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Third Grade Curriculum Resources

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Standard of Learning

3.1   The student will explain that health habits impact personal growth and development. Key concepts/skills include:

  1. food and beverage choices based on nutritional content;
  2. the benefits of physical activity and personal fitness;
  3. safe and harmful behaviors;
  4. positive interaction with family, peers, and other individuals.

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Understanding the Standard

The student will discuss the health benefits of regular physical activity and personal fitness.


Essential Knowledge and Skills

The student will:

  • define personal fitness. (having your body in top condition)
  • describe the benefits of personal fitness:
    • to have good physical health;
    • to get good grades in school; and
    • to have fun and play for long periods of time with your friends.
  • compare how different exercises help different muscles:
    • aerobic exercises are exercises that use a lot of oxygen and raise your heart beat, which makes your heart muscle strong; (swimming, running, jumping rope, etc.)
    • some exercises develop muscle strength to lift, pull, push, kick, and throw; (climbing a rope, pull-ups, push-ups, curl-ups, bicycling, etc.)
    • some exercises give your muscles endurance so that you can use your muscles for a long time; (walk, run, skate, etc., for a long distance) and
    • some exercises make you flexible so you can bend and move easily. (joint flexibility is developed by stretching different muscle groups)
  • describe a personal fitness plan:
    • work on heart fitness three to five days a week for at least 30 minutes;
    • work on muscle strength and endurance two to four times a week; and
    • work on flexibility every time you exercise.


Sample Lessons

BAM! Body and Mind> Teachers' Corner> Active or Not Here it Comes!
The goal of this section is to expand students understanding of physical activity beyond organized sports. By extending their view of physical activity, students will recognize that organized sports (e.g., playing on the football or soccer team), less competitive or personal fitness activities (e.g., swimming with friends or weight training), lifetime sports (e.g., golfing or walking), and some everyday activities (e.g., walking their dog, dancing to their favorite song, or mowing the lawn) are all forms of physical activity. As student's understanding grows, they will determine that they already participate in physical activities to some extent and gain confidence to expand upon their activities.
Sponsor: Center for Disease Control
http://www.bam.gov/teachers/activities/active_or_not.htm
Free

Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH)
Grades 3-5 (Hearty Heart and Friends – 3rd grade; Go For Health – 4th and 5th grades; and Facts for 5 – 5th grade)
*Evaluated program with mixed results
Coordinated effort between classroom, cafeteria, and physical education to decrease fat, saturated fat, and sodium in students’ diets; increase physical activity; and prevent tobacco use.
Sponsor: Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH)
http://www.sph.uth.tmc.edu/chppr/catch/andhttp://www.flaghouse.com
+Cost

Design and Implement a Personal Fitness Plan
Students, through self-evaluation, create and implement a personal fitness plan to be carried out over ten physical education classes. Plan based on FITT principle, components of fitness, overload principle, specificity, safety and proper technique of all equipment, motivational and monitoring techniques and strategies.
Sponsor: Public Broadcasting Service
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers/
Free

Discoveryschool.com> Extreme Measures: Body Image
Students learn to identify specific physical and emotional characteristics within themselves and others, demonstrate an understanding of the importance of personal diet and exercise, and demonstrate skills necessary to record personal data.
Sponsor: Discovery School
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/extrememeasures/
Free

Go The Extra Mile
Grades K-4
Students become the physical trainers for their parents. Goal is for each student to log one mile a day.
Five-week program
Sponsor: CDC Funded
E-mail: jon.hisgen@dpi.state.wi.us

The Great Body Shop
Grades preK-6
Evaluated program
Encourages students to make life-long healthy choices including healthy nutrition and physical activity. Comprehensive health education program. Topics include:
--Critical thinking
--Life skills
--Health values
Available in English and Spanish; parent bulletins in seven languages
Sponsor: The Children’s Health Market
http://www.thegreatbodyshop.net
+Cost

