Grade level: Middle School-High School
Unit Area: Physical Activity
Time: 40 minutes
The Secret Magic Super Pill for Good Health
National Health Education Standards
NHES 7- Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce
health risks
NYS Guidance Document
Functional Knowledge Area: Physical Activity and Nutrition
Skills
Self Management, Intermediate
SM.I.1- Personal Assessment: Bead Box Activity
SM.I.2-Explores attributes of Physically Active person
SM.I 3-Compares and analyzes personal assessment to Healthy Attributes (class discussion, journal)
SM.I.4 Predicts short and long-term benefits and harmful consequences of behaviors based on the personal
assessment
Ready(Objective)
Students will list benefits of maintaining a healthy weight
Students will comprehend the important role that regular exercise plays in weight control
Students will discuss benefits of physically active lifestyle
Set(Preparation)
Materials Needed
1. Secret Magic Super Pill
Obtain a large container that can simulate a prescription bottle. Inside the bottle should be
something that simulates a large “pill” (plastic egg that splits apart works well). Inside the
egg on a slip of paper, in bold letters, write out the word EXERCISE
Create a label for the outside of the bottle. Sample below:
Rx
“Secret Magic Super Pill for Good Health”
Prescription #: 1
Suggested Use: For best results, should be taken for the rest of your life.
As with any produce, please consult your physician before using.
Recommended Dosage: Take a minimum of 3-4 times per week. It should
take at least 30 minutes to administer. (Note: For some people, this is a
hard pill to swallow!!)
Scientifically Proven to: Decrease blood pressure, decrease risk of
cardiovascular disease, aid in digestion, aid in weight control, reduce
risk of obesity, reduce stress, aid in restful sleep, releases natural body
endorphins, reduces risk of osteoporosis, and adds quality years to your
life.
Refills: Unlimited
Caution: Do not mix with alcohol or other drugs, especially anabolic
steroids.
Prescribing Doctor: Irun Daily, M.D
Materials(cont)
2-Bead Box
The Bead Box activity is designed to anonymously survey a class or group. You can survey group
for personal experiences, attitudes, or opinions related to the topic being studied . In this case, it
will involve physical activity.
You need:
a)A small jewelry-sized box with a small hole in the top
b)A larger box about twice the size
c)Thirty beads in each of eight different colors (240 total pieces)
d)Transparency of the "Spread of opinion” statements
(FOR THIS LESSON, THERE IS A Sample BLACKLINE MASTER or Power Point slide of
statements where students anonymously rate their level of Physical Activity)
e)Overhead projector or Power Point slide(LCD)
3- Fact sheet- “Physical Guidelines for Americans”
(www.health.gov/paguidelines/factsheetprof.aspx)
4. Student worksheet- “Physical Activity Brainstorm: How We Spend Our time”
Go (Procedure)
1. Begin the lesson by holding up the large simulated prescription bottle and read the
title:
“Secret Magic Super Pill for Good Health”
Ask students if they have ever heard of this magic pill? Do they really think there is
such a thing? If there really was such a pill, do you think it would be popular? Worth
a lot of money?
2. Read the information on the label. After reading the instructions, ask the class if
they believe that there is really something that can have such a positive effect on
their health.
3. At that point, open the top of the bottle, take out the “pill”, split it open, and
reveal the “secret” – EXERCISE!!!
4. Discuss:
-What are some of the physical, mental, and social benefits of physical activity
that were mentioned on the prescription label?
-What are some other benefits of physical activity/sports?
*Note- at this point, the instructor may choose to use certain information from the
Fact sheet- “Physical Guidelines for Americans”. Option is to run sheet off for all students to
keep in their notebooks for future reference
5 .Bead Box Activity.
At this point, explain to the class that simply KNOWING about the importance of
exercise is not going to do any good unless they actually DO get involved in Physical
Activity. The following activity, called the Bead Box, is used to ANONYMOUSLY
survey a group of people on a particular topic. Today, we are going to use the Bead
Box to assess your level of PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
Processing the Activity
When the box has made its way around the room, have a student open up the
smaller box and read the results to the class. As they do, this should be plotted on the
chalkboard or newsprint (i.e. 4 Red, 6 Black, 3 Orange, 9 Yellow, 1 Green, and 1 Blue).
The total should equal the number of students in the room, including one for the
instructor.
They are not to try to “guess” who put in a certain color bead; that is the whole
point of the activity being anonymous!! One way to assure that it remains anonymous is
for the instructor to put in a “Pass” color bead. This makes it impossible for students to
assume who put in a certain color.
Discussion can focus on questions such as:
Were you surprised by any of the results? Why?
Would the results be different if we surveyed older/younger students? Your parents or
other adults? Certain groups of people (cultures, religions, etc.)
-Discussion: Good Nutrition goes hand- in -hand with Physical Activity
When it comes to good health and feeling and looking your best, stress the importance of a varied
diet, consisting of a wide assortment of foods form each of the areas of the food pyramid.
Discuss importance of each of the nutrients and why our body needs a balance of each of these
important chemicals to stay healthy. Overweight and obesity has become an epidemic in the
United States, affecting adults, teenagers, and children.
5. Illustrate the Healthiest way to lose 5 pounds:
Compute Daily Caloric Needs (a simple online resource is www.active.com/calculators/calories)
Plan a daily menu that reduces your total calories by about 250 calories. Then plan an exercise
routine that burns approximately 250 extra calories per day. This may be as simple as walking
briskly for 1/2 hour.
At the end of the day, you have burned up 500 calories more than you took in. If you did this for
7 days, that would be a total of 3,500 calories which would equal 1 pound. If you did this for
5 weeks, you would lose 5 pounds!
Explain that by making these changes, you do not drastically change your eating habits and are
more likely to keep the weight off. Losing more than 2 pounds per week or going on extremely
low calorie diets (1,200 calories per day or less) is not recommended. Diets that claim that
you will lose 10 pounds in one week are not healthy. The weight lost is also mostly water weight,
not fat, and will come back as soon as you begin eating normally again.
6. Handout: Student Worksheet- “Physical Activity Brainstorm: -How We Spend
Our Time”
Ask students to list 5 activities that they are involved in that would be considered
ACTIVE, and 5 activities that would be considered INACTIVE. When this has been
completed, ask for volunteers to give some examples from each column. Students should
add any items that were not on their lists, so that they entire class has a full master list of
activities on BOTH sides of their worksheet. Complete unfinished sentences. Share ONE
with class in a class “whip.”
Summary
Many Americans are overweight. This puts them at risk for many serious health
problems later in life. The physical Activity and EATING HABITS that you develop now
can help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes,
cardiovascular, and other diseases.
TRANSPARENCY
How would you rate your present
level of physical fitness or physical
activity??
Red- When I get the urge to exercise, I lie
down until it goes away
Black- I exercise occasionally, but overall I
am basically a “couch potato”
Orange-I get moderate exercise 1-2 times per
week
Yellow- I get moderate exercise 3-4 times per
week
Green- I get vigorous exercise 3-4 times per
week
Blue- I get vigorous exercise just about
every day
Pink- Pass
Fact Sheet: Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans At-A-Glance: A Fact Sheet for
Professionals is designed for busy professionals as a quick desk-side reference to the
2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans published by the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services. (www.health.gov/paguidelines/factsheetprof.aspx)
These Guidelines are needed because of the importance of physical activity to the health
of Americans, whose current inactivity puts them at unnecessary risk. The latest
information shows that inactivity among American children, adolescents, and adults
remains relatively high, and little progress has been made in increasing levels of physical
activity among Americans.
Key Guidelines
Substantial health benefits are gained by doing physical activity according to the
Guidelines presented below for different groups.
Children and Adolescents (aged 6–17)

