Overview
Eighth graders are continuing to establish their identities and their appearance may be more important to them than it has in the past which provides the opportunity for focus on nutrition and fitness. There are large differences in who they are physically. However, they are able to attain higher levels of motor skills and can set/monitor goals to improve health and skill-related fitness.
Standards
Standard 1: Students demonstrate the motor skills and movement patterns needed to perform a variety of physical activities.
Students use locomotor, nonlocomotor and manipulative skills while executing offensive/defensive strategies in team physical activities, creating tumbling/gymnastics routines and performing square dances.
Standard 2: Students demonstrate knowledge of movement concepts, principles, and strategies that apply to the learning and performance of physical activities.
Eight graders deepen their knowledge of motor skills by transferring skills from one physical activity to another. Students are able to identify levels of performance and can identify areas of need. They can teach a game that features concepts of spin and rebound and that includes penalties and a scoring system.
Standard 3: Students assess and maintain a level of physical fitness to improve health and performance.
Students continue to participate in MVPA at least four days a week for increasing periods of time and can assess their fitness throughout the year. They use this data to create a 2-week fitness program which they will implement and refine.
Standard 4: Students demonstrate knowledge of physical fitness concepts, principles, and strategies to improve health and performance.
Students utilize a wider range of activities in to their 2-week fitness plans and identify how nutrition and physical activity impact body weight, self-confidence and performance.
Standard 5: Students demonstrate and utilize knowledge of psychological and sociological concepts, principles and strategies that apply to the learning and performance of physical activity.
Identifying and utilizing strategies to engage team members to come together around common goals is critical at this age. Students also identify ethical and unethical behaviors in collaborative settings.
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