HEALTH-RELATED HEALTH-RELATED PHYSICAL EDUCATIONPHYSICAL EDUCATION

BY BY

Lynn HousnerLynn Housner

West Virginia UniversityWest Virginia University

SPORT PLAY & ACTIVE SPORT PLAY & ACTIVE RECREATION FOR KIDS (SPARK) RECREATION FOR KIDS (SPARK)

WHAT IS SPARK?WHAT IS SPARK?– SPARK began in 1989 at San Diego State SPARK began in 1989 at San Diego State

University when a team of researchers University when a team of researchers obtained a five year grant from the obtained a five year grant from the National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute to develop, implement, and to develop, implement, and experimentally evaluate a experimentally evaluate a comprehensive health-related comprehensive health-related elementary physical education program. elementary physical education program.

WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES OF WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES OF SPARK?SPARK?

To counter heart disease by To counter heart disease by facilitating engagement in regular facilitating engagement in regular physical activity during physical physical activity during physical education classes and outside of education classes and outside of school.school.

Because, studies indicate that Because, studies indicate that children receive physical education children receive physical education irregularly & often get very little irregularly & often get very little activity during class.activity during class.

UNIQUE CHARACTERISITCS UNIQUE CHARACTERISITCS OF SPARK OF SPARK

SPARK classes are SPARK classes are active (50% MVPA)active (50% MVPA)

SPARK promotes SPARK promotes physical activity physical activity after school, on after school, on weekends, and weekends, and during summersduring summers

SPARK is teacher SPARK is teacher friendlyfriendly

SPARK consists of SPARK consists of progressive units progressive units with each lesson with each lesson pre-planned pre-planned

SPARK is written SPARK is written to comply with to comply with NASPE guidelines NASPE guidelines & State IGOs & State IGOs

SPARK PHYSICAL SPARK PHYSICAL EDUCATION OBJECTIVESEDUCATION OBJECTIVES

Enjoy & seek out Enjoy & seek out physical activity physical activity (PA)(PA)

Develop a variety Develop a variety of motor skills of motor skills that will facilitate that will facilitate future future involvement in involvement in physical activitiesphysical activities

Develop & Develop & maintain maintain acceptable levels acceptable levels of fitnessof fitness

Develop the Develop the ability to get ability to get along with others along with others in movement in movement environmentsenvironments

SPARK SELF-MANAGEMENT SPARK SELF-MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES

Self-responsibility Self-responsibility for PA programsfor PA programs

Goal setting for Goal setting for PA & healthy food PA & healthy food choiceschoices

Behavior change Behavior change strategies strategies

Injury prevention Injury prevention & safety& safety

Strategies for Strategies for family & peer family & peer supportsupport

Strategies to Strategies to decrease sedentary decrease sedentary behaviorbehavior

Understanding the Understanding the relationship relationship between PA, diet, & between PA, diet, & body composition body composition

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPARK: THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPARK: THE MOST WIDELY RESEARCHED THE MOST WIDELY RESEARCHED

CURRICULUM EVERCURRICULUM EVER

SPARK can be SPARK can be taught effectively taught effectively by classroom by classroom teachers and teachers and specialistsspecialists

SPARK positively SPARK positively affects the levels affects the levels of MVPA of MVPA

SPARK facilitates SPARK facilitates MVPA, skill MVPA, skill development & development & fitness fitness

Children like Children like SPARK activities SPARK activities

SPARKS BASICSSPARKS BASICS

B - Boundaries & RoutinesB - Boundaries & Routines A - Activity for the Get-GOA - Activity for the Get-GO S - Stop & Start SignalsS - Stop & Start Signals I - Involvement By AllI - Involvement By All C - Concise Instructional CuesC - Concise Instructional Cues S - Supervision S - Supervision

SPARK INSTRUCTIONAL SPARK INSTRUCTIONAL FORMATSFORMATS

Individual DaysIndividual Days Partner DaysPartner Days

– Back to Back, Whistle Mixer, Back to Back, Whistle Mixer, Taller/ShorterTaller/Shorter

Group DaysGroup Days– Mingle Mingle , ABC/123, Shoe Colors Mingle Mingle , ABC/123, Shoe Colors

SPARK: K-2 UNITSSPARK: K-2 UNITS

Perceptual PowerPerceptual Power Beanbag BoogieBeanbag Boogie Happy HoopsHappy Hoops Jumping for JoyJumping for Joy Having a BallHaving a Ball

Let’s Hit itLet’s Hit it Great GamesGreat Games Parachute ParadeParachute Parade Dance With MeDance With Me Super Kid Stunts Super Kid Stunts

BEGINNING THE SCHOOL BEGINNING THE SCHOOL YEAR: PERCEPTUAL YEAR: PERCEPTUAL

POWERPOWER

Perceptual Power is designed to:Perceptual Power is designed to:– Teach movement conceptsTeach movement concepts

levels, pathways, personal/general space levels, pathways, personal/general space

