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Active vs Sedentary

Sixth graders learn what separates active time from sedentary time, why daily movement matters for a healthy body, and sort everyday activities into the two groups.

Grade 6Active vs Sedentary45 minutes1 class periodSHAPEExplicit teaching4 StandardsSHAPE
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Define active.
  • ✓Define sedentary.
  • ✓Value daily movement.
  • ✓Sort each activity.
Essential Question

Small bursts of movement add up across a day. What makes an activity active or sedentary, and why does getting your body moving matter so much?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Sort It · Interactive

Sort the Activities

Project this and sort each activity into active or sedentary — tap an activity, then tap where it belongs.

🏃 Sort each activity: active or sedentary?Try it
🏃 Active
🪑 Sedentary
Tap an activity, then tap whether it gets your body moving or keeps you still.
The Lesson · Health & PE Flow (Warm-Up · Learn · Practice · Apply · Cool-Down)

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Hook — Move or Sit?

5 min

Think about your day so far. How much of it did you spend moving, and how much sitting still?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Ask about the day.
  • Tally move vs sit.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Think.
  • Share.
  • Get ready.
2

Use — Sort the Activities

12 min

Students sort active and sedentary activities.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Sort the Activities.
  • Drop each activity.
  • Explain each choice.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sort.
  • Say.
  • Explain.
3

Modify — Add Movement

13 min

Students make sedentary time more active.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pick a sedentary habit.
  • Add a movement break.
  • Explain the swap.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Pick.
  • Add.
  • Explain.
4

Create — Active Day Plan

15 min

Students plan a more active day.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • List your usual sitting time.
  • Plan three movement breaks.
  • Set a daily move goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • List.
  • Plan.
  • Set.
5

Reflect — Keep Moving

5 min

Students reflect on balance.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Why does daily movement matter?
  • What is one way to sit less?
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the SHAPE America National Standards for Health Education and Physical Education.

SHAPE
PE.3

Explain the benefits of regular physical activity.

SHAPE
PE.5

Recognize the value of a physically active lifestyle.

SHAPE
HE.7

Choose to reduce sedentary time.

SHAPE
HE.1

Describe how movement supports health.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Activity picture cards.
  • Sentence frame: “___ is active / sedentary.”
  • Sort two activities at a time.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with clear active activities.
  • Discuss one example together.
  • Sort active fully before the rest.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Discuss activities that can be either.
  • Track a day of active vs sedentary time.
  • Design a movement-break routine.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🖼️Activity picture cards
  • 💻Sort the Activities
  • ⏱️Timer / stopwatch
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

activemoving your body in a way that uses energysedentarysitting or lying with very little movementphysical activityany movement that uses your muscles and energyscreen timetime spent looking at phones, TVs, or computersmovement breaka short burst of activity during sitting timeendurancethe ability to stay active for a whilelifestylethe usual pattern of how you spend your timebalancemixing active and resting time in a healthy way
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is the difference between active and sedentary time?
Active time means moving your body and using energy; sedentary time means sitting or lying with very little movement.
QUESTION 2
Name one active activity and one sedentary activity.
For example, riding a bike (active) and watching videos on the couch (sedentary).
QUESTION 3
Name one way to add movement to a sedentary habit.
For example, take a movement break, stand up and stretch, or walk around while on the phone.

Create: an active-day plan.

Have students list their usual sitting time, plan three movement breaks, and set a simple daily move goal so active time outweighs sedentary time. A printable active-vs-sedentary worksheet is in the PE & Health library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Active vs SedentaryFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Active vs SedentaryQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Active vs SedentaryPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: active, balance, endurance, lifestyle, movement break, physical activity, screen time, sedentary
  1. time spent looking at phones, TVs, or computers
  2. a short burst of activity during sitting time
  3. the usual pattern of how you spend your time
  4. mixing active and resting time in a healthy way
  5. any movement that uses your muscles and energy
  6. the ability to stay active for a while
  7. moving your body in a way that uses energy
  8. sitting or lying with very little movement

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is the difference between active and sedentary time?
  2. Name one active activity and one sedentary activity.
  3. Name one way to add movement to a sedentary habit.
Answer key — Part A: 1) screen time · 2) movement break · 3) lifestyle · 4) balance · 5) physical activity · 6) endurance · 7) active · 8) sedentary
Part B: 1) Active time means moving your body and using energy; sedentary time means sitting or lying with very little movement. 2) For example, riding a bike (active) and watching videos on the couch (sedentary). 3) For example, take a movement break, stand up and stretch, or walk around while on the phone.