Nutrition Voyage — The Quest To Be Our Best: Grade 8 http://teamnutrition.usda.gov

U.S. Department of Agriculture • Food and Nutrition Service • July 2012 • FNS-439-A • USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

TREK 1 Grade 8

Finding Fitness!

NUTRITION

THE QUEST TO BE OUR BEST

VOYAGE

Supplies: 

Notebooks, pens, pencils, laptops or computers 

(optional), Student Printable: Keep On Trekking: 

An Hour a Day!, graph paper or spreadsheet 

software.

Standards:*

Students will...

Science

•	Understand that energy is a property of many

substances and is transferred in many ways.

(National Academy of Sciences, Content

Standard B)

•	Understand that cells require nutrients, which

they use to provide energy for the work that

cells do and to make the materials that a cell 

or an organism needs. (National Academy of

Sciences, Content Standard C)

English Language Arts

•	 Conduct short research projects to answer a

question (including a self-generated question),

drawing on several sources and generating

additional related, focused questions that allow

for multiple avenues of exploration. (8.W.7)

*Sources: Science education standards: National Academy of 

Sciences, Math and English Language Arts education standards: 

Common Core.

Time Required: 

Three 40-minute sessions

Sample timing:

First Session – Investigate

Second Session – Challenge: Make a Plan

Third Session – Evaluate and Reflect

Questions for This Trek

1.	 What’s my current level of

physical activity?

2.	 Why does being physically

active matter?

3.	 How much physical activity do

I need, and what “counts” as 

physical activity?

4.	 How can I fit more physical activity

into my daily life?

Subject Focus: Science 

Lesson Overview:

Staying active and finding physical activity that one enjoys are

skills that last a lifetime. In this lesson, students will learn that 

there are many fun ways to be physically active — team sports

are not the only option. They will come to understand the

physical activity guidelines for their age group, analyze their own

physical activity levels, and take part in a challenge to increase

their minutes spent being physically active.

By the end of the lesson, students will better understand the

importance of physical activity and identify fun ways to get

moving.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to...

•	 Explain that incorporating daily moderate or vigorous physical

activity into one’s life does not require a structured exercise

plan or special exercise equipment.

•	Describe the recommended amounts and types of moderate

and vigorous physical activity for adolescents.

•	 Identify ways to increase daily physical activity.

1 of 3
Nutrition Voyage — The Quest To Be Our Best: Grade 8 http://teamnutrition.usda.gov

U.S. Department of Agriculture • Food and Nutrition Service • July 2012 • FNS-439-A • USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Instructional Steps

1 Investigate

1. What’s my current level of physical activity?

	 Tell students they are about to embark on a challenge.

To begin, they will use their notebooks to record how

many minutes they spend being physically active for 3

consecutive days. At least 1 day should be a weekend

day. Students should estimate the number of minutes

they spend being physically active throughout the

day, such as by climbing the stairs, walking, running,

dancing, skateboarding, and playing basketball. Even

short 5- to 10-minute periods of physical activity count.

	 For example: Monday: Walked the dog (10 minutes), 

played soccer (45 minutes), did sit-ups (5 minutes), 

danced to music (5 minutes).

2. Why does being physically active matter? 

	 Have students bring their notebooks to class. Ask:

What do they think was the purpose of their research?

Why does being physically active matter? How does

physical activity help us to do what we love to do,

but do it better? Discuss the many health benefits of

physical activity for the mind and body. For example,

physical activity can make you stronger; make you feel

like you have more energy; and help maintain a healthy

heart, bones, muscles, and joints. Being physically

active can also help you improve attention and learning,

as well as help you to reduce stress and relax. Invite

students to share examples of times when physical

activity made them feel better. How did they feel better?

	 Finally, physical activity is important for maintaining

a healthy weight. Discuss some of the health

consequences of obesity, such as heart disease, Type 2

diabetes, and increased risk of a variety of cancers.

Challenge: Make a Plan 

3. Introduce the Student Printable: Keep On Trekking: 

An Hour a Day! This printable introduces the third 

question for this Trek. Help students use their notebooks

to complete the Day 1 column on the printable. How 

many minutes did they spend doing low-, moderate-, and

vigorous-intensity activities? How close did they come to

meeting the recommendation that kids and teens ages 

6 to 17 get 60 minutes or more of physical activity a day,

the majority of which is moderate to vigorous? Learn

more about exercise by selecting “Physical Activity” at

http://www.choosemyplate.gov.

