Exercise and Energy

Overview

In this lesson of the unit “What’s on My Plate?”, students explore how physical activity supports health and wellbeing and how exercise can influence dietary needs. They use real-life examples to connect movement and nutrition, then create a simple weekly exercise plan that matches a weekly meal plan.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• explain the relationship between regular physical activity, health and wellbeing
• describe how different types of exercise can change energy and recovery needs
• compare their ideas to Australia’s 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and suggest realistic strategies for themselves
• create and justify a simple weekly physical activity plan linked to a weekly meal plan
• list two ways exercise influences food choices

Success criteria

Students can:

• use clear reasons to link physical activity to health and wellbeing outcomes (e.g., mood, energy, fitness)
• identify at least two examples of how exercise affects what and when people eat (e.g., hydration, pre/post-activity food)
• create a weekly plan with sensible activity choices and spacing (not all intense every day)
• justify their choices by referencing realistic strategies for reducing sedentary behaviour and increasing activity

Curriculum links

• AC9HP8M06: design and justify strategies to increase physical activity levels to achieve health and wellbeing outcomes, including comparing activity patterns and recommending realistic changes
• AC9HP8M06_E3: compare current activity, sleep and sedentary time with Australia’s 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and suggest strategies to meet recommendations
• AC9HP8P10: plan and implement strategies using health resources to enhance health, safety, relationships and wellbeing (applied through safe participation and routine building)
• AC9HP8P10_E1: propose and evaluate actions that support safe participation and positive mood/mental wellbeing
• AC9HP8M04: participate in physical activities designed to improve fitness and wellbeing to investigate the impact of regular participation on health, fitness and wellbeing (used in discussion, planning and reflection)

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook (real-life link). Teacher shares a short scenario (e.g., “After training, someone feels hungry and tired; what should they do?”) and asks: “How might exercise change what the body needs?” Students think-pair-share two quick ideas.

2. 5–12 min · ‘I Do’ (mini-model and key ideas). Teacher models a response using an example: explain how regular movement supports health and wellbeing, and how activity can affect energy needs, hydration and recovery. Students add 3 keywords to their workbook (e.g., health, energy, recovery, hydration, mood).

3. 12–25 min · ‘We Do’ (exercise affects dietary needs). In small groups, students match exercise situations to likely food-choice factors using prompts:

• “Before activity” (what helps fuel energy?)
• “During/after activity” (what helps recovery?)
• “Rest days” (how do needs differ?) Teacher circulates and checks reasoning, focusing on realistic, age-appropriate ideas (no fad diets).

4. 25–35 min · Guided planning (60-sec checks). Teacher introduces the task: students will create a simple exercise plan for one week and link each day to a corresponding meal-plan choice from the unit’s meal plan template (already created in earlier lessons). Students complete a draft:

• 5–7 activity blocks (varied intensity: light/moderate; include at least one active break)
• a note on sedentary reduction (e.g., replacing screen time with movement)
• a note on how the day’s activity might influence food choices (e.g., hydration; a sensible snack; balanced meal timing)

5. 35–48 min · Independent work (create final plan). Students finalise a weekly “Move + Eat” plan: each day includes one physical activity idea and one meal/snack connection. Teacher provides sentence starters:

• “Because I’m active on ___, I will choose ___ to support…”
• “After harder activity, I need to…”
• “To meet movement recommendations, I will…”

6. 48–55 min · Quick justification gallery (30-second share). Students rotate through two peers’ plans, leaving one “Glow” comment (what’s strong) and one “Grow” question (what might improve). Teacher uses a checklist to monitor alignment to the learning intentions.

7. 55–60 min · Exit ticket (individual). Students write two ways exercise influences food choices, using at least one specific example (e.g., hydration, pre-activity snack, recovery meal).

Resources

• “What’s on My Plate?” weekly meal plan template (completed from prior lessons)
• “Move + Eat” weekly planning sheet (teacher-provided printable)
• Activity cards (light/moderate options: walk, sport, cycling, dance, skipping, yoga/stretch breaks)
• Timer for rotation and planning checks
• Pens/pencils, student workbook
• Wall prompts: “Health & wellbeing links” and “Food choice factors”

Assessment

• Formative: observe group matching and reasoning during ‘We Do’ (teacher checklist: accurate links, realistic choices)
• Formative: review weekly draft for variety, sensible pacing, and a clear connection between activity and food choices
• Summative (exit ticket): two clearly stated ways exercise influences food choices with at least one example

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters and a word bank (health, energy, hydration, recovery, mood, fuel) and example “day models” (e.g., sport day vs rest day)
• Support: allow students to choose from activity cards rather than writing new activities from scratch
• Extension: for students ready to add detail, ask them to include one “sedentary swap” (e.g., replace 30 minutes of scrolling with a walk) and justify why it helps
• EAL/SEN: use visuals for intensity (light/moderate/hard) and allow oral planning notes before writing the final plan