Instructions
- Read through each section carefully before you begin. Your mission is to become a "Fitness Investigator" and discover how physical activity affects you personally.
- Start with Part 1 to match key fitness terms with their descriptions. This is your background research.
- In Part 2, you will plan your investigation by choosing a physical activity to focus on for one week.
- For seven days, use the log in Part 3 to track your activity and how you feel. Be honest with your ratings!
- After the week is over, complete Part 4 to analyze your findings and reflect on your experience.
- If you're ready for an extra challenge, tackle the optional questions in Part 5.
Part 1: The Investigator's Briefing - Know Your Fitness
To investigate fitness, you first need to know the basics. Draw a line to match each Type of Fitness with its correct Description and a real-world Example.
| Type of Fitness | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cardiovascular Endurance | A. The ability of muscles to exert force to lift or move objects. | X. Gently stretching your hamstrings after a run. |
| 2. Muscular Strength | B. The ability to move your joints through their full range of motion. | Y. Swimming laps in a pool for 30 minutes. |
| 3. Flexibility | C. The ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen to the body during sustained physical activity. | Z. Lifting a heavy backpack or doing a push-up. |
Part 2: Mission Prep - Plan Your Investigation
Choose one physical activity you will commit to doing for at least 15-20 minutes a day for 7 days. This can be anything you enjoy: walking the dog, dancing to music, shooting hoops, riding your bike, or following an online workout.
- What activity will you investigate?
- Why did you choose this activity? (e.g., It's fun, I can do it at home, my friends like it, etc.)
- My goal for the week is: (e.g., To complete my activity 5 out of 7 days, to feel more energetic, etc.)
Part 3: The 7-Day Investigation Log
Each day, fill out a row in your log. Use the rating scales to track how you feel. Be consistent!
Rating Scale: 1 = Very Low / Poor, 2 = Low, 3 = Average / Okay, 4 = Good, 5 = Excellent / Full of Energy
| Day | Activity Done? (Y/N) | Duration (mins) | How I Felt Physically (1-5) | How I Felt Mentally (Mood/Focus) (1-5) | Notes (e.g., tired, sore, fun, did it with a friend) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||||
| 2 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 4 | |||||
| 5 | |||||
| 6 | |||||
| 7 |
Part 4: Debriefing - Analyze Your Results
Now, look back at your log from Part 3. Use the data you collected to answer these questions about the impact on your health and wellbeing.
- Looking at your "Physical Feeling" ratings, did you notice a trend over the 7 days? Did your energy levels generally go up, down, or stay the same? Explain your observation.
- How did being physically active affect your mental wellbeing (your mood, stress, or ability to focus)? Use a specific example from your "Notes" column.
- What was the biggest challenge you faced in completing your activity each day? How did you (or could you) overcome it?
- Based on your investigation, what is one conclusion you can make about the impact of regular physical activity on your personal health and wellbeing?
Part 5: The Investigator's Challenge (Optional)
Ready to take your investigation to the next level? Try these questions.
- Heart Rate: Next time you do your activity, try to find your pulse on your wrist or neck. Count the beats for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 to get your heart rate in beats per minute (BPM). How does your heart rate during exercise compare to your resting heart rate?
- Social Wellbeing: Did you do your activity with friends or family on any of the days? If so, how did it change the experience compared to doing it alone? If not, do you think it would?
Answer Key
Part 1: The Investigator's Briefing
- 1. Cardiovascular Endurance matches with C and Y. (The ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen... e.g., Swimming laps).
- 2. Muscular Strength matches with A and Z. (The ability of muscles to exert force... e.g., Lifting a backpack).
- 3. Flexibility matches with B and X. (The ability to move joints through their full range of motion... e.g., Stretching).
Parts 2, 3, 4, and 5:
- These sections are based on your personal investigation. There are no single "right" answers.
- A complete answer for Part 4 will refer to specific information you recorded in your Part 3 log. For example, for question 1, you might say, "My physical feeling score started at a 3 but was a 4 on the last three days, which shows my energy went up after I got used to the activity."
- For the Challenge questions, a good answer will show thoughtful reflection on how exercise affects the body (heart rate) and social connections.