The purpose of this article is to provide adapted physical educators health related activities (i.e., health services ideas, avoiding negative behaviors, make decisions, fire safety, bicycle safety, nutrition, sun safety, sexuality, emotional health, individualism, sense of control, role models, grieving activities) that could be incorporated as part of daily instruction.

The article will also present a variety of helpful ways and suggestions on how the activities could be delivered. The adapted physical educator should always focus on as many aspects of the student as possible. Remember, students with disabilities are multidimensional (physical, emotional, social, cognitive) and if one dimension is out of sync, this may throw other dimensions out of balance.

Think of a Merry-Go-Round with each side representing a different dimension of the student. If one side is dragging "emotion," then the Merry-Go-Round will not turn freely, move easily, or may not function at all. Therefore, employing a program that encompasses and addresses the total student will have a better chance of success.

Within each health related activity there are multiple ways and/or combinations on how the topic could be presented. Also, note that depending on class population (e.g., autism, mental retardation, students that use a wheelchair) the teacher should focus activities toward their specific health related needs and interests.

For example, when choosing a nurse or doctor to be a guest speaker for a class of students who have autism and cerebral palsy, choose a presenter that has a background in that population(s). Teachers should always develop a curriculum that supports students, parents, community, and the IEP objectives.

Health Services Information
Ask the school nurse, counselor, or police officer to be a guest speaker for the class, or utilize from the community a dentist, doctor, or firefighter to share their expertise. The teacher and students should develop and send a list of applicable questions prior to the presentation. This will help foster discussion as well as prepare the presenter.

Learning How to Avoid Negative Behaviors
When teaching resistance skills, the student should practice several times with more than one rationale for a given scenario. The teacher should describe several uncomfortable behaviors student(s) with disabilities might be pressured by (e.g., smoking, drinking, stealing, skipping school, etc.), and then have the student(s) talk out, or physically act out, several correct ways to avoid the situation.

Saying "no," "I don't want to," "not now," "I’m busy," "That makes me sick," "I need to go home," "Let’s go play football," "Let’s go to my house and play," or "not saying anything," just teach students to physically turn and walk away are all good alternatives from doing unwanted behaviors.

For example, students with autism may not have good verbal skills, so the teacher could show them pictures of knifes or cigarettes and teach them upon identification that they need to physically remove themselves away from that object.

Learning How to Make Decisions
Each class, let students make low level decisions such as; when to take a break, where to play, how many balls will be used, what the class will drink, and/or who will be in each group. After the activity, ask students how the activity went, what made the activity fun and/or what would make the activity better next time. The teacher could note changes, if any, and repeat the activity next class.

Fire Safety Activities
Have students practice the "Stop, Drop, and Roll" technique, and discuss when this skill should be used. The teacher could also set up an obstacle course that resembles a house floor plan, and have students crawl, role, slide, and push their wheelchair to safety (bedroom, livingroom, front door, outside). Further, students could dress up as a firefighter or Santa Claus while practicing exiting techniques.

Another activity, using class time wisely, is to have students identify exits, smoke detectors, and fire alarms while walking to the gym. Remember, students with disabilities may need many practices beyond that of the nondisabled students in order to acquire skills. The teacher should provide instruction that includes lots of physically participation, demonstration, pictures, and verbal clues.

Bicycle Safety Activities
Have students learn how to ride correctly through an obstacle course that has stop signs, yield signs, railroad crossing signs, and/or a traffic lights. They should also learn what side of the road to ride on, and to wear a bicycle helmet. The signs should be constructed, with the students, to foster awareness and promote "rules of the road" discussion.

This activity could first be conducted in the gym, and then moved to the school parking lot if safety permits. Note: Many students with disabilities enjoy riding, but do not like to, or know how to, "stop" their bike. Therefore, teaching students how to stop and/or avoid hitting each other, or objects while riding are good beginning skills.

Nutritional Activities << CONTINUE
Especially during the holiday season, a food tasting activity to celebrate the season would be appropriate. The teacher should help students generate a list of foods or snacks they could bring to class. Send the students' food list home, as well as creating an additional check list of possibly food items the parents/guardians may use at home, to enhance class discussion.

During the party, discuss which foods are "more healthy or less healthy," "taste good or taste bad," "shorter time to physically burn-up or longer time to physically burn-up," as well as what foods the students' families favor during holiday seasons. The teacher could also have a timed running race with two boxes labeled "healthy" and "not healthy," or "taste good" and "taste bad," with the students running the foods to the correct boxes. Remember, peanut butter could be used to decorate many foods (e.g., smiley faces, names, seasonal shapes/figures, etc.). Note: when the teacher is discussing foods, they should visually show ingredients (salt, sugar, fat, flower, grains, etc).