Children and adolescents should do 1 hour (60 minutes) or more of physical
activity every day.

Most of the 1 hour or more a day should be either moderate- or vigorous-intensity
aerobic physical activity.

As part of their daily physical activity, children and adolescents should do
vigorous-intensity activity on at least 3 days per week. They also should do
muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activity on at least 3 days per week.
Adults (aged 18–64)

Adults should do 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, or 1 hour
and 15 minutes (75 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical
activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic
physical activity. Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at least 10
minutes, preferably spread throughout the week.

Additional health benefits are provided by increasing to 5 hours (300 minutes) a
week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, or 2 hours and 30 minutes a
week of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of
both.

Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities that involve all major
muscle groups performed on 2 or more days per week.
Health Benefits of Physical Activity—A Review of the Scientific Evidence
Adults and Older Adults: Strong Evidence

Lower risk of:
o
Early death
o
Heart disease
o
Stroke
o
Type 2 diabetes
o
High blood pressure
o
Adverse blood lipid profile
o
Metabolic syndrome
o
Colon and breast cancers

Prevention of weight gain

Weight loss when combined with diet

Improved cardio respiratory and muscular fitness

Prevention of falls

Reduced depression

Better cognitive function (older adults)
Children and Adolescents: Strong Evidence

Improved cardio respiratory endurance and muscular fitness

Favorable body composition

Improved bone health

Improved cardiovascular and metabolic health biomarkers
Moderate Evidence

Reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression
Student Worksheet
Physical Activity Brainstorm: How We Spend Our Time
Active
Inactive
I learned……………………………………………………...........................
………………………………………………………………………………...
I learned that I…………………………………………………………….....
………………………………………………………………………………...
I was (surprised, happy, discouraged, pleased) that ……………………...
………………………………………………………………………………..
One thing I can do to get more exercise is…………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………..