Wellness in Colorado Schools Year Round Success for schools, students, families & the community Tips to keep students active in and out of school Lesson Plans that promote good nutrition and staying active Monthly tips to share with students, families and the community AHA recognizes that healthy kids learn better, and eating habits and active lifestyles that are developed in childhood will lead to life-long habits. Colorado School Wellness Policy American Heart Association Wellness tools and tips for the 2010 –2011 School Year Provided by American Heart Association and Jump Rope for Heart American Heart Association and Colorado DOE Wellness Policy The American Heart Association can help support the DOE Wellness Guidelines The DOE recognizes that when students’ wellness needs are met they attain higher achievement levels. To enable the development of life-long healthy habits, each of Colorado’s public schools shall implement the Wellness Guidelines. The American Heart Association also supports healthy kids, families, and communities helping to reduce heart disease. The wellness policy focuses on committee designation, nutrition, nutrition and health education, physical activity and physical education, and professional development. How can we meet the wellness guidelines together? The American Heart Association can help with specific wellness guidelines from the implementation checklist (DOE Colorado Wellness Toolkit) by providing monthly tips, tricks, and tools for schools to utilize all year long. Monthly Wellness Tool and Tip for Wellness All Year Long AUGUST—Back to School Packing Healthy Lunches and Snacks Include Seasonal Fruits & Veggies Raisins and Unsalted Nuts make great high energy snacks Whole Grain Cereals make an easy on the go snack Pack water or low calorie drinks to stay hydrated Age appropriate portion sizes Nutritious afterschool snacks —check your food labels on granola bars, individually packaged crackers, yogurts, and frozen treats USDA Recommended Snacks have the following requirements: Based on One Serving: Less than 200 calories, less than 8 grams total fat, less the 2 grams saturated fat, ZERO Trans fat, Less than 200mg Sodium, Less than 8 grams sugar Fun Family Challenge: Bring kids to the grocery store and let them pick out healthy choices by reading the food label . Help them to understand calories, nutrients, fats, and serving sizes. (Utilize JRFH “Making Sense of Food Labels” lesson) Fun ways for the whole family to get fit and stay fit: Summer hours and dry weather give us the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors Play catch in the yard or a nearby park Start a walking or running family challenge—set goals and rewards Ride bicycles —discuss bike safety and rules too Encourage kids to join a team —our public parks offer baseball, tee-ball, soccer, football and more Ask neighbors, cousins, and friends to join in a game of kick ball, basketball, or flag football SEPTEMBER—Long Labor Day Weekend Fun and Active Long Weekend Activities Trails & Hikes Suggestions Hiking —Colorado has hundreds of miles of trails to explore A day at the park —walking or running, football, frisbee, volley ball or soccer Healthy BBQ —Choose Healthy grilled vegetables, lean proteins, and sugar free drinks Cherry Creek Park Garden of the Gods Roxborough State Park Rocky Mountain NP Red Rocks Great Sand Dunes NP Healthy Food Choices lesson from JRFH “Balance It Out!” Eating from different food categories. American Heart Association BBQ Tips: Try grilled fish more often, which is high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Buy chicken breasts – and remember to remove the skin before eating Try Chicken or turkey burgers and add diced onions or peppers for another layer of flavor What cut of meat to buy? Choose “loin” or “round” cuts of red meat and pork Go green… Serve green leafy salads or fruit salads (or a combination of both, like baby spinach with strawberries or mixed greens with orange slices) instead of mayonnaise-based salads. Add some crunch – and healthier fats – with some toasted walnuts or almonds instead of croutons. Try Some Grilled fruits instead of cake or pie– yummy and high in vitamins. Get Students More Active at Recess: Set up Recess Stations (Basketball, Jump Rope, Football, Hula Hoop, etc.) Start a walking and running club OCTOBER—Halloween and Fundraising Tricking the Treats Healthy options for