Minds On

How do our bodies change?

Reflect on how much fun it is to be active. When you jump, wheel, move, or run, how does your body respond?

Move your body for 20 seconds. What happens to your body?

Brainstorm

Brainstorm

Brainstorm two ways your body changes when you become active. Record those ways by completing the How Our Bodies Change When We Become Active in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts. If possible, share your thoughts with a partner.

How Our Bodies Change When We Become Active Press the ‘Activity’ button to access the How Our Bodies Change When We Become Active. Activity (Open PDF in a new window)

Action

Which game would you prefer?

What is your favourite exercise? Why is it your favourite?

Today you are going to try two different games: Keep it Up and Bowlorama. After you try both games, decide which one you prefer.

Safety

Before you begin:

Warm Up

Warm up

Now it’s time for a warm up!

Explore the following warm up activities. Choose 3 of the activities to perform on your own!

A student bends at the waist and uses one his right arm to touch his left toes. Then he will use his left arm to touch his right toes.

  1. Start by standing or sitting with your arms hanging loose.
  2. Slowly move one arm and reach for your opposite foot.
  3. Count to 5 and carefully move your body back up.
  4. Repeat this step with your other hand.

A student is seated with her arms extended. She is moving both her arms in a circular motion.
  1. Start by standing or sitting.
  2. Stretch your arms out to the side.
  3. Make circles moving your arms forward, count to 5 then stop.
  4. Make circles moving your arms backwards, count to 5 then stop.
  5. Repeat this stretch one more time.

A student is standing, facing straight ahead and bends her neck to her right shoulder and then to her left shoulder.

  1. Start by standing or sitting.
  2. Keep your head straight.
  3. Gently move your head to one side, then slowly roll it to the other side.
  4. Bring your head back to the starting position and repeat the stretch.
  5. Repeat this stretch 5 times.

A student keep extends her right arm and brings it across her body without bending it. She uses her left hand to press her arm to her chest.
  1. Start by standing or sitting.
  2. Bring one arm across your body.
  3. Use your other arm and hold your elbow, slowly pulling it to your chest.
  4. Hold and count to 10.
  5. Repeat on the other side.

A student has his arms raised straight upwards.
  1. Slowly raise your arms up high.
  2. Count to 10 then bring your arms down.
  3. Repeat this stretch one more time.

Keep it up

You will need:

  • A light and soft object to keep up in the air. It could be a balloon, a small stuffed toy, a rolled-up sock or even a ball of crumpled paper.

The goal of this game is to keep an object up in the air for as many hits as possible before letting it hit the ground. Explore your learning space to locate items you can use to keep up in the air. Make sure you have lots of space around you, and that your object won’t bump into anything and knock it over. You can use any part of your body to keep the object up in the air.

How many times can you keep it up? Are there any tricks you can use to help yourself? Have you tried more than one object? Is one easier than another?

A child is playing with a balloon and keeping it up in the air.

Bowlorama

You will need:

  • 3 sock balls
  • 5 items that can be knocked over, for example:
    • 5 plastic cups
    • 5 paper towel rolls
    • 5 toilet paper rolls
    • 5 any other items that can be knocked over

This next game is a target style game. For this game, you will need to get 3 sock balls, and 5 items that can be knocked over. You can use rolls of paper towel, plastic cups, or any other item that you can find to knock over. Start nice and close and learn how many times it takes to knock over all 5 items. If you are finding it too easy, feel free to move further away from the items to make the game more challenging.

Which activity did you prefer, Keep it Up or Bowlorama?

Two cups are upside-down about five centimeters apart. A third cup is balanced on top of them. A pair of socks are rolled into a ball beside it.

Cool Down

Cool Down

Cool down

Let’s cool down!

Explore the following options. Complete three of these activities for your cooldown.

A student shakes his hands, then his feet then his hips.
  1. Start by standing or sitting.
  2. Gently shake one arm, the other arm, then both.
  3. Shake one leg, the other leg, then both.
  4. Gently shake your head, hips, and whole body.

A student is seated with her arms extended. She is moving both her arms in a circular motion.
  1. Start by standing or sitting.
  2. March on the spot, raise your arms out to your shoulders.
  3. Slowly make circles going one way, do this 5 times.
  4. Slowly make circles going the other way, do this 5 times.

A seated student has both arms raised over his head. With his hands clasped together, he is moving his arms in a circular motion.

  1. Start by standing or sitting.
  2. Marching on the spot, raise your arms in the air.
  3. Slowly make circles going one way, do this 5 times.
  4. Slowly make circles going the other way, do this 5 times.
  5. Try and make different shapes.

A student has her arms out in front of her. She sways them at different speeds.
  1. Start by standing or sitting.
  2. Pretend to be a tree in a windstorm, your arms are the branches.
  3. The windstorm starts off strong blowing hard.
  4. The windstorm then begins to blow softer and calm.

A student has his arms raised straight upwards.
  1. Start by standing or sitting.
  2. Reach up using your arms and touch the sky, count to 5.
  3. Slowly reach down and touch your toes, count to 5.
  4. Repeat this one more time.

A student bends at the waist and touches his toes.
  1. Start by standing or sitting.
  2. Slowly move your body forward.
  3. Reach and touch your toes, count to 5, then move your body back up.
  4. Try to touch your toes one foot at a time.

A seated student is pretending to climb a ladder by raising his hands and knees up one at a time.
  1. Start by standing or sitting.
  2. Pretend to climb a tall ladder.
  3. Slowly move your arms and legs up and down climbing a ladder to the sky.

A student breathes in, then breathes out and then hugs herself.
  1. Start by standing or sitting.
  2. Slowly take a deep breath and breathe through your nose.
  3. Breathe out through your mouth.
  4. Repeat this 3 times.
  5. Take your arms and wrap them around your shoulders and give yourself a big hug.

Consolidation

Think about what happens to your body!

What happens to your body when you exercise? What happened to your body today? What did you notice with your senses? Record your thoughts in a method of your choice. If possible, share your thoughts with a partner.

Press 'What are some things that help you enjoy being physically active?' to access examples that you might think of.

  • I like it when everyone has their own ball, so we all get to play and practise a lot.
  • I have more fun when I have lots of space to run and move.
  • I love playing outside. When it is really hot, I play under the trees, so I am in the shade.
  • I like the activity that reminds me of a game my grandma taught me.
  • Playing outside is more fun when it feels safe. Where I live, the parents and community members are working together to make the playground safer. All adults work together to look out for the kids.

Explore the following checklist to choose the things that help you enjoy being physically active.

Choose all things that help you enjoy your physical activities

Reflection

How do you feel about what you have learned in this activity? Which of the next four sentences best matches how you are feeling about your learning? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

I feel…

Now, record your ideas about your feelings using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.