Olympic Track Treadmill
Increase your heart rate by running and understand how running fast vs. walking affects your pulse rate.
Big Idea: Exercise everyday is one way to keep your body healthy
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Materials:
- Stop watch or clock
- Whistle (optional)
Activity Directions:
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- Begin by asking the students if running will make their pulse rate increase.
- Next, warm up by doing the following stretches. When doing the stretches, students should hold each stretch for 8 to 10 seconds.
- Stretch and yawn like you do when you wake up in the morning.
- Stretch the right arm above your head and the left arm low toward the floor.
- Now reverse, and stretch the left arm above your head and the right arm toward the floor.
- Stretch as though you are reaching for a star high in the sky.
- Bend over and touch your toes.
- Now have the students see if they can find their pulse. (Some may not be able to locate their pulse at this time … but they will!!)
- Students should be instructed to pretend that they are participating in an Olympic track meet. At the start of the race, the teacher will give a signal such as blowing a whistle.
- Before blowing the whistle, instruct the students to run in place as fast as they can with their knees high and to keep running until the whistle is blown again (approximately 3 minutes).
- At the end of the three minutes, have students check their pulse rates. Ask if they noticed any differences in their pulse rates. Did running make the pulse go faster or slower?
- Cool down by having the students do some stretches, take in a few deep breaths and walk in place (or a specified distance) at a regular pace for one to two minutes. Once again, have the students check their pulse rates. What were the differences between running and walking?
Investigation Questions
Q. What is a pulse?
A. the rhythmic contraction and expansion of the arteries with each beat of the heart.
Q. What activities make your heart beat faster?
A. Running, skipping, hopping, etc.
Q. What activities make your heart beat normal?
A. Walking, reading a book, drawing, etc.
Learning Standards
7.C.ECa With teacher assistance, explore use of measuring tools that use standard units to measure objects and quantities that are meaningful to the child.
Students will develop a notion of time with the use of a stopwatch or clock.
19.A.ECa Engage in active play using gross- and fine-motor skills.
Students will be engaging in physical gross-motor activity to complete the task.
19.A.ECb Move with balance and control in a range of physical activities.
Students will move their bodies with balance and control.
19.A.ECc Use strength and control to accomplish tasks.
Student will exert strength and control in this physical activity.
20.A.ECa Participate in activities to enhance physical fitness
Students will be actively involved in this physical fitness activity.
Vocabulary
Exercise: physical activity and movement that is intended to keep a person healthy
Pulse Rate: the rate at which the heart beats
Pulse: the rhythmic contraction and expansion of the arteries with each beat of the heart