Week of October 12, 2015: 1st Grade Health

Our new unit is Nutrition and Physical Activity!  This week we talked about the food groups, and how they can help us make good nutritious choices.  Students learned how healthy snacks are also important.  Our students enjoy such healthy snacks!!  Carrots was a very popular item, along with other vegetables and fruits.  We also talked about what physical activity is (moving parts of our bodies and making our hearts beat faster), and why it's important.  We learned there are three main benefits to physical activity:

• Flexibility:  when we are active, we encourage flexibility - especially when we stretch after an activity.  Healthy muscles are flexible.  Like a rubber band, we want our muscles to be stretchy so they don't tear or break.  
• Strength:  activity can help make our muscles stronger, making it easier for us to move and lift things.  Our heart is a muscle, too, and gets stronger and more healthy when we are active!  
• Endurance:  activities can help us move and play longer without being tired.  

Next week, we'll talk about our pulse and learn how to check it.  Students will also get an log to keep track of physical activities for one week.  I plan to post the ones returned on the bulletin board outside of the gym!