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Cardiovascular Fitness Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan #: AELP-BSS000
Submitted by: Kevin Houghton
Endorsed by: Dr. Don Descy
Mankato State University Date: March 7, 1997


Grade Level(s): 6

Subject(s):

  • Health/Body Systems and senses

Description: This lesson shows students how to design a cardiovascular fitness program and encourages them to implement it in their daily lives.

Goal: Students will understand cardiovascular fitness and how it relates to their lives.

Objectives:

  • Students will demonstrate knowledge of cardiovascular fitness.
  • Students will design a cardiovascular fitness program that they could implement in their daily lives.
  • Materials:

  • Video tape of a cardiovascular endurance contest.
  • VCR
  • Butcher Paper
  • Markers
  • Day-by-day weekly schedule guides.
  • Procedure:

  • Cultivate interest in cardiovascular activity by showing a video of some sort of athletic contest. The last few miles of the 1996 men’s Olympic Marathon is very good as are the 1995 and 1996 Hawaii Ironman Triathlon Championships. You can choose any video that you want and selectively edit parts that you want to show. Many students may find long bouts of endurance activity slightly boring (I can’t imagine why).
  • Explain to students the supreme benefits of cardiovascular activity:
    1. It increases muscular strength.
    2. It increases endurance.
    3. It clarifies your mental processes.
    4. It improves your quality of life.
    5. It can even extend your life.
  • Explain to students a little about cardiovascular activity:
    1. It’s exercise that makes your heart stronger by making your heart beat harder and faster.
    2. Doctors recommend people exercise at least 3 times a week for at least 20 minutes each time.
  • Divide students into groups of 3-4 and have them brainstorm as many types of cardiovascular exercise that they can. Have them record their ideas on the butcher paper.
  • Come back together as a class, and have groups share the activities that they listed. Talk about the activities and do any needed clarifying about the definition of a cardiovascular activity.
  • Students will choose one of the cardiovascular activities and design a weekly workout schedule around that activity. They will first need to write down what their current schedule and find time slots for their workouts (this shouldn’t be too hard).
  • Their activity can be done with other members of the classroom for motivational purposes or for team games like soccer.
  • Strongly encourage students to implement their programs. Most should want to as they have invested a part of their time into designing something that they should want to do.
  • Assessment:

    Students will be assessed throughout the project. They will be informally assessed during their group work and their final workout schedule will be handed in for assessment as well.