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Teacher: Robin Lownsbury who teaches at Tuckahoe Elementary School in Richmond, VA. Robin Lownsbury can be contacted at rllownsbury@henrico.k12.va.us.

Name of Best Practice: Reading/Fitness Quest

Rationale/Purpose of Event: To teach children the importance of daily reading and aerobic exercising.

Suggested Grade Level: 1-5

Materials Needed: Blank grid sheet with 50 boxes, explanation sheet (email me for more information about this).

Reading/Fitness Quest

There are 4 levels in the Reading/Fitness Quest. In each level, there are 50 points that one is trying to earn. To earn a point, you have to READ for at least 20 minutes and EXERCISE AEROBICALLY for at least 20 minutes. BOTH have to be done in one day to earn the point. All reading and exercising have to be done after school, on weekends and holidays--NOT during school.

After completing each level (it will take a minimum of 50 days to finish one level), students earn a ribbon (white for level one, red for level two, blue for level three and a trophy with name engraved on it for completing all 4 levels). That is 200 days of reading and exercising. (You can use different kinds of incentives). A parent must initial and date the box on the grid sheet indicating their child satisfied the requirements for each day.

Variations:

Younger children can read to their parents or have parents read to them to satisfy reading requirement. After school sports (as long as there is lots of aerobic activity) can count as the 20 minutes of exercise. We start this in first grade.

Teaching Suggestions/Tips:

I encourage my kids to keep the grid sheet on their refrigerator or bulletin board at home so it's not lost while completing a level. Remember that only ONE point can be earned per day even if extra reading and extra exercising is done. The idea is that we WANT them to do more. This is a VERY SUCCESSFUL program at my school.

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Posted on PEC: 2/13/2003 and has received 59 votes.

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