The Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance

The Canadian Active Living Challenge
The Canadian Active Living Challenge (Challenge) is a practical resource designed to instill a healthy and active lifestyle for children ages six to eighteen. This "hands-on" tool is a must for health education teachers wishing to build knowledge about the benefits and importance of health and active living.

There are four programs, each aimed at a particular age group and emphasizing a certain theme:

• Program One: Ages 6 to 8 (Grades 1 to 3)-- Involvement and Fun in Physical Activity
• Program Two: Ages 9 to 11 (Grades 4 to 6)-- Expanding Physical Activity Opportunities
• Program Three: Ages 12 to 14 (Grades 7 to 9)-- Making Choices and Setting Goals
• Program Four: Ages 15 to 18 (Grades 10 to 13)-- Responsibility, Empowerment and Leadership

Resource Materials
A number of resource materials are available to the teachers and the participants:

Leader's Resource Tool Kit
The Leader's Resource Tool Kit supports teachers in facilitating a developmental learning process for healthy, active living. It includes suggestions for health related session plans, activities and participant projects that can be done in the classroom. The Leader's Tool Kit invites teachers to pick and choose the activities which best relate to the topics being covered.

Participant material
Age-appropriate materials are provided to encourage participants to chart their progress toward achieving an active and healthy lifestyle:

• Program One - Gameboards with stickers;
• Program Two - Passports with stickers;
• Program Three - Active Living Journals;
• Program Four - Active Living Journals.

Orientation video
Two orientation videos are designed to introduce and clearly describe Programs One & Two and Programs Three & Four.

The Components
Each Challenge program has two distinctive components --
"Thinking & Knowing" and "Doing".

"Thinking & Knowing"
The "Thinking & Knowing" component provides group, individual and take-home activities (inviting the involvement of the family and friends). The activities are intended to enhance knowledge about various areas in relation to active living. These "focus areas" are as follows:

• Active Living
• Active Living and Health
• Active Living and Ability
• Active Living and Culture
• Active Living and Environment
• Active Living and Personal Development
• Active Living and Leisure
• Active Living for a Lifetime

Curriculum Integration
A series of icons are used throughout the "Thinking & Knowing" component. These are designed as quick-reference guides to assist the teacher in integrating the Challenge into other curriculum areas.

• Health -- lifestyle management, personal development, nutrition
• Physical education -- active living, intramurals, fair play
• Home economics -- family life, relationships, values
• Environment -- ecology, recycling, natural resources
• Science -- technology, biology
• Career preparation -- job study, work, careers
• Business -- economics, law, consumer education
• Social studies -- equity, history, multiculturalism
• Leadership -- problem solving, decision making, goal setting
• Mathematics -- sequencing, slopes, patterns
• Language arts -- literature, listening, speaking, communications
• Fine arts -- visual arts, theatre, drama, dance, music

"Doing"
The "Doing" component encourages and rewards healthy living and regular physical activity. Participants use their Journal to chart their progress toward an active and healthy lifestyle.

Charting SystemHow it works?

Activity Menu
Challenge participants can choose from a wide variety of activities. An Activity Menu is offered and lists activities in three categories:

"Doing Activities"
15 minutes involvement in physical activity. These activities require active involvement -- preparation and waiting time do not count. Participants keep track of their daily activities -- at home, at school (physical education and intramural activities) in the community -- using the weekly activity record pages.

"Thinking & Knowing Activities"
Completion of a "knowledge building" activity organized by the teacher. The activities can be chosen from the "Thinking & Knowing" section of the Leader's Tool Kit or created by the teacher (e.g., field trip on a related topic, science lesson on the human anatomy, etc.).

"Bonus Activities"
An incentive to encourage participants in attaining weekly goals, involving family members, participating in vigorous activities, etc.

One credit is earned for each of the following:

• 15 minutes involvement in a "Doing Activity"
• Completion of one "Thinking & Knowing Activity"
• Completion of one "Bonus Activity"

Posted by The Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, October 8/96.

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