PE: Day 9

Objectives:

1. Students will increase their level of physical fitness.
2. Students will begin to understand the importance taking care of their bodies as being part of living a Christian life.
3. Students will be introduced to the dietary needs of astronauts, as well as those of us living on Earth.

Materials:

1. Individual student fitness plan charts (same as last class)
2. An example of an astronaut’s meal, or a freeze-dried meal (available at most hiking/camping stores)
3. Reading material about the dietary needs of humans

Procedure:

1. The PE teacher will begin class by showing the students an example of an astronaut’s meal in space.  Students may sample the meal, and comment on how they would feel about eating such meals for the duration of a trip into space.
2. Students will be separated into groups of three or four, and will be responsible for reading and summarizing a section of material on maintaining a healthy diet.  This will be a “jigsaw” cooperative learning activity.  Each group will be given a different piece of reading material, so that the members of each group will become “experts” on that section of material.  After the “expert” groups have had time to meet and discuss their readings, the groups will be remixed so that one “expert” is present in each new group.  Each group member will then share what he/she discovered with the new group.  In this way, all the members of the new groups will be sharing a different piece of information.
3. The PE teacher should help groups summarize their information and come to some basic conclusions about the dietary needs of humans, and how we can meet those needs.  Another point that should be stressed is that we are better equipped to serve God when we take care of our physical bodies.  Many of the tasks God calls us to do are more than simply mental activities; a body that is poorly maintained may be less able to answer God’s call effectively (both mental and physical callings).
4. After these discussions, the students may resume training on their personal fitness programs.  Remind students to record their progress on their fitness charts.

Assessment:

1. This unit may go on for another week or two, allowing more time for students to develop good training habits.  As the unit progresses, and at its conclusion, the PE teacher must take note of the progress that each student has made.
2. Student fitness plans, including data about their individaul progress, will be included in each student’s unit portfolio assessment.
3. A simple checklist or rubric may be used to document whether students interacted appropriately throughout each class.  A checklist may also be used to record the level to which students remained on task, and whether proper techniques were used during the exercises.  For example, a three point rubric might be used:

3.  The student used proper techniques consistently throughout all exercises.
2.  The student often used proper technique, but not consistently throughout all the exercises.
1. The student required frequent reminders to use proper technique.

The rubrics for the five goals of this unit should be referred to and used to evaluate the
       students.