Physical Education
Oak Grove Elementary
Coopertive Fitness Challenges
Purpose: The purpose of the Cooperative Fitness Challenge is to encourage children to become more physically fit while practicing their teamwork and cooperation skills.
Background and Description:
The Cooperative Fitness Challenge is an electrifying program that requires children to compete in innovative fitness challenges that are not only fun, but also build teamwork and cooperation skills, as most of the challenges require children to work together to complete. It is composed of a series of six fitness challenges that focus primarily on a child’s cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength. Four of the challenges involve kids working with partners while the other two are individual challenges. Our goal was to design a series of challenges that reduced the feeling of isolation and apprehension sometimes associated with a some fitness tests and challenges. To do this, we designed challenges that combine fun motor skills (e.g., throwing and catching), fun equipment (4 of the challenges require balls of kids choice to be manipulated) and most importantly, working together.
Challenge Descriptions
Challenge Task: Crab Walk Beanbag Pick Up
Fitness component: Muscular strength (arms, abdominals)
Full description/Set up:
This is an individual challenge. You will need 2 cones of any height of your choice and 2 beanbags. Place the cones 25 feet apart directly across from each other. Place the 2 beanbags behind the cone opposite from where the child will start the challenge. The non-beanbag cone will serve as the starting place the child. The child's feet must be behind the starting cone to start. On the start signal, the child crab walks towards the cone with beanbag. When they are arrive at the second cone they must place the beanbag on their stomach, go around cone and race back to the other cone. After placing the beanbag behind the cone they go around the cone and then head back and pick up the other beanbag, put it on stomach and race home to the cone. When they place the beanbag on the first cone the challenge is over. The child must complete this task in 50 seconds. If child's bottom or a beanbag touches the floor during the crab walk they must start the challenge over. If beanbag starts to slide off of stomach student may put it back on stomach as long as it does not hit the floor.
Challenge Task: Frogger
Fitness component: Cardiovascular endurance
Full description of challenge task:
This is an individual challenge. The child must complete 20 froggers (i.e., squat thrusts without a full push up in it) in 50 seconds. Students will need to start over if they do incomplete froggers (like not jumping up at the top of the frogger) or they do not complete all 20 in the allotted time.
Challenge Task: Partner Plank Taps
Fitness component: Muscular strength
Full description of challenge task:
This is a partner challenge. Two people in plank (e.g., beginning push up position with hands on ground) face each other at least 15 feet apart. Using a ball (e.g., gator skin, foam, whiffle, etc.) the partners must tap (not catch and roll) the ball back and forth without missing 30 times in a row (15 for each student). If either partner does not tap the ball back successfully or if a partner touches the ground with their knees or comes out of the plank position in any way they must start over. Children must keep their bottom and back flat, and they can’t spread their legs out. In other words, the children must stay in a high quality plank position from the beginning to the end of this challenge. There is no time limit for this one. Works best on a smooth surface.
Challenge Task: Partner Jumping Jacks
Fitness component: Cardiovascular endurance
Full description:
This is a partner challenge. Partners must perform 70 jumping jacks in unison (while counting) in 60 seconds. Students must count out loud as they complete this task. They can face each other, stand behind each other or stand side by side. They can be as far apart as they want from each other. The kids must be in unison throughout the challenge or they must start over. They must touch their own fingertips at the top of each jumping jack. If they don’t complete 70 jumping jacks using the proper form, they must start again.
Challenge Task: Partner Sit Up Throw and Catch
Fitness component: Muscular strength (abdominals)
Full description:
This is a partner challenge. Two children face each other with their feet at least 3 feet apart. Have each child get in a proper sit-up position (feet flat on the floor, legs slightly bent, back on floor and arms folded across chest). Give one child an object to throw and catch (e.g., yarn ball, bean bag, gator skin ball, basketball, or have them choose). On the start signal the children do a sit up together. At the top of the sit up they must complete the throw and catch and then continue doing this for 25 throws and catches. They must complete this task in 60 seconds. They must start over if they go over the time limit, or if ball hits floor or if their feet come off the floor or the scorer (e.g., teacher) deems the children not to be completing proper sit ups.
Challenge Task: On the Move Throw and Catch
Fitness component: Cardiovascular endurance
Full description of challenge task:
This is a partner challenge. Have the two children face each other at least 15 feet apart. They must be standing behind a line of some sort. On the go signal the children must make 25 successful throws and catches in 60 seconds while moving back and forth between the lines. The children alternate places and must throw and catch the ball behind the line. The ball choice is up to the child and/or teacher. If the ball hits floor or the throw or catch is not made behind the line the challenge is over. If the children do not complete the 25 throws in 60 seconds the challenge is over.