contribute to this problem. The purpose of this article is to suggest developmentally appropriate physical activities that elementary classroom teachers can use to deliver quality physical education instruction to their students. The activities presented rely on minimal equipment and were chosen based on their ease of use, high level of student engagement, and direct relation to the National Standards. The activities selected relate to six main areas: quick movement activities, low organized activities, cooperative activities, fitness activities, partner activities, and small group activities. The format for each section includes an introductory paragraph with information that explains the category as well as a justification for why it was chosen and when/how it can be used.
Descriptors: Physical Education, Instruction, National Standards, Physical Fitness, Physical Activities, Group Activities
Human Kinetics, Inc., 1607 N. Market St., Champaign, IL 61820. Tel: 800-474-4457, ext. 2990 (Toll Free); Fax: 217-351-1549; e-mail: info@hkusa.com; Web site: http://www.humankinetics.com.
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers: N/A

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