candy: Pumpkin seeds, granola, 100 calorie microwave popcorn apples, tangerines, dried fruits, trail mix Better yet instead of food how about: Yo-yo’s, bubbles, crayons, pens, pencils, stickers, rubber balls, jacks, or marbles Halloween Parties: Using vegetables as a snack and spooky décor. Cauliflower as brains, grapes as eyeballs Getting in the spirit and staying active. Take a walking ghost tour with your family Do family walks in different neighborhoods to see how festive people are being Don’t forget to wear something reflective Start a Halloween Parade at school Designate a walking path where students can “parade” their costumes Fun for the whole family. Invite the entire family to come watch and walk along Get Ready for Basketball Season With Fun Basketball Skills Playing basketball is good exercise and lots of fun. Check out these great shooting and skills games you can teach this fall. Shooting Games Quick Shot Place five basketballs at the top of each of two basketball racks. Place each rack on either side of the foul line. Each student has 30 seconds to shoot the basketballs on the rack.. Skills Games Around the Body Rotate the ball around the body. Start with the head, then go around the waist and legs, then reverse the procedure. Making Fundraising Fun-raising Is your school doing a fundraiser? Instead of selling cookies or sweets. How about selling: greeting cards, pens, plants, flowers, soaps, kitchenware ,fruits or vegetables to name a few. Have a school yard sale (students, teachers, parents can bring in donations) Alliance for a Healthier Generation, www.healthiergeneration.org NOVEMBER—Holiday Meals and Activities Create New Traditions with Healthy Choices Substitute low fat fruit crisps for baked pies and tarts Stay away from the dark meat —Try using only the turkey breast which can be made in the oven, slow cookers, or on the BBQ Stay away from the fryer —try “un-fried alternatives” baked in the oven Make appetizers bite size to control portions Add lots of colors —choose colorful sides like sweet potatoes, squash, cranberries, apples , mushrooms, red peppers, peas, beets, asparagus, or green beans Incorporate whole grains —use wild rice and whole grain breads in stuffing and flavor with apples, walnuts, and cranberries OR mushrooms, onions, and herbs Fun Family Activities for Thanksgiving Turn off the TV! Play a game of touch or flag football Start a holiday challenge —like a turkey trot, make your course and have the entire family participate before Thanksgiving dinner Set up a scavenger hunt the kids and adults can participate in —utilize the entire neighborhood to get the family walking and running to the next clue What is a healthy portion size? The key to helping kids stay healthier is eating sensible portion sizes. Larger portions mean more calories, and those extra calories are tough for kids to burn off. (Great Hand out—‖Reading Food Labels 101‖ from Alliance for a Healthier Generation‖ ) When a label refers to “one serving,” it really means: 1 slice of bread (so a sandwich has two servings of bread) ½ cup cooked rice or pasta 1 pancake (about the size of a CD) 1 small piece of fruit (about the size of your fist) ½ cup fruit juice (most small bottles of juice have more than this so make sure to read the label) 1 cup of milk or yogurt 1 tsp of margarine (about the size of half your thumb) ½ cup of ice cream (about the size of a baseball) 2 oz. cheese (about the size of a small matchbox) 2-3 oz. meat, chicken or fish (about the size of a deck of cards) Tips to control portions: Use Smaller plates, drink water before and with meals, don’t eat out of the carton or container, slow down and take smaller bites, at restaurants ask for a box and wrap up half DECEMBER—Winter Break Holiday Gift Ideas that Keep Kids Active Sports equipment for team sports —Basketball, baseball, soft ball, all purpose playground ball, football, soccer ball, volleyball or ski equipment Toys that can be used anywhere —Jump Rope, skates, pogo stick, scooter, tricycle, Sporting equipment for the whole family —Tennis rackets, ladder golf, badminton, Frisbee, swing set, trampoline, basketball hoop Water Sports equipment —Surfboard, body board, fins, dive mask, goggles, slip and slide, snorkel Gift certificate for classes —Dance, jujitsu, karate, gymnastics, yoga, hula, taekwondo Wii Fit for Nintendo Wii Running shoes or Sneakers Family Activity Idea: Have