GetMoving:BeActiveandHeartHealthywiththeNFLPLAY60Challenge
VirtualFieldTripEducatorCompanionGuide
Overview:Areyouandyourstudentsreadytogetmoving?TheAmericanHeartAssociation
(AHA)andtheNationalFootballLeague(NFL)haveteamedtogethertoshowkidshoweasyand
funitistogetactiveandhearthealthy.InthisVirtualFieldTrip(VFT),studentswilllearnthe
sciencebehindthecardioandstrengthexercisesthatNFLplayersWhitneyMercilusand
ChristianCovingtonusetostayfitandactive.Yourstudentswillalsogetaninsidelookatthe
HoustonTexans’practicefacilityandTheHealthMuseum.
DuringtheFieldTrip,arepresentativefromtheAmericanHeartAssociationandNFLplayerswill
leaddemonstrationsanddiscussionsonphysicalactivityandnutrition.Studentswilldiscover
howaerobicactivityaffectstheirheartandlungs,howstrengtheningactivitiesdevelopmuscles,
hownutritionprovidestheenergyneededtobeactive,andhowcertainfoodsandstaying
hydratedcontributestotheirgoodhealth.Studentswillseethatphysicalactivityisfunandcan
bedoneanywhereandatanytimeduringtheirday.
Studentswill:
● explainthebenefitsofregularphysicalactivitytotheirhealth.
● analyzetheeffectofactivityonheartrate.
● describetheimpactofactivityonpartsofthebody.
● evaluatetherelationshipbetweennutritionandphysicalactivity.
BeforetheVFT:GetUpandGetMoving!
Materials:
● Chartpaper
● Markers
● Timers
Getstudents’bodiesandmindsmovinginacarouselactivitythatfocusesontheroleofphysical
activityandnutritionintheirlives.Onlargepiecesofchartpaper,writeanddisplaythebolded
questionsbelow(onequestionperpieceofchartpaper)indifferentareasoftheroom:
Howoftenshouldyoubephysicallyactive,andwhy?
TheAmericanHeartAssociationrecommendsthatchildrenandadolescentsparticipateinat
least60minutesofmoderate-tovigorous-physicalactivityeveryday.Increasedphysicalactivity
hasbeenassociatedwithanincreasedlifeexpectancyanddecreasedriskofcardiovascular
disease.Physicalactivityproducesoverallphysical,psychologicalandsocialbenefits.
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Whattypesoffoodsshouldbeincludedinahealthydiet?
Healthyeatingstartswithhealthyfoodchoicesthatconsiderbalance,variety,andmoderation.
Gotowww.heart.orgforresourcesonmakinghealthyfoodchoices.
Whatarethebenefitsofparticipatinginregularphysicalactivity?
Therearemanyhealthbenefitsofphysicalactivityincludingbutnotlimitedtocontrolling
weight,improvedcardiorespiratoryandmusclefitness,improvedbonehealth,improved
psychologicalwell-beingbyimprovingmoodandreducingsymptomsofdepressionandanxiety,
reducingbloodpressure,reducingtheriskforcertaindiseasessuchascoronaryheartdisease,
stroke,somecancers,andtype2diabetes.
Whataresomeofyourfavoritephysicalactivities?
Answerswillvary.
Providemarkersateachquestionlocation.Studentsshouldbeinsmallgroupsequallydivided
betweenthequestions.Eachgroupshoulddesignateawriterforthegroupwhowillrecord
responsesonthechartpaper.Informgroupsthattheywillhave60secondstoread,discuss,
andrespondtoeachquestion.Attheendof60seconds,directgroupstorotatetothenext
questionandrepeatuntilallquestionshavebeenanswered.
Onceallquestionshavebeenanswered,reviewwhatiswrittenoneachchartpaper.Challenge
theclasstoidentifywhichanswerstheycanreachconsensuson,andwhatnewquestions
emerge.Possibleanswersareincludedinitalicsabove.Keepthepaperspostedtoreferbackto
duringandaftertheVirtualFieldTrip.
AftertheVFT
Activity1:PostIt
Inthisactivity,studentswillconfirmorrefutetheanswerstheycreatedduringthecarousel
activity(above).Theythenwilldigdeeperintothephysical,academic,social,andemotional
benefitsofregularphysicalactivityandcreateasocialmediaposttopersuadepeerstobe
physicallyactive,basedonthosebenefits.
Materials:
● Chartpapersfromthecarouselactivity
● AccesstotheInternet
● PrintoutofPhysicalActivityRecommendationsinfographic
Referbacktothecarouselactivity.Askstudentstocomparetheiroriginalresponsestothe
informationtheylearnedontheVirtualFieldTrip.Invitestudentgroupstodiscussthefollowing:
● WhichanswerswereconfirmedbywhatyoulearnedduringtheVirtualFieldTrip?
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● Whatmisconceptions,ifany,canyouidentify?Whydothesemisconceptionsexist?
● Wereanyadditionalquestionsanswered?
● Whatconclusionsorinferencescanyoumakeabouttheimportanceof60minutesor
moreofphysicalactivityeachday?
Referbacktothebenefitsofregularphysicalactivitythatstudentslistedonthechartpaper.
Explainthattherearemanybenefits--physical,academic,andsocial/emotional--ofregular
physicalactivity.Challengestudentstocategorizethembywhethertheyarephysical,academic,
orsocial/emotionalbenefits.Examplesinclude:
● Physical:Weight-bearingactivities,likerunningandjumping,developstrongbones.
● Academic:Studentswhoarephysicallyactivetendtohavebettergrades.Theymayalso
demonstrateimprovedfocus,concentrationandmemory.
