B. Active Living / C. Movement Competence · Active Living and Movement: Fit, Safe and Game SmartKeep It Going: Continuous and Interval Activity for 20 Minutes
B2 A1.2 A1.3About 35 minutes
Learning goals- I can take part in at least 20 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity with a warm-up and cool-down, to the best of my ability.
- I can explain the difference between continuous activity and interval activity.
- I can monitor my effort and heart rate and read heart-rate data.
- I can use coping strategies to keep going when an activity gets tough.
Words to know
continuous activity
Moving at a steady, moderate to vigorous pace without stopping, like a steady jog or bike ride.
interval activity
Taking turns between harder bursts and easier recovery, like 30 seconds fast, 30 seconds easy.
work interval
The harder part of an interval workout.
recovery interval
The easier part, where your heart rate and breathing come down a bit.
sustain
To keep something going for a long time.
hydration
Drinking enough water so your body works well.
Remember from Grade 5
In Grade 5 you planned a 20-minute DPA with a warm-up, a moderate to vigorous main part and a cool-down. You checked how hard you were working with the talk test, your heart rate (count for 15 seconds, × 4) and the 0 to 10 effort scale, and you learned about recovery.
This year you'll learn two ways to build the main part, continuous and interval, and how to keep going when it gets hard.
Two ways to keep moving
Think of a long winter walk on a snowshoe trail: steady, steady, steady. Now think of a game of tag: sprint, stop, dodge, jog, sprint again.
Both keep you active for a long time. They are two different patterns of activity.
Snowshoeing on a forest trail is a good example of continuous activity: a steady pace you can keep up for a long time. AI-generated imageContinuous and interval activity
- Continuous activity: You move at a steady moderate to vigorous pace the whole time. Examples: a steady jog, a bike ride, swimming lengths, cross-country skiing, dancing to a long playlist. Effort stays about the same, maybe 5 to 7.
- Interval activity: You switch between work intervals (harder, effort about 7 to 9) and recovery intervals (easier, effort about 3 to 5). Examples: 30 seconds fast skipping, 30 seconds slow marching, repeated. Many games, like soccer, basketball and tag, are naturally interval activities.
Both can build cardiorespiratory endurance. Continuous activity helps you practise pacing. Intervals let you work harder for short bursts, and many people find them less boring.
| Continuous | Interval |
|---|
| Pattern | Steady pace | Hard bursts, then easy recovery |
| Typical effort | About 5 to 7 the whole time | About 7 to 9 in work, 3 to 5 in recovery |
| Examples | Jogging, biking, swimming lengths, cross-country skiing | Skipping circuits, hill repeats, tag, soccer, basketball |
| Good for | Pacing, steady endurance | Working harder in short bursts, game fitness, variety |
Keep the main part going
In DPA, aim to keep moving for the whole main part. "To the best of your ability" means your best today. Some tricks:
- Start slower than you think. You can speed up later.
- Use a recovery interval instead of stopping completely. Walk instead of sitting down.
- Drink water before, during and after, especially on hot days.
- Dress for the weather: layers in winter, a hat and sunscreen in summer.
- Check in with the talk test or effort scale every few minutes.
When it gets tough: coping strategies
Around the middle of a hard activity, your mind might say, "I want to stop." That's normal. Here are ways athletes cope with that feeling:
- Chunking: "Just one more interval." "Just to the next tree."
- Positive self-talk: "I'm strong. I can do 30 more seconds."
- Focus on your breathing: a steady rhythm, like in for 3 steps, out for 3.
- Music or a partner: they make time pass faster.
- Remember your why: "I want to keep up in soccer."
But know the difference between tough and unsafe. Dizziness, chest pain, feeling sick, or not being able to catch your breath mean stop and tell a grown-up. If you have asthma, follow your asthma plan.
Listen to your body
Effort numbers are personal. If your recovery interval still feels like a 9, make your work interval a little easier. The goal is to keep moving for the whole main part, not to burn out in the first 3 minutes.
Worked exampleLet's build an interval DPA
Plan a 20-minute DPA for a backyard, with intervals in the main part.
- Warm-up (5 min): march, arm circles, side shuffles, easy jog on the spot, building from effort 2 to 4.
- Main part (10 min): 30 seconds work, 30 seconds recovery. Each round is 1 minute, so 10 rounds = 10 minutes. Work moves: fast skipping, high knees, jumping jacks, fast feet, shuttle runs between two shoes 10 metres apart. Recovery: walking or marching.
- Cool-down (5 min): 2 minutes walking slower and slower, then static stretches held about 20 seconds.
- Check the total: 5 + 10 + 5 = 20 minutes.
A 20-minute DPA: 5-minute warm-up, 10 rounds of 30 seconds work / 30 seconds recovery, 5-minute cool-down.
The interval DPA from the example, drawn to scale: 5 + 10 + 5 = 20 minutes. Each minute of the main part is one work burst and one recovery burst.Worked exampleLet's read heart-rate data
Nadia counted her pulse for 15 seconds at different times: end of warm-up 24, after a work interval 40, after a recovery interval 33, end of cool-down 25. Find each heart rate. What does the pattern show?
- Multiply each count by 4: 24 × 4 = 96 bpm; 40 × 4 = 160 bpm; 33 × 4 = 132 bpm; 25 × 4 = 100 bpm.
- From work to recovery, her heart rate dropped 160 − 132 = 28 bpm in 30 seconds. Her heart was recovering.
- Even in recovery (132 bpm), she was still working at a moderate level, so the main part kept her heart rate up the whole time.
