Frequently Asked Questions

1.  How is TAKE 10!® different from physical education class or recess?      One goal of TAKE 10! is to reduce long periods of inactivity in the elementary classroom. Physical education is designed to promote motor skills in sustained sessions of movement, whereas recess promotes unstructured or free play. TAKE 10! is different because it integrates grade-specific academic learning objectives with short periods of structured physical activity in the K-5 classroom.

2.  Why do children need more physical activity?                                        There are two primary reasons: 1) Obesity rates and sedentary behavior among children and adolescents have increased in the past 20 years. Approximately 1 in 4 children are overweight or obese. Obese children are more likely to become obese adults and, as a result, are at increased risk of developing serious diseases including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers. 2) To maximize brain development and learning potential, children must learn how their body moves and understand the importance of physical activity and energy balance. Participation in TAKE 10! helps children achieve this goal through its activities and health content.

3.  How will students benefit from the TAKE 10! program?
In addition to getting much needed physical activity and having fun while learning, students have the opportunity to experience academic lessons in ways that appeal to different learning styles.

4.  How will teachers benefit from the TAKE 10! program?
TAKE 10! teachers will be more physically active, will realize improved stress management through participation, and can enhance concentration and time on task among students, all of which help to maintain a positive learning environment.

5.  How often should TAKE 10! be implemented?
The physical activity recommendation for all children is 60 minutes of daily physical activity. TAKE 10! research suggests that 15 minutes per day (75 minutes per week)  or about two events per day  can help realize BMI-for-age percentile maintenance and improved academic performance among students.¹ By implementing TAKE 10!, both teachers and students can attain the recommended daily amount of exercise and develop healthy lifestyles.

6.  How much preparation time does this program require of teachers?
Little preparation is required by teachers to integrate the activities with their lesson plans. Identifying the specific learning objective is easy because each TAKE 10! activity card and worksheet is marked with the primary and/or secondary academic topic. 

7.  Other than implementing the program, what other tasks will be asked of the teacher?
All participating classrooms receive tracking posters in their TAKE 10! kit.  The posters are mounted in the classroom and  activities are tracked by placing a sticker on the poster . If a program is grant funded, teachers may be asked to complete the TAKE 10! student knowledge mastery questionnaires and teacher program implementation evaluation questionnaire included in each kit.

8.  Can the teachers make changes in the lessons to meet other objectives?
Absolutely! Using the lesson template in each kit, teachers are encouraged to create their own TAKE 10! lessons that reinforce daily learning objectives and explore new ways to creatively incorporate physical activity into the school day.

9.  How are the TAKE 10! materials packaged?
The materials are grade specific and come with a sturdy 3-ring binder; thus, there is a kit for each grade level (K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th).

Reference

1. Donnelly JE, Greene JL, Gibson CA, et al.  Physical Activity Across the Curriculum (PAAC): a randomized controlled trial to promote physical activity and diminish overweight and obesity in elementary school children. Prev Med. 2009;49(4):336-341.