Building Fitness Levels

Level: Second Level (P5-P7: ages 8-11)

Curriculum Area: Health and Wellbeing – Physical Education
CFE Ref: HWB 2-22a – “I am developing and sustaining my levels of fitness.”
Class Size: 25 students
Duration: 60 minutes

WALT (We Are Learning To)

Understand what fitness means and why it is important
Develop and sustain increased levels of physical fitness through varied activities
Identify how different exercises impact the body and contribute to overall fitness

Success Criteria

I can explain what fitness means and name different types of fitness (cardiovascular, strength, flexibility)
I can participate in warm-up, aerobic, and muscle-strengthening exercises appropriately
I can monitor my own effort using simple indicators (like counting heartbeats or rating perceived exertion)
I can reflect on how physical activity helps my health and wellbeing

Curriculum for Excellence Outcomes & Experiences

HWB 2-22a: I am developing and sustaining my levels of fitness by taking part in different kinds of physical activity that contribute to health and wellbeing.
HWB 2-23a: I can explain why physical activity is important for my health and wellbeing.
SOC 2-16a: I understand the importance of physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle to myself and others.

Resources

Cones for activity zones
Stopwatches or timers
Large heart rate charts or simple rate of perceived exertion (RPE) scales
Music for aerobic exercise (optional)
Fitness tracking sheets (simple templates for recording own heart rate/effort)
Mats or soft areas for stretches and floor exercises

Lesson Outline

1. Introduction & WALT Discussion (10 minutes)

Brief discussion: What is fitness? Why do we need it? (Link to HWB 2-23a)
Introduce WALT and success criteria verbally and on board.
Explain importance of warming up before exercise.

2. Warm-Up (8 minutes)

Dynamic warm-up activities:
- Jogging on spot (2 mins)
- Arm circles and leg swings (2 mins)
- Simple games like ‘Simon Says’ incorporating stretching moves (4 mins)

3. Fitness Circuit Activity (30 minutes)

Set up 5 exercise stations (5 minutes each, including brief rest while moving to next station):
1. Aerobic station: Jumping jacks or star jumps to raise heart rate
2. Strength station: Bodyweight squats or wall push-ups
3. Flexibility station: Basic stretches targeting hamstrings, calves, arms
4. Balance station: One-legged stands or heel-to-toe walking
5. Core station: Plank holds or modified sit-ups
Students rotate through stations in small groups (5 groups of 5 students).
Teacher and assistants monitor technique and effort to ensure safety and engagement.

4. Reflect and Monitor Fitness (7 minutes)

Guide students to measure their effort: counting heartbeats for 15 seconds then multiplying by 4 (for heart rate) or using a simple RPE scale from 1–10.
Students record their perceived effort and heart rate on a fitness tracking sheet.
Discussion: how do different exercises feel? Which are easier? Which are harder?

5. Cool Down and Stretch (5 minutes)

Gentle walking to lower heart rate gradually.
Static stretches focusing on major muscle groups worked during the session.

Differentiation Strategies

Learner Profile	Differentiation Strategy
Physical/Coordination Difficulties	Use simplified versions of exercises (e.g., step out jump jacks, wall squats). Provide extra support and one-to-one encouragement.
Limited Fitness Levels	Reduce time or intensity at stations, allow breaks when needed. Focus on participation and effort rather than performance.
EAL (English as Additional Language)	Use visual aids to demonstrate exercises. Use clear, simple language and model each activity.
Advanced Learners	Increase intensity by adding repetitions or time (e.g., longer plank hold). Include peer-leader roles to encourage and assist others.

Extension Activities (For Advanced Learners)

Design their own fitness station for a future circuit, explaining why their exercises improve fitness.
Track their fitness progress over 2 weeks using the heart rate method and write a short reflective journal on improvements and challenges.
Introduce concepts of target heart rate zones and pulse recovery times to deepen understanding of cardiovascular fitness.

Assessment & Feedback

Formative observation during circuit stations, noting engagement, technique, and self-monitoring skills.
Review completed fitness tracking sheets to assess understanding of effort and self-awareness of fitness levels.
Oral questioning during reflection to clarify learning of fitness concepts aligned with HWB 2-22a.
Encourage peer feedback in groups on enthusiasm and technique to enhance social skills and learning.

Teachers’ Notes

Use positive reinforcement to celebrate effort and improvement over ability.
Encourage students to link fitness activities with daily life – e.g., walking/cycling to school, playing outdoors.
The fitness tracking sheet can be reused weekly to help students observe fitness development across the term — facilitating longitudinal learning.
Be mindful of space constraints – adapt stations to available facilities (indoor gym or outdoor playground).

This lesson plan ensures active engagement, practical fitness development, and reflection aligned to HWB 2-22a, embedding lifelong skills and awareness in pupils’ health and wellbeing journeys.