On February 1st we'll draw one name at random from all entries that we receive prior to midnight, January 31th.
That person will win a kit of 15 AT-82 Pedometers with Steps and 7-Day Memory!
Why 7-Day Memory? Well, if you can’t measure physical activity, you can’t change it. Physical educators striving to change students’ physical activity habits know that, in order to do so, they have to also influence students’ behavior outside of PE class. The best way to measure and change physical activity is to have students wear a pedometer with 7-day memory for a week at a time. See first-hand how active or sedentary they are outside of school time and set goals from there.
How can a physical educator quickly add pedometers equipped with 7-day memory into their current curriculum?
1. To start, have the students check out the pedometers for a week. We suggest bar-coding each pedometer as you would books from the library—it’s a simple loan system that all parents understand. Students know they are responsible for the pedometer while it’s in their possession.
2. Give students (and parents) a weekly Sunday night homework assignment to log their steps on a calendar or online at EveryStepCounts.com. It's easy to make your physical activity program a family affair with pedometers that have 7-day memory. The pedometer take-home project might be such a success that the parents will want to purchase pedometers for their student and family, reinforcing your healthy lifestyle lessons.
3. Set goals to increase step count and eventually graduate to logging MVPA time (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity). Make it fun and motivational for students. A little healthy competition (why not challenge the staff?) is sure to engage them.
