School Curriculum: Physical Fitness

This page is designed to enable parents to understand what their child should be learning, when they should be learning it, and what degree of mastery the child should have attained (at a median level) by a certain grade level. For Homeschoolers, we hope that this page will serve as a valuable asset in establishing a baseline curriculum. For parents whose children attend public or private schools (or for the inquisitive student) this page should give some guidance as to whether or not the school curriculum and methods are providing students with an adequate standard of education. 

What is meant by "Fitness," why is it important, and how is it approached ? Below is a description of the core discipline and its components, and the answers to why-how-when these components are taught.  Fitness components have median level goals to be attained by the end of Grade 2, by the end of Grade 4, by the end of Grade 6, by the end of Grade 8, and by the end of Grade 12.

This page does not contain articles for education in this discipline.
For educational articles, go to: Fitness: A. Fitness and Physical Activity, B. Training, C. Achieving and Assessing Fitness

STANDARD 2.6 (FITNESS) ALL STUDENTS WILL APPLY HEALTH-RELATED AND SKILL-RELATED FITNESS CONCEPTS AND SKILLS TO DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN A HEALTHY, ACTIVE LIFESTYLE.

Descriptive Statement: This standard enables students to understand the components of health-related fitness (cardiorespiratory endurance, body composition, flexibility, muscular strength and muscular endurance) and skill-related fitness (speed, agility, reaction time, coordination, and power). Students learn how each component is developed and measured and how to design and implement a personal fitness plan that supports a healthy, active lifestyle.

Strands and Cumulative Progress Indicators

By the end of Grade 2, students will:

A. Fitness and Physical Activity

1. Identify the components of health-related and skill-related fitness and identify activities that develop each component.

2. Identify body responses associated with moderate to vigorous physical activity including sweating, a fast heart rate, and heavy breathing.

B. Training

1. Explain that too much or not enough exercise can be harmful.

2. Explain that participation in regular physical activity contributes to wellness.

C. Achieving and Assessing Fitness

1. Engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity that develops all components of fitness.

2. Monitor heart rate and breathing before, during, and after exercise.

3. Develop a fitness goal and monitor achievement of the goal.

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 4, students will:

A. Fitness and Physical Activity

1. Discuss the physical, social, and emotional benefits of regular physical activity.

2. Explain each component of health-related and skill-related fitness and explain how specific activities develop each component.

3. Describe how body systems respond to vigorous exercise.

4. Discuss factors such as heredity, training, and diet that influence fitness.

5. Describe how technology has improved fitness activities.

B. Training

1. Discuss the importance of regular physical activity.

2. Describe and apply the training principles of frequency, intensity, and time (FIT) during physical activity.

3. Explain that using performance-enhancing substances, including anabolic steroids and supplements, may be unsafe and illegal.

C. Achieving and Assessing Fitness

1. Engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity that develops all components of fitness.

2. Maintain continuous aerobic activity for a specified time period.

3. Monitor physiological responses before, during, and after exercise.

4. Develop a health-related fitness goal and use technology to track fitness status.

5. Demonstrate age and gender-specific progress towards improving each component of fitness.

6. Demonstrate safe and appropriate techniques while engaging in fitness activities.

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 6, students will:

A. Fitness and Physical Activity

1. Describe the physical, social, and emotional benefits of regular physical activity.

2. Differentiate among activities that improve skill fitness versus health-related fitness.

3. Describe how body systems adapt over time to regular physical activity.

4. Describe how gender, age, heredity, training, and health behaviors impact fitness.

5. Investigate technological advances that impact physical activity and fitness.

6. Describe the relationship between physical activity, healthy eating, and body composition.

B. Training

1. Discuss the relationship between practice, training, and injury prevention.

2. Discuss how the principles of training including FIT, overload, progression, and specificity improve personal fitness.

3. Apply the appropriate training principles to various forms of physical activity used to improve personal fitness.

4. Describe the physical and behavioral effects of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing substances and discuss legal and competition issues related to their use.

C. Achieving and Assessing Fitness

1. Engage in moderate to vigorous forms of physical activity that address each component of fitness.

2. Engage in physical activity at a target heart rate for a minimum of 20 minutes.

3. Monitor physiological indicators before, during, and after exercise.

4. Assess personal fitness, develop a personal fitness plan based on the findings, and use technology to implement the plan.

5. Demonstrate age- and gender-specific progress towards improving each component of fitness.

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 8, students will:

A. Fitness and Physical Activity

1. Summarize the potential short- and long-term physical, social, and emotional benefits of regular physical activity.

2. Differentiate how body systems adapt to acute exercise vs. regular exercise over a period of time.

3. Predict how factors such as health status, interests, environmental conditions, and available time impact personal fitness.

4. Analyze the positive and negative impacts of technological advances on exercise, health, and fitness.

5. Describe ways to achieve a healthy body composition through healthy eating and physical activity.

6. Distinguish between facts and fallacies regarding the marketing of fitness products, services, and information.

B. Training

1. Recognize signs and symptoms that warrant exercise termination and possible follow-up with a healthcare professional.

2. Apply training principles to establish a progression of activity that will improve each component of fitness.

3. Describe and demonstrate various training methods, including isotonic, isometric, interval, and circuit methods.

4. Investigate the physical, behavioral, legal, and competitive consequences of the use of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing substances.

C. Achieving and Assessing Fitness

1. Engage in a variety of sustained, vigorous physical activities that enhance each component of fitness.

2. Perform at the intensity level needed to enhance cardiovascular fitness, as determined by target heart rate, perceived exertion, and recovery heart rate.

3. Monitor physiological responses before, during and after exercise and compare changes.

4. Use health data and information from internal and external sources to develop a personal fitness plan, and use technology to evaluate the implementation and outcomes of the plan.

5. Demonstrate age- and gender-specific progress towards improving each component of fitness.

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 12, students will:

A. Fitness and Physical Activity

1. Predict the short- and long-term physical, social, and emotional benefits and potential problems associated with regular physical activity.

2. Summarize the causes, influences, and responses of body systems during exercise.

3. Describe how preventive healthcare, physiological monitoring, hydration, a safe environment, and exercising with a partner contribute to safe fitness activities.

4. Evaluate the role of genetics, gender, age, nutrition, activity level, and exercise type on body composition.

B. Training

1. Develop and implement a training program to maximize health benefits and prevent exercise-related injuries and illnesses.

2. Apply training principles to establish a progression of activity that will improve each component of fitness and justify the use of each principle.

3. Compare and contrast the use of drugs, fitness products, and fads to achieve fitness.

C. Achieving and Assessing Fitness

1. Engage in a variety of sustained, vigorous physical activities to enhance each component of fitness.

2. Perform at the intensity level needed to enhance cardiovascular fitness, monitor physiological responses before, during, and after exercise, and modify exercise appropriately in response.

3. Assess personal level of fitness, design a personal fitness plan considering current health and fitness status, goals and interests, skill level, accessibility and costs, and use technology to implement, monitor, and evaluate the plan.

4. Demonstrate age and gender-specific progress towards the achievement of fitness goals for each component of health-related and skill-related fitness.

5. Modify a fitness plan to accommodate for injury, illness, pregnancy, aging, and disability.

6. Discuss the use of body mass index, body fat percentage, and fat deposition as measures of fitness.

 

 

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