In this edition of Technology and Physical Education I would like to focus on ideas for celebrating PE to show the parents, community, and school board that physical education is a viable part of the development of the whole child. What better time to signal the need for activities that combat the obesity crisis that has been proven to be so prevalent not only in our country, but around the World.

A few years ago , there was a song called "Celebrate," that clamored for the good times to begin. I should like to funnel ways and resources so that this celebration not only opens the ears, but the eyes of the public that we must prevail to save youth from sedentary living that is filled with Playstations, XBoxes, and other gimmicks that keeps them on the couch and off the play areas.

Included in this issue you will find tips and tricks to make the technological process easier to understand, and information inherent to integrate technology with Physical Education. Also, there is vocabulary that is necessary to understand those processes.

Exemplary website with valuable information and educational tools /activities and resources to examine: Year of Sport & Physical Education.

WE ARE P.R. Spread the word and whatever you learn. Pass it along to somebody else!

Please check the Technology archives for the list of vocabulary terms that will guide you through the articles to make them easier to understand.

PEER TO PEER - P2P companies connect users with other users and let them swap files over the Internet.

TOOLBAR - a row of boxes ,often at the top of the application window ,which controls various functions of the software.The boxes contain images that correspond with the function they control.

TASKBAR - a bar at the bottom of the screen that displays open applications, and aids in task switching. It includes the Start button, the main tool on the Windows desktop.

MP3 - a format that uses a sound layer of the video format to compress audio 1/12 its original size while still providing CD quality.

RIP - is the process used in digital music to refer to the act of extracting digital audio data from audio CDs to store or share them with other computer users.

CODEC - is an algorithm used to compress files that would take up an excessive amount of drive space, or would take a long time to transmit over the Internet.

BURN - is the process of writing data or information to a CD/DVD.

WRITING (CD-RW) - a CD format that allows the CD to be erased and reused.

CD-R - a drive that can read and write to CDs, but once recorded it can't be erased or reused.

XP WINDOWS TIPS

	The Start button changes as you add programs to your computer.
	Save your files in "my Documents," photos in "My Pictures" and music in the "My Music" folder.
	The Windows taskbar is a special program that keeps track of all your open programs. Lock the taskbar: right click on a blank part of the taskbar, chose properties. Auto hide the taskbar: drag it down below the bottom of the screen. Clicking in this box makes the taskbar automatically hide itself below the screens bottom. Point the mouse at the screens bottom and the taskbar rises.
	Multimedia - creates and shares digital files with your MP3 player using all the digital video and audio technology. XP will dump files onto a CD for sheer storage. Open up 'My Computer,' right click on the files, chose 'SendTo,' and select your CD drive. Open your writable CD drive in My Computer and chose 'Write these Files to CD.'
	Burning - Insert blank CD into Writable drive. Open Media Player and copy to CD or Device. Click Media Player;s Media Library button. Right click on the desired song and chose Copy to Audio CD. Click Copy Music, the little red button near the upper right corner.

A great way to celebrate physical education is to join the thousands of students and teachers in the Project Aces program developed by Len Saunders the first Wednesday in May of each year. The ACES ( All Children Exercising Simultaneously) has been in existence since 1989. The project has been deemed the World's largest exercise class. The program makes fitness fun for kids, promotes health and nutrition, promotes sport and exercise, and supports physical education.

Each May, on a designated day and time, millions of school children all over the globe will exercise together in a symbolic gesture of fitness and unity to show the world they don't fit into the negative stereotype of being physically unfit.

What can children do during the Project Aces? Have them exercise, jog, bike, dance, or do aerobics. To find more information, a forum on this project, information page, newsletter, free materials and testimonials, visit Project ACES.

