Pedometers 101
Everything PE teachers want to know about
pedometers and using them with your students.
Melinda Bossenmeyer, Ed.D.
Peaceful Playgrounds Inc.
877-444-9888
Los Angeles, CA
©Peaceful Playgrounds, Inc.™ 2005
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Healthy, Well and Wise Curriculum
More on our Program Later
• Wellness Program using pedometers
• Emphasizing Childhood Obesity Prevention Strategies
– Nutrition Education
– Physical Activity Education
– 8 weekly lessons and materials
– 16 weeks maintenance materials
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U.S. Surgeon General
• We have a health crisis affecting every city,
state, community and school across America.
The crisis is obesity. Obesity is the fastest
growing cause of disease and death in America.
• Completely Preventable!!
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Healthy Schools Campaign 2004
• Experts agree:
• Key strategy for tackling childhood obesity is
“start with schools”.
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Concerned Childhood Obesity
• AMA - Obesity is largest emerging health issue
facing our nation.
• National School Board - Serious Health Problem
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We’re Talking Serious……….
• The Twenty
Something's are the
first generation that
are predicted to have
a shorter lifespan
than their parents.
• We need to take
action.
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Pedometers: “The
movement tool for all”?
• Important tool in measuring physical activity.
• Easy, inexpensive, available.
• Provide awareness of activity targets and
progress toward targets.
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What works?
• Research on Walking/Pedometer Programs
1. Awareness-Explain the benefits of walking.
2. Flexible Walking-home, school, recess.
3. Individual Goal Setting.
4. Regular Contact with coordinator (teacher).
5. Minimal expense and training needed (single function
pedometers).
6. 8 week program (4 weeks goal setting, 4 weeks self
monitoring with consulting support).
–
President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports 2002
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Activity Break #1
“Gotta Run”
• Weekly Chants
– Don’t Sit. Get Fit.
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One lap. No sweat.
Two laps. Better yet.
Three laps. Can do.
Four laps. Nothing new.
Five laps. Warming up.
Six laps. Yep. Yep.
Seven laps. Almost done.
Eight laps. Got to run!
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Stepping it up.
Chart for Active Children
Age Range
8-10 years
12 years
12 years
Gender
Step Range
Boys and Girls 12, 00016,000
Girls
10,47911,274
Boys
12,30013,989
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Stepping it up.
Chart for Sedentary Children
Age Range
Gender
8-12 years Boys and
Girls
Step Range
3,5005,500
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Realistic Goal Setting for Kids
• Add 10% a week.
• If you start with 10,000 steps (adult good
health target), you may burn out sedentary
kids.
• Make it “Fun”.
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Goal Setting Active Kids
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Increase steps by 10% each week
Example
12,000 steps baseline week one
13,200 steps week two
14,520 steps week three
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Goal Setting
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Aim for 6000 steps a day in the beginning
Increase goal by 10% each week
Sedentary Kids Start
Week 1 = 6000
Week 2 = 6,600
Week 3 = 7,200
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Teach kids-Management Issues
• “You shake it. I take it.”
• “You shake it. I reset it.”
“The ones I have are hard to put on, especially on sweats. Also, my kids
fiddle with them all the time even though it is one of my rules not to. I use
them, but, while informative, they are also a lot of work.”
Put on back of waist band. Hard to shake. Lori Dusek PE Talk
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Steps to Mile Conversion
I use the “steps only” model.
• 600 steps = 1/4 mile
• 1200 steps = 1/2 mile
• 1800 steps = 3/4 mile
• 2400 steps = 1 mile.
This is a very generous average over 2-5th grades.
(Physical Activity vs Absolute Mathematics)
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Fun Activities Include:
• Activity Logs-visually see progress
• Web walking programs
– American Discovery Trail
http://www.discoverytrail.org/
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Fun Activities
• http://www.creativewalking.com/pedometer.html#stepping
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Robert Sweetgall's 28 Million Footstep Walk Across America Challenge Poster
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Fun Activities
• http://www.peclogit.org/logit.asp
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PE Central and NEW LIFESTYLES welcomes you to LOG IT - the program
that allows elementary-aged students to log their individual physical activity
steps & miles online. Students can walk across the USA with their classmates
along with other fun features.
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Log Sites
• Get Active, Stay Active Website
– http://www.getactivestayactive.com/
– Electronic portfolio and participation in Presidents Challenge
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Fun Activities
Love the idea of a Wellness Day. We had one once called, Walking for
wellness. We had a sports hero come in to warm up the kids with exercise
and games. Then he gave a motivation speaker afterwards. We had the Red
Cross, AHA, the local hospital, and other community based organizations
come in and set up informational booths for parents and students. One
booth was about the effects and triggers of asthma. We walked with our
pedometers and had student logs/journal their personal
fitness parameters. Parents, staff, administrators, community leaders all
came to walk with us. It was a great day, and brought awareness to the
need to be a well person.
