Are you active or not?

• Find a short exercise video that's appropriate to the age and abilities of your learners. Some possibilities are:

        - Joe Wicks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP1Eiss81NA

        - Andy’s Wild Workouts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67zBQyX3etY

        - Mini Pop Kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7WWJR2nmTU

• If you don't have the possibility to play videos in class, or you can't find one suited to the needs of your particular learners or context, plan your own short routine that you can lead in class.

Make some space in the classroom so that learners can stand up and move around in groups

• Play the video (or lead your own routine) and encourage the learners to join in!
• Afterwards, ask the learners how they feel.
  • Is their heart beating faster?
  • Do they feel warmer?
  • Are they breathing harder?
  • Do they feel out of breath? 

• Tell learners that today's lesson will be about being active. Display slide 2 or write on the following on the board:

1. zero/low-intensity activities
2. medium-intensity activities
3. high-intensity activities

• Read the definitions below out of order and ask learners to match them to the correct number. Explain the word intensity if necessary:

1. zero/low-intensity activities – your body is not active or not very active
2. medium-intensity activities – your body has to do some work, but you can still speak easily (but you can't sing!)
3. high-intensity activities – your body has to work hard, you feel out of breath and it's difficult to speak

• Display slide 3 or draw the table on the board. Ask learners to copy it into their notebooks.
• Display slide 4, or read out the following activities, and ask learners to decide if each activity is zero/low (A), medium (B) or high intensity (C) and to write them in the table.

1. dancing (B)
2. drawing or painting (A)
3. gymnastics (C)
4. martial arts (C)
5. playing computer games (A)
6. playing in the playground (B)
7. playing tag or chase (C)
8. playing the piano (A)
9. reading a book (A)
10. riding a bike (B)
11. riding a bike fast or on hills (C)
12. riding a scooter (B)
13. rollerblading (B)
14. running (C)
15. skateboarding (B)
16. skipping with a rope (C)
17. sports like football and hockey (C)
18. travelling by car (A)
19. walking fast (B)
20. walking slowly (A)
21. walking the dog (B)
22. walking up the stairs (C)
23. watching videos (A)
24. watching TV (A)

• Put learners in pairs to check their answers.
• Display slide 5 or nominate pairs to write answers for each column on the board. Discuss answers as a whole group.

Note: Explain that sometimes an activity can be medium or high, depending on how much you make your body work when you do it. If you get out of breath, then it's high!

• Ask learners if they think it's important to do different kinds of physical activities and why. Elicit their ideas. Depending on what they come up with, some reasons to discuss with them are:
  • it makes bones, muscles and joints stronger
  • it's good for your heart and lungs
  • 't helps you move better, focus more and sleep well.

Note: You may have to gloss the meaning of 'joints'. This can easily be done by using your knee and elbow as an example.

• Explain to the learners about the United Nations

A2-level description of the United Nations.

The United Nations is an international organisation that wants to make the world a better place. It has 17 goals to help everyone be healthier and happier. One goal is to help people be healthy. When we take care of ourselves, we don't get sick as often. This means doctors and nurses have more time to help other people.

• Put learners into groups. Tell them they are going to plan an exercise workout to show to the whole class. Explain that a workout is a number of actions.
• Elicit some ideas about the kinds of moves it could contain. You could display slide 6 or share the following ideas:
  • run on the spot
  • march
  • skip
  • hop
  • dance
  • do star jumps
  • touch your toes
  • squat
  • do lunges
  • jump.

• First. each group should decide on four actions. Then they write their chosen actions as a list in their notebooks.
• Elicit some language on the board to help them when they lead their routine. Then display slide 7. Groups then practise presenting the actions.

• When they're ready, ask groups to demonstrate their workout to the whole group. The other learners follow and copy the workout.
• After each presentation, ask the other learners to identify the actions used in the workout.
• Finally, get some class feedback from each group. Which workout was the easiest or most difficult? Which workout made them feel the most out of breath? Which one did they enjoy the most?

• Elicit from learners how much physical activity they think they need to do every day.
• Explain that it's good to try to do 60 minutes' activity every day, with a mix of medium and high intensity, but they don't have to do it all at the same time. For example, they could do four 15-minute activities at different times of the day.

Note: It is also recommended that children do muscle and bone strengthening activities at least three times a week. However, many muscle- and bone-strengthening activities are also typical physical activities that children would do anyway (such as playing games, running, jumping, skipping and climbing). Therefore, you may or may not wish to include this aspect in the discussion, depending on your learners.

