The bicycle is one of the greatest locomotive machines ever invented. It is also a perfect vehicle for you to teach some of the ideas that are taught in forces topics to 11- to 16-year-olds. In this article we look at some of the ways in which you can use the bicycle and cycling to provide an alternative and engaging context for teaching some of…

Objective: We assessed changes in the frequency of self-reported physical activity (PA) among tween girls exposed and not exposed to the VERB [TM] Summer Scorecard (VSS) intervention in Lexington, Kentucky, during 2004, 2006, and 2007. Methods: Girls who reported 0-1 day per week of PA were classi?ed as having "little or no" PA. Girls…

This simple, first-published article by Mario Montessori was written in Kodaikanal, India, and reveals a great Montessori truth that has never been so explicit: There are developmental stages for practical life that cross over into nature study and living experiences. Although more abstract, the second plane has a strong practical life component…

Social competence is essential for successful performance in school and life. Siedentop (1980) suggested that physical education settings and related activities may serve as useful vehicles for improving pro-social skills and values. Physical education literature draws a clear distinction between educating about, in, and through movement (Arnold,…

With a growing number of school hours devoted to increased instructional time and physical education programs being scaled back in many schools, the afterschool hours are becoming increasingly crucial to ensuring the healthy development of the nation's youth. Additionally, with students spending the majority of their waking hours and consuming the…

Should teachers teach the calculation of target heart rate to students? And when is it appropriate to engage students in the attainment of these heart rates during physical education class activities? The answers to these questions are not easy. One might be tempted to state a simple yes or no and to identify a specific age to begin using training…