Energy | Guided Practice
In this 45-minute Grade 11 Physical Education lesson, students will explore how the body uses energy during different types of physical activity and apply that understanding through guided movement tasks. Students will analyze intensity, duration, and recovery to identify which energy system is primarily being used and practice adjusting effort to match performance goals.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| ATP-PC system | The energy system that provides immediate energy for very short, explosive efforts lasting about 0-10 seconds. |
| Anaerobic glycolysis | The energy system used for high-intensity activity lasting about 10 seconds to 2 minutes, producing energy without oxygen and causing lactate buildup. |
| Aerobic system | The energy system that uses oxygen to produce energy for longer-duration, moderate-intensity activity. |
| Intensity | How hard the body is working during activity. |
| Recovery | The rest period that allows the body to restore energy and prepare for the next effort. |
Lead a dynamic warm-up with light jogging, skipping, and mobility drills. Ask students to notice when effort feels easy, moderate, or hard.
Participate in the warm-up and respond to quick teacher prompts about how their breathing and muscles feel.
Briefly review the three energy systems using a whiteboard chart. Give one example of each from sport or fitness. Model how intensity and duration affect energy use.
Take notes, answer questions, and identify examples from familiar sports or activities.
Run 3 guided stations: 