4. Brainstorm ways to “step up” fitness. Divide students

into four groups—before school, during school, after 

school, and weekends. Invite groups to brainstorm

ways to incorporate more physical activity into their

categories, focusing on moderate- to vigorous-intensity

activities. (See the Student Printable for the descriptions

of vigorous versus moderate activity.) For example, the

“during school” group might suggest walking around the 

track or athletic field during lunch. 

	 Remind students to be creative in using the facilities

and equipment available in unique ways. For example,

students might design an obstacle course or choreograph 

a dance routine to a favorite song. Have the groups make

posters or write blog posts that will inspire peers at their 

school to “move more.”

	 Ask students to think about their personal physical activity

goals. Have them write down any ideas or new activities

to try, to help them meet their goals on the student

printable.

•	Check in midweek. Are students on their way to meeting their goals? Create a master

spreadsheet using graph paper or spreadsheet software in order to analyze the results.

•	Invite the before-school, during-school, after-school, and weekend teams to 

regroup and brainstorm additional strategies for their categories. Students can discuss 

what has and hasn’t been working for them and share their ideas with the class.

Challenge Check-In

Continue

2

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Nutrition Voyage — The Quest To Be Our Best: Grade 8 http://teamnutrition.usda.gov

U.S. Department of Agriculture • Food and Nutrition Service • July 2012 • FNS-439-A • USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

5. Challenge another class! Challenge another class!

Have students challenge another class to see which

group can spend the most time being physically active

over the course of 1 week, at a moderate-to-vigorous

level. If everyone in the class met the 60-minute-perday recommendation, how many minutes would that

be? Set that as a benchmark and ask students to

write this as the “class goal” on the printable. Have

students use the activity log on the printable to record

their time spent being physically active, as well as the

level of intensity for each physical activity. 

	 Find a list of physical activity options to use as

a guide at: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

physical-activity.html.

7. Celebrate! Award prizes for each category, such

as planning a mini field day or talent show through

which students can demonstrate their favorite

physical activities. Invite the winning class on a walk

with the principal or teachers.

Evaluate 3

6. Tally. At the end of the competition timeframe, have

students calculate the total number of minutes spent 

being physically active. Which class spent the most

time doing all types of physical activity? Which class

spent the most time doing moderate and vigorous

activities?

4 Ref lect

8. Journal accomplishments. Invite students to

reflect on their own level of activity in their notebooks.

Did they meet their personal goals? How did getting

more physical activity make them feel? Are they

inspired to keep going? Why or why not?

9. Have a class discussion in which students 

share their reflections, challenges, and any further

questions they would like to explore.

End of Trek

Extension Ideas

•	Sponsor a school-wide Field Day to try different exercises and activities

together as a school.

•	Direct students to create a physical activity or dance video that other

students can use for personal physical activity. Include modifications for

students with different abilities. 

• Identify existing physical activity options at school, gather suggestions from

peers, then brainstorm new activity ideas to be included at physical activity

breaks, or before or after school.

• Collaborate with the physical education teacher to learn what equipment is

available for school-wide use outside of physical education class.

TREK1Grade 8 Finding Fitness! / 3 of 3
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7

Sub-Total: Moderate + Vigorous Activity

Plus: Low-intensity Activity

Total: Daily Physical Activity

minutes

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Keep On Trekking: TREK1Grade 8 An Hour a Day!

Getting up and moving doesn’t happen only when

playing sports! Track your trekking by writing down

what you do each day and for how long. Count any

length of time you are not lying down or seated

(unless you’re on a bike – then that counts, too!).

Is it Moderate ... or Is it Vigorous?

During moderate activity, you can talk, but you can’t sing.

	 During vigorous activity, you can only say a few words without stopping to catch your breath.

Physical Activity Log

Did you know? 

Playing soccer, taking your

dog for a walk, dancing to the 

radio—it all counts as physical

activity and helps keep your

mind and body healthy.

Ideas for meeting my goals/new physical activities to try:

minutes minutes

minutes

minutes

minutes

minutes

minutes

minutes

minutes

minutes

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minutes

minutes

The goal is to be up and moving at least 60 minutes a day, 

the majority of which is of “moderate to vigorous” intensity.

 Class goal: total minutes 

(60 minutes x # of students) 

Moderate intensity

(for example: bicycling on a flat 

surface, skateboarding, dancing, 

walking to school)

Vigorous intensity

(for example: running, bicycling 

uphill, playing basketball, swimming 

laps, karate, hockey, jumping rope)

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NUTRITION

THE QUEST TO BE OUR BEST

VOYAGE

Low intensity 

(for example: light stretching, 

folding clothes, washing dishes, 

getting ready for school)