LEARN NC

6.6 Walk with me

Provided by Nutrition Services Branch of the North Carolina Division of Public Health.

Today, our nation’s children have a higher incidence of obesity than ever before. Their physical activity is far less than that of children a generation ago. This fifth-grade lesson plan, from the Food for Thought nutrition curriculum, teaches students about the importance of physical activity and how walking can improve fitness.

Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • learn about the importance of physical activity to their overall health.
  • learn how walking can help them become physically fit.

Teacher planning

Materials/resources

Teacher background materials

Walking
Document courtesy of WIN Wyoming
Open as PDF (22 KB, 1 page)
What is physical activity?
Document courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture
Open as PDF (57 KB, 3 pages)

Materials

  • Several yardsticks or tape measures
  • Pail of water
  • Three stop watches
  • Walk box (small cardboard box decorated and with an opening cut in the top)

Handouts

Walk this way
Document courtesy of WIN Wyoming
Open as PDF (20 KB, 1 page)

Pre-activities

Students should be familiar with the mathematical concepts of estimation, measurement, and averages.

Activities

  1. Ask students the following question: If you are an average adult and live to be seventy-five years old, how many years will you spend sleeping, watching TV, and being physically active? Discuss the answers: twenty-four years sleeping, thirteen years watching TV, and a half a year being physically active. Discuss the following questions:
    1. What do you think about spending more time watching TV than being physically active?
    2. Do you think the average adult today is physically fit?
    3. Do you think the average kid today is physically fit?
    4. What does being physically fit mean to you?
  2. Using the “Walking” and “What is Physical Activity?” teacher resources, discuss the health benefits of physical activity and in particular, walking.
  3. Distribute the “Walk this Way” handout. Take the students outside and discuss three gears of walking:
    1. First gear: easy strolling, no sweating, light exertion. Demonstrate and have students practice this walk.
    2. Second gear: normal walking, comfortable breathing and talking, moderate exertion. This is the pace to use for class walks. Demonstrate and have students practice this walk.
    3. Third gear: fast walking, heavy breathing, sweating, muscles working intensely. Demonstrate and have students practice this walk.
  4. Distribute the yardsticks or measuring tapes and using the pail of water, instruct students to complete the “Step Length” section of the “Walk this Way” handout.
  5. As a class, walk a set distance, such as once around the playground, school building, or walking track. Instruct students to count the number of steps they take on this walk. Have three students use the stop watches to record how long the walk takes. When finished, instruct students to complete the “Class Walk” section of the “Walk this Way” handout.
  6. Set individual and class goals and record those on the worksheet. Decide how much time or the number of steps the class will walk each day. After each walk record the time and number of walkers on a slip of paper and put it in the Walk Box. Instruct students to record additional walks during the day at school (recess, lunch, etc.) and at home and put those slips in the walk box. Keep track of the number of steps to common locations (water fountain, school office, restroom, resource center, etc.) and add those trips to the walk box. Note: the class goal could set a larger goal such as accumulating enough steps to walk across North Carolina, to the state capital, or to Washington, D.C.
  7. Create a progress marker for the class goal. Assign students to total the slips that are in the walk box and add those to the progress marker. This could be done on a daily or weekly basis.Provide students with slips of paper before and after class walks. Before each walk, ask them to write the word before and record how they feel (tired, bored, anxious). After the walk ask them to write the word after and record how they feel (refreshed, awake). Keep these for a week or two and instruct students to prepare an oral presentation on how their feelings changed with the physical activity.

Assessment

Assessment can be made from students’ participation in the classroom discussion on fitness and physical activity, the walking activitities, and from their oral presentations.

North Carolina curriculum alignment

Healthful Living Education (2006)

Grade 5

  • Goal 4: The learner will apply knowledge and behavior self management skills to areas of nutrition and physical activity for healthy growth, development, and maintenance.
    • Objective 4.07: Predict the short term and long-term benefits of physical activity.
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