students record their winter break activities in the ―Activities Pyramid‖ (from AHA Heartpower) TASTE TESTING PROJECT This fun experiment helps kids try new fruits and vegetables without forcing them to eat healthy. Seasonal and local produce is best because it is more affordable and readily available. A few suggestions are: Cantaloupe Oranges Cauliflower Cherries Pears Spinach Figs Raisins Tangerines Celery Kiwi Star fruit Jicima Nectarines Tomatoes Peppers: Carrots Onions Mangoes Peas Cabbage Guava Asparagus Zucchini Papayas Broccoli Apples Peaches Portion Distortion: 2.4 ounces of french fries of 20 years ago had 210 calories. How many calories do you think are in today's portion? 610 calories for a 6.9-ounce portion of french fries. If you walk leisurely for 1 hour and 10 minutes, you will burn the extra 400 calories. Is your family invited to a cookie exchange party? Try using whole wheat recipes or make oatmeal raisin cookies. January—Happy New Year New Year’s Resolutions The entire family can asses their health at www.heart.org/mylifecheck Find your heart score and make your New Years Resolutions based on the areas of improvement Encourage everyone to do their best! Keep retaking the assessment and see how the scores improve! Ring in the new year with Life’s Simple 7,” use these steps to live a heart healthy life 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. don’t smoke maintain a healthy weight engage in regular physical activity eat a healthy diet manage blood pressure take charge of cholesterol Do Cold Days Have You Stuck Indoors? Jump Rope Nerf basketball Have a dance party Workout DVDs Make an indoor hopscotch Yoga Wii Fit and Wii Sports Resort Scavenger hunt Resolve To Never to Start Smoking Have students write how they would say no. Here are some ways to say no: FEBRUARY—Heart Month Teach Everyone We The Warning Signs Of a Heart Attack Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness Happy Valentines Day Fruit bouquets are great alternatives to candy Recheck your heart score at www.heart.org/mylifecheck Celebrate heart day with a heart healthy dinner National wear red day Feb. 4, 2011 so support the women we love by wearing red Fun Facts about Jump Rope Chinese jump rope is a great activity to do with friends or family Jump Rope is a competitive sport in over 38 countries and jump roping organizations and clubs can be found almost anywhere. In fifteen minutes jumpers can burn the calories in a candy bar or 200 calories More than 550 Colorado schools participated in jump rope /hoops for heart Risky Business Activity Using the risky business worksheet and risk factors for heart disease sheet in the activities and resource section find out how many risk factors for heart disease people you interview have. March— School Testing and Sustainability Staying physically active at your desk: Physical activities for all students Chair Leg Lifts Sitting Push ups—Push off from your seat Arm Stretches —How high can you stretch Text Book Lifts Sit in your seat and stop your feet quickly Take a Break: Activities that can be done in the classroom Jumping Jacks Run or march in place Jump Rope with an invisible rope (see Take 10! Activity) Shadow box Do walk-lunges around the perimeter of class Use a soft foam ball to play catch (Utilize Activity Guide: Staying fit in your classroom) Can we fit in an extra 30 minutes of daily activity from our testing breaks? A great way to keep the blood flowing is to incorporate activity into long periods of sedentary activity. Active kids learn better and test better too. These movement activities can help students prepare to meet PE Standards because they use basic fundamental skills described in the PE Standards. Nutrition Month When you see the heart-check mark on food packaging, you'll instantly know the food has been certified to meet the American Heart Association's criteria for saturated fat and cholesterol for healthy people over age two. Fun Nutrition activity: How healthy are your meals. What changes can be made to have healthier meals? Have friends /family do this as well. For full activity sheet see resource section. Use the my fats translator to get recommended calorie needs, range for total fats and limits for bad fats.