Grade by Grade
B. Active Living / C. Movement Competence · Active Living and Movement: Fit, Safe and Skilful

Setting and Reaching My Fitness Goals

B2 A1.3 A1.6About 35 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can test myself to find out what I can do now.
  • I can write a just-right fitness goal that says what, how much and when.
  • I can make a plan, track my practice and keep trying when it gets hard.
  • I can check my progress and change my plan if I need to.

Words to know

goal
Something you plan to do or get better at.
fitness goal
A goal about making your body fitter, like being able to skip or jog for longer.
track
To keep a record of what you do, like a chart with a check mark for each practice.
obstacle
Something that gets in the way of your plan.
perseverance
Keeping on trying, even when something is hard.
reflect
To think back on what happened and what you learned.

Remember from Grade 2

In Grade 2 you learned that a clear goal says what you will do, how much, and when. You learned to make goals just right: not too easy, not too hard.

This year you will set a fitness goal, plan for obstacles, track your practice and keep going when it gets tough.

Fitness goals

A fitness goal helps your body get fitter. In the last lesson you learned that your heart and lungs get fitter when you are active often. So many good Grade 3 fitness goals are about keeping going longer:

  • "I will be able to skip rope for 2 minutes without stopping."
  • "I will jog around the park path 4 times before I walk."
  • "I will bike to the library and back with my family without a rest stop."

Other goals can be about being active more often, like "I will play outside for 30 minutes after school 4 days a week."

1 Test2 Set3 Act4 Checkwhat I cando nowwhat, howmuch, whenpractiseand trackreflect,celebrateMy fitness goal plan
Four steps to a fitness goal: 1 Test what you can do now, 2 Set a goal with what, how much and when, 3 Act by practising and tracking, 4 Check by reflecting and celebrating.

The four steps

  1. Test. Find out what you can do now. How long can you skip before you stop? Write it down.
  2. Set. Write a just-right goal: a little more than you can do now. Say what, how much and when.
  3. Act. Make a plan for when you will practise. Track each practice on a chart.
  4. Check. After a few weeks, test again. Did you reach your goal? Reflect: what helped? What got in the way? Then celebrate your effort and set a new goal.

Plan for obstacles

An obstacle is something that gets in the way. Smart goal-setters plan for obstacles before they happen, with an If... then... plan:

  • If it is raining, then I will skip in the basement or garage.
  • If I feel tired after school, then I will practise after a snack.
  • If I forget, then I will put my skipping rope by the door as a reminder.
  • If I feel like giving up, then I will look at my tracker to see how far I've come.

The power of "yet"

When something is hard, add the word yet: "I can't skip for 2 minutes yet."

That little word reminds you that your body and brain are still learning and growing. Keeping on trying is called perseverance. Making mistakes and having slow days are a normal part of reaching any goal.

Just for fun

Riddle: What gets bigger the more you practise?

Your skills... and the number of coloured boxes on your tracker!

Worked example

Let's write a fitness goal

Theo wants to "get better at running". Help him turn it into a clear fitness goal.

  1. Test: Theo jogs slowly around his schoolyard. He can go for 3 minutes before he has to walk.
  2. Set: A just-right goal is a little more: 6 minutes. (10 minutes might be too hard right now. 4 minutes might be too easy.)
  3. What, how much, when: "I will jog without stopping for 6 minutes by the end of the month."
  4. Plan: He will practise 3 days a week after school (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) and add a little time each week.
  5. Track: He colours a box on his chart after each practice and writes how many minutes he jogged.

"I will jog without stopping for 6 minutes by the end of the month. I will practise Monday, Wednesday and Friday after school and track my minutes."

Worked example

Let's check and change a plan

Ella's goal was to skip rope for 2 minutes without stopping, in 3 weeks. Her tracker shows: Week 1: 40 seconds. Week 2: 55 seconds. Week 3: 1 minute 10 seconds. She didn't reach 2 minutes. What should she do?