• Ask learners if they think they do enough activities every day. Tell them that they are going to do a quiz to find out!
• Either give out the worksheet or use slides 8–15. Give learners time to select their answer. Ask them to count up how many As, Bs and Cs they have selected.
• Display slide 16 or read out the results:
  • Mostly A: Great! It looks as if you do lots of physical activities every day. Well done!
  • Mostly B: Keep going! It looks as if you do some different activities every day. Does it add up to 60 minutes? If yes, great! If not, what other activities would you like to try?
  • Mostly C: OK, let's see. It looks as if you don't do many different physical activities every day. Do you do one or two activities for a longer time? If not, try to do more. What activities would you like to try?

• Tell the learners that they are going to make a daily exercise chart! First, they are going to see an example.
• Display slide 17 or put learners into pairs and give out the worksheet. Ask the following questions:

1. How many minutes of exercise does Lia do every day? (75 minutes, depending on the day)
2. What does she do at lunchtime? (plays a running game)
3. Which activity does she spend the most time doing? (swimming)
4. Which activity does she spend the least time doing? (an exercise video)

• Ask them which activities from the example they do or would like to do. Brainstorm other ideas, getting a mix of activities they already do and activities they would like to start including every day.

• Show them the activity worksheet and explain that they will fill it in to make their own daily exercise chart. They should write what they already do and then add activities they would like to start doing. Remind them that the total time should add up to 60 minutes or more.
• Ask them to complete their chart for homework. In the following lesson, they can swap charts with another learner or learners and say what they like, or what's the same or different compared to their own chart.

Note: Learners could do the homework activity in their notebooks if you do not have access to photocopies

• A publication Integrating global issues in the creative English language classroom has additional ideas for creative activities to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
  https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/integrating-global-issues-creative-english-language-classroom
• The 'World’s Largest Lesson' promotes the use of the Sustainable Development Goals in learning:
  https://worldslargestlesson.globalgoals.org/
• UNESCO resources for educators:
  https://en.unesco.org/themes/education/sdgs/material
• The United Nations website has further resources for learning about the goals:
  https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/student-resources/

Sources:

• https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity
• https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/benefits-of-physical-activity-for-children
• https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-children-and-young-people/
• https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/physical-activity-research/
• https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/measuring/index.html    

• Find a short exercise video that's appropriate to the age and abilities of your learners. Some possibilities are:

        - Joe Wicks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP1Eiss81NA

        - Andy's Wild Workouts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67zBQyX3etY

        - Mini Pop Kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7WWJR2nmTU

• If you can't find one suited to the needs of your particular learners or context, plan your own short routine so that you can lead it in class.
• Before you start the lesson
  • test your microphone and camera to make sure they work
  • make sure that you have the accompanying presentation open and shared.

• Display slide 1. Welcome the learners as they arrive.

        - Check that you can all hear and see each other.

        - Check that they can see the first slide.

        - If they can't, ask them (or an adult if present) to check their settings. You may need to write this in the chat facility if they cannot hear you.

Tips

• Consider having a short task for the learners to do until they have all arrived. For example, you could have a poll set up (if your platform has this function) or a simple activity where they write in the chat, such as to say what they've done that week.
• Consider muting learners' microphones after greeting them to avoid having too much background noise when you get started. Tell them if you do this and explain why.
• You could also suggest that, if possible, they use a headset with a mic rather than their device's in-built speakers and mic.

• Make sure learners have got or create enough space around them.
• Play the video (or lead your own routine) and encourage them to join in.
• Afterwards, ask the learners how they feel.
  • Is their heart beating faster?
  • Do they feel warmer?
  • Are they breathing harder?
  • Do they feel out of breath?

• Tell learners that today's lesson will be about being active.
• Ask learners to look at slide 2 and match the types of activities and their definitions.

Note:

'Intensity' definition for A2 learners: how much power or strength something has

Answers:

• zero/low-intensity activities – your body is not active or not very active
• medium-intensity activities – your body has to do some work, but you can still speak easily (but you can't sing!)
• high-intensity activities – your body has to work hard, you feel out of breath and it's difficult to speak

• Display slide 3. Ask learners to copy it into their notebooks.
• Display slide 4, or read out the following activities, and ask learners to decide if each activity is zero/low (A), medium (B) or high intensity (C) and to write them in the table.

1. dancing (B)
2. drawing or painting (A)
3. gymnastics (C)
4. martial arts (C)
5. playing computer games (A)
6. playing in the playground (B)
7. playing tag or chase (C)
8. playing the piano (A)
9. reading a book (A)
10. riding a bike (B)
11. riding a bike fast or on hills (C)
12. riding a scooter (B)
13. rollerblading (B)
14. running (C)
15. skateboarding (B)
16. skipping with a rope (C)
17. sports like football and hockey (C)
18. travelling by car (A)
19. walking fast (B)
20. walking slowly (A)
21. walking the dog (B)
22. walking up the stairs (C)
23. watching videos (A)
24. watching TV (A)

• Put learners in pairs to check their answers.
• Display slide 5. Discuss answers as a whole group.

