Strategy 6

Identify materials, technology, and resources to promote classroom physical activity.

Physical activity can be added to the classroom with little or no materials or equipment. For activities that do require materials or equipment, these items are usually available in the classroom or from the school’s physical education program. Some schools might be able to add equipment or furniture that promotes movement—such as balance balls, learning mats, standing desks, or bicycle chairs— to their classrooms. If only a few such items are available in each classroom, a rotation schedule will be needed.

Music can also be used to energize and motivate students and as a signal to start and stop activities. Increasingly, digital platforms such as YouTube provide videos that teachers can use for classroom physical activity. In addition, many resources—such as tool kits, guides, manuals, and programs—are available to provide ideas on how to add physical activity to the classroom. Teachers can identify the resources they feel comfortable using and then ask students to choose activities they would enjoy. Once teachers identify the activities they want to use, they will need to make sure they have the necessary materials and technology.

Citations can be found in Strategies for Classroom Physical Activity in Schools.

Key Activities

Put Strategy 6 into practice through the following activities:

✓ Assess what equipment, technology, and resources are already available in your classroom or school that can be used to promote classroom physical activity.

✓ Identify what equipment, technology, and resources are needed to incorporate desired classroom physical activity approaches.

✓ When planning for classroom physical activity, note and prepare for any required equipment, technology, and resources.

Questions for Consideration

Use the following questions to guide key activities and inspire new ideas:

– What equipment, technology, and resources are already available in your classroom or school that can be used to promote classroom physical activity?

– What additional equipment, technology, and resources are needed to promote classroom physical activity?

– Who in your school may have access to equipment or technology that you would like to use to promote classroom physical activity (for example, the physical education teacher)?

– Are there any grants that your school could apply for or other funding sources (for example, community donations and parent-teacher association or organization funding) that would help pay for additional equipment, technology, or resources to support classroom physical activity?

Resource

Classroom Physical Activity Planning Template 
This template (to be used for Strategies 4-8) helps teachers identify physical activities that will work in their classrooms. It also helps teachers plan how they will add physical activity to their classrooms as they develop their lesson plans and units. Equipment, technology, and resources required for chosen activities are recorded in Column 4.