(www.myfatstranslator.com) April—Spring Is In The Air Spring Break Spring Cleaning, do household chores together as a family. Make it fun, have challenges by seeing who can be the fastest. Log how many minutes you worked, it is all a form of getting some exercise. Having a slumber party during spring break? Going to a park? Don’t forget to bring your ball and have fun playing soccer, volleyball or baseball. Stock healthy snacks like fat free popcorn and lots of pillows for a pillow fight. Other fun ideas are swimming at the community pool or going on bike rides or walking. Visit Colorado State Parks, National Parks or the zoo. On Your Mark ,Get Set , Go! Sign up for walk or runs in your neighborhood. Make it fun, form a group and start training together. Start a running or walking group at school. EARTH DAY: Sustainability and being physically active Great ways to burn calories while saving our planet Walk to school or park further away, take an extra few minutes to walk with kids to school, enjoy their company while exercising Recycle—gather recyclables from the home, package them and find a designated recycling area OR recycle at your school Fix up an old bike or wagon with your kids —projects are a great way to get moderate physical activity Visit a local farmers market –this is a great place to sample fruits and veggies while buying affordable local food that is healthy Recycle old sports equipment OR buy used sports equipment at your local thrift stores and Salvation Army Planting The Seed Start a vegetable garden. This can be done at school or at home. Tomatoes, peppers and many kinds of herbs are just a few ideas. Find healthy recipes to showcase your fresh ingredients. For School: arrange a family breakfast in the cafeteria before school using the vegetables from the school garden. Students can explain all the wonderful ingredients they grew May—Getting Ready for Summer May Day—Bicycling Physical Activity and Sports week is May 1-7, 2011. Celebrate by getting active. Cycling exercises the heart better than walking without the pounding of jogging. Bicycles can be used to get to school, run errands and enjoying the great state of Colorado. It also reduces pollution that causes asthma and bronchitis. ( kenkifer.com) Jumping for Joy in Math Class Count how many jumps are done in 30 seconds. Find the average number of jumps done. Take heart rate before jumping and after jumping. What is the difference? We heart Mom Make mom a healthy breakfast Go on a walk with your Mom Go for a bike ride with Mom Pick flowers for Mom End of School Parties Instead of having a party focused around food and snacks have: Field Day Dance party Water Day Sports day Family day Pool party May is Stroke Month Let everyone know the warning signs Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination June/July—Summertime Summertime=Fun time Take swimming lessons Go mountain bike riding Become a Jr. lifeguard Join a summer sports league Climb a 14er or a 13er or any mountain National CPR Week Is The First week in June Get a group or the family together and learn CPR and get certified About 5,800 children 18 years old and under suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year from all causes – including trauma, cardiovascular causes and sudden infant death syndrome Be the beat, see great video’s, build avatars and learn about CPR. www.bethebeat.heart.org Be the beat is also a great tool for teachers with fun lesson plans. The most effective rate for chest compressions is 100 compressions per minute – the same rhythm as the beat of the BeeGee’s song, “Stayin’ Alive.” Chain of Survival A strong Chain of Survival can improve chances of survival and recovery for victims of heart attack, stroke and other emergencies The Links in the Chain of Survival 1. Call 911 2. Begin CPR 3. Use an AED Happy Father’s Day Have an active Dad’s day: Miniature or Regular Golf, Walk the dog together, go to the zoo or park and have a healthy BBQ Summer Safety Always wear a helmet and reflective clothing when riding your bike Fun in the sun: don’t forget sun screen and drink a lot of water If exercising when it is hot and humid wear light, comfortable clothing Swim safety: take swim lessons, make sure there is a lifeguard on duty Healthy Diet Guide As part of a healthy diet, an adult consuming 2,000 calories daily should aim for: Fruits and vegetables: At least 4.5 cups a day Fish (preferably oily fish): At least two 3.5-ounce servings a week Fiber-rich whole grains: At least three 1-ounce-equivalent servings a day Sodium: Less than 1,500 mg a day