  1. Look at the data: 40 s → 55 s → 70 s (1 minute 10 seconds is 70 seconds). She is getting better every week.
  2. Reflect: What helped? Practising with music. What got in the way? She missed practices on rainy days.
  3. Change the plan: add an If... then...: "If it rains, then I'll skip in the garage." Give herself 3 more weeks.
  4. Celebrate: she improved by 30 seconds! 70 − 40 = 30.

Ella is making progress, she just isn't there yet. She keeps the goal, fixes the obstacle and gives herself more time.

030609012040 sWeek 155 sWeek 270 sWeek 3goal: 2 minutes = 120 sseconds of skipping
Ella's tracker. Each bar is taller than the one before, so she is improving, even though she hasn't reached the dashed goal line yet.
Hands-on activity

My 3-week fitness goal

You need: paper, a pencil, a timer, and something to practise with (a skipping rope, a path at the park, or space to jog on the spot).

  1. Test: Choose a fitness activity. Time how long you can do it before you need to stop. Write it down.
  2. Set: Write your goal: "I will ______ for ______ by ______."
  3. Plan: Choose 3 practice days each week. Write one If... then... plan for an obstacle.
  4. Track: Draw a chart with 9 boxes (3 weeks × 3 days). After each practice, colour a box and write your time.
  5. Check: At the end, test again. Tell a grown-up: How much did you improve? What helped? What will your next goal be?

Safety: Skip or jog on a flat, clear surface in running shoes, and stop if you feel pain or dizziness.

Your turn

1

What are the four steps to a fitness goal?

2

What three things should a clear goal say?

3

Why should you test yourself before setting a goal?

4

Is "I will be the best runner in the world" a just-right goal? Why or why not?

5

Finish this If... then... plan: "If it is too cold to skip outside, then..."

6

What does perseverance mean?

7

Do it and check: Time how long you can jog on the spot before you need to stop. Write a just-right goal.

More practice: warm-up

1

What do we call something that gets in the way of your plan?

2

Finish the sentence with the power word: "I can't do 50 skips in a row ___."

3

Why do we track our practice?

4

True or false: a fitness goal can be about keeping going for longer.

5

What should you do when you reach your goal?

More practice: on your own

1

Sofia can skip for 1 minute now. Which goal is just right: 1 minute, 2 minutes or 20 minutes? Explain.

2

Make this goal clearer: "I want to bike more."

3

Leo's jog times were 3 min, 4 min, 4 min, 5 min. Is he making progress? How much did he improve from first to last?

4

Write an If... then... plan for the obstacle "I forget to practise."

5

Amir didn't reach his goal in 3 weeks. Name two good things he could do next.

Challenge

1

Make a 3-week practice plan for the goal "I will jog for 8 minutes without stopping." Your test shows you can jog for 5 minutes now. How could you add time each week?

2

Grace set a goal with her family: "We will walk the dog together for 20 minutes, 5 evenings a week." How many minutes is that in a week? Is it a fitness goal?

3

Kofi feels frustrated because his friend can skip longer than he can. What could he say to himself, and what should he compare instead?

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

What is the first step to setting a fitness goal?

2.

Which goal is the clearest?

3.

What is an obstacle?

4.

Why do we use a tracker?

5.

You didn't reach your goal yet. What is the best thing to do?

6.

Mo jogged 4 minutes in week 1 and 7 minutes in week 3. How much did he improve?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Grade 3 students develop and act on personal goals related to physical fitness. We use four simple steps: Test, Set, Act (practise and track), Check (reflect and celebrate), plus "If... then..." plans for obstacles. This builds positive motivation and perseverance, a social-emotional learning skill in the curriculum.

How to help at home:

  • Help your child pick one fitness goal and post the tracker on the fridge.
  • Practise with them when you can; your example matters.
  • Praise effort and progress ("You added 20 seconds!") rather than only the final result.
  • When they say "I can't", add "...yet."

Common difficulties:

  • Goals that are too big. Always test first, then aim a little higher.
  • Losing interest. Choose activities they enjoy (see Lesson 1), add music or a family challenge.
  • Comparing with friends or siblings. Bring the focus back to their own tracker.

Safety: Choose flat, clear spaces, proper footwear and weather-appropriate clothing. Stop if there is pain or dizziness.