Personal Fitness Focus

Overview

In this lesson, students explore the components of fitness and use them to design a personal fitness plan that improves safety, health and lifelong physical activity. Students then create a visual poster/infographic of their plan using Canva, demonstrating understanding through clear goals, safe routines and justification.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• identify and explain components of fitness and how they relate to health and performance
• design a personal fitness plan using safe training principles (intensity, frequency, progression)
• justify their chosen fitness goals and strategies for improved wellbeing and participation
• create a Canva poster/infographic that clearly presents their fitness plan to an audience

Success criteria

Students can:

• name at least 3 components of fitness and link each to a training activity in their plan
• set SMART-style goals and match them to suitable training frequency and intensity
• include at least 2 safety risk controls (warm-up, cool-down, hydration, equipment/space checks)
• produce a Canva visual that is readable, well-structured and accurately reflects their plan

Curriculum links

• PH5-SHP-01: Students design, implement and evaluate a plan to enhance safety, health and participation in lifelong physical activity
• PH5-IPS-01: Students evaluate the effectiveness and suitability of health information, products and support services for improved safety and wellbeing
• PH5-MSS-02: Students select, implement and justify strategies and actions to solve movement challenges (translating fitness concepts into appropriate training actions)
• PH5-SHW-01 (supporting): Students analyse how contextual factors and attitudes influence health and safety behaviours

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Welcome and aim check. Teacher states the lesson focus (components of fitness + personal fitness plan) and shares the success criteria. Students listen and note one question they have about fitness planning.

2. 5–15 min · Direct teach: components of fitness. Teacher leads a brief explanation of common components (aerobic/endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility/range of motion, speed/power as appropriate) and how each can be trained safely. Students complete a quick “match” task: component → example activity (done in pairs, teacher circulates).

3. 15–25 min · Guided planning: safe, sensible training. Teacher models how to turn components into a plan using safe principles: warm-up/cool-down, appropriate intensity, frequency, progression, and listening to the body. Students use a worksheet template to draft: 1 goal, 3 components to target, and a basic weekly routine (e.g., 3 sessions/week plus one mobility component).

4. 25–33 min · Canva introduction (teacher-led). Teacher demonstrates Canva basics on screen: creating a design, choosing a poster/infographic template, adding text, using icons/images, basic alignment, and saving/sharing. Students follow along on their devices and create a blank poster sized for readability.

5. 33–48 min · Canva build: poster/infographic creation. Teacher provides a simple layout structure: Title, My goals, Components of fitness, My weekly plan, Safety & risk controls, Why it suits me. Students build their Canva poster, using their worksheet content and adding at least 1 visual cue per section (icons, simple diagrams, or formatted headings).

6. 48–55 min · Peer check: clarity + justification. Teacher runs a short “gallery walk” in which students use a checklist to review another group’s Canva: is it clear, safe, includes components, and provides justification? Students give one “glow” and one “grow” comment.

7. 55–60 min · Exit ticket + collection. Teacher collects posters (or a screenshot link) and asks an exit question. Students submit: “Which component is easiest for you to improve and what is one safety control you will use next time?”

Resources

• Student Canva-ready devices (logged into Canva with school accounts)
• Projector or screen for teacher demonstration
• Printed fitness plan worksheet template (1 per student)
• Canva poster/infographic template options (teacher-curated)
• Timer for structured work blocks
• Checklist for peer review (clarity, components, safety, justification)
• Pens, highlighters, and scrap paper for quick drafting
• Optional: simple component cards for the match activity

Assessment

• Formative: teacher observes pair “match” task for correct component understanding and common misconceptions
• Formative: worksheet draft checked during guided planning (goals, components, frequency/intensity, safety controls)
• Summative (lesson product): Canva poster/infographic assessed using the checklist (components included, plan is safe, justification is present, and design is readable)
• Exit ticket to confirm each student’s link between at least one component and a safety control

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters for justification (e.g., “I chose endurance because…” “To train safely, I will…”); offer a reduced template with pre-set sections in Canva
• Support: allow students to choose from a limited list of training actions for each component (e.g., brisk walking, cycling, bodyweight strength, mobility routine)
• Extension: students add a brief evaluation line (“How will I know it is working?”) and an optional progression idea (e.g., increase time or reps gradually)
• EAL/SEN: use icon prompts, simplified language in the checklist, and allow audio explanations during peer check if permitted by school policy