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Teacher: Anne Hauser who teaches at Ashburn Elementary in Ashburn, VA. Anne Hauser can be contacted at ahauser@loudoun.k12.va.us.

Name of Best Practice: Home Run Wall of Fitness

Rationale/Purpose of Event: As part of our obesity plan, we wanted to encourage students as well as their families and our teachers to exercise on a regular basis outside of the school setting. This program emphasizes the FIT principle (Frequency, Intensity,and Time) and goes on to encourage students/families/staff to build on to the number of days as well as the amount of time they exercise. We hope this will help instill a more active lifestyle for all our families!

Suggested Grade Level: K-8

Materials Needed: Monthly fitness calendars, bulletin board, cut outs of baseballs.

Home Run Wall of Fitness

Students are given a monthly calendar with instructions on it. It reviews the FIT principle and gives examples of types of exercises participants may perform. Students/families/staff must exercise at least three times a week for at least fifteen minutes, and are encouraged to increase their activities as the month goes on.

Students are allowed to choose from a list of appropriate exercises, as identified by the Physical Education teacher. Students/families/staff are required to record the activity/activities performed, the amount of time exercised, and have a parent/guardian sign off on each day of exercise. At the end of the month, students turn in completed individual or family exercise calendars and earn a paper baseball for that month with their name/names on it which are then placed on the "Home Run Wall of Fitness" bulletin board. I created a large baseball field with a bat and a smiling baseball on its way out of the park out in the hallway. You can also assign a specific amount of points for student/families/staff to achieve a set goal.

Variations:

Students/families/staff who participated may be recognized at any end of the year assembly. A special recognition could go to students/families/staff who receive all nine months of baseballs.

Teaching Suggestions/Tips:

Go over the FIT principle with your students first. Discuss the importance of an active lifestyle in staying healthier. The Physical Education teacher also needs to be proactive in creating opportunities for all students to earn "activity points".

Adaptations for Students with Disabilities:

Adaptations of exercises are modified when necessary for students by the Physical Education teacher.

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Posted on PEC: 3/9/2005 and has received 65 votes.

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