B. Active Living / C. Movement Competence · Moving and Playing Safely

Daily Physical Activity and My Body

B2.1 B2.2 B2.3 A1About 35 minutes

Learning goals

I can do a warm-up, at least 20 minutes of activity, and a cool-down.
I can tell how my body feels when I move hard (signs of exertion).
I can explain how being active helps my body and my mind.

Words to know

daily physical activity (DPA)
Moving your body hard enough to breathe faster for at least 20 minutes every school day.

warm-up
Easy moves at the start that get your body ready to work harder.

cool-down
Slow, easy moves at the end that help your body calm down.

exertion
Working hard with your body. Signs of exertion are things like a fast heartbeat and fast breathing.

heart
The muscle in your chest that pumps blood all around your body. It beats faster when you move hard.

healthy
Feeling well and strong in your body and in your mind.

Put your hand on your chest

Sit very still. Put your hand on the left side of your chest. Can you feel a little thump, thump? That is your heart.

Now do 20 jumping jacks or run on the spot for 30 seconds. Put your hand on your chest again. What changed?

Your heart is going faster now! When you move hard, your body sends you signals. These are called signs of exertion. They tell you that your body is working hard. That's a good thing!

Signs of exertion: your heart beats faster, you breathe faster and harder, you feel warm and you may sweat.

Sign of exertion	What it feels like
Heart beats faster	Thump-thump-thump, quick in your chest
Breathing faster	You huff and puff, and it is harder to talk
Feeling warm	You may want to take your sweater off
Sweating	Your forehead or back feels a bit wet
Red cheeks	Your face may look pink or red
Tired muscles	Your legs or arms feel tired after a while

Daily physical activity

At school, you do daily physical activity, called DPA. That means you move hard enough to breathe faster for at least 20 minutes every day. You try your best, at your own level.

DPA has three parts:

Warm-up (a few minutes): easy moves like marching, arm circles and gentle jogging. This gets your muscles and heart ready.
Active part: moves that make you breathe faster, like running games, skipping, dancing or jumping.
Cool-down (a few minutes): slow walking and gentle stretches. This helps your heart and breathing slow down again.

The talk test

How do you know if you are moving hard enough? Try to talk.

If you can sing easily, try moving a little faster.
If you can talk but not sing, you are working hard. Great!
If you can't talk at all, slow down a bit.

Being active helps my body AND my mind

When you are active often:

your heart and lungs get stronger
your muscles and bones get stronger
you can sleep better at night
you often feel happier and calmer
it can help you focus when you go back to learning
you can feel proud of what your body can do

If you feel worried, grumpy or full of wiggles, moving your body can help you feel better. Being active is one way to cope with big feelings.

Worked example

Let's do a 20-minute DPA together

Plan a 20-minute DPA for the living room or backyard. Use a warm-up, an active part and a cool-down.

Warm-up (3 minutes): march on the spot, swing your arms, do 10 arm circles each way, and jog slowly on the spot.
Active part (14 minutes): jumping jacks, "animal moves" (bunny hops, frog jumps, bear walks), a dance song, then skipping or running on the spot. Rest for a sip of water if you need it.
Check your body: Is your heart beating faster? Are you breathing harder? Do you feel warm? Then you are doing it!
Cool-down (3 minutes): walk slowly, then reach high to the sky, touch your knees, and take 3 slow, deep breaths.
Add it up: 3 + 14 + 3 = 20 minutes.

A warm-up, an active part and a cool-down that add up to 20 minutes. During the active part you should notice signs of exertion.

The 20-minute DPA plan from the example. Your heart speeds up during the active part and slows down again in the cool-down.

Worked example

Let's check the signs

After playing tag, Jayden says: "My heart is pounding, I'm puffing and I feel hot." Is something wrong?

Listen to the clues: fast heartbeat, fast breathing, feeling hot.
Match them to the chart: these are all signs of exertion.
Decide: This is normal. It means Jayden's body is working hard.
Remember: if you feel sick, dizzy or hurt, that is different. Stop and tell a grown-up.

Nothing is wrong. Jayden is showing normal signs of exertion. A drink of water and a cool-down will help his body calm down.

Just for fun

What did the heart say after 20 jumping jacks?

"Thump-thump-thank you!" ❤️

Hands-on activity

Heartbeat detective

You need: a timer (a phone or a clock), paper and a pencil.

Sit still for one minute. Put your hand on your chest. Is your heartbeat slow or fast? Draw a 🐢 for slow.
Move hard for one minute: run on the spot, jump or dance.
Feel your heartbeat again. Draw a 🐇 if it is fast.
Cool down: walk slowly and take deep breaths for two minutes. Feel your heart again. Is it slowing down?
Tell a grown-up what other signs you noticed: breathing? warm? sweaty?

Your turn

What are the three parts of DPA?

How many minutes of daily physical activity should you get at school each day?

Name two signs of exertion.

Why do we do a warm-up?

Name one way being active helps your mind.

Do it and check: Run on the spot for 1 minute, then do the talk test. Could you talk? Could you sing?

After a race, your heart is pounding. Should you be scared?

More practice: warm-up

Does your heart beat faster or slower when you run?

Is marching on the spot a good warm-up move?

Is taking slow, deep breaths a good cool-down move?

True or false: Being active can help you sleep better.

Do it and check: Do 10 jumping jacks.

More practice: on your own

Put these in order: cool-down, warm-up, active part.

Which makes your heart beat faster: walking slowly or skipping rope? Why?

Priya feels grumpy after a long car ride. How could being active help?

Your class did 10 minutes of DPA in the morning. How many more minutes do you need to reach 20?

Why should you cool down instead of stopping all at once?

Challenge

Plan your own 20-minute DPA. How many minutes for warm-up, active part and cool-down?

Lily runs fast and says she can't talk at all and feels dizzy. What should she do?

Name two things being active does for your body and one for your mind.

Check your understanding

Quiz

What does DPA stand for?

What should you do first?

Which is a sign of exertion?

How long should DPA last each school day?

Which is a good cool-down move?

How can being active help your mind?

You feel dizzy and sick while running. What should you do?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: In Ontario, Grade 1 students take part in daily physical activity (DPA): at least 20 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each school day, to the best of their ability, with a warm-up and cool-down. They learn to notice signs of exertion (faster heartbeat and breathing, feeling warm, sweating) and to explain that being active helps them be healthy physically and mentally.

How to help at home:

Try the 20-minute plan from this lesson together on a weekend.
Ask "What is your body telling you?" during active play.
When your child is upset or restless, offer a short active break (a walk, a dance song) as a way to cope.

Common difficulties:

Thinking a fast heart or sweat means something is wrong. Reassure them these are normal signs of hard work.
Skipping the cool-down. Make it a routine, like stretching to a calm song.
Pushing too hard. Teach the talk test. Children with asthma or other health conditions should follow their care plan; tell the teacher about any condition.

The social-emotional link (strand A) here is coping: using physical activity to manage stress and big feelings.