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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3058 FILED ON: 1/18/2013 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 389
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts _________________ PRESENTED BY: Gloria L. Fox _______________ To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying: An Act for mandatory physical education for all students grades K-12 . _______________ PETITION OF:
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3058 FILED ON: 1/18/2013 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 389
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
An Act for mandatory physical education for all students grades K-12 . Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: Mandatory Physical Education for All Students grades K-12 Urging schools to provide mandatory instruction on healthy lifestyle choices including physical Education Programs during the regular school hours. In December of 2001 the US Surgeon General called for every child in grades K-12 to receive a minimum of 30 minutes physical activity daily. The American Heart Association recommend that all children ages 5 and older should participate in 30 minutes of enjoyable, moderate intensive activities every day and should perform 30 minutes of vigorous physical activities at least three to four days a week to achieve and maintain a good level of cardio- respiratory (heart and lung) fitness. In February 2010; the First Lady initiated the “Let’s Move” campaign to combat the epidemic of childhood obesity through a comprehensive approach that builds on effective strategies, and mobilizes public and private sector resources. Let’s Move will engage every sector impacting the health of children to achieve the national goal, and will provide schools, families and communities simple tools to help kids be more active, eat better, and get healthy. Increasing Physical Activity; Children need 60 minutes of active play each day. Yet, the average American child spends more than 7.5 hours a day watching TV and movies, using cell phones and computers, and playing video games, and only a third of high school students get the recommended levels of physical activity. Many children consume as many as half of their daily calories at school. As families work to ensure that kids eat right and have active play at home, we also need to ensure our kids have access to healthy meals in their schools. With more than 31 million children participating in the National School Lunch Program and more than 11 million participating in the National School Breakfast Program, good nutrition at school is more important than ever. Together with the private sector and the non-profit community, we will take the following steps to get healthier food in our nation’s schools: Physical activity/ healthy lifestyle should be mandatory within all schools (public, private, parochial, charter and alternative) within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Incorporated in age appropriate and culturally sensitive instruction that helps students develop the knowledge, attitudes, skill and behaviors to adapt, maintain and enjoy lifestyle habits relating to eating habits and a physically active lifestyle. This healthy lifestyle curriculum should be available to all children K-12 with no cost to the parents. Elementary School Physical Education, Kindergarten. (1) In Physical Education, students acquire the knowledge and skills for movement that provide the foundation for enjoyment, continued social development through physical activity, and access to a physically-active lifestyle. The student exhibit a physically-active lifestyle and understand the relationship between physical activity and health throughout the lifespan. (2) In Grades K-2, children learn fundamental movement skills and begin to understand how the muscles, bones, heart, and lungs function in relation to physical activity. Students begin to develop a vocabulary for movement and apply concepts dealing with space and body awareness. Students are engaged in activities that develop basic levels of strength, endurance, and flexibility. In addition, students learn to work safely in group and individual movement settings. A major objective is to present activities that complement their natural inclination to view physical activity as challenging and enjoyable. (3) The focus for kindergarten students is on learning basic body control while moving in a variety of settings. Students become aware of strength, endurance and flexibility in different parts of their bodies and begin to learn ways to increase health-related fitness. Physical Education, Grade 1. (1) In Physical Education, students acquire the knowledge and skills for movement that provide the foundation for enjoyment, continued social development through physical activity, and access to a physically-active lifestyle. The student exhibits a physically-active lifestyle and understands the relationship between physical activity and health throughout the lifespan. (2) First grade students continue to develop basic body control, fundamental movement skills, and health-related fitness components such as strength, endurance, and flexibility. Students can state key performance cues for basic movement patterns such as throwing and catching. Students continue to learn rules and procedures for simple games and apply safety practices associated with physical activities. Physical Education, Grade 2. (1) In Physical Education, students acquire the knowledge and skills for movement that provide the foundation for enjoyment, continued social development through physical activity, and access to a physically-active lifestyle. The student exhibits a physically-active lifestyle and understands the relationship between physical activity and health throughout the lifespan. (2) Second grade students learn to demonstrate key elements of fundamental movement skills and mature form in locomotive skills. Students learn to describe the function of the heart, lungs, and bones as they relate to movement. Students are introduced to basic concepts of health promotion such as the relationship between a physically-active lifestyle and the health of the heart. Students learn to work in a group and demonstrate the basic elements of socially responsible conflict resolution. Physical Education, Grade 3. (1) In Physical Education, students acquire the knowledge and skills for movement that provide the foundation for enjoyment, continued social development through physical activity, and access to a physically-active lifestyle. The student exhibits a physically-active lifestyle and understands the relationship between physical activity and health throughout the lifespan. (2) In Grades 3-5, students continue to develop strength, endurance, and flexibility. Students can demonstrate mature form in fundamental locomotor and manipulative skills and can often maintain that form while participating in dynamic game situations. Identifying personal fitness goals for themselves and beginning to understand how exercise affects different parts of the body is an important part of the instructional process. (3) In Grade 3, students begin to learn and demonstrate more mature movement forms. Students also learn age-specific skills and the health benefits of physical activity. Students begin to learn game strategies, rules, and etiquette. Physical Education, Grade 4. (1) In Physical Education, students acquire the knowledge and skills for movement that provide the foundation for enjoyment, continued social development through physical activity, and access to a physically-active lifestyle. The student exhibits a physically-active lifestyle and understands the relationship between physical activity and health throughout the lifespan. (2) Fourth grade students learn to identify the components of health-related fitness. Students combine locomotor and manipulative skills in dynamic situations with body control. Students begin to identify sources of health fitness information and continue to learn about appropriate clothing and safety precautions in exercise settings.
