I hope this finds you all rested after the fall break. We are back in the swing of things and wanted to let you know that there will be a quiz (#6) this week. Students were given time in class to do the practice quiz today. This practice quiz will be available through Thursday. Please encourage your student to do the practice quiz. Students who practice generally get 100% on the weekly quiz!
This week in PE we will be doing fitness testing. Students were given time in class today to view a Falcon Fitness Testing tutorial which is in their google classroom. Students who were not present today, or who wish to review fit testing expectations, can still access the tutorial through their google classroom. Please encourage your student to view the tutorial if they were not in class today!
Students will be responsible for completing 7 tests, including a run test. Students can select the run test they prefer to take. Instructions for each of these tests, as well as factors that may influence their decision, are thoroughly explained in the tutorial. Students who have asthma may bring an inhaler to class. Performance is self-monitored so if a student becomes unable to continue (due to any factor, including asthma) they may stop. My recommendation for students who expect they will need to take an "out" for some reason is to select the PACER test since there is not a specific amount of time, or number of laps, that must be completed to get a score. The run test is scheduled for Wednesday.
Students will earn two grades for completion and online entry of fitness tests and scores. Students will NOT be graded on their athletic ability. Students are expected to properly perform the 7 tests and give full effort in the process of completing all 7 tests. This is the basis for assessment. Students will meet in the library on Friday to log test information into an online form where they will analyze their test results and identify areas for improvement. Students will not be responsible for a separate reflection this week.
The purpose of fitness testing in the MMS PE program is to give students an idea of where their current fitness level is at (Healthy Fitness Zone OR Needs Improvement) so they can make informed choices to improve their personal level of fitness if they so desire. One of the many scores students are asked to determine is BMI (Body Mass Index). To do this, students need to know their height and weight. We are providing tools to take these measurements if students do not already know them. We do not weigh students. We provide a scale for this measurement and allow students to take their own weight. We perform a height measurement for students who wish to have that done.
It is important to remember that BMI is based solely on height and weight and does not take into account the amount of muscle a person may have. For example, my son falls into the overweight category on a BMI chart based on his height and weight. His test results for every other test we do would be in a healthy fitness zone and his body fat percentage is in a healthy fitness zone. He is a high school athlete who is strong and healthy. I am not worried about his BMI. Students who find that their BMI is not in a healthy fitness zone but feel that their body fat is likely at a healthy range, and would like to have that measured, can see Mrs. Corner to use our body fat tester.
Just as there will be students with an "overweight" or higher BMI who will find that they fall into a healthy fitness zone on most (or all) of their fitness tests, there will be students whose BMI is in a healthy fitness zone but they are unable to achieve the healthy fitness zone on most (or all) of their fitness tests. Weight is NOT the measure of health! We will work to send this message to students in PE. Please help us to reinforce this at home. Healthy is not one-size-fits-all. Healthy looks different on every body!
Thank you for your continued support. We sincerely appreciate it!
Amy Corner and Patrick Miller
