CurriculumGrades 6-8Health & Physical Education

Physical activity for health and stress relief

Aligned to SHAPE 5 — SHAPE America National Standards.

What this lesson teaches

Exercise does more than build muscles, it also boosts your mood, improves your sleep, and helps you handle stress. When you move your body, your brain releases chemicals that make you feel better. Using activity as an outlet during the busy, sometimes stressful teen years is a healthy habit worth keeping.

Worked example

After a tough day at school, going for a 15-minute walk or shooting hoops can clear your head and lift your mood, often more than scrolling on your phone would.

Practice questions

  1. Name two mental benefits of being active.
  2. Describe a time activity could lift your mood.
  3. Why might a walk help more than screen time after a hard day?

Watch the lesson

Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.

▶ Watch this lesson

En español

Actividad física para la salud y el manejo del estrés

El ejercicio hace mucho más que fortalecer los músculos: también mejora tu estado de ánimo, te ayuda a dormir mejor y a manejar el estrés. Cuando mueves tu cuerpo, tu cerebro libera sustancias químicas que te hacen sentir mejor. Usar la actividad física como válvula de escape durante los agitados y a veces estresantes años de la adolescencia es un hábito saludable que vale la pena conservar.

Ejemplo: Después de un día difícil en la escuela, salir a caminar 15 minutos o jugar basquetbol puede despejarte y levantarte el ánimo, muchas veces más que estar revisando el celular.

More Physical Education lessons

Specialized skills in lifelong activitiesSHAPE 1Applying strategies, tactics, and movement conceptsSHAPE 2Designing and monitoring a fitness planSHAPE 3Leadership, respect, and personal responsibilitySHAPE 4

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