USD #442
September 2010
09-10 PHYSICAL EDUCATION UPDATE
Link with learning
What can families do?
Consider the Following Action Steps...
1.
Ask to see your child’s fitness testing results from his/her
physical education teacher in the fall and in the spring.
3.
Start a log of daily fitness activities and help everyone find
something active that makes them feel successful.
2.
Schedule a regular time throughout the week for your family
to do a physical activity.
4.
Limit time spent doing sedentary activities such as watching
television, surfing the net or playing computer games.
6.
Participate in the observation assessment tool from NASPE
(www.naspeinfo.org/observePE).
5.
7.
8.
9.
Volunteer to help with physical activity events at your child’s
school.
Use ideas located in the website:
www.actionforhealthykids.org, resources of school based
interventions, best practices & programs for families.
Collaborate with your child’s physical education teacher in
developing programs promoting physical activity and
nutrition.
Keep up-to-date regarding student progress. Observe
components that are in the Healthy Zone and ones needing
improvement.
10. Develop fitness plans for your family.
11. As parents, lead by example regarding fitness, nutrition and
wellness.
Physical activity has clearly been linked to academic performance.
A California Department of Education study (2001) found that
schools with high percentages of students who did not routinely
engage in physical activity and healthy eating habits had smaller
gains in test scores than did other schools. Schools that offer
intense physical activity programs have seen positive effects on
academic performance and achievement (e.g., improved
mathematics, reading, and writing test scores, less disruptive
behavior), even when the added physical education time takes
away from class time for academics. In the study, reading and
mathematics scores were matched with fitness scores of 1 million
students. Higher achievement was associated with higher levels of
fitness at each of the grade levels measured, especially in
mathematics. Students who met minimum fitness levels in 3 or
more physical fitness areas showed the greatest gains in academic
achievement at all grade levels. Physical activity among adolescents
is also related to higher levels of self-esteem and lower levels of
anxiety and stress—each of which has been associated with better
academic performance.
Fitness testing overview
Students are assessed each year using the President’s Challenge
Physical Fitness Test. The Physical Fitness Test recognizes students
for their level of physical fitness in multiple events including curlups or partial curl-ups, endurance run/walk, pull-ups, right angle
push-ups or flexed arm hang, and V-sit or sit and reach. On this
sheet you will find charts that illustrate how students are doing on
each of these tests as well as their levels of health on a measure of
their Body-Mass Index.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
BMI
75%
0%
20%
40%
Proficient
25%
60%
80%
NOT Proficient
100%
Body Composition is measured by determining the student’s body
mass index that uses a mathematical formula with the student’s
height and weight. Ideally, students will be in the “healthy zone.” The
“healthy zone” is considered “proficient.” Students may also be
identified as having a BMI that is either “too low” or “too high” which
would equate to being “not proficient.”
USD #442
September 2010
Abdominal Strength
Curl Ups
74%
0%
20%
26%
40%
Proficient
Sit & Reach
60%
80%
NOT Proficient
Flexibility
60%
0%
20%
40%
40%
Proficient
100%
The Curl-ups test measures abdominal strength and endurance. The
student lies with knees flexed and feet about 12 inches from buttocks.
Partner holds feet. Arms are crossed with hands placed on opposite
shoulders and elbows held close to chest. Keeping this arm position,
the student raises the trunk curling up to touch elbows to thighs and
then lowers the back to the floor so that the scapulas (shoulder
blades) touch the floor, for one curl-up.
60%
80%
NOT Proficient
100%
The V-sit reach (or sit and reach) measures flexibility of the lower back
and hamstrings by using a special box with a measuring scale. Student
removes shoes and sits on floor with knees fully extended, feet
shoulder-width apart and soles of the feet held flat against the end of
the box. With hands on top of each other, palms down and legs held flat,
the student reaches along the measuring line as far as possible. After 3
practice reaches, the fourth reach is held while the distance is recorded.
Upper Body Strength
Flex Arm
48%
Push Ups
Pull Ups
88%
39%
0%
52%
20%
Proficient
40%
60%
61%
80%
NOT Proficient
12%
100%
Upper Body Strength is measured by right angle push-ups or flexed
arm hang. For push ups, the student lies face down on the mat in pushup position with hands under shoulders, fingers straight, and legs
straight, parallel, and slightly apart, with the toes supporting the feet.
The student straightens the arms, keeping the back and knees straight,
then lowers the body until there is a 90-degree angle at the elbows,
with the upper arms parallel to the floor. For the flexed arm hang,
using either an overhand or underhand grip, the student assumes
flexed-arm hang position with chin clearing the bar. Students may be
lifted to this position. Student holds this position as long as possible.
Agility
Shuttle Run
60%
0%
1/4 Mile Run
2
Proficient
40%
31%
0%
53%
20%
Proficient
60%
NOT Proficient
43%
1/2 Mile Run
Mile Run
20%
40%
80%
100%
Cardio Endurance
57%
69%
40%
60%
47%
NOT Proficient
80%
The shuttle run measures speed and agility. There are 2 parallel lines
30 feet apart with 2 blocks of wood behind one of the lines. Students
start behind opposite line. On the signal “Ready? Go!” the student runs
to the blocks, picks one up, runs back to the starting line, places the
block behind the line, runs back and picks up the second block, and runs
back across starting line.
100%
The Endurance run/walk measures heart/lung endurance. On a safe,
one-mile distance, students begin running on the count “Ready? Go!”
Walking may be interspersed with running. However, the students
should be encouraged to cover the distance in as short a time as
possible. Alternative distances for younger children are 1/4 mile for 6-7
years old, and 1/2 mile for 8-9 years old. The same objective and testing
procedure is used as with the mile run.
USD #442
September 2010
08-10 PHYSICAL EDUCATION TRENDS
Body Mass Index
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Healthy Zone
Spring 08
71%
Fall 08
75%
Spring 09
76%
Spring 10
75%
Abdominal Strength
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Proficient
Spring 08
66%
Fall 08
68%
Spring 09
75%
Spring 10
74%
3
USD #442
September 2010
08-10 PHYSICAL EDUCATION TRENDS
Flexibility
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Proficient
Spring 08
67%
Fall 08
51%
Spring 09
57%
Spring 10
60%
Upper Body Strength
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Proficient
4
Spring 08
50%
Fall 08
43%
Spring 09
48%
Spring 10
49%
USD #442
September 2010
08-10 PHYSICAL EDUCATION TRENDS
Agility
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Proficient
Spring 08
60%
Fall 08
65%
Spring 09
59%
Spring 10
60%
Cardio Endurance
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Proficient
Spring 08
46%
Fall 08
43%
Spring 09
49%
Spring 10
45%
5