When reevaluating the educational landscape and aiming to incorporate movement into the day, remember that all exercise is not created equal. We recommend creating a model to evaluate the level of student exercise within an organization. The four-level framework discussed in this column can be used to evaluate exercise and sedentariness within an…

In Montana, SHAPE Montana Board members saw the reduction and replacement of physical education with traditional classroom time and decided to spring into action. Collectively, they leveraged their state organization (SHAPE Montana) and created an advocacy program called "The 150 Program" to promote the importance of physical education…

Evidence supports increasing student physical activity in school, and Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs (CSPAPs) can help students meet national physical activity goals to support their physical and mental health. Although strategies and frameworks are readily available to support schools in their efforts to implement successful…

Because fitness and physical activity both tend to decline as students enter their middle school years, it is important to try to establish protocols and interventions to make this student population enjoy being active. Further, it has been shown that shorter exercise sessions are more likely to be executed. Using a high-intensity interval…

Youth in the United States are not getting the recommended daily 60 minutes of physical activity (PA), and childhood obesity is on the rise. Adequate PA is linked with numerous health benefits such as increased cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness and bone strength. Biking is a great opportunity for children of all ages to increase their PA and…

Students at a K-8 magnet school drastically lacked opportunities for physical activity throughout their school day. The authors (physical education teacher and graduate advisors) describe how the physical education teacher advocated and made positive change in her school. The physical education teacher conducted a physical activity needs…

The purpose of this article is to provide practical applications for eccentric focused RT through the lens of DI that K-12 PE teachers can incorporate within their curriculums. Within the DI framework, differentiated assessments are key to measure readiness and the product of learning. The Brockport Fitness Tests are presented as a strategy to…

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the Health Eating Active Living (HEAL) United Curriculum and how HEAL United is leveraging their advocacy efforts to help K-12 students in Alabama live healthier lives.

Physical education class is undoubtably unique; the monotony of sitting in a desk is broken as students can move, learn sports concepts, and participate in activities. Physical education teachers implement warm-ups, cool-downs, and games to push students toward their goal of sixty minutes of physical activity per day. How do physical education…

Comprehensive school physical activity programs (CSPAPs) aim to increase students' physical activity opportunities across the entire school day. Targeted areas include physical education, classes throughout the curriculum, before and after school settings, and time spent both with families and in the community. Home fun (formally known as…

Teachers and students alike benefit from using movement in the classroom. When students are able to get up and move periodically throughout the day they are more likely to perform better on their classroom assignments, and will be better able to focus on tasks assigned by the teacher. Movement during the school day (especially in upper elementary…

Schools around the nation are attempting to increase the amount of physical activity (PA) students receive through a variety of creative means. Recently, organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) have sounded an alarm about the lack of time children spend in PA participation. The purpose…

The purpose of this article is to propose ways in which to increase PA levels in students from elementary and secondary schools, based on the implications of research findings examining adults' attitudes, beliefs, outlooks and preferences on PA and exercise. In other words, can the information that we have learned from adults in their relationship…

In today's world of advanced technologies, accessible transportation, and fingertip talking, adolescents are spending too many hours each day sedentary. The purpose of this article is to underscore the importance of foot and ankle mobility in an adolescent population that spends very little time on their feet. Physical educators and athletic…

Standards 3 and 5 for the SHAPE America National Standards for K-12 Physical Education address the importance of maintaining a health-enhancing level of physical activity and valuing physical activity. A number of helpful tools, including Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire and The Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES)…