Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) · 6th Year

Active learning ideas

Get Moving: The Power of Exercise

Get this topic started by asking pupils to think about their favourite way to play and move. This lesson helps them connect that feeling of fun with the amazing things physical activity does for their bodies and brains.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA SPHE: Myself - Taking care of my body

• 20–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Experiential Learning
• 20 min · Small Groups

Active Benefits Charades

In small groups, pupils are given cards with benefits of exercise written on them (e.g., 'strong heart', 'happy mood', 'better sleep'). They take turns acting out the benefit for their group to guess, reinforcing the concepts in a fun, kinesthetic way.

Explain how regular physical activity benefits both physical and mental health.

Facilitation Tip

Prepare a mix of physical and mental health benefit cards to ensure a balanced discussion.

What to look for

Observe pupils' contributions during a class brainstorm on 'Ways to Be Active'. Note the variety and understanding of different types of activities.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 45 min · Small Groups

Design an Active Week

Pupils work in groups to plan a hypothetical 'Active School Week' schedule for their class. They must include a variety of activities that cater to different interests and abilities, and justify their choices based on the benefits discussed.

Compare different types of physical activities and their benefits.

Facilitation Tip

Provide a template calendar to help groups structure their ideas and present them to the class.

What to look for

Pupils create a short 'Public Service Announcement' video or poster aimed at younger pupils, explaining the importance of 60 minutes of daily activity and its key benefits.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 30 min · Individual

My Favourite Moves Poster

Each pupil creates a personal poster showcasing their favourite way to be active. They can use drawings, magazine cut-outs, or words to illustrate the activity and write sentences explaining why they enjoy it and how it makes them feel.

Justify the recommendation for children to have at least 60 minutes of exercise daily.

Facilitation Tip

Display the finished posters to celebrate the diversity of activities enjoyed by the class.

What to look for

Pupils complete a weekly activity diary, tracking their activities and reflecting on how they felt physically and mentally after each one.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with what pupils already know and enjoy, creating a class list of all types of movement. Use visuals and short video clips to showcase a wide range of activities, ensuring non-traditional sports and simple play are included. Scaffold their understanding by explicitly linking activities to benefits, for example, 'Running in the yard is great for making your heart strong' or 'Stretching can help your mind feel calm'.

By the end of this topic, pupils will be able to explain why being active is crucial for their physical and mental health and can create a realistic plan to include more movement in their own day.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• You only need to exercise if you want to lose weight.

  Exercise is vital for everyone, regardless of their weight. It strengthens your heart, bones, and muscles, improves concentration, boosts your mood, and gives you more energy.

• Exercise has to be a proper sport, like football or hurling.

  Any activity that gets your body moving counts. This includes walking, cycling with friends, dancing in your room, helping with gardening, or playing in the yard.

• You have to do your 60 minutes of exercise all in one go.

  The 60 minutes can be built up throughout the day. A 20-minute walk to school, 30 minutes of play at lunchtime, and a 10-minute dance to a song all add up.

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Methods used in this brief

• Experiential Learning