Have the students get their heart rate monitor straps. Hand out the monitor watches and chest monitors.  Allow the students to go into the restroom or locker room to put on.  Instruct the students to slightly wet the chest monitor and attach their straps and position on their chest, right below the bra line or nipple line.  Have them make sure they are tight enough to make contact but not too tight where it is uncomfortable.

Does everyone know where to place the chest strap?

If you need help ask a fellow student to help tighten or move strap.

Did you wet the chest strap?

“Why do you have to wet the strap?”

*It helps the monitor get contact with your skin and helps send the signals to from your heart to the monitor.

Once they have placed the monitors on their chest and on their wrist, demonstrate how they work. (use instructional manual if needed)  Once you have explained how to work the monitors, have the students do a test run.

Is anyone not getting a reading?

Does everyone understand how they work?

The teacher should hand out the worksheet that will contain the students’ instructions and a place to record their data.

Does anyone have any questions before we begin?

Why is important to not talk during this activity?

“What are we doing?”

*We are going to go to test our heart recovery. If your heart recovers quickly after and activity, then you are more fit then those that’s heart recovers slowly.

“It will raise our heart rate, and we will get mixed results.”

First the students will sit quietly for one minute. The teacher will have to make sure the students are not talking and are not moving around. It would most likely be a good idea if the teacher spreads the students out as much as possible.

After the minute, have the students record their heart rate on the worksheet.

Remember No talking!

Do not move around, do not twiddle your thumbs, just sit very still and quiet.

Next, the students will have to stand for one minute.  Again, teacher will have to make sure the student are not talking or moving around or it will interrupt the test.

After the minute, have the students record their data.

No talking.

Do not rock back and forth.

Just stand still and quietly.

The next activity is to walk for one minute.  To keep the students from colliding with each other, spread them out on one side of the gym sideline and have them walk line a line to the other side of the gym. Make sure the students know that it is not a race, and they must not cross in front of fellow students.  Make sure they stay in their own personal space.

After a minute have the students record their data.

When you walk please stay in your own line.

Do not cross in front of your neighbor.

Do not talk to your neighbor.

This is not a race.

Next, doing it the same way as the walk activity, have the students run for 3 minutes in their line, starting on one side of the gym and running to the other side.

After 3 minutes, students will record their data.

Again, Stay in line.

Don’t run into anyone.

Be aware of others around you.

This is not a race!

Next, Have the students rest for 4 minutes.  The students may walk slowly or stand, but not sit. Explain that if they sit, their blood will pool and they may pass out. Again make sure they stay in their own space.

After each one minute, have the students record their data. So they will have 4 different numbers for this portion.

Now rest.

Don’t talk

Don’t sit down or you may pass out.

After the students have finished their data collecting, explain the importance of this activity.

Why do you think it is important to see how your heart reacts to these activities?

“To see how fast our heart is beating.”

“To see how slow our heart beats.”

“To see how our heart rate changes from little to no activity to moderate activity.”

Aerobic activity is in everyday life and it is important to have high aerobic capacity.  If you have high aerobic capacity, your heart does not have to work as hard.  By becoming active on a daily basis will decrease your chances on having some kind of heart disease or condition.

What does your heart have to do with a person’s activity?

How will your heart rate change if you are not active on a daily basis?

“It circulates the blood to the different organs of the body.”

“As the person uses their muscles, the heart sends blood to the muscle and the blood replenishes the muscles so they can continue to work hard.”

Now have the students draw their graphs.

Ask the students to answer the questions on the worksheet then turn in their papers.