Physical Education, Grade 5. (1) In Physical Education, students acquire the knowledge and skills for movement that provide the foundation for enjoyment, continued social development through physical activity, and access to a physically-active lifestyle. The student exhibits a physically-active lifestyle and understands the relationship between physical activity and health throughout the lifespan. (2) Fifth grade students demonstrate competence such as improved accuracy in manipulative skills in dynamic situations. Basic skills such as jumping rope, moving to a beat, and catching and throwing should have been mastered in previous years and can now be used in game-like situations. Students continue to assume responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others. Students can match different types of physical activities to health-related fitness components and explain ways to improve fitness based on the principle of frequency, intensity, and time. Students continue to learn the etiquette of participation and can resolve conflicts during games and sports in acceptable ways. Middle School Physical Education, Grade 6. (1) In Physical Education, students acquire the knowledge and skills for movement that provide the foundation for enjoyment, continued social development through physical activity, and access to a physically-active lifestyle. The student exhibits a physically-active lifestyle and understands the relationship between physical activity and health throughout the life span. (2) In Grades 6-8, students understand in greater detail the function of the body, learn to measure their own performance more accurately, and develop plans for improvement. They learn to use technology such as heart rate monitors to assist in measuring and monitoring their own performance. Identifying the types of activities that provide them with enjoyment and challenge and that will encourage them to be physically active throughout life is reinforced during instruction in these grades Physical Education, Grade 7. (1) In Physical Education, students acquire the knowledge and skills for movement that provide the foundation for enjoyment, continued social development through physical activity, and access to a physically-active lifestyle. The student exhibits a physically-active lifestyle and understands the relationship between physical activity and health throughout the lifespan. (2) Seventh grade students apply similar concepts from one sport or movement setting to another. Students can observe another individual's performance and notice key elements for success. At this grade level, students participate in physical activity both in and out of school while maintaining a healthy level of fitness as their bodies grow and change. Their knowledge of safety and the ability to manage their own behavior is reinforced. Instruction is directed more toward encouraging the incorporation of physical activity into a daily routine and less toward fundamental skill development. Physical Education, Grade 8. (1) In Physical Education, students acquire the knowledge and skills for movement that provide the foundation for enjoyment, continued social development through physical activity, and access to a physically-active lifestyle. The student exhibits a physically-active lifestyle and understands the relationship between physical activity and health throughout the lifespan. (2) In Grade 8, although the acquisition of physical fitness and skill development is important, emphasis is placed more on participation for enjoyment and challenge, both in and out of school. Understanding the need to remain physically active throughout life by participating in enjoyable lifetime activities is the basis for eighth grade instruction. High School Foundations of Personal Fitness (One-Half Credit). (a) General requirements. This course is the recommended prerequisite for all other physical education courses. (1) In Physical Education, students acquire the knowledge and skills for movement that provide the foundation for enjoyment, continued social development through physical activity, and access to a physically-active lifestyle. The student exhibits a physically-active lifestyle and understands the relationship between physical activity and health throughout the lifespan. (2) Foundations of Personal Fitness represents a new approach in physical education and the concept of personal fitness. The basic purpose of this course is to motivate students to strive for lifetime personal fitness with an emphasis on the health-related components of physical fitness. The knowledge and skills taught in this course include teaching students about the process of becoming fit as well as achieving some degree of fitness within the class. The concept of wellness, or striving to reach optimal levels of health, is the corner stone of this course and is exemplified by one of the course objectives-students designing their own personal fitness program. Adventure/Outdoor Education (One-Half Credit). (a) General requirements. The recommended prerequisite for this course is Foundations of Personal Fitness. (1) In Physical Education, students acquire the knowledge and skills for movement that provide the foundation for enjoyment, continued social development through physical activity, and access to a physically-active lifestyle. The student exhibits a physically-active lifestyle and understands the relationship between physical activity and health throughout the lifespan. (2) Students enrolled in adventure outdoor education are expected to develop competency in outdoor education activities that provide opportunities for enjoyment and challenge. Emphasis is placed upon student selection of activities that also promote a respect for the environment and that can be enjoyed for a lifetime. Team Sports (One-Half Credit). (a) General requirements. The recommended prerequisite for this course is Foundations of Personal Fitness. (1) In Physical Education, students acquire the knowledge and skills for movement that provide the foundation for enjoyment, continued social development through physical activity, and access to a physically-active lifestyle. The student exhibits a physically-active lifestyle and understands the relationship between physical activity and health throughout the lifespan. (2) Students enrolled in Team Sports are expected to develop health-related fitness and an appreciation for team work and fair play. Like the other high school physical education courses, Team Sports is less concerned with the acquisition of physical fitness during the course than reinforcing the concept of incorporating physical activity into a lifestyle beyond high school.
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