● Social/Emotional:Physicalactivitycanbenefithowyoufeelaboutyourselfandmay
increaseopportunitiestointeractwithothersandmeetnewfriendsthroughvarious
physicalactivitiessuchassports,dance,martialarts,cheerleading,andwalking/running
clubs..
Directstudentstofoldasheetof8½x11paperintothirdsandlabeleachsectionwithoneof
thebenefitcategorieslistedabove.Individuallyoringroups,challengestudentstoresearch3-5
benefitsofbeingphysicallyactiveforatleast60minuteseachday.Theymusthaveatleastone
benefitforeachcategory.Note:StudentscanreferbacktowhattheylearnedintheVFT,tothe
AHAPhysicalActivityRecommendations,ortoinformationathttp://www.ahanflplay60challenge.org/.
Finally,invitestudentstousewhattheyhavelearnedaboutthebenefitsofregularphysical
activitytopersuadetheirownpeerstobephysicallyactiveforatleast60minuteseachday.To
dothis,theymustcreateamocksocialmediapost,usinganexistingsocialmediaplatform,that
wouldconvincetheirpeerstobephysicallyactiveforatleast60minuteseachday.Youmay
wanttospendtimereviewingdifferentsocialmediaplatformswithstudentsandthebenefitsof
usingtheseplatformstocreatepositivechange.Then,invitestudentstoselectoneofthese
platformsandtocreateafactual,meaningful,andpersuasivepost.Theirpostshouldbe
designedforkidstheirageandshouldincludeatleasttwoofthebenefitstheyresearched.
Note:Yourschool’spoliciesandyourcomfortlevelwiththeintegrationofsocialmediashould
beconsideredwhendecidingwhethertohavestudentsactuallypostwhattheyhavecreatedon
socialmedia.
Activity2:RateThis!
Inthisactivity,studentswillmeasuretheirheartratesbeforeandafteraseriesofactivitiesand
drawconclusionsabouttheimportanceofaerobicactivityontheirhearthealthandoverall
wellness.
Materials:
● CopiesofAHAGuidetoHeartRate
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Askstudentsiftheyrecallwhataheartrateisandtoexplainand/ordemonstratewhatthey
rememberfromtheVFTabouthowtofindtheirheartrates.Challengestudentstopredicttheir
restingheartrateandtothenfindoutwhatitactuallyis.Youmayneedtodemonstratehow.
Findingheartrate–Placetwofingertips(indexandmiddlefingers)onthesideoftheneckorthe
insideofthewristtofindthepulse.Countthenumberofbeatsinatensecondperiodand
multiplybysixtofindyourbeatsperminute.
HeartRate–Yourheartrateisthenumberoftimesyourheartbeatsinaminute.
RestingHeartRate–Thenumberoftimesyourheartbeatsaminutewhileyouareatrest(doing
thingslikesittinginacarorsleeping).
Recordanswers.
Next,explaintostudentsthattheyaregoingtodofivedifferentphysicalactivitiesfor1-2
minuteseachandmeasuretheirheartratesaftereachone.Invitestudentgroupstocomeup
withalistoffivedifferentactivities.Theactivitiesmustbesafetodoinsideoftheclassroomand
theyshouldtrytoselectdifferenttypesofactivities.
Invitestudentstomakepredictionsaboutwhichactivitieswillmaketheirheartratesincrease
mostandleast.Directthemtodoabriefwarm-uporstretchandtothendoeachactivityfor1-2
minutes(restingatleasttwominutesbetweenactivities)andtotakeandrecordtheirheart
ratesafter.Comparetheirpredictionstotheirresults.Then,discuss:
● Howdidyourheartratechangeaftereachactivity?
● Whichactivitiescausedyourhearttobeatthefastest?Whatconclusionscanyou
drawaboutthesetypesofactivities?
● Whatdoyouthinkhappenedtoyourbodiestocreatethischange?
Followingareviewoftheguidelines,discuss:
● Couldyoutellwhenyourheartratewasincreasingordecreasing?Answerswill
vary,butstudentsshouldobserveachangeintheirbreathingandintheirability
totalkwhiletheirheartrateisincreasingordecreasing.
● Basedonthechangesyouobservedinyourheartrate,howwillphysicalactivitybenefit
yourheart?Whendoneregularly,moderate-andvigorous-intensityphysicalactivity
strengthensyourheartmuscle.Thisimprovesyourheart'sabilitytopumpbloodtoyour
lungsandthroughoutyourbody.
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CorrelatingStandards:
NationalPhysicalEducationStandards/Standard3-Thephysicallyliterateindividual
demonstratestheknowledgeandskillstoachieveandmaintainahealth-enhancinglevelof
physicalactivityandfitness.
HealthEducationStandards/Standard7:Studentswilldemonstratetheabilitytopracticehealthenhancingbehaviorsandavoidorreducehealthrisks.
NextGenerationScienceStandards(NGSS)/LS1.A.StructureandFunction.Inmulticellular
organisms,thebodyisasystemofmultipleinteractingsubsystems.Thesesubsystemsare
groupsofcellsthatworktogethertoformtissuesandorgansthatarespecializedforparticular
bodyfunctions.
CommonCoreStateStandards/RST.6-8.9-Compareandcontrasttheinformationgainedfrom
experiments,simulations,video,ormultimediasourceswiththatgainedfromreadingatexton
thesametopic.
IfyouarelookingforadditionalresourcestoextendthelearningfromthisVirtualFieldTrip,goonline
tojointheNFLPLAY60Challengeanddownloadresourcestouseinyourclassroom.
Also,inviteyourstudents’parentstocheckoutthegreatvideosandfamilyactivitiestoreinforcewhat
studentsarelearninginyourclassroom.
Alwaysencourageyourstudentstogetatleast60minutesofphysicalactivityeveryday!
Visit:http://www.aha-nflplay60challenge.org/
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