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Aerobic vs Anaerobic

Seventh graders learn two kinds of exercise — aerobic (“with oxygen,” steady and longer, like jogging) and anaerobic (short, intense bursts, like sprinting or lifting). Both build fitness in different ways. They sort activities, then plan a mix.

Grade 7Aerobic vs Anaerobic Exercise45 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 aerobic & anaerobic.
  • ✓Tell them apart.
  • ✓See their benefits.
  • ✓Mix both.
Essential Question

What is the difference between steady exercise and short bursts?

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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

Aerobic, or Anaerobic?

Project this and sort each activity into Aerobic or Anaerobic.

🫁 Sort each — aerobic, or anaerobic?Try it
🫁 Aerobic (with oxygen)
💥 Anaerobic (short bursts)
Tap one, then tap a box.
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

Warm-Up — Steady vs Burst

5 min

How is jogging a mile different from an all-out sprint?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pose the question.
  • Share ideas.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Think.
  • Share.
  • Get ready.
2

Learn — Aerobic & Anaerobic

11 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Aerobic or Anaerobic?
  • Sort each activity.
  • Note steady vs burst.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sort.
  • Say.
  • Note it.
3

Practice — Practice

13 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Do a short aerobic bout.
  • Do a quick anaerobic burst.
  • Notice the difference.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Aerobic.
  • Anaerobic.
  • Notice.
4

Apply — Apply

11 min

Students apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Plan a workout with both.
  • Name one aerobic activity.
  • Name one anaerobic.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Plan.
  • Name.
  • Name.
5

Cool-Down — Cool-Down

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • What is aerobic exercise?
  • Give an anaerobic example.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Give one.
  • 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

Distinguish aerobic and anaerobic activity.

SHAPE
HE.1

Explain how each builds fitness.

SHAPE
PE.5

Value a variety of activities.

SHAPE
HE.7

Plan balanced activity.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Activity picture cards.
  • Frame: "a sprint is ___."
  • Demonstrate each.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Sort aerobic vs anaerobic only.
  • Use 4 activities.
  • Use pictures.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Plan a mixed workout.
  • Explain energy systems simply.
  • Track your activity types.
Materials

What to gather

  • 🫁Activity cards
  • 🔶Open space
  • 💻Aerobic or Anaerobic?
  • 📋Workout planner
  • 📓Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

aerobicsteady exercise with oxygenanaerobicshort, intense burstsenduranceability to keep goingintensityhow hard you workcardiorespiratoryheart and lungs fitnessbursta short, hard effortoxygenwhat your body uses for energyrecoveryrest between efforts
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 aerobic exercise?
Steady activity "with oxygen," like jogging or swimming.
QUESTION 2
Give an anaerobic example.
A sprint, lifting a heavy weight, or a short burst.
QUESTION 3
Should you do both?
Yes — they build fitness in different ways.

Cool-down: aerobic vs anaerobic.

Have students plan a workout mixing both types. A printable planner 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.

🃏 Aerobic vs AnaerobicFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

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

📝 Aerobic vs AnaerobicQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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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.

🖨️ Aerobic vs AnaerobicPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: aerobic, anaerobic, burst, cardiorespiratory, endurance, intensity, oxygen, recovery
  1. a short, hard effort
  2. heart and lungs fitness
  3. what your body uses for energy
  4. short, intense bursts
  5. how hard you work
  6. ability to keep going
  7. steady exercise with oxygen
  8. rest between efforts

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is aerobic exercise?
  2. Give an anaerobic example.
  3. Should you do both?
Answer key — Part A: 1) burst · 2) cardiorespiratory · 3) oxygen · 4) anaerobic · 5) intensity · 6) endurance · 7) aerobic · 8) recovery
Part B: 1) Steady activity "with oxygen," like jogging or swimming. 2) A sprint, lifting a heavy weight, or a short burst. 3) Yes — they build fitness in different ways.