The following inquiry questions are based on information from Healthy Active Living Education, Grade
9, Open (PPL1O)
SKILL PORTFOLIOS
Inquiry Question: How can a “Skills Portfolio” be used to demonstrate learning regarding the following
overall expectation: Physical Activity: “demonstrate personal competence in applying movement skills
and principles”?
Con: It might be too time consuming to create and so highly individualized that it might be perceived as
too difficult to maintain.
Pro: Students would work harder if they knew that a special portfolio was dedicated to the acquisition
of skills.
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Specific expectations addressing the Physical Activity: “Movement Skills and Principles” could be
assessed through the development of a skills portfolio. The skills portfolio could include a selfassessment checklist as students reflect on how well they have used and combined “movement skills in
a variety of physical activities” such as applying “locomotion/travelling, manipulation, and stability skills
to a specific activity.” The skills portfolio could also contain a peer-assessment rubric that demonstrates
the student understands of the “importance of movement principles in performing isolated or combined
movement skills” such as “manipulation, loco-motion, and stability.” The results of anecdotal comments
by the teacher on an exit card could assess the student’s ability to “identify appropriate movement
principles” such as the ability to explain that “the production of maximum velocity requires the use of
joints from largest to smallest.” The same method would be used to assess “learning and refining
movement skills,” such as that required in “an overhead clear in badminton.”
Students could also include a weekly reflection journal that tracks their perceptions regarding how well
their skills improvement over the term.
UNIT PORTFOLIOS
Inquiry Question: How can a unit portfolio be used to assess the overall expectation Physical Activity:
“demonstrate knowledge of guidelines and strategies that enhance participation in recreation and sport
activities?”
Pro: Having students self-manage their unit portfolio will teach them to be more accountable for their
work and instil a sense of pride.
Con: Assessing a unit portfolio might be more time consuming than other forms of assessment
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Specific expectations addressing the Physical Activity: “Sport and Recreation” could be assessed through
the development of a unit portfolio. The portfolio could include a sports “manual” that students have
created that demonstrate their understanding of “specific rules and guidelines for participation in
recreation and sport including team, group, dual, and individual activities” such as the, “the scoring rules
in rugby” and “ etiquette such as allowing faster participants to pass on a cross-country ski trail.” The
unit portfolio could also include brochures students have created that “identify the requirements,
including basic equipment standards, preparation and specific safety issues that maximize performance
and participation in recreation and sport activities.” The unit portfolio could also include the results of a
multiple choice teacher-created test that assessed how well students can “explain appropriate
strategies or tactics that enhance performance in specific situations and conditions” such as “passing
versus dribbling a basketball against a defender” or “shifting gears in cycling to adjust to changing
conditions.” Students could work in groups and create a multi-media presentation on a specific career
opportunity related to sport and recreation. Rubrics that assessed group participation and group
presentation could be added to the unit portfolio.
Collection Portfolio
Inquiry Question: How can a Collection Portfolio be used to assess students’ knowledge of “Substance
Use and Abuse”
Pro: If each student becomes an “expert” in one area and share this information with classmates, it will
be easier for the teacher to meet the expectations in this area. It will also develop the students’ research
and presentation skills
Con: Student might not gain as much general overall knowledge if their collection portfolio is limited to
one specific area.
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The teacher will create a set of 25 specific inquiry questions related to the following expectations:
* identify facts and myths related to the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (e.g.,
cannabis);
* explain the effects of the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs;
* identify the major factors (e.g., environmental influences such as peer pressure, media influences,
adolescent attitudes) that contribute to the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs;
* identify the school and community resources involved in education, prevention, and treatment with
respect to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs;
* demonstrate and use both decision-making and assertion skills with respect to media influences and
peer pressure related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
Students will research and collect information on their topic. They will produce a graphically-displayed
showcase of text, visuals and audio. Portfolios will be displayed around the perimeter of the room and a
Gallery Walk will be conducted. The portfolio will contain a student reflection on how their views on
their topic may have changed over the duration of this assignment.
PROFESSIONAL/CAREER PORTFOLIO
How can students develop a professional/career portfolio to help them obtain a Cooperative
Education placement in a Fitness Centre and eventually get them a part-time paid position?
Pro: Allowing students to determine what should be included in this portfolio will develop their critical
thinking skills and help them take ownership for their own learning. It will also teach them that they
have to provide “evidence” of competence in order to be admitted into their chosen career. If they
created this portfolio in grades 9 & 10, the cooperative education teacher probably would be impressed
and accept them into the program in grade 11.
Con: Students who are athletic but have a learning disability may have a difficult time organizing their
portfolio. Therefore, they will require more teacher direction.
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The professional/career portfolio should contain photographs of the student participating in the wide
variety of sports. It should also contain a statement of reflection regarding the student’s interest and
direction in physical fitness. Students will include “self-designed or computerized programs” that reflect
how they have monitored “personal plans for daily, health-related fitness activities” that “reflect their
personal fitness goals.” They should include evidence that they have participated “in personal healthrelated fitness programs and have maintained or improved personal fitness levels by participating in
vigorous physical activities for sustained periods of time.” This could include documented evidence form
a fitness centre or a personal log. Students could include a Multimedia program such as Hyperstudio to
record evidence that they monitor their exercise intensity. For example the “cards” on Hyperstudio
could should evidence of student “using a manual or computerized heart-rate monitor, breath sound
check, talk test” etc. They could also create a multi media presentation describing “the benefits of each
health-related fitness component and its relationship to active living.” This could include the
“relationship of cardiovascular fitness to increased stamina and lower risk of heart disease and the
relationship of healthy eating to improved well-being.”
A resume should also be included in this portfolio.
COMPREHENSIVE PORTFOLIO
How can teachers promote self-assessment skills in Health & Physical Education through the
development of comprehensive portfolios?
Pro: The comprehensive portfolio is an excellent tool to improve assessment and motivate students’
involvement in their own learning. This portfolio can be used as a tool in student self-reflection, critical
thinking, and a good way to assess content knowledge as well as skills.
Con: This will likely be part of a homework assignment and the teacher will have to create checkpoints
to make sure it is completed. The teacher must also develop clear expectations in order to make this
portfolio meaningful.
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Students will use self-reflection logs at the end of each of the four strands: physical activity, active
living, healthy living, and living skills. In the Physical Activity strand, students will reflect on their
progress regarding their “personal locomotor, manipulation, and stability skills.” This will help the
teacher assess if students have learned “ how to participate in a wide variety of activities, while
developing the personal movement proficiency necessary to enjoy life fully.” For the Active Living
strand, students will reflect on their knowledge and skills related to “active participation, physical
fitness, and safety.” This will help the teacher assess how well students have demonstrated “ the
knowledge and skills related to lifelong participation in a variety of sport and recreation activities.”
In the Healthy Living strand, students will reflect on the knowledge and skills they have obtained in
their ability to “make informed decisions related to healthy growth and sexuality, mental health, and
personal safety and injury prevention. “ Their reflection logs will help the teacher assess their
knowledge in topics like "healthy growth and sexuality", "substance use and abuse", "personal safety
and injury prevention", and "healthy eating". In the Living skills strand, students will reflect on how well
they have developed a positive "sense of self", as well as their effectiveness in decision-making, conflict
resolution, communication, and interpersonal skills. In their personal logs students will be able to
demonstrate that even though they are at an age where “testing and risk taking” may be the norm, they
have the “knowledge and skills to make healthy, safe, and wise choices” and can even relate personal
examples to prove this.