- After the cool-down she was back near her warm-up level (100 bpm).
Heart rates: 96, 160, 132, 100 bpm. Her heart rate went up in work, down a bit in recovery, and back down after the cool-down: the interval pattern.
What if...A game of tag is secretly an interval workout: sprint, dodge, stop, giggle, repeat. Nobody has ever said, "Wait, I need to check my heart rate before I tag you!"
Hands-on activityContinuous vs. interval test day
You need: a timer, a skipping rope or a clear path, paper and a pencil, and a water bottle.
- Day 1: Do a 20-minute DPA with a continuous main part (10 minutes of steady jogging, biking or dancing).
- Day 2: Do a 20-minute DPA with an interval main part (10 rounds of 30 seconds work, 30 seconds easy).
- Each day, check your heart rate and effort number at the end of the warm-up, the middle of the main part and the end of the cool-down. Record them in a table.
- Compare: Which pattern felt harder? Which did you enjoy more? Which coping strategy helped you keep going?
Safety: Run or skip on a flat, clear surface. Wear running shoes. Drink water. Stop if you feel dizzy or sick, or have chest pain.
Your turn
1What is the difference between continuous and interval activity?
Continuous: steady pace the whole time. Interval: switching between harder work bursts and easier recovery.
2Is a game of basketball more like continuous or interval activity?
Interval: you sprint, stop, jog and sprint again.
3Is a steady 30-minute bike ride continuous or interval?
4An interval workout is 40 seconds work, 20 seconds recovery. How long is each round? How many rounds fit in 10 minutes?
Each round is 60 seconds (1 minute), so 10 rounds fit in 10 minutes.
5You count 38 beats in 15 seconds after a work interval. What is your heart rate?
6Name two coping strategies for when an activity gets tough.
Any two: chunking, positive self-talk, focusing on breathing rhythm, music, a partner, remembering your reason.
7Name two signs that mean you should stop and tell a grown-up.
Any two: dizziness, chest pain, feeling sick, can't catch your breath, fainting.
More practice: warm-up
1At least how long is DPA each school day?
2What are the easier parts of an interval workout called?
3Should you drink water during activity on a hot day?
Yes. Before, during and after.
4Is effort 8 more likely in a work interval or a recovery interval?
5Which comes after the main part of DPA?
More practice: on your own
1Zoe sprints as hard as she can for the first 2 minutes of a 10-minute continuous jog and then has to stop. What should she change?
She should start slower at a pace she can sustain (effort about 5 to 7), using the talk test to check. She can speed up at the end if she has energy left.
2Plan a 10-minute interval main part using a skipping rope. Show your timing.
Example: 20 seconds skipping, 40 seconds walking, 10 rounds = 10 minutes. Or 30/30 × 10. Look for rounds that add up to 10 minutes and effort that goes up and down.
3Heart rates: after work 156 bpm, after recovery 128 bpm. How much did it drop?
4Why might some people prefer intervals?
They give variety, short breaks make hard work feel manageable, and they feel like games. Many people find them less boring than steady activity.
5Rewrite this negative self-talk into a coping statement: "I'm so tired, I'll never finish."
Example: "I'm tired, but I only have two more intervals. I can do this one, then the next."
Challenge
1A workout has 45 seconds work and 15 seconds recovery. Another has 30 seconds work and 30 seconds recovery. Both last 10 minutes. How many total seconds of work does each have? Which is likely harder?
Each round is 60 seconds, so both have 10 rounds. 45/15: 10 × 45 = 450 seconds of work. 30/30: 10 × 30 = 300 seconds. The 45/15 workout is likely harder: more work and less recovery.
2Juan's 15-second counts during intervals were: 37, 30, 38, 31, 39, 32. Find the heart rates. What pattern do you see?
× 4: 148, 120, 152, 124, 156, 128 bpm. Heart rate goes up in work and down in recovery, and both work and recovery numbers creep up slowly (148, 152, 156 and 120, 124, 128) as he gets more tired.
3Explain why "to the best of your ability" might look different for two students doing the same DPA.
People have different fitness, health, energy and experience. One student's best might be a steady jog; another's might be fast walking, or wheeling at a steady pace. What matters is working at a moderate to vigorous level for you and keeping going.
Quiz
1. Which is an interval activity?
2. Which is a continuous activity?
3. You count 35 beats in 15 seconds. What is your heart rate?
4. What is a good coping strategy in a tough workout?
5. Which is a sign to stop and tell a grown-up?
6. A 10-minute workout uses 30 seconds work and 30 seconds recovery. How many rounds?
Big idea: Grade 6 students take part in at least 20 minutes of sustained moderate to vigorous activity each school day, with a warm-up and cool-down, and monitor their effort. This lesson compares continuous and interval activity and teaches coping strategies for sustaining effort.
How to help at home:
- Try both DPA patterns with your child and compare how they feel.
- Help with timing (a phone timer or interval app works well).
- Model coping talk: "Just to the next lamp post."
Common difficulties:
- Starting too fast. Encourage a slow start and a strong finish.
- Stopping completely in recovery. Walking keeps the activity going.
- Heart-rate arithmetic. × 4 is double, then double again.
Health note: The numbers are for learning, not medical checks. Stop activity and seek advice for chest pain, fainting, unusual shortness of breath or dizziness. Children with asthma or other conditions should follow their care plan. Offer water and dress for the weather.
Social-emotional learning: Coping when activity gets hard builds stress management and coping (A1.2) and perseverance (A1.3).