Combine with Jump for Heart???
Scott Tomassetti
pe1.org
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Perimeter Walk
• If you have large grounds, develop a perimeter walk.
You only need 1 or 2 pedometers and set them on
steps. Alternate who uses the pedometers. Keep
track of the steps.
•
Rudy Hewitt
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Fun Family Activities
• America on the Move
• http://www.americaonthemove.org/LearnMore.asp
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Math Challenges
Math Challenges
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Have them each keep a log of the number of steps they take and time of
exercise.
Students can compare the average number of steps and types of exercise.
Compare the time of exercise to number of steps.
Average number of steps by the class as opposed to the individual.
If you use a chart, or better yet, an excel sheet you could almost set it up as
an integrated math lesson. Scott Tonassettu, PE Talk
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Pedometer Positioning
• Typical
– Tight waistband for accurate counts
– Flag football belt
– Sock-tight to register movement (no kicking)
• Obese
– waistband in line with the armpit first
– a position on the waistband in line with the backbone
– Lifestyle Pedometers Teresa Vollnweider
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Pedometer Teacher Testimony
“Just yesterday my class of second
graders didn't want to stop ‘running’”.
We did a pre-test 1/4 mile run and immediately we checked the
number of steps. The children want to keep running. Somewhat
of a novelty these days to have children say "we want to keep
running".
I was pleased.
Pe Talk entry
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Storage
• Tackle box
• Ice cube tray
• Sewing box thread
– Number pedometers
– Number slots in box
• (Assign numbers) Stand or line up number.
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Which pedometer?
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"What makes some pedometers more expensive than others?
"Is it the internal mechanism?”
“The cost is not in functions or features. The cost has to do with engineering and parts.”
The Digiwalker pedometer uses a coiled spring (a spring that
looks much like a very little "Slinky"). Coiled springs are more durable
than hair springs, and therefore, the pedometer's counting
mechanism will outlast a pedometer that uses a hair spring.
Coiled spring Pedometers $18-25
Hairspring Pedometers $ 9-12 (less without cover)
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Pedometer Quality
• “You get what you pay for.”
– Melinda’s Recommendations
• Accusplit
• Walk for Life
• Digi Walker
“FOR CHEAP PEDOMETERS YOU’LL PAY THE PRICE!”
****security straps or DIGI-ties
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Pedometer Quality Problems
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Cheap Pedometers: What makes them cheap?
Upside down numbers
No protective cover to prevent wipe-outs
Short-life batteries
Hard to change batteries
Inaccuracy and non-reliable internal mechanisms
Clips break
Not Kid Proof (Multiple users. Multiple use.)
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PE Class Activity Targets
PE Activity Level Chart
• 0-499 Not very active
• 500-999 Somewhat active
• 1000-1499 Active
• 1500 and up Highly active
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Students check levels after every class when they put them away.
• Todd Keating PE Talk
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Thomas Jefferson
"I will arrange the books to be read into three columns, and
propose that you should read those in the first column till 12.
o'clock every day: those in the 2d. from 12. To 2. those in the
3d. after candlelight, leaving all the afternoon for exercise and
recreation, which are as necessary as reading: I will rather say
more necessary, because health is worth more than learning."
Thomas Jefferson
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Activity Break Chant #2
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“Never stop”
We never stop.
We never quit.
Because we want.
To be real Fit.
1-2-3-4
I just want to run some more.
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We Count Components
• Teacher Manual
• CD of Materials
• Weekly Student
Newsletters
• Weekly Parent
Newsletters
• Pedometers
• Motivational Materials
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When Bigger is not Better.
• Weekly Student and
Parent Newsletters
– Nutrition Concepts
– Physical Activity
Concepts
EDUCATE-Kids Can Be
Taught to Make Healthy
Choices.
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
‘05
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Sign up at www.peacefulplaygrounds.com
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Parent Newsletter
• Parent Newsletter
– Reinforces concepts
learned at school
– Some suggestions for
family action
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Weekly themes
• Physical Activity
– Walking Basics
– Physical Activity vs
Calories
– How Many Steps?
– Benefits of Physical
Activity
• Nutrition
– When Bigger is not
Better-Portion Sizes
– Good Nutrition
– Dietary Guidelines
– Eat Smart. Play Hard.
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All the regular stuff to track steps
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Tracking Tools
Stickers
Certificates
Bulletin Board
Step Logs
Bench Mark Chart
• Site License-Single School
Site
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WE Count
• Wellness Curriculum
PLUS Motivational
Pedometer Program materials
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Chant #3
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Everywhere I go.
People want to know.
Who we are.
So we tell them.
We are the fit kids.
Mighty, mighty fit kids.
We shout. We say.
Don’t Sit. Get Fit!!!
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“Everywhere I go.”
Pick up your free
“Don’t sit. Get fit.”
bracelet on the way
out.
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