Sugar-sweetened beverages: No more than 450 calories (36 ounces) a week Other Dietary Measures: Nuts, legumes and seeds: At least 4 servings a week Processed meats: No more than 2 servings a week Saturated fat: Less than 7% of total energy intake The American Heart Association recommends that you eat a wide variety of nutritious foods daily. Remember, even simple, small changes can make a big difference in living a better life. Seven Steps to add years to your life: 1. don’t smoke; 2. maintain a healthy weight; 3. engage in regular physical activity; 4. eat a healthy diet; 5. manage blood pressure; 6. take charge of cholesterol; and 7. keep blood sugar, or glucose, at healthy levels. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml? Visit checkmark for nutrition tips and grocery shopping planning. http:// checkmark.heart.org Stir-frying. Roasting. Grilling and broiling. Baking. Poaching. Sautéing. Steaming. The American Heart Association has a new national goal: By 2020, to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent while reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20 percent. RESOURCES Activities for Wellness 2010—2011 Calendar of Events Celebrate Wellness All Year Long September 2010 September 19-25: National TV Turnoff Week September 25: Family Health & Fitness Day *Visit www.fitnessday.com All Month Long: Whole Grains Month *Visit www.wholegrainscouncil.org All Month Long: Fruits and Veggies - More Matters Month *Visit www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov October 2010 October 4: National Child Health Day *Visit www.mchb.hrsa.gov October 4-8: International Walk to School Week October 6: Walk to (or at) School Day October 11-15: National School Lunch Week *Visit www.schoolnutrition.org/nslw All Month Long: National Apple Month November 2010 All Month Long: National Diabetes Month *Visit www.diabetes.org January 2011 All Month Long: Advocacy Month *Visit www.yourthecure.org February 2011 February 4: National Wear Red for Women Day (Heart Disease and Women) *Visit www.goredforwomen.org 2010—2011 Calendar of Events All Month Long: Jump Rope for Heart/Hoops for Heart *Visit www.americanheart.org March 2011 March 8-12: National School Breakfast Week *Visit www.schoolnutrition.org March 17: Go for the Greens All Month Long: National Nutrition Month *Visit www.eatright.org/nsbw All Month Long: Jump Rope for Heart/Hoops for Heart *Visit www.americanheart.org April 2011 April 6: National Start! Walking Day April 10-16: National Volunteerism Week April 18-24: National TV Turnoff Week April 20: Move it Outside May 2011 May 1-7: National Physical Education & Sport Week *Visit www.aahperd.org May 2-6: Teacher Appreciation Week May 8: Mother’s Day All Month Long: National Bike Month *Visit www.bikeleague.org All Month Long: Stroke Month *Visit www.powertoendstroke.org June 2011 June 1—7: CPR and AED Awareness Week *Visit www.bethebeat.org and www.cprweek.org June 19: Father’s Day http://www.take10.net/pdf/2-Invisible%20Jump%20Rope%20Card.pdf Basketball Skills Playing basketball is good exercise and lots of fun. Check out these great shooting and skills games you can teach during your Hoops For Heart event. Shooting Games Horse Set up games with four to five kids in a group. Quick Shot Place five basketballs at the top of each of two basketball racks. Place each rack on either side of the foul line. Each student has 30 seconds to shoot the basketballs on the rack. Speed Shoot Have four or five students make a line behind each side of the foul line, one basketball for each line. The first in line shoots, rebounds and passes the ball to the next in his/her line. Record who makes the most number of baskets in two minutes. Skills Games Around the Body Rotate the ball around the body. Start with the head, then go around the waist and legs, then reverse the procedure. Around Each Ankle Rotate the ball around each ankle. Rotate the ball in a figure eight around the ankles in continuous motion. Dribble Around the Legs Dribble the ball around and through the legs in a figure-eight motion. Quick Hands Start in regular basketball stance with the legs shoulder-width apart. Hold the ball slightly in front of the body with both hands. Toss the ball slightly upward and between the legs to behind the body. Quickly bring the hands around behind the knees and catch the ball before it hits the floor. Repeat in the opposite direction and