MORE CELEBRATION IDEAS

	Announce over the speaker in morning announcements a PE factoid to encourage daily physical education to combat obesity and defeat sedentary living.
	Establish an assembly to bring in past sports stars at the high school and college level, along with available Pro athletes, to encourage a lifetime of fitness and healthy lifestyles.
	Mandate a special day in the school calendar, an event such as a PE field day or Junior Olympics, in which all students participate in some form of exercise or fitness activity.
	Contact the local newspaper to cover any event during the entire school year. Make a Fitness Corner article that the readers can view to discuss exercise, fitness, and nutrition information.
	Contact the art teacher to make posters in class to display throughout the school, that depicts a healthy lifestyle. Make sure to show these pictures during the annual Art Show.
	Meet with the cafeteria staff to establish Nutrition Days to help support a healthy status with good food choices. This can be in the form of posters or special talks with the students.
	Make a slide show depicting all the students in action during PE class to show what really goes on in Physical Education. Or, take digital pics of the rubrics of skills inherent with the curriculum.
	Have students participate in a local parade with signs/activities and PE examples.
	Celebrate PE in Style - Another great way to celebrate physical education is to join the teachers and students during National Physical Education and Sports Week, May 1-7,2006. Each day there will be a different venue to have the students participate in, proclaiming the need for celebrating movement. This exemplary NASPE site comes replete with suggested activities, resources, and certificates. Check it out! Celebrate the 23rd Anniversary of National Physical Fitness and Sports Month.

Operation Fit Kids - Students will gain knowledge regarding ways to feel good in body and mind by learning the importance of being physically active and making healthy food choices. Lots of lesson plans!

Action For Healthy Kids - Addresses the epidemic of overweight, undernourished and sedentary youth in all 50 states to improve children’s nutrition and increase physical activity.

Center for Wellness Without Borders - This site contains lots of resource links to mind and body health and wellness.

Get Active Stay Active - Turn the students on to a healthy lifestyle with electronic fitness journals and participate in the Presidents Challenge.

Health Fitness Tricks - This is a very interesting site. People write in what works for them. Very interesting reading.

TAKE 10!

TAKE 10!® is an innovative teaching tool, for grades K-5, that capitalizes on a child's natural desire to be active. The program, developed and validated by the International Life Sciences Institute Center for Health Promotion (ILSI CHP), is designed to reduce sedentary time in the school day while promoting positive health messages about physical activity and nutrition.

TAKE 10! activities link academic curriculum requirements in math, science, language arts, and social studies with 10-minute periods of physical activity. Teachers love the ease and adaptability of the activity cards and the fact that no additional space or resources are required to 'TAKE 10!'. Students enjoy doing something new while creatively learning and being active.

PR/PE Educational Websites

Advocacy - National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity

Balametrics - Lots of great resources here.

Brain Types - So much information here that you'll just need to browse it all.

Lesson Bank - Teaching ideas and lesson plans.

Technology Links: Here are some sites that may help in the development of homepages, and with technology issues.

Smart Computing, PC World, Avantgo, Component Installation, Free Downloads

Here are some pages that will help with ways to calculate and understand about content to measure exercise and movement.

Calories Burned, caloriesperhour.com, Training Station (animations), Exercise Daily

From TeachNet - It's everyone's favorite time of year! Just a few short weeks of school remain for many, and having a Field Day is a way to pass the time faster and have the kids burn off some extra energy. By request, we have compiled a list of ideas that come from our own T2T mailing list.

Fantastic Field Days! - Lots of field day ideas from PE Central!

Field of Fun in the Classroom - From Hersheys: "One way to promote a sense of community within your school is to plan a field or fun day with the involvement of the entire student body, the staff and parents. This also is a perfect opportunity to demonstrate your appreciation and understanding of the importance of educating the whole child by planning activities that are developmentally appropriate. Observing children in movement activities helps others to see the integration of physical and intellectual challenges that exist as children grow." Tons of good information and ideas here.

From Teach-nology: 8 different themed ideas that are to be found at PE Central.

VCycling: Virtual Reality Indoor Cycling - "It's a new concept for Youth, Seniors & Fitness Centers that affords you the opportunity to stay fit and compete by using virtual reality cycling technology.

Why not make exercise fun for students? Middle school, high school and college students all love technology and competition. VCycling has made consistent exercise a fun way to pass the time. Using interactive technology they can compete with fellow students beside them, or anywhere around the world, as they see and learn about exciting parts of the world." Find out more...