Note: Explain that sometimes an activity can be medium or high, depending on how much you make your body work when you do it. If you get out of breath, then it's high!

•  Ask learners if they think it's important to do different kinds of physical activities and why. Elicit their ideas. Depending on what they come up with, some reasons to discuss with them are:
  • it makes bones, muscles and joints strong
  • it helps keep your heart and lungs healthy
  • it improves coordination, concentration and sleep.

Note: You may have to gloss the meaning of 'joints'. This can easily be done by using your knee and elbow as an example.

• Explain to the learners about the United Nations.  

A2-level description of the United Nations

The United Nations is an international organisation that wants to make the world a better place. It has 17 goals to help everyone be healthier and happier. One goal is to help people be healthy. When we take care of ourselves, we don't get sick as often. This means doctors and nurses have more time to help other people.

• Elicit from learners any exercise moves that they remember from lesson one.
• Display slide 6 and drill language.
• Ask learners to copy the vocabulary into their notebooks.
• Display slide 7. Demonstrate describing a short workout.
• Tell learners to copy the slide (they can take a photo or screenshot.)

• Tell learners that they are now going to plan a three-minute workout that they can teach the class! Tell them it should have four moves that you do for 20 seconds and then rest for 20 seconds.
• Explain that over the next several lessons, groups will teach their routine at the start and/or end of each class.
• Put learners into small groups in breakout rooms to plan their workout.
• Learners should write their chosen moves as a list in their notebooks. They should decide who is going to give which instructions, who is going to encourage their participants, who is going to keep time, etc.
• Join each breakout room in turn to monitor progress and support with language.
• When they're finished, get some class feedback, for example how many routines include star jumps? Tell learners that they could practise teaching the routine to their family at home before it's their turn to teach the class!

• Ask learners how much physical activity they think they need to do every day. Take some guesses and then tell them that it's good to try to do 60 minutes every day, with a mix of medium and high intensity.

Note: They don't have to do it all at the same time. For example, they could do four 15-minute activities at different times of the day. It is also recommended that children do muscle and bone strengthening activities at least three times a week too. However, many muscle- and bone-strengthening activities are also typical physical activities that children would do anyway (such as playing games, running, jumping, skipping and climbing). Therefore, you may or may not wish to include this aspect in the discussion, depending on your learners.

• Ask learners if they think they do enough activities every day. Show them slide 8 and tell them that they are going to do a quiz to find out!
• Tell learners to write the numbers 1–7 in their notebooks. For each question, they should select a, b or c and write it next to the question number.
• Display slides 9–15. Check that learners have made a choice.
• Ask learners to count up the number of As, Bs and Cs they have selected. Which have they selected the most?
• When they're ready, show them the 'results' of the quiz on slide 16. How did they do?

Note: Alternatively, you might like to create the quiz using an online tool and give them the link in the chat.

• Display slide 17. How many minutes of exercise does this child do every day? (Answer: 75)
• Elicit which activities from the example learners do or would like to do.
• Brainstorm other ideas, getting a mix of activities they already do and activities they would like to start including every day.
• Show them the chart template on slide 18 and ask them to copy it into their notebooks or on paper.

Note: Alternatively, you could create an online document for each learner with the chart template on it, which they can open when you give them their link.

• Explain that they will make their own daily exercise chart. They should write what they already do, and then add activities they would like to start doing.
• Remind them that the total time should add up to 60 minutes or more.
• Ask a few learners to share their exercise charts. Encourage other learners to ask questions.

• Ask all learners to try to follow their chart every day! In the next lesson, learners can say if it was easy or difficult to keep to the plan.

Differentiation

• Ask advanced learners to write a mini diary, writing one or two sentences each day, saying what they did and what they enjoyed, and/or what they didn't do and why not.
• Ask weaker learners to check which activities they did on their chart and to indicate if they enjoyed it or not using emoticons. Ask them to make a simple sentence each day, such as 'I liked …/I didn’t like …

• Display slide 19. Praise the learners for their participation and work and tell them you're looking forward to seeing them again in the next lesson.
• Make sure they know how to exit the platform, and wait until they all leave before leaving yourself.

• The publication Integrating global issues in the creative English language classroom has additional ideas for creative activities to support all the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/integrating-global-issues-creative- english-language-classroom
• The 'World’s Largest Lesson' promotes the use of the Sustainable Development Goals in learning: https://worldslargestlesson.globalgoals.org/
• The UNESCO website has resources for educators for the Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary age groups, listed under each goal: https://en.unesco.org/themes/education/sdgs/material
• The United Nations website has further resources for learning about the goals: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/student-resources/

Sources:

•  https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity
• https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/benefits-of-physical-activity-for-children
• https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-children-and-young-people/
• https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/physical-activity-research/
• https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/measuring/index.html