Be Fit to Learn Monthly Themes

SY 23-24

September 2023

September is a great time to help our students Emerge Stronger around physical activity. APS has set priorities around the Emerging Stronger strategic plan, and a great way to help our students is to increase opportunities for physical activity before, during, and after the school day. Students who are physically active tend to have better grades, school attendance, and cognitive performance and have better classroom behaviors.

Here are some activities and resources to support you:

Activities/Ideas

The Emerging Stronger strategic plan's third priority is having engaged students, empowering them to participate in decisions that affect them. Some good questions to ask your students: Why is being physically active important to you, what physical activities do you like, and how can you and your school incorporate these activities into your day?
Help your families Emerge Stronger by incorporating physical activities in your school's family engagement efforts. PTO Today and Action for Healthy Kids have many great family fitness night ideas. Contact Family Engagement for help.
For K-5 classrooms, use GoNoodle to get students moving.

Resources:

October 2023

Physical activities can be a powerful tool for improving Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in students. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, school physical activity policies can support the social and emotional climate and learning. Schools have the unique opportunity to strengthen the connection between school-based physical activity and SEL.

Here are some strategies you can use to integrate physical activities into SEL:

Activities/Ideas:

Action for Healthy Kids suggests incorporating Brain Breaks into the school day. Even a short 1-minute breathing exercise can serve as a “reset” button and help your students identify emotions, manage stress, and reflect and analyze situations.
Make your classroom an Active Learning Environment. Create spaces that foster creative learning and self-exploration. Active sensory areas help students refocus, self-regulate and manage stress.
Collaborate with families to strengthen the connection between physical activity and SEL at home and school. Ask families how the school can incorporate physical activities into family engagement efforts. See this tip sheet or contact Family Engagement for help.

Resources:

November 2023

Make this a season of Gratitude. As we approach the holiday season, it is a great time to think of ways to combine physical activity and gratitude. Physical Activity is extremely beneficial for improving symptoms of depression, anxiety, and distress. While, Gratitude can boost the ability to learn and make smart decisions, balance out negative emotions, and help build better relationships. Gratitude is also strongly associated with greater happiness and helps improve emotional, mental, and physical well-being.

Here are some activities and resources to support you:

Activities/Ideas

Take your students on a Gratitude Walk. Guide students on a walk outside while encouraging them to be mindful of the nature around them. After, have your students write in a journal and reflect on the things they are grateful for.
Look for ways to combine physical activity and gratitude in your school-family partnerships. Hold a ‘We Are Grateful for Our Families’ event that includes Family Fitness stations and Gratitude Stations. This is a great way to thank families for their contributions to the school and their students' education.
Incorporate Gratitude Games into your Physical Education or Classroom Curriculum.

Resources:

December 2023/January 2024

Healthy schools need healthy role models! As we prepare for the new calendar year, now is a great opportunity to help our students learn how to lead a more active lifestyle. On APS’s Emerging Stronger posters, there is a quote by AJ Crabill, “Student outcomes don't change until adult behaviors change.” The best way to encourage healthy choices in children is to model those choices as an adult.

Here are some activities and resources to support you:

Activities/Ideas:

Be an Active Role Model. Adult role models can help students make healthy choices by simply engaging in healthy behaviors like eating nutritious foods and being physically active.
Talk positively about physical activity. Tell your students about your active lifestyle so they can see adults that they admire being physically active (and enjoying it!).
Join in on the Fun! Play with students during recess or participate in a PE class. This may encourage students to be active and give you an opportunity to connect with students outside the classroom.
Make a Pledge to become a health-promoting school by providing a healthy classroom environment for your students.

Resources:

February 2024

With 2024 being a Leap Year, it is a great time to inspire our students to ‘leap’ into an active and healthy lifestyle. Making Leap Year a memorable and active experience for our students conveys the message that exercise is not only beneficial but also fun!

Here are some activities and resources to support you:

Activities/Ideas

Have a Leap Day Celebration that incorporates exercise. Get students moving by having various leap-themed events.
Have fun with the numbers 29 and 4. Leap day is Feb. 29 and, generally, a leap year happens every 4 years.
Leap into heart health during National Heart Health Month. Action for Healthy Kids details many strategies to incorporate heart health activities into the classroom.

Resources:

March 2024

Habit stacking is a great way to help our students add small, meaningful physical activity changes into their day. The American Heart Association says the goal of habit stacking is to 'stack' tiny but beneficial new habits onto your old ones. This can help our students build a healthier lifestyle, and incorporate more daily physical activity.

Here are some activities and resources to support you:

Activities/Ideas:

Ways to Habit Stack in the classroom.
Use the Atomic Habits framework. Atoms are small and small habits make a big difference. Help our students start small and focus on one habit at a time.
Ask your students for suggestions on how they want to habit stack. Create buy-in by involving students in the conversation and empowering them to make decisions.

Resources:

April/May 2024

Earth Day is April 22nd and a great time to engage your students in physical activity by beautifying your campus and protecting our planet. Campus clean-up activities can inspire and empower young people, help build a sense of belonging and positively impact the well-being of students, families, and our community.

Here are some activities and resources to support you:

Activities/Ideas

Register your class or school for the City of Albuquerque’s One Albuquerque Cleanup Day. In honor of Earth Day, the City’s Solid Waste Management Department will provide free bags and gloves for your cleanup.
Apply for the Keep Albuquerque Beautiful Campus Pride Grant. The Campus Pride Grant is a litter prevention and beautification funding opportunity. The deadline to apply for this grant has been extended. For more information, contact Toni Aguilar.
Hold a Junk Jog or a Plogging Event. Plogging is a combination of jogging or brisk walking and picking up litter.

Resources: