Inquiry Project
Shaye Mueller, Darby Foresman, Will Tucker
Topic: Physical Activity in Schools
Driving Question: Is physical education important? Why or why not?
Part One: Driving Question:
What are your three initial driving questions?
1. What can we do to incorporate a more active environment in schooling?/ What are the benefits of incorporating activity into a student's daily schedule?
2. How much activity is appropriate for our age group
3. Should kids be allotted time for physical activity during school?
What is your one, final driving question?
Is physical education important? Why or why not?
Background information of this driving question:
Grade Level:
3rd grade
Academic Standard:
By third grade, most students have developed mature (proficient) fundamental locomotor (traveling actions), nonlocomotor (movement in place), and manipulative (object handling) skills. They begin to practice these skills to adapt and refine them to be used in a variety of games.
3.1.1 Demonstrate mature fundamental locomotor and manipulative movement skills with variations. Example: Demonstrate variations of jumping (e.g., vertical, horizontal) and throwing a ball (e.g., two hands, underhand, sidearm).
We are targeting the students’ physical abilities based on the standard below. We will also target the students’ intellectual abilities to understand and make healthy lifestyle decisions about exercise.
Why do you think this is a good driving question?
Does the DQ warrant in-depth study?
Yes, the driving question does warrant in-depth study. The question forces the students to ask themselves what they think, but then also asks them to give proof. Because they are asked to justify their answers, they are forced to do research and in depth study can be done to answer their questions about the effects of physical activity has on the human body.
Is the DQ an authentic and relevant issue/problem for my students?
Yes. Exercising and staying active is crucial for a student to know for their entire lifetime. Without their health, there would be a huge dilemma. This will help awaken the students to something that will affect them and everyone they know for the rest of their lives.
Is there more than one plausible solution to the DQ?
Yes, there are different routes that students could take in their interpretation of this lesson. Many students could argue that there are many different reasons why exercise is important. There is not just one definite answer to the why or why not question.
Does the DQ provide opportunities for students to evaluate, analyze, present, and defend their solutions?
Yes- students can analyze the benefits that participating in physical activity has on the human body. They will be asked to demonstrate, analyze, and defend their conclusions about their opinions on physical activity.
Part2: Grabber
Introductory Grabber:
The grabber for for this lesson will begin with someone in the class or another teacher having a fake heart attack. After the heart attack, the class will then be asked to question the actor/participant about their lifestyle habits. Students will be urged to ask questions like “How often do you exercise?” “How old are you?” “What does your diet look like?” The teacher will then play an informative video about how exercise can have an impact on your health. The actor will answer these questions the best they can, only saying that they do not exercise at all, and watch tv 4 hours a day.
This is a link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8ttt3M8qZM
After the students watch the video, the instructor will then ask the class the driving question: “Do you think physical activity is important? Why or why not?
Why do you think this grabber is beneficial and how it align with your driving question?
The grabber aligns with the driving question because they both ask questions about how physical activity can have an impact on a person’s health. The grabber is beneficial because it is creative, shocking, and outside of what would happen in a normal classroom setting.- it is very high emotion. It is also beneficial for the students’ curiosity because it peaks their interest into forcing them to ask “Why did this happen to the actor?” and other questions like “What can we do to prevent this from happening?”
Culminating activities
Our first activity will be to separate the students into four different groups. The four groups would be based on four different types of exercises that people can do. The students would be counted off and put into groups labeled: cardio, stretching, sports, and strengthening The students will then meet with their assigned groups and will be asked to do some research and answer these four questions.
Why is this kind of activity beneficial for your health?
What other kinds of activities can you do besides what you just presented?
What would happen to our health if we neglected to do this activity?
Do you think that this activity is necessary for maintaining a healthy lifestyle? Why or Why not?
These are links to the articles:
Cardio- http://food.ndtv.com/health/get-up-and-running-why-is-cardio-important-10-health-benefits-1267636
http://www.mensjournal.com/expert-advice/10-great-cardio-workouts-that-dont-require-running-20150706
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/need-cardio-fat-loss
Stretching-
http://www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/top-10-health-benefits-of-stretching/
http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-importance-of-stretching
http://www.livestrong.com/article/539154-7-types-of-stretching-exercises/
Strengthening- http://www.healthline.com/health/importance-strength-training-women#Overview1
Sports- http://www.letsplay.com/get-inspired/why-play-important/7-benefits-team-sports#.WK3S_UdBEYQ
http://www.muhealth.org/services/pediatrics/conditions/adolescent-medicine/benefits-of-sports/
After answering these questions, the second activity will be to ask the groups to create a poster displaying their answers on it. They will go up in front of the class one by one present their poster and lead the class in an example of this kind of activity (ex: a stretch for stretching, or 10 jumping jacks for cardio). They will then present and share their research findings with the class.
Why do you think this is a good activity for PBL?
How is the activity authentic?
It is authentic because it show shows the real life effects an unhealthy lifestyle can have. It is also authentic because it maintaining a healthy lifestyle is something that these children will have to be concerned with for the entire span of their life. There are major consequences for people who have little regard for their health, and this activity brings awareness to that fact. As well as bringing awareness to the consequences of not participating in physical activity, the students will also be exposed to many different/ diverse types of ways they can participate and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Does the activity provide students with the opportunity to present and defend problem solution?
Yes- the activity asks the students what they think and then asks them why. Because they are asked “Why?” they are forced to think about their opinion and give evidence to why they think that way. They will be forced to provide evidence and proof to defend their stance on the issue.
Does the activity require student collaboration?
Yes - the students will group together in four different groups. They will all need to work together to find evidence in the articles, create a poster, and present their topic to the entire class.
How will I judge what students have learned from the activity?
We will judge the students by the rubric below.
