Coin Flip Fitness is healthy activity that combines exercise and knowledge. I use it as a warm up/instant activity in our PE classes at KIPP Un Mundo Primary School, where I am a teacher and a coach. I will show you how this activity works so you can try it at home, and offer resources about fitness.
For more ideas about activities you can do while learning at home with your kids, visit the main page, Charter a Summer of Learning.
Coin Flip Fitness Activity
Coin Flip Fitness ties into the KIPP Texas core values and my teaching objective of bringing joy. My goal as a PE teacher is to create a positive correlation with exercising for my students. That way, students will want to pursue a healthy lifestyle as they grow older. They can also help spread this to other family and friends.
The coin flip aspect also ties into classroom curriculum that students would learn when it comes to money values. One of my teaching goals is to link classroom curriculum into our warm up/instant activity or unit activity for the day.
Activity: Coin Flip Fitness
Equipment: Any coin and open space
Description: Students will flip a coin to determine what exercise they have to complete (heads or tails). Students should take about 10–20 sec rest. After rest, students will then go to the next set of exercise and flip their coin to determine the next set. Students will do this nine times.
Resources About Fitness at Home
We want kids to feel positive about exercising so they will choose a healthy lifestyle for the long run. Families can set a good example. Here are some links that can be used for workouts that can be done at home with family:
“Tools for Creating an Active Home”, Online Physical Education Network (OPEN)
“Our Favorite Virtual P.E. Resources to Keep Students Moving at Home,” We Are Teachers
For health and nutrition information, check out the Kids’ Corner at the USDA.
Also, I teamed up with Coach Saldana at KIPP Esperanza Primary to make this summer workout video, part of a series with KIPP Texas—San Antonio Athletics.
Charter Moms Chats
Watch Inga Cotton’s interview with Steven Ramirez and Elizabeth Rodriguez on Charter Moms Chats.
Elizabeth Rodriguez, better known as Eli (pronounced like Ellie), is a 3rd-generation San Antonioan. She was born and raised in the neighborhood that KIPP Commerce is in. She has a B.A. in Psychology and a M.A. in Women’s Studies. Eli has extensive experience in working in Title I school districts and non-profit environments. For example, she has served as a teacher’s aide, reading tutor, adult literacy tutor, grant editor, and youth case manager. She is passionate about student/family support, strengthening community partnerships, and “championing equity.” Eli found her “camino” to KIPP Commerce as she was seeking ways to return to the neighborhood she grew up in to nurture connections with her community. Eli’s hobbies include: jogging with her dog, Oso, reading, writing poetry, trying new restaurants, and hiking.
For more ideas about activities you can do while learning at home with your kids, visit the main page, Charter a Summer of Learning. The Grumpy Pants activity, also developed by a KIPP Texas teacher, uses art for social emotional learning. For more lessons about money values, look up these activities to help kids learn financial responsibility.
This post offers more suggestions for staying active indoors with kids. Read about KIPP Texas—San Antonio in this enrollment guide.
About the Author
Coach Steven Ramirez teaches PE at KIPP Un Mundo Primary School and coaches first grade basketball and soccer. He graduated with a Bachelors in Kinesiology cum laude from Texas A&M San Antonio.
