-Develop new instructional strategies that lead to positive growth in young people.

-Blend instruction options to take the physical activity experience to another level.

-Move toward a coordinated school health approach.

-Provide 136 teacher-tested, developmentally appropriate, fun, and creative activities to foster a love of physical activity.

Teachers want their students to be successful-not just in the classroom, but throughout their lives as well. Through PE Connections: Helping Kids Succeed Through Physical Activity, teachers can provide the experiences that help students succeed in a much broader sense than is usually associated with a physical education class.

PE Connections accomplishes this by offering teachers and after-school care providers three instructional approaches that expand the definition of student success: teaching quality physical education, building social and personal competencies through developmental assets, and creating the foundation for a coordinated school health program. The activities in the book are the integration of physical activity, development of social competencies, and health strategies.

This multifaceted text

-offers traditional teaching of movement patterns, fitness concepts, and social interaction skills;

-provides 136 fun physical activities that meet the movement skill, fitness, and social competency objectives as outlined in NASPE standards 5 and 6; and

-goes beyond the standards by exposing students to success-building strategies not normally offered in physical education classes.

Some of the activities offer suggestions to encourage the partnering of parents, schools, and community organizations to provide the supportive environment that children need for healthy development. Others provide asset-building tools that either reinforce or build a particular asset or life skill, such as peaceful conflict resolution, personal power, and self-esteem.

The result is a unique book that fosters a love of physical activity and spurs personal growth. PE Connections also

-groups activities by equipment type and suggests creative ideas for using existing equipment,

-offers modifications for the activities; and

-provides an appendix that helps teachers modify lessons for students with physical disabilities.

PE Connections comes with easy-to-reproduce flash card masters and exercise pictures, an activity finder chart, and tips and guidelines for developing or improving coordinated school health programming. In addition, for each activity it lists specific developmental assets or teaching tips for developing the whole child.

With its fresh approach, creative activities, and focus on building successful experiences, PE Connections sheds new light on what it means to be successful in physical activity settings.