Physical Activity in the Classroom
Teacher's Guide
Ideas for intergratng physical activity into your classroom that will help your students' abilitiy to learn. Here you can find examples, links and related resources.
Physical Activity in the Classroom
Physically active students are more ready to learn and are more likely to achieve their academic potential. Dept of Education NH
This does not include daily recess or once a week physical education class. This is a way to incorporate physical activity into your daily classroom routine.
Activities You Can Use in Your Classroom, detailed lesson plans for K-8.
Ideas
Over, Under, Around and Through, Pass it On- UNO Style, Inches, Feet and Yards, Oh My!, Sports Galore, As If and Many More...
A wide variety of rewards can be used to provide positive reinforcement for children's behavior. The ultimate goal of rewarding children is to help them internalize positive behaviors so that they will not need a reward. Eventually, slef-motivation will be sufficient to induce them to perform the desired behavior, and outside reinforcements will no longer be necessary. CSPI
Social Rewards
Positive attention, verbal praise, thanks, smiles, nods. These types of social rewards affirm a child's worth as a person.
Recognition
Trophies, plaques, ribbons, certificates, stickers, positive phone calls or emails home, positive note from teacher to student, recognize student's achievement on school announcements, assemblies and or school newsletter/newspaper.
Priveleges
Going first, sitting next to friends, sitting oin the teacher's chair, no homework pass, running errands for teacher, eating lunch with teacher and friend, designing a bulletin board, drawing on the chalk/white board, taking care of the class pet, taking a walk with a teacher and a friend.
Rewards for an Entire Class
Extra Recess, eating lunch outside, class outside, listen to music, free choice at the end of the day, field trip, class walk, game time, classroom art time, auctions.
School Supplies
Pencils, pens, erasers, pencil shapreners, book marks, stickers, highlighters, crayons, markers, gift certificate to school store.
Physical Activity Equipment
Frisbees, water bottles, jump ropes, head and wrist sweat bands, and nerf balls.
Toys/trinkets
Yo-yos, stuffed animals, puzzles, jacks, playing cards, silly putty, balloons, marbles, rubber balls.
Fashion Wear
Teamporary Tatoos, bracelets, rings, shirts, hats, and shoeleaces.
Miscellaneous
Key chains, cups, magnets, crazy straws, plant and books.
A Token or Point System
Children earn points that acumaulate towards a bigger prize. This can be done on an individual basis as well as an entire class.
Possible Prizes for individual basis
Movie passes, gift certificates, books, posters, magazine subscription, board game.
Possible Prizes for Classrooms
Movie night, picnic outside, game outside
Introduce nutritious foods in a fun way.Use seasonal cookie cutters to design your platter.
Make Your Own Foods
Trail Mix-students are able to create their own mixture from a buffett of available nutritious ingrediendts. This can also be used as a math lesson, using counting and or meausring skills.
Yogurt Parfaits-using seasonal colors and ingredients.
Gram Crackers-allow students to decorate with pudding and fruit.
Instead of Soda...
low fat milk, flavored milk, 100% fruit juice, punch with juice and scoops of frozen yogurt, water, hot chocolate (with peppermint sticks)
Arrange the foods according to the celebration. For christmas arrange your green and red fruits or vegetables as a tree, with other foods as ornaments.
Other Great Ideas
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veggie platters
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fruit platters
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yogurt dips
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pretzels
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low sodium/low-sugar foods
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all natural foods
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non-packeaged foods
Get Your Students Moving During Classroom Parties
- dancing
- twister
- hokey pokey
- simon says, etc.
Mypyramid.gov is a great reference for all grade levels, it can be used for math, science, reading, computer class, etc. It has teacher resources, student activities and much more. Mypyramid
Please allow your students to take appropriate water breaks. Whether that be an actual break from class time, or to have water bottles on desks. Water is an essential nutrient that is needed to hydrate the body and mind.
Student should be reminded to cover their mouth (with thier elbow) while coughing and sneezing.
Encourage sick students to go or stay home from school.
To avoid transmitting germs do not allow students to share water bottles with each other.
Use anti-bacterial spray or hot water and soap to clean commonly used surfaces such as; desks, tables, door handles, cabinet handles, pencil sharpeners, and faucets.