Basic 3 · Physical Education · Healthy Diet
Activity and Good Health
In this topic you will describe how moderate to vigorous physical activity keeps us healthy.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- State health benefits of physical activity
- Explain what happens to the body during exercise
- Plan daily activity with healthy eating
What you already know
- Keeping active for longer
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
- Strand
- Physical Fitness
- Sub-strand
- Healthy Diet
- Indicator
- B3.4.1.4.2 – Describe the role of moderate to vigorous physical activity in achieving or maintaining good health
Introduction
When you run, your heart beats faster and you breathe harder. This makes your heart and lungs stronger over time.
1. What Happens During Exercise
- The heart beats faster to pump more blood.
- We breathe faster to take in more air.
- We sweat to cool down.
- Muscles work hard and get stronger.
2. Health Benefits
| Benefit | Explanation |
|---|---|
| strong heart and lungs | they work better |
| healthy weight | the body uses energy from food |
| strong bones and muscles | they grow stronger |
| better sleep | the body rests well |
| less stress | we feel calmer and happier |
| fewer illnesses | the body becomes stronger |
Tip: Eat fruits, vegetables and enough water to support an active body.
New words
- heartbeat
- The beating of the heart.
- sweat
- Water from the skin that cools the body.
- energy
- The power to move and work.
- stress
- A feeling of worry.
Summary
- Exercise makes the heart beat faster and breathing quicker.
- Regular activity keeps the heart, lungs, bones and muscles strong.
- Activity and good food keep us healthy.
Class activity: Pulse Check
- Feel your pulse on your wrist at rest and count it.
- Jog for two minutes.
- Count your pulse again and compare.
You need: Printed photographs of Ghanaian children exercising, Skipping rope, Locally made ball
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. What happens to your heart when you run?
- A. It beats faster
- B. It stops
- C. It beats slower
- D. Nothing
Show answer
Answer: It beats fasterIt pumps more blood.2. Why do we sweat during exercise?
- A. To cool down
- B. To get hungry
- C. To sleep
- D. To stop moving
Show answer
Answer: To cool downSweat cools the body.3. Exercise makes bones stronger.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueBones grow stronger with activity.4. Exercise makes us breathe more slowly at once.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseWe breathe faster during exercise.5. Water from the skin that cools the body is ______.
Show answer
Answer: sweatThat is sweat.6. Give three health benefits of physical activity.
Show answer
Answer: Any three: strong heart, healthy weight, strong bones, better sleep, less stress, fewer illnesses.Activity improves health.
Homework
- Check your pulse before and after skipping at home.