It was "Fitness Rocks" that really got the Gateway Middle School students up and moving. "Wow!" one boy said. "I've never sweated so much in a gym class!"
Using a Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grant, Gateway purchased 30 iPods and earphones for students to use in fitness classes.
"Our program, which we subtitled 'Rockin' On Can Keep You Strong,' was a collaborative project between music and physical education," says music teacher Kelly Cornelius. Using the software program Audacity, students synchronized and sequenced a workout program to their own staff-supervised music — Boston to Cindy Lauper, Gorillaz to Hannah Montana.
In the weight room, as the students rotate from barbells to leg presses, rowing machines to ellipticals, one minute at each, the music reflects their workout. Paced by five seconds of classical music (teacher’s choice) for resting, each minute of high-intensity rock gets students through 20-minute workouts.
"When asked to reflect on the project," Cornelius says, "the students say they enjoy it and feel they definitely are improving their physical fitness."
"I thought it worked very well," she adds. "We’re trying to decrease our students’ Body Mass Index (BMI) and increase their physical activities. The iPods helped make their cardiovascular workouts more interesting to them, especially for those who weren’t so active. They were excited about the technology, excited about the music, and so they became excited about their physical education classes as well."
Learn how to encourage kids to exercise daily for good health by reading our Physical Activity pages.
Learn more about Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grants.
This story was originally published in an April 5, 2009, advertising supplement for Highmark Healthy High 5.