Fitness Education
Faculty
Jim Righter
Geoff Helsom
Marjorie Dykema
Nancy Repp
Fitness Education Activities
The WMS Fitness Department welcomes students to our Focus on Fitness program. We are committed to providing each student with opportunities that encourage healthy levels of fitness, promote healthy nutritional choices and develop positive social-emotional skills.
We have attached a link for ideas on staying active. Please visit any of these sites:
For more information on health and fitness topics from A to Z link on to http://www.cdc.gov.
The Fitness Education Program
6th Grade - Full year (Every other day) For information on the Experiential Learning program click here.
7th Grade - 18 weeks
8th Grade - 18 weeks For information on the 8 To Great program, click here.
Required Materials: Appropriate clothing is needed for active participation in class activities - shorts or warm up pants, T-shirt or sweatshirt, socks, activity shoes and lock to secure items in a locker.
Please do not
bring money, cell phones, IPods or other electronic
devices to the locker room or gym.
Grading: 6th Grade - Credit/No Credit
7th and 8th Grade - Students earn a letter grade based on daily class participation points, written assignments, quizzes and tests.
Participation Responsibilities: Students are expected to take part in all class activities. Students that are not prepared for class or are unable to participate due to injury/illness are responsible to complete a written assignment provided by the instructor.
Curriculum Overview:
The WMS Fitness Education Program provides an
opportunity for students to improve physical, social
and intellectual skills. Activities are designed to
educate students on the role all areas of fitness play
in maintaining good health.
Fitness
Health and Skill Related Terms
Fitness can be broken down into two major categories: health-related fitness and skill-related fitness. The following terms and definitions are used as building blocks for activities in the Physical Fitness Education class. It is important that each student understand the role fitness plays in maintaining good health.
Health-related Fitness
Parts of fitness that help a person maintain good health.
Cardiovascular fitness is the ability to exercise the entire body for long periods of time. Cardiovascular fitness requires a strong heart, healthy lungs, and clear blood vessels to supply the cells of the body with the oxygen they need.
Strength is the amount of force the muscles can produce. Strength is often measured by how much weight you can lift. People with good strength can perform daily tasks with the least mount of effort.
Muscular endurance is the ability to use the body's muscles many times without tiring. People with good muscular endurance are likely to have better posture and fewer back problems. They are able to resist fatigue for longer periods of time.
Flexibility is the ability to use joints fully through a wide range of motion. People with good flexibility have fewer sore or injured muscles.
Body composition is an important part of staying fit. Body fatness is the percentage of body weight that is made up of fat when compared to other body tissue, such as bone, body organs, and muscle. People who are in a healthy range of body fatness are more likely to avoid illness and even have lower death rates, than those outside the healthy range. The extreme ranges are the most dangerous; too little body fat and too much body fat can cause health problems.
Staying in the recommended ranges of these five health-related areas of fitness helps people feel better and have more energy. Regular physical activity can improve anyone's health-related fitness.
Skill-Related Fitness
Parts of fitness that help a person perform well in sports and activities that require specific skills.
Agility is the ability to change the position of the body quickly and to control the body's movements.
Balance is the ability to keep an upright posture while standing still or moving.
Coordination is the ability to use the senses together with the body parts, or to use two or more body parts together
Power is the ability to use strength quickly. It involves both strength and speed
Reaction time is the amount of time it takes to move once you realize the need to act (reacting to a stimulus).
Speed is the ability to perform a movement or cover a distance in a short period of time.
Most sports require a combination of skill-related fitness skills. For example, a skater might have good agility, but may not possess good power. Some people have more natural ability in certain skill areas. Remember good health comes from doing activities designed to improve health-related fitness.
Healthy Kids--Healthy Weight
For families, having a healthy child is important. You know that health concerns, such as an earache, cold or flu should be addressed. But, did you know that healthy eating and physical activity are keys to lifelong health? Healthy eating and physical activity can help prevent obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and some cancers. The Michigan Department of Community Health and the Michigan Department of Education have joined together to create a program addressing health and weight related issues. The goal of this program is to show families how to:
- Role model healthy behaviors.
- Make healthy eating easy for all family members.
- Make it easy for all family members to be physically active.
- You can find more information about this program by clicking on these pages:
The Family's Role
Your Healthy Home
Fit Families at Home
Healthy Kids: All Shapes and Sizes
Listen to Your Body
Breakfast Boosts Brain Power
What's for Lunch?
I'm Thirsty
Fit Families on the Move
Plan for Healthy Snacks
Healthy Choices Away from Home
Healthy Schools = Healthy Students
You can find additional information on this program at www.mihealthtools.org/schools or at www.emc.cmich.edu/healthyweight.
More Information On West's Fitness Program
For additional information on Fitness Education at West, visit Mrs. Dykema's and Mr. Righter's eBoard sites.
For information on Power Training or Athletics see Mr. Helsom's eBoard.
For information on West's Experiential Learning Program, click here. More in depth information is located here.