catch the ball in front of the knees. Repeat as quickly as possible while maintaining control. Four Hands Position the ball the same as Quick Hands, but hold the ball between the knees. One hand is in front of the ball; the other is in back behind the knees on the ball. Slightly toss the ball in the air and reverse the hands to the opposite knee. (Hand in front moves to the back, hand in back moves to the front.) Crossover Dribble The participant pushes the ball so that it rebounds across in front of the body to the opposite hand and repeats the motion every five dribbles. Change direction from a right to left diagonal each time you change hands. One Knee, Both Knees, and Sitting-Down Dribble The participant begins with a regular dribble, moves to a low-control dribble, then to one knee, both knees, and then sits down. Next the participant tries to stand up again without losing control. Eagle Ball Handling Drill Participants start holding the ball waist-high with both hands. The drill is timed. On the signal "go," the participant passes the ball twice around the waist and twice around each leg, then does 15 skips, 10 drops in each direction and five body figure eights. When finished, the participant lifts the ball above the head. Stop timing when the ball reaches the overhead position. Each participant needs at least one partner to count each skill. Skills can be changed to best meet participants' skill levels. Team Passes Arrange the team in a circle. Have members practice a variety of passes, e.g., chest pass, onehand pass, bounce pass and behind-the-back pass. Each participant tries to be innovative about the kind of pass they use. STAYING FIT IN YOUR CLASSROOM Staying physically active at your desk: Physical activities for all students Sitting in your chair, lift one leg off the seat, extend it out straight, hold for 2 seconds; then lower your foot (stop short of the floor) and hold for several seconds. Switch; do each leg 15 times. To work your chest and shoulders, place both hands on your chair and slowly lift your bottom off the chair. Lower yourself back down but stop short of the seat, hold for a few seconds. Do 15 times. Sitting tall in your chair, stretch both arms over your head and reach for the sky. After 10 seconds, extend the right hand higher, then the left. Work your arms by lifting a text book slowly over your head. Do 15 times. Take a Break: Activities that can be done in the classroom Try one Minute of Jumping Jacks. Do a football-like drill—Run in place for 60 seconds. Get those knees up! (Beginners, march in place.) Simulate jumping rope for a minute: Hop on alternate feet, or on both feet at once. An easier version is to simulate the arm motion of turning a rope, while alternately tapping the toes of each leg in front. While seated, pump both arms over your head for 30 seconds, then rapidly tap your feet on the floor, football-drill style, for 30 seconds. Repeat 3-5 times. Shadow box for a minute or two, sit or stand at your desk, but be careful not to touch your neighbor. Do walk-lunges around the perimeter of class http://www.ncpe4me.com/pdf_files/K-5Energizers.pdf RESOURCES For more information utilize these great websites Alliance for a Healthier Generation www.healthiergeneration.org/parents.aspx?id=1852 Eat Better America www.eatbetteramerica.com/diet-nutrition/eat-for-health/10trimming-thanksgiving-tips.aspx WebMD www.webmd.com American Heart Association www.americanheart.org US Department of Health & Human Services WE CAN! www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/ Nourish Interactive www.nourishinteractive.com/ ACTIVITIES Healthy Activities for Students and Families Alliance for a Healthier Generation —Reading Food Labels 101 http://www.healthiergeneration.org/parents.aspx?id=1856 American Heart Association —Activities Pyramid http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3003219 Take 10 Activity—invisible jump rope http://www.take10.net/pdf/2-Invisible%20Jump%20Rope%20Card.pdf Better Food Choices—Choose this not that http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@global/documents/ downloadable/ucm_305491.pdf Balance It Out Poster http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3044552 American Heart Association Recipes http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/Recipes/ Recipes_UCM_001184_SubHomePage.jsp
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