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Another activity could be for students to bring cutout magazine pictures of foods they have tried or like and put on a bulletin board for several weeks. The class individually or small groups could talk about each of the students pictures placed on their board. The magazine pictures could be used for a timed food sorting contest or a running race.

Sun Safety Activities
Place students into small groups with a prepared box of different types of skin-care items (lotion, sun block 15, sun block 45, total sun block, baby oil, etc.). Have groups travel around the school to determine which place (full sun, part sun, shade, full shade, locker room, gym, etc.) each skin-care item would best match. At each location, there should be discussion about the product, as well as having student(s) practice application. This activity could be teacher lead or in a cooperative game format.

Sexuality Activities
Ask students to list all family and friends, and color a picture of them doing their favorite activity (e.g., hiking, riding, swimming, bowling, basketball, etc.). Then, have the class individually, or as a group, perform the activity. The pictures could be displayed on the gym wall, or held by a banner during each activity. Further, during the activity or transition, the teacher could help facilitate communication about family traditions, friendship skills, and what makes a good friend.

Another activity is to have each student draw a life-size silhouette. The silhouette may be used to demonstrate body parts, as well as how each of us is unique in size and build. These life-size pictures could be saved until next year to show growth. Also, the teacher should show students both the girl and boy locker-rooms to help alleviate misconception and mystery.

Emotional Health Activities
Take each student's picture while performing a favorite activity, then place the picture on a large piece of construction paper and hang it on the wall.

There are several activities a teacher could employ using these murals such as; (a) if a student does something nice for someone else add a checkmark or sticker to his/her picture on the mural, or if they are not so nice take one away; (b) create a list of students' interests, likes, dislikes, behaviors, feelings, achievements, and place the information on their mural, asking classmates to become aware of one or two aspects of their peers for future class discussion; and/or (c) have classmates give compliments about each student, put this information on their mural, and have the teacher read each student's compliments to the class.

Individuality Activities
A great activity is a "graffiti wall" where students have the opportunity to draw, write, or cutout things they like and place it on large pieces of plain construction paper. The teacher could use different themes (e.g., foods, skills, cooperative games, sports) for the graffiti wall. During class the teacher could bring attention to different things items that were put on the wall.

Another activity is to allow one student each week be the class assistant. The student could be responsible for choosing class activities, rule modifications, equipment, and where the class will participate in the activities. Further, the student should make cutouts, or bring items they like in order to decorate the "student of the week" bulletin board.

Finally, role playing is an excellent activity to promote a sense of creativity and uniqueness. Let students dance using a variety of movements, mimick their favorite animal or cartoon hero, as well as giving students the choice of music for the activity. Note: The teacher may need to elicit help from family members for the items used on the wall, favorite activities, and music selection.

Sense of Control Activities
At the end of each class have students identify what they did successfully and/or if they acted or expressed positive behaviors. Further, the teacher could allow students who expressed favorable behaviors some type of privilege or reward. Likewise, if inappropriate behaviors were expressed during class, no reward would be given or something could be restricted.

Appropriate behaviors should be listed by students and teacher and placed on an index card, or in picture format with the students "name" in the description. For example, a student with mental retardation, when entering and exiting the gym, can give the teacher one hug. Therefore, the index card could have a picture of an appropriate hug, with a written description saying "Johnny can give the teacher 2 hugs."

Other activities could be giving students simple class jobs, curriculum decisions, and participation in current class issues.

Role Model Activities
A guest speaker could be invited to class (Special Olympic athlete, Paraolympic athlete), and/or have students draw or cutout pictures of their favorite heroes (family members, friends, pro athletes). Then, the teacher should help students identify the values these people posses (sportsmanship, perseverance, commitment, achievement, success, etc.).

After discussion, encourage students to roll play these behaviors in an activity. Peer, or cross age peer, teaching are other excellent choices for developing role models. Note that individuals from the community, with mental or physical disabilities, would make excellent role models as well as teaching assistants.

Grieving Activities
With the teacher's help, a student who has experienced a death could be allowed to set up an activity they have previously participated in with that person or pet. During or after the activity the teacher should ask the student to express his/her feelings and concerns, as well as asking classmates to brainstorm ways they could help someone feel better if he/she is confused, scared, sad, angry, or depressed. A list could be created containing pictures to make a collage. Teachers should reassure that most people express these same emotions.

A nature hike is another activity where the teacher could explain that living things go through a life cycle. While walking students could sing songs, share memories, and talk about family traditions. This is also a good time for the teacher to explain good health behaviors and practices. Students with disabilities, who function intellectually at an elementary school or lower level, may not understand the finality of death or what causes death. Therefore, explaining these concepts, and not allowing students to think a "bogeymen" got their loved one or they just disappeared into thin air, maybe helpful.

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