Official Code of Georgia 20-2-777 requires each local school district to conduct an annual fitness assessment program for all students in grades 1 to 12 enrolled in Georgia public school physical education classes taught by certified physical education teachers..
Fitnessgram was developed by the Cooper Institute and it is a research-based criterion-referenced for students in Physical Education. Students in grades 4-12 physical education classes participate in five fitness components called “test events.” They measure flexibility, muscular strength, muscular endurance, aerobic capacity, and body composition. In grades 1-3, students only have their height and weight taken (body composition) to allow for a fuller profile of the growth and development of a child. Studies show schools that include the Fitnessgram in their physical education programs are better equipped to meet students’ fitness needs, and help teach healthy lifelong habits.
The Cooper Institute Report Card will be emailed to the parent/guardian at the end of the school year. This report card does not have any impact on your child's academic grade. It is for informational purposes for you/your child, the teacher, and the district. All of the assessments are done with diligence and integrity by the teachers, ensuring that data is not shared among students. Additionally, data that is collected by the district will not have the student’s name listed, and will only be used to study trends.
The information you receive about your child's fitness scores is in an easy to read format. The assessment designates standards called “Healthy Fitness Zones”, which are based on age and gender, outline what is considered to be basic levels for good health. The category below the Healthy Fitness Zone on the report referred to as “Needs Improvement,” is there to indicate dimensions of fitness that may require special attention. The wording used for this category does not imply “bad fitness” or “poor fitness” but rather areas in which the child should seek improvement.
We hope you find this information helpful. Below are links to brief videos to help better understand the fitness component assessment and scoring of the Fitnessgram tests.
The test dates will be :
Height and Weight for Grades 1-5: Month of January
Curl-up, Push-up and Sit and Reach Test for Grades 4-5: Month of February
One Mile test for Grades 2-5: Month of March
One Mile test results help select our cross country teams in the Spring. Click here for more info on the cross country team
The attached links below are brief videos to help better understand the fitness component assessment and scoring of the Fitnessgram tests.
Body Composition
Click on the picture to get better understanding of Body Composition. A video is provided as well.
Aerobic Capacity
Aerobic capacity is perhaps the most important area of any fitness program. Click on the picture to get better understanding of Aerobic Capacity.
Students will have 2 opportunities in the month of March to record their best score for the one mile. The one mile run will be administered during class time. 5 1/2 laps is equal to 1 mile.
We prepare the students for the test by running at the beginning of class starting in August. We start with 1 minute and increase their time up to 5 minutes over the course of the year. Students count how many laps they run and establish a personal record. Students are encouraged to maintain their personal record during class.
Running Club is another way at school to help improve aerobic capacity levels. Running Club is held in Fall and Spring. Fall Dates August - December Spring Dates: March - April
If your child has not registered to be part of the running club, Click Here
Flexibility
Maintaining adequate joint flexibility is important to functional health. However, for young people decreased flexibility is generally not a problem. The sit and reach test measures flexibility in the hamstrings, the body’s largest and most commonly injured muscle. The trunk extension is included because of its relationship to low back health, especially proper vertebral alignment. Musculoskeletal fitness of the abdominal muscles, hamstrings and back extensors works in concert to maintain low back health.
Sit and Reach Test: Objective is to reach within the healthy fitness zone range using both the right and left legs
• Students take off shoes and place the left foot against the box, right foot flat on the floor with the knee pointing up.
• Keeping the fingers even, the student reaches 1, 2 and 3, holding their reach the third time as far as they can on the ruler.
• This is then repeated for the right leg.
Muscular Strength and Endurance
Musculoskeletal fitness helps an individual perform daily activities more easily, reduces the risk of injury, and improves abdominal and back health. Most important, helping children and youth be aware of the status of their muscular strength, endurance and flexibility can carry forward into adulthood, preventing health concerns and improving quality of life.
Muscular strength and endurance test we will be administering will be the Curl-up and Push-up test. Both test are performed with cadence.
Links will be provided so students can practice at home.
Curl-up Test
• Student lies on a mat with back flat, head touching, arms outstretched at sides and feet flat with knees up.
• Students should position themselves so their outstretched fingertips are just before a 4 and a half inch measuring strip.
• When performing the curl up students need to get their backs up off the mat far enough so that their fingertips cross the measuring strip.
• Form errors include: not getting the back off the mat and forcibly stretching the arms across the measuring strip, feet lifting up off the mat, head not returning to the mat and inability to maintain the proper pace.
• After the first form error, students will get a chance to make the correction.
• After the second form error the test is concluded.
Push-up Test
• Students begin in the up position and follow the cadence while they complete the push-ups.
• With a straight back, students must go down low enough so there is a minimum 90 degree bend in their elbows.
• Return to the up position in pace with the cadence and with arms fully extended.
• Form errors include: not going low enough, stopping or not maintaining the proper pace, not maintaining the correct straight back body position, not extending arms fully enough and touching with the body on the way down.
• After the first form error students get the opportunity to make the correction.
• After the second form error the test is concluded.
