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EXERCISE AND YOU

Submitted by: Corrinne Gallagher
Endorsed by: Dr. Don E. Descy
Mankato State University

Date: February 23, 1997

DESCRIPTION: This lesson focuses on the benefits of warm ups. Students will learn about exercise and how to warm up muscles before doing hard exercises. They learn warm ups and exercises that develop physical fitness that keep muscles strong and the heart and lungs healthy.

GRADE LEVEL: 1st

GOAL:

Students will learn what muscles are and how to warm them up before exercising. The students will also know why warming up is important.

OBJECTIVES:

  1. Students will be able to define exercise.
  2. Students will know that warming up includes bending, stretching, and running slowly.
  3. Students will know warming up helps get muscles ready to move.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: This lesson is an intoduction to a fitness lesson. Teachers should be aware and account for children who are not physically fit. They are less likely to enjoy these activities than their fellow classmates. As a teacher, allow students to learn about fitness skills that help them enjoy sports and games.

CONCEPTS: Students will be able to:

  1. Tell the importance of warming up muscles before exercise.
  2. Determine ways to warm up for exercises.

MATERIALS:

  1. Cooked spaghetti noodles
  2. Uncooked spaghetti noodles
  3. Blank paper
  4. crayons, markers, scraps, glue, etc...

PRODEDURE:

  1. Discuss what exercise and muscles are.
  2. Have students practice each of the following warm up exercises.
    • Climb like a monkey.
    • Bend over and walk like an elephant.
    • Stretch like a crane. (Bend leg and balance)
    • Run slowly like a bear.
  3. Play "Simon Says", using these and other warm up activities.
  4. Have students make posters in which they illustrate their favorite exercises.
  5. Students share with the class why the exercise is their favorite, what muscles are used, and how they would warm up beforehand.
  6. Posters are then displayed in the classroom.

LESSON CLOSURE:

Cook some Spaghetti noodles so they are limp. Some uncooked noodles are also needed. Explain to the students that the cooked noodles are like muscles that have been through a warm up. These muscles have been stretched so they are ready to bend and move easily. Show students how easily they bend and move. Then show the uncooked noodles. Explain that they are stiff and are like muscles that have not had a warm up. Show how the noodles break when pressure is applied. When you work muscles hard without a warm up you may strain them and injury may occur.

ASSESSMENT:

  1. Have students examine pictures and determine ways to warm up.
  2. Tell students they are going to pretend to run a long race today and they must prepare their muscles. Ask the students what muscles are used for running. (Ex: legs and heart)
  3. Ask students how they would warm these muscles up. (Ex: Stretching leg muscles, running slowly)
 
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