By

Brooke Hempton,   Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

Play:

The Power Behind the Play

Topics:

Physical Activity Participation,  Success with Funds

“Man, Mrs. Hempton! This is the most I have sweated all year!” This was said by a 4th grader after her second day using the Polar Heart Rate Monitors. Music to my ears! Finally she was moving! With a smile! And excited about it! Thanks to Fuel Up to Play 60, we were able to purchase a class set (30) heart rate monitors and a year subscription to the Polar GoFit Software. After a short introduction to my 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students we began using the monitors daily. Immediately, I saw more effort in everything we did. The students love seeing how long they are able to stay in their target zone and often brag about it. My administrator came in to do an observation. MY LUCKY DAY! She was able to witness, in all the chaos that is elementary PE class, students working with in their target heart rate zone, sweating, smiling, laughing, showing great sportsmanship and being accountable for their own fitness level! It was amazing!

What improvements have you seen at your school?

I have seen a huge increase in overall effort with my students during any type of physical activity. Students have a clear understanding of how hard they are working by looking at their projected heart rate. The software is easy to understand for students and they are now beginning to better understand the effort they must put in to get their 60-minutes of physical activity each day.