Healthy Weights for Healthy Kids
Grades 3-6
Addresses healthy eating, physical activity, and positive body image for children. Discusses healthy food, drink, and snack choices; physical activity options; and positive body image.
Sponsor: Virginia Cooperative Extension
Contact local County Extension Office
Free

Heart Power
Grade(s): K-4
This tag game is used to reinforce three important ways to keep your heart healthy.
http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/ViewLesson.asp?ID=5848
Free

HeartPower
Grades K-2
Teaches students about the heart and how to keep it healthy. Includes physical activity, nutrition, and living tobacco-free. Science-based.
--Healthy-Heart Menus Quick Activity (Children create a one-minute television feature called “The Healthy-Heart Minute.”)
--Target: No Smoking Game
--A Bunch of Reasons Not to Smoke Quick Activity
--Stand and Deliver Game
--What Does the Heart Do? - lesson idea
--How Does Blood Circulate? - lesson idea
--How Do Foods Help Our Bodies? - lesson idea (Encourages students to eat a variety of healthy foods. Describes various nutrients.)
--How Do You Choose Snacks and Other Foods? - lesson idea (Discusses factors influencing why students choose the foods they do. Activity sheets.)
--How Does Physical Activity Help You? - lesson idea (Discusses factors that influence students’ choices about physical activity.)
--How Can You Stay Fit? - lesson idea (Discusses peer influences on personal health decisions related to fitness. Discusses heart-healthy fitness. Activity sheet. "What’s Your Activity IQ?")
--"Smoking in the Cellar" - lesson idea
--Label the Heart's Parts - activity sheet
--What’s in Foods? - activity sheet
--Be Choosy! - activity sheet
--Rate that Snack! - activity sheet
Sponsor: American Heart Association
http://www.americanheart.org
Free

Mission Nutrition
Grades K-5 (K-1; 2-3; 4-5)
Three units related to promoting healthy body image, healthy eating, and physical activity. Includes lesson plans and student activities.
Sponsor: Dietitians of Canada and Team from Kellogg Canada, Inc.
http://www.missionnutrition.ca/missionnutrition/eng/educators
Free

Nutrition Station Circuit
Grade(s): 3-5
The purpose of this lesson plan is to have the kids review and understand the different fitness concepts along with different basketball skills.
http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/ViewLesson.asp?ID=5786
Free

The SPARK Programs (Sports, Play, and Active Recreation in Kids)
Grades preK-8
*Evaluated program with mixed results
Program to increase physical activity within and outside of school. Includes materials for PE and non-PE teachers. Special teacher training required.
Sponsor: San Diego University
http://www.sparkpe.org
+Cost

Take 10!
Grades K-5
*Evaluated program
Yearlong classroom-based physical activity program. Students do 10 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activities throughout the day. No special equipment or space needed. Students track activity. Materials include activity cards, student worksheets (sorted by curriculum), teacher resources, posters, stickers, teacher video, and evaluation tools.
Sponsor: International Life Sciences Institute
http://www.take10.net/funforstudents.asp
+Cost

Additional Instructional Resources

  • Review 1.2 e
  • Review physical education SOL 3.3 and 3.5
  • American Heart Association - Jump Rope for Heart (fund-raising activity for AHA - elementary schools) - http://www.americanheart.org
  • Kidnetic.com - Information about fitness, food, fun, and feelings for students, parents, and teachers. E-mail: davenport@ific.org
  • Let's Get Moving! - http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/letsnet/noframes/subjects/health/b8u4.html
  • Make Fitness Fun for Kids - The Fitness Jumpsite - http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner
  • Michigan Team Nutrition Booklist - http://www.tn.fcs.msue.msu.edu
  • Move Across America: A Patriotic Endeavor - E-mail: paulshimon@yahoo.com
  • "Physical Activity Is Good for Me" - http://www.healthteacher.com
  • Presidential Challenge - http://www.fitness.gov

Assessment Ideas


The student will:

  • develop a one-week physical fitness plan for their family.
  • identify two exercises that develop aerobic capacity, muscle strength, muscle endurance, and flexibility.

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