Incorporating Physical Activity in the Classroom with InPACT and Michigan Model for Health™
2023-04-11 12:06:00 Curriculum Updates & Releases - News & Articles
Are you noticing more unfocused, wiggling students in class? It might be time to integrate intentional physical activity into your classroom lessons. Michigan Model for HealthTM is pleased to share a complete integration alignment guide from The University of Michigan’s InPACT (Interrupting Prolonged Sitting with Activity) for joint program implementation.
The combined use of InPACT with Michigan Model for HealthTM will provide students with short movement breaks to prepare their brains and bodies for the upcoming lesson.
"This guide makes adding short movements into the MMH lessons feel natural & intentional."
-Regional School Health Coordinator
Why is classroom-based movement important?
- Low-resource communities combined with reduced rates of physical activity place these children at increased risk for:
- Obesity
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Missed school days
- Lower academic achievement 1
- Less than half of children 6-11 years old participate in at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity. 1
- Evidence-based classroom-based physical activity interventions improve on-task behavior and academic achievement. 1
Classroom Impact & Implementation
The InPACT alignment document will guide teachers to seamlessly incorporate 20 minutes of movement into each school day, with zero modifications needed in the Michigan Model for HealthTM lessons. The guide provide direction for kindergarten through fifth grade.
In combination, these research and evidenced-based programs can better prepare students for learning and improve overall health outcomes. This free alignment guide is one step toward creating a healthy classroom and serving the whole child. Reach out with questions to your local regional school coordinator or InPACT’s director, Dr. Rebecca Hasson, today!
References
Hasson, R. E., Beemer, L. R., Eisman, A. B., & Friday, P. (2023). Closing the Gap Between Classroom-Based Physical Activity Intervention Adoption and Fidelity in Low-Resource Schools, Kinesiology Review, 12(1), 36-46. Retrieved from
Contact Us
- Michigan teachers and educators, contact your Regional School Health Coordinator at MiSHCA's website.
- Out-of-state teachers, educators, and curriculum coordinators, email the MMH support team at support@michiganmodelforhealth.org.