Pedometers to Compare Physical Activities (Common Core)

Students wear a pedometer for their physical education class time. At the end of the class, they record their steps and add up their running total of steps. When they accumulate multiples of 10,000 steps, they earn a plastic sneaker medal that can be tied onto their shoelaces.

After completing a series of units, the students compare the step totals from different activities to see what activities made them more active than others.

We then discuss as a class. We discuss what those activities are and how they could make an activity more active. This helps them not only see exactly how active they are, but also which activities they can now choose to do on their own to become more physically active.

NOTE: Students are not compared to find the one with the most steps, rather each individual student sees their own results and can make decisions based on that information alone.

Teaching Suggestions/Tips:

To align with Common Core math goals, we have carried out place value on the tally sheets to 1,000,000. This is a requirement for math instruction at 4th grade, so our classroom teachers can also use the numbers in their math instruction.

Also, paint numbers on the outside of each pedometer and assign a number to each student. They always wear the same pedometer each day. This makes it much easier to keep track of them and to find one if a student forgets to return it at the end of your class.

Adaptations for Students with Disabilities:

None, students with disabilities still wear their pedometer. They may get help adding their steps, if needed. Their results are used individually to show them how to be more active as well.

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