Ophea's 50 Fitness Activity GIFs are a compilation of heart pumping, on-the-spot fitness moves that can be used on their own or to diversify existing activities in the face-to-face, virtual, hybrid teaching and learning platforms!
The aim of Ophea's 50 Fitness Activity GIFs is to promote the message that movement is for everyone, taking the original set of the 50 Fitness Activity Cards a step further! The use of animated, gender neutral figures in both standing and seated versions for each movement demonstrates Ophea's continued recognition of the diversity of all students in our classrooms. This resource can be used as a tool to support your inclusive environment where every student thrives, regardless of ability, culture, gender, interest, learning style or experience. As educators, it is our responsibility to ensure that every student feels included and appreciated while setting positive expectations for participation and achievement. We’re excited that you will be using this resource to create unique opportunities for students to learn by doing, through physical activity!
Check out this introduction video to learn more about the 50 Fitness Activity GIFs, how to access them, and different strategies to incorporate them into diverse learning contexts.
Safety
Access the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education (OPASSE) for the minimum safety requirements in Curricular, Interschool and Intramural sports and activities.
Access Ophea’s H&PE at Home Safety Considerations to support planning for safe H&PE lessons.
The Fundamental Principles of Health & Physical Education
Educators are responsible for using appropriate and effective instructional strategies to help all students achieve their best at school. They bring enthusiasm and passion into the classroom to create a space that is welcoming and diverse, where students feel happy and safe, and where they learn, connect, and build healthy, active lives. Instruction based on the Fundamental Principles of Health and Physical Education provides a well-planned, inclusive and high-quality framework in the program. These principles are woven through the 2019 Health & Physical Education curriculum and foster an inclusive approach to physical activity. When using the 50 Fitness Activity GIFs across the school day, think about how this resource can be used with a comprehensive approach to ensure all students can participate to their fullest.
- School, Family and Community Support: The 50 Fitness Activity GIFs is a great resource to help promote physical activity at school, at home and in the community! Try integrating this resource in different subject areas, or as an opportunity for a movement break. Don’t forget, this resource isn’t just for our students. Educators, we encourage you to find ways for you and your students’ families to participate in the physical activity too!
- Physical Activity as the Vehicle for Learning: Are you and your students able to recognize when your body and mind can benefit from movement? What impact does physical activity have on your ability to teach, and your students’ ability to learn? Think about how you can embed the 50 Fitness Activity GIFs as another way to provide an opportunity to be physically active.
- Physical and Emotional Safety: Creating the conditions to support your students’ well-being will ensure a positive experience in a safe, inclusive and caring environment for everyone. Take the time to learn about your students’ diverse backgrounds and experiences, as this is where teaching needs to begin. Consider how you program and plan to use this resource in order to be responsive to the full range of student diversity.
- Student-Centered, Skill-Based Learning: The 50 Fitness Activity GIFs is an easy to use resource you can embed into your classroom instruction throughout different subject areas. In each GIF, you will see the movement demonstrated in both a standing and seated position. This ensures that the fitness activity is adaptable to meet diverse individual needs and abilities. Be creative and find ways to give students an opportunity to make choices and adapt the activities to their abilities and comfort level. This is a good time to hear what your students suggest!
- Balanced, Integrated Learning with relevance to Students’ Lives: Taking the time to know the learners in your classrooms will help you provide the optimal degree of challenge in your students’ learning. Incorporating the 50 Fitness Activity GIFs in a variety of ways can be a great starting point to help students understand that physical activity is essential for healthy active living while strengthening learning capacity.
The Just Right Activity
Refer to the 50 Fitness Activity GIFs Teaching Guide where prompts are provided to help facilitate how each of the movements can be performed. Consider your students’ understanding of movement concepts as well the range they have in their abilities before you vary the actions. The following are some suggestions that will help you tailor the activity to the individual student to allow for participation through a wide range of abilities that is just right for them.
- Focus on moving one body part at a time (e.g. only doing the leg movements and omitting the arm movements, or only doing the arm movements and omitting the leg movements; similarly moving one side at a time).
- Perform the activity lying down, face up, on a flat surface.
- Sit on the floor or ground to perform an accommodated version of the fitness activity.
- Find creative ways to introduce objects into the fitness activities.
- Use floor tape or vinyl drop down lines to guide the direction or to reduce or enlarge the range of the movement.
- Slow down or speed up the movement sequence.
- Create targets and reach for different heights and levels instead of going through the whole movement sequence or range.
- Increase or decrease the range of movement.
- Increase or decrease the span of displacements.
- Increase or decrease points of contact for balance.
- Refer to Ophea's Choice Board Templates for inspiration on different ways to adapt their use for the face-to-face and virtual teaching and learning environments.