– Teach fundamental motor skillsTeach fundamental motor skills hop, skip, gallop, slide, bend, stretch hop, skip, gallop, slide, bend, stretch

– Teach rules, routines, & procedures Teach rules, routines, & procedures for management for management

grouping, boundaries, stop/start signalsgrouping, boundaries, stop/start signals

ALL REMAINING K-2 SPARK ALL REMAINING K-2 SPARK UNITSUNITS

Begin with SPARK Starters that Begin with SPARK Starters that focus on providing instant activity focus on providing instant activity with high levels of MVPA (10-12 with high levels of MVPA (10-12 minutes)minutes)

Skill instruction with continued Skill instruction with continued attention to high levels of MVPA attention to high levels of MVPA (15-20 minutes)(15-20 minutes)

Cool Down & Closure (2-3 minutes)Cool Down & Closure (2-3 minutes)

Examples of SPARK Examples of SPARK StartersStarters

Group Movement Group Movement ActivitiesActivities– I see, I see!I see, I see!– Crazy AnimalsCrazy Animals– Motorcycle ManiaMotorcycle Mania– 5 Touches5 Touches– Go, Car, Go!Go, Car, Go!– Here Comes The Here Comes The

ToadToad

Group Tag GamesGroup Tag Games– T-Rex TagT-Rex Tag– Crazy Doctor TagCrazy Doctor Tag– The FreezeThe Freeze– Bees and Honey Bees and Honey

BearsBears Group DancesGroup Dances

– The Chicken DanceThe Chicken Dance– Hokey PokeyHokey Pokey– S.H.O.E.S. S.H.O.E.S.

Sample SPARK Lesson Sample SPARK Lesson PlanPlan

Unit Assessment Checklist Unit Assessment Checklist

SPARK 3-6 UNITS: TYPE I SPARK 3-6 UNITS: TYPE I ACTIVITIES (HEALTH-ACTIVITIES (HEALTH-RELATED FITNESS)RELATED FITNESS)

Cooperative Cooperative Games & Games & ParachuteParachute

Aerobic GamesAerobic Games Power Walk & JogPower Walk & Jog Dance & RhythmsDance & Rhythms Jump Rope Jump Rope

Run to the BorderRun to the Border Fun & Fitness Fun & Fitness

CircuitsCircuits Strength & Strength &

ConditioningConditioning Run USARun USA Group FitnessGroup Fitness

SPARK 3-6 UNITS: TYPE II SPARK 3-6 UNITS: TYPE II ACTIVITIES (SKILL-RELATED ACTIVITIES (SKILL-RELATED

FITNESS) FITNESS) FrisbeeFrisbee SoccerSoccer Field GamesField Games GymnasticsGymnastics BasketballBasketball

HockeyHockey VolleyballVolleyball Track & FieldTrack & Field SoftballSoftball Handball/Wallball Handball/Wallball

or All-Run Gamesor All-Run Games

SPARK 3-6 LESSON SPARK 3-6 LESSON STRUCTURE STRUCTURE

Introduction (warm-up) with Introduction (warm-up) with transition to Type I Activity (15 transition to Type I Activity (15 minutes)minutes)

Type II Activity with transition to Type II Activity with transition to cool-down (15 minutes) cool-down (15 minutes)

Fitness Assessment: Fitness Assessment: SPARK PERSONAL BEST SPARK PERSONAL BEST

DAYDAY

Allows students to track fitness Allows students to track fitness over timeover time

5 times per school year5 times per school year SPARK personal best lesson:SPARK personal best lesson:

– 9 minute jog 9 minute jog – modified curl-upsmodified curl-ups– push-ups push-ups

WVU SPARK INSTITUTE: WVU SPARK INSTITUTE: PARTICIPANT REMARKSPARTICIPANT REMARKS

The SPARK program was awesome!The SPARK program was awesome! Experienced teachers learned a lot Experienced teachers learned a lot

too.too. It helped me realize that I want to It helped me realize that I want to

continue my education in PE.continue my education in PE. I am excited to bring SPARK into S.C. I am excited to bring SPARK into S.C.

schools.schools. This was a great experience for me. This was a great experience for me.

SPARK CAVEATSSPARK CAVEATS

The SPARK curriculum can be modifiedThe SPARK curriculum can be modified The SPARK units can be flexibly The SPARK units can be flexibly

implemented but lessons should be implemented but lessons should be presented in orderpresented in order

SPARK is about increasing MVPA in and SPARK is about increasing MVPA in and out of school. Not increasing short out of school. Not increasing short term and transitory fitness test scores.term and transitory fitness test scores.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

SPARK argues that it is more important to focus on the “process” of physical fitness and encourage children to enjoy a lifestyle of regular physical activity than to focus on fitness testing.

The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (1999) agree that physical education should focus on “..physical activity rather than on physical fitness” (pg. 4).