Chapter 4 Parent Letter and Activities

Chapter 4: Physical Activity for Life

Dear Parent or Guardian,

The connection between physical activity and health is the current focus of your teen’s
health class. As society has become increasingly reliant on technology, the amount of physical
activity has diminished. According to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, nearly half
of American youth aged 12–21 are not physically active on a regular basis. In fact, only 19
percent exercise on a regular basis, while 14 percent report no regular physical activity. In
class, we will focus on the importance of regular physical activity.

Your teen will explore the following topics in this chapter:

Physical Activity and Health.

Fitness.

Planning a Personal Activity Program.

Training and Safety for Physical Activities.

Physical Activity Injuries.

Your participation in your teen’s health education is important. To support our classroom work, please discuss at least one of the following activities with your teen: Discuss the value of fitness. Ask your teen to examine his or her daily routine in regard to time spent being sedentary and time spent being active. Help him or her chart time spent in physical activity during a one-week period. Encourage your teen to adopt choices to create a more active lifestyle. Ask your teen to describe the elements of fitness and explain how each area can be improved. Assist your teen in developing a weekly fitness plan with these fitness elements in mind. Discuss activities or sports that you could participate in together, as a family.

Please plan other activities you think will help your teen understand and practice the concepts presented in this chapter. Thank you for supporting our classroom work. Feel free to contact me if you wish to discuss your teen’s health education.

Sincerely,

Health Teacher