Course Introduction
Let's Get Started!
Welcome to the first semester of Physical Education. This course focuses on all aspects of wellness and uses the book Spark as a required reading that complements the course and addresses many current mental health issues as well as the connection of physical activity and the brain.
Hopefully we all share the goal of improving our individual well being. We can do so through various means, such as education, financial security, social relationships, and physical and mental health. Your overall wellness consists of all of these and more - so they will all be aspects of this course. Beyond simply being physically and mentally healthy, we should all strive to live active and full lives, with the drive and energy we need to get through each day.
Let this course be a building block, setting you on a firm physical and mental foundation to build towards your life's goals and overall well being.
About this Course
The course is divided into four modules, each concluding with a proctored Links to an external site. exam. There are also ungraded self-assessment at the beginning and end of each module. Within each of the modules there are required lessons which incorporate readings, videos, and other online resources, plus student interactions associated with Spark and other activities. Every lesson contains two to five assignments, and each assignment first states its purpose, then lists the resources required for it (readings or videos etc.), then ends with instructions for the task required for submission.
At the bottom of this and every Canvas page you will see a NEXT button. Simply click NEXT to go on to the next page in the intended sequence. You can also see an outline of the course in the syllabus. Note that later modules are not available (they will say they are locked) until previous modules have been completed.
Assignments in the course all begin with a three-digit number. The first digit indicates the module number, the second digit indicates the lesson number, and the third digit indicates which assignment it is within the lesson. So the third assignment in lesson 2 of the first module is numbered 1.2.3.
Perusall
Join the Perusall classroom: this will allow you to read and annotate the required text, Spark, as well as allow you to interact with classmates to share your thoughts and ideas about what you are learning and doing. (If this is your first time in Perusall, you'll need to create an account
Links to an external site..)
- Go to Perusall.com
Links to an external site. and use the code DUNCAN-6TKUK to join the class. (Log in, then click on Create or Enroll in a Course. Add the code when prompted.)
- In the Perusall classroom, click the Library tab and select your textbook, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain.
There is a required charge of $9.99 (as of July 2022) for access to the book, payable by credit card. - While you are there, you might want to read about Perusall and how it works: https://support.perusall.com/hc/en-us/categories/360002173133-Students. If you have any questions about how to annotate texts or how your annotations will be graded, this link should be your first stop. If you still have questions, please contact your teacher.
Grading
The grades on your lesson assignments will be based on demonstrated thoughtfulness, accuracy, and your ability to answer questions in detail, using multiple examples when appropriate. Please answer in your own words. Do not copy paragraphs from textbooks, outside resources, or other student's work. In appropriate places you may support your answers with quotes. Please use quotation marks and appropriately cite any resources. The more comprehensive your answers for the assigned activities are, the better your assignment grades will be, and the better you will do on the exams.
On your assignments, you will often be asked to write complete sentences. Every sentence you write should have at least a subject and a verb in it. Some questions may ask for a certain number of paragraphs of writing. A good paragraph will be made up of at least three complete sentences: a topic sentence, one or more elaborations, and a conclusion.
The assignments from the for modules make up 50 percent of your grade (including assignments from Spark, which make up 10 percent) and a fitness log makes up 10 percent. The examinations will each count for 10 percent of your grade as well. Thus, your final grade in the course will be based on your performance on lesson activities (50%), the fitness log (10%), and the exams (40%).
Here is the detailed grading scale with plus and minus grades included:
Important: To be in compliance with the IU High School Program’s academic policies Links to an external site., your proctored exam grades must average at least a D−minus in order for you to pass the course. Even if your assignment grades are excellent, you will not pass the course unless you fulfill this requirement.
About the Author
Jody Duncan graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Physical Education and Health which then led to graduate work in Biology and a Masters degree also through the school of Health Physical Education and Health. Her masters degree focused on Exercise Physiology, Bio-mechanics and Motor Learning, areas which provided an excellent background for the development of this new course. She is excited to teach such an innovative course that can be life changing for all involved.
Click NEXT to begin the course. You will first be asked to complete the Student Information form.