Bigelow Physical Education
Fitness Unit

The Fitness Unit will make up 25% of the second term and 50% of the third term's grade. Our goals for this unit will be to introduce and reinforce health-related principles and to incorporate these principles into practical and meaningful individual fitness goals. Each student will design two fitness goals. One goal will address cardiovascular needs and the other muscular strength and endurance. Learning the major muscles of the body and appropriate stretches that will improve flexibility and endurance will fulfill the requirements for each program.

Cardiovascular fitness will address preventing heart attacks, diabetes, strokes and healthy exercise habits that could be beneficial over a life span. The muscular strength and endurance component will include improving muscular strength and endurance with and without weights, and how to choose and use weights that are appropriate based on individual muscular and endurance needs.

Each student will use the data collected from exercises performed while using weights to establish their muscular strength and endurance goal. Weight training charts with exercises will be given to track muscular strength improvements. The cardiovascular component will be to maintain a targeted training zone for at least 20-30 minutes each training session.

All students will be wearing watches that will monitor their heart rates while they are working out. These watches will give immediate feedback on their ability to work within a targeted training zone. The students will be required to record their heart rates at 15 minute intervals to track their progress within the targeted zone.

This unit will last for appropriately four weeks. During this time, the data collected will be kept in students' individual folders and evaluated once a week to check on their progress. There will be a written test given at the end of the unit to evaluate their knowledge of the material. Students have been introduced to the expectations, and are responsible for studying the material.