Lesson 1 of 8

30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: A1.1, A2.1, A2.3, A3.1,
1.1
Racers, Are You Ready? Topics: Movement Competence, Active Living

Grade 3 | Introduction to Fitness

Learning Goals

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

● use self-awareness and self-monitoring skills to assess their degree of physical exertion as they participate
safely and actively in sustained moderate to vigorous physical activities to the best of their ability.

Facility

Gymnasium

Safety Requirements

Refer to the Ontario Physical Education Safety Guidelines at safety.ophea.net.

Equipment List

1 beanbag per student

Coloured cards or pieces of fabric (1 of each of red, yellow and green)

Chart paper and marker (optional)

Teacher Resource 1: Active Living and Living Skills Anecdotal Recording Chart

Grade 3 | Introduction to Fitness | Racers, Are You Ready? | Page 1 of 6

 Lesson 1 of 8
30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: A1.1, A2.1, A2.3, A3.1,
1.1
Racers, Are You Ready? Topics: Movement Competence, Active Living

Grade 3 | Introduction to Fitness

Warm-Up

Students will gradually increase their heart rate by participating in the following activity.

Drive Fit
● Starting in scatter formation, students each hold a beanbag with two hands and experiment with moving
around the activity area like a car or truck using the beanbag as a steering wheel.
● While continuing to move around the activity area, challenge the students to do eight repetitions each of the
following actions with their beanbag:
● Move it up and down (from stomach level to high overhead and return).
● Move it down and up (from stomach level to the knees and return).
● Move it to the left, then back to the centre.
● Move it to the right, then and back to the centre.
● Alternate moving it to the right and to the left.
● After completing the sequence, students hop in their “cars,” jog around the activity area twice and return to
their place.

Minds On

Share and clarify the lesson Learning Goals. Bring students together and have a class discussion regarding
the Success Criteria for Participating Actively and Safely.

Teacher prompt: “What should I see if you’re participating actively? Safely?”; “How do you feel when you
are participating actively? Safely?”; “What does it sound like when you are participating actively? Safely?”

To accommodate various learners, consider recording student responses on chart paper and posting in the
activity area as a reference for students in future lessons.

Have students use the Think Pair Share Strategy (see Appendix) to reflect on their level of participation
and their level of exertion during the Warm-Up.

Teacher prompt: “Were you able to talk to a friend while you were playing Drive Fit?” Student response: “I
felt OK and could talk to my neighbour.”

Grade 3 | Introduction to Fitness | Racers, Are You Ready? | Page 2 of 6

 Lesson 1 of 8
30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: A1.1, A2.1, A2.3, A3.1,
1.1
Racers, Are You Ready? Topics: Movement Competence, Active Living

Grade 3 | Introduction to Fitness

Teacher prompt: “What did you do to assess your physical exertion during the Warm-Up?” Student
response: “I noticed changes in my body.“; “I could still talk without trouble.”; “I could hear my breath
sounded louder.”; “I could feel my body was working hard.”; “My heart rate and my breathing rate
increased.”

As simple assessment methods of physical exertion are identified by the students, you may want to visually
represent the methods for the students, either through words, signs or pictures. The simple assessment
methods can then be posted on the activity area wall for students to refer to throughout the unit.

See Notes to Teacher for details on some self-monitoring exertion tests.

A&E - Minds On

Teacher observation with verbal feedback of students’ ability to demonstrate knowledge of safe and active
participation as well as their knowledge of simple assessment methods for monitoring physical exertion
during cardiorespiratory fitness activities

Action

Red, Yellow, Green

● Prior to activity prepare three coloured cards - red, yellow and green.
● Students move around the activity area, changing methods of locomotion frequently (e.g., running, skipping,
hopping, galloping). Suggest methods from Ophea’s 50 Fitness Activities (see Appendix).
● When a red card is held up, students freeze.
● When a yellow card is held up, students keep moving in place.
● When a green card is held up, students move quickly around the room.
● Encourage students to practise noticing and responding to changes in signals without any audible indication.

Between activities, have students assess their level of physical exertion using a simple assessment method
such as those discussed in the Minds On. In a large-group discussion, have students share their methods to
assess their level of exertion with the class.

Teacher prompt: “How did you check how you were feeling in the activity?” Student response: “During the

Grade 3 | Introduction to Fitness | Racers, Are You Ready? | Page 3 of 6

 Lesson 1 of 8
30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: A1.1, A2.1, A2.3, A3.1,
1.1
Racers, Are You Ready? Topics: Movement Competence, Active Living

Grade 3 | Introduction to Fitness

activity, I did the Talk Test. I knew that my heart and lungs were working too hard because I could barely
talk and I needed to slow down and walk for a bit. I couldn’t breathe and talk with my partner while
running.”

Speedway
● Students stand in a large circle.
● The group chooses the names of three different fast cars (e.g., Camaro, Corvette and Porsche). Each student
is given the name of one car.
● Call out the name of one car at a time. When the name of their car is called, students step out of the circle
and run laps around the circle.
● If another student passes them, have them duck into the centre of the circle to “get some gas” by performing
a predetermined task from Ophea’s 50 Fitness Activities (see Appendix) (e.g., five coffee grinders).
● After they have “gassed up,” students look at their classmates running around the circle and carefully re-enter
the “traffic” to continue running laps.
● Meanwhile, have the students who are still in the circle formation do arm exercises (e.g., arm circles, bicep
curls).
● When you call out “parking lot,” all students return to their home spots.
● Then call out the name of the next car. More than one car can be called at a time if students are good at
re-entering the “traffic” safely.

A&E - Action

Teacher observation with anecdotal writing of students’ active participation, self-awareness and
self-monitoring as they perform assessments of physical exertion and demonstrate safe, active, sustained
participation, using Teacher Resource 1: Active Living and Living Skills Anecdotal Recording Chart

Cool-Down

Students gradually decrease their heart rate to a resting rate by participating in the activity below.
Students should also stretch the body parts that have been active throughout the lesson. See Appendix for
stretches.

Active Forms of Transport

Students move around the activity area simulating various forms of active transportation that could be

Grade 3 | Introduction to Fitness | Racers, Are You Ready? | Page 4 of 6

 Lesson 1 of 8
30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: A1.1, A2.1, A2.3, A3.1,
1.1
Racers, Are You Ready? Topics: Movement Competence, Active Living

Grade 3 | Introduction to Fitness

used instead of cars:

● walking
● bicycling
● running
● in-line skating
● skateboarding.

Encourage students to gradually decrease the speed of their movement throughout the Cool-Down.

Consolidation

Ask students to reflect on the lesson activities. Students self-assess on the following statements using the
Thumbs-Up Strategy (see Appendix):

● I had trouble assessing how I felt during the activities.

● I did not stop during the circuit.
● My heart and lungs are working harder.
● I tried my very best.
● I acted in a safe manner at all times.

Students are encouraged to refer back to the class discussion in Minds On.

A&E - Consolidation

Teacher observation with verbal feedback of students’ responses in class discussions, active participation,
safe behaviours and physical exertion

Next Steps

Students will further develop their ability to assess their degree of physical exertion and level of safety

Grade 3 | Introduction to Fitness | Racers, Are You Ready? | Page 5 of 6

 Lesson 1 of 8
30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: A1.1, A2.1, A2.3, A3.1,
1.1
Racers, Are You Ready? Topics: Movement Competence, Active Living

Grade 3 | Introduction to Fitness

procedures as they participate actively and safely in fitness activities.

Students will also begin to identify new capabilities and other benefits that may result from improved
cardiorespiratory fitness, and will demonstrate an understanding of the factors that contribute to their
personal enjoyment and benefits of being physically active every day. Students will further develop and
implement safety behaviours.

Notes to Teacher

● It is helpful to develop a system for storing and tracking paperwork. Student worksheets can be kept in file
folders in a box that is kept in the activity area. Rolling carts make it easy to transport files to and from the
activity area. It is also helpful to keep a box of pens or sharpened pencils in the activity area so students do
not have to bring writing utensils to class.

Techniques for Self-Monitoring Work Intensity

● Talk Test
● Students should be able to talk while participating in activity. This ensures their bodies are taking in enough
oxygen.
● Breath Sound Check
● Students should distinctly hear their breathing during an activity. This ensures sufficient intensity to achieve
health benefits.

Adapted Lesson Plan

For success in physical activity programs, children with disabilities may require more specific skill
instruction, modifications or accommodations to help them succeed. The following adapted lesson plan has
been designed to help fill that gap by providing a clear guide to creating an inclusive lesson in which every
student can be successful regardless of ability:

About This Resource

,
Safety Considerations

,
Adapted Lesson Plan

Grade 3 | Introduction to Fitness | Racers, Are You Ready? | Page 6 of 6