According the HIDOE Wellness Guidelines (BOE Policy 103-1), PE6: Physical Education in grades 5, 7, 9 includes a health-related student fitness assessment (e.g. FitnessGram)
There are 5 key components of Health-Related Physical Fitness.
Aerobic Capacity: The ability of your heart, lungs, and blood vessels to efficiently supply oxygen to your muscles during sustained physical activity. Activities like running, swimming, and cycling help improve cardiovascular endurance.
Muscular Strength: The maximum amount of force a muscle can exert in a single effort. Lifting weights or doing resistance exercises helps develop muscular strength.
Muscular Endurance: The ability of your muscles to exert force repeatedly over time. Activities like push-ups, squats, and rowing help improve muscular endurance.
Flexibility: The range of motion in your joints. Stretching exercises help improve flexibility.
Body Composition: The proportion of fat, muscle, bone, and water in your body. A healthy body composition involves having a lower percentage of body fat and a higher percentage of lean muscle mass.
FitnessGram is a comprehensive fitness assessment for youth. It includes a variety of health-related physical fitness tests designed to assess cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition. Criterion-referenced standards associated with good health have been established for children and youth for each component.
The Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) test (cardiovascular endurance)
The PACER is a multistage fitness test adapted from the 20 meter shuttle run. The test is progressive in intensity- it is easy at first and gets harder at the end. It provides a built in warm up. All students are more likely to have a positive experience in performing the PACER. Students who have poorer performance will finish first and not be subjected to the embarrassment of being the last person to complete the test. It also helps students learn the skill of pacing.
Objective: To run as long as possible with continuous movement back and forth across a 20 meter space at a specified pace that gets faster each minute.
Equipment: Measuring wheel or tape, cones to mark distance of 20 meters and lanes for each runner, music player/speaker with cadence.
How to test: Students will start at one side and run across the 20-meter distance and touch the line with their foot by the time the beep sounds, at which time they will run the other direction. A single beep will sound at the end of each lap and a triple beep will sound at the end of each minute indicating that the pace will get faster. If a student does not reach the line by the beep, they should stop and reverse direction immediately to get back on pace. Each student will be allowed and given credit for one miss, no matter how it happens. At the second miss, the test is over for that student and the partner will stop recording.
When to Stop: The first time a student does not reach the line by the time of the beep, the student stops where he or she is and reverses direction immediately, attempting to get back on pace. The test is completed for a student the next time (second time) he or she fails to reach the line by the time of the beep (the two misses do not have to be consecutive; the test is over after two total misses). Students just completing the test should continue to walk and stretch in the designated cool-down area. Figure 5.1 provides diagrams of testing procedures. Note: A student who remains at one end of the testing area through two beeps (does not run to the other end and back) should be scored as having two misses and the test is over.
Scoring: In the PACER test, a lap is one 20-meter distance (from one end to the other). The scorer records the lap number (crossing off each lap number) on a PACER score sheet. The recorded score is the total number of laps completed by the student. For ease in administration, it is permissible to count the first miss (not making the line by the time of the beep)
The one-mile run can be used instead of the PACER to provide an estimate of aerobic capacity.
Test Objective: The objective is to run a mile at the fastest pace possible. If a student cannot run the total distance, walking is permitted.
Equipment/Facilities: A flat running course, measuring wheel or tape, cones to mark distance, stopwatch
How to test: Students begin on the signal "Ready, Start." As they cross the finish line, elapsed time should be called to the participants (or their partners). It is possible to test 15 to 20 students at one time by dividing the group and assigning partners. While one group runs, partners count laps and make note of finish time. Scoring: The one-mile run is scored in minutes and seconds. Preparation for the test should include instruction about pacing and practice in pacing. Walking is definitely permitted. Although the objective is to cover the distance in the best possible time, students who must walk should not be made to feel inferior. Encourage students who walk to walk at a fast pace, rather than stroll.
Strength and endurance of the abdominal muscles are important in promoting good posture and correct pelvic alignment. The curl up is safer and more effective test since it does not involve the hip flexor muscles and minimizes compression in the spine when compared to a full sit up with the feet held.
Objective: to complete as many curl ups as possible up to a maximum of 75 at a specified pace.
Equipment: Curl up mats or mats and measuring strips for grades K-2 /3-5, music player/speaker with cadence.
How to test: Two widths will be needed for different age groups. The third graders (5-9 year olds) should test on a strip 3 inches wide and fourth and fifth graders (10 and older) should test on 4.5 inches long. Students will be paired up and tested in 2 groups. Group A will perform the curl-ups while group B records and visa-versa. Students will lie in a supine position with knees bent at approximately 140 degrees, feet must be flat on the floor with legs slightly apart, arms straight and parallel to the trunk with palms resting on floor/mat. Fingers should be fully extended and evenly lined up with nearest edge of the strip. A paper should be placed under students’ head to help the recorder make sure their partner’s head is touching down on each curl-up. The observer should be located at their partner’s head to best view if they break form. Students will be allowed one miss and on the second miss the test is over. A miss would consist of the following: breaking cadence with voice command, not keeping heels in contact with the floor/mat at all times, fingertips do not cross the strip, student pushes up with elbows or grabs legs to pull themselves up or swings arms to propel themselves upward.
When to Stop: Students are stopped after completing 75 curl-ups, when the second form correction is made, or when they can no longer continue.
Form Corrections
Heels must remain in contact with the mat.
Head must return to the mat on each repetition.
Pauses and rest periods are not allowed.
The movement should be continuous and with the cadence.
Fingertips must touch the far side of the measuring strip
Scoring: The score is the number of curl-ups performed. Curl-ups should be counted when the student’s head returns to the mat. For ease in administration, it is permissible to count the first incorrect curl-up
Push-ups (muscular strength and endurance)Strength and endurance of the muscles in the upper body are important in activities of daily living, maintaining functional health and promoting good posture. The role of upper body strength in maintaining functionality becomes more evident as a person ages.
Objective: To complete as many 90 degree push ups as possible at a rhythmic pace.
Equipment: CD with cadence, CD Player, Mats, Cone caps (for measuring 90 degree push up)
How to test: Student being tested will assume a prone position with hands placed slightly wider then shoulders and legs straight with toes tucked under. Students will push up with arms until straight keeping legs and back straight as well. The student will lower their body until elbows are bent to 90 degrees while staying in cadence with the voice commands. Students will be allowed one miss and on the second miss the partner will stop recording. A miss would consist of breaking cadence, breaking form by not bending to 90 degrees or not maintaining straight back and/or not fully extending the arms.
When to Stop: Students are stopped when the second form correction (mistake) is made. Only one form correction is allowed.
Form Corrections
Stopping to rest or not maintaining a rhythmic pace
Not achieving a 90° angle with the elbow on each repetition
Not maintaining correct body position with a straight back
Not extending arms fully
Scoring: The score is the number of 90° push-ups performed. For ease in administration, it is permissible to count the first incorrect 90° push-up. It is important to be consistent with all of the students and classes
Trunk extensor strength and flexibility is included in FitnessGram because of its relationship to low back health.
Objective: To lift the upper body off the floor using the muscles of the back and hold the position to allow for the measurement
Equipment: Mats and measuring device (yardstick or ruler)
How to test: The student being tested lies on the mat in a prone position (facedown). Toes are pointed and hands are placed under the thighs. Place a coin or other marker on the floor in line with the student’s eyes. During the movement, the student’s focus should not move from the coin or marker. The student lifts the upper body off the floor, in a very slow and controlled manner, to a maximum height of 12 inches (photos 7.4, 7.5, and 7.6). The head should be maintained in a neutral (straight) alignment with the spine. The position is held long enough to allow the tester to place the ruler on the floor in front of the student and determine the distance from the floor to the student’s chin. The ruler should be placed at least an inch to the front of the student’s chin and not directly under the chin. Once the measurement has been made, the student returns to the starting position in a controlled manner. Allow two trials, recording the highest score.
Scoring: The score is recorded in inches. Distances above 12 inches should be recorded as 12 inches.
Maintaining adequate joint flexibility is important to functional health. Having flexibility and range of motion will be important as they age.
Objective: To be able to reach the specified distance on the right and left sides of the body and test the students on their flexibility by assessing the flexibility of the hamstring muscles, which allows rotation of the pelvis in forward bending movements and posterior tilting of the pelvis for proper sitting.
Equipment: Sit and reach measuring box
How to test: The measurements must be lined up so the closest edge of the box to the student is equal to 9 inches on the measuring stick. The Fitnessgram manual recommends that the students remove their shoes for the test, but we believe that students should leave their shoes on to save time and for hygiene purposes. If a student fails, but is within an inch of the Healthy Fitness Zone Standard, they may retest with their shoes off. Each student will sit squarely to the box and extend one leg straight out and rest their foot up against the side of the measuring box, while the other leg is bent with their foot flat on the floor within 3 inches of the straight knee. The student will then reach forward with both hands, one on top of the other, while keeping their back straight and their head up four times. They will hold their reach on the fourth time so they can be recorded. Once one leg is recorded, the student switches their position to measure the other leg. The bent knee is allowed to move to the side, but the sole of the foot must stay on the ground. Another student or yourself may place a hand just above the straight knee to help keep in on the ground during the test. The student needs to keep their back straight and their head up while keeping their hands even. If the student breaks form, they are to retest that leg. Measurements should be to the nearest half inch and should not exceed 12 inches to discourage hypermobility. To be in the Healthy Fitness Zone, students need to meet the standard for both their left and right sides.
Scoring: Record the number of inches on each side to the nearest 1/2 inch reached, to a maximum score of 12 inches. Performance is limited to discourage hypermobility. To be in the Healthy Fitness Zone, the student should meet the standard on both the right and the left sides
The shoulder stretch is a simple test of upper arm and shoulder girdle flexibility intended to parallel the strength/endurance assessment of that region. If used alternately with the back-saver sit and reach, it may be useful in educating students that flexibility is specific to each joint and that hamstring flexibility neither represents a total body flexibility nor is the only part of the body where flexibility is important.
Objective: To be able to touch the fingertips together behind the back by reaching over the shoulder and under the elbow.
Equipment: None
How to test: Student will do the shoulder stretch flexibility test for the left shoulder and then right shoulder.
For left shoulder, student reaches their left hand over their left shoulder and down the back as if to scratch their back. At the same time student places right hand behind their back and reaches up trying to touch the fingers of the left hand. Then do the opposite for the right shoulder.
Equipment: none
Scoring: If the student is able to touch his or her fingers with the left hand over the shoulder, a “Y” is recorded for the left side; if not, an “N” is recorded. If the student is able to touch the fingers with the right hand over the shoulder, a “Y” is recorded for the right side; otherwise an “N” is recorded. To achieve the Healthy Fitness Zone, a “Y” must be recorded on both the right and left side.
Maui District Health and PE Resource Teacher: Michelle Baysa
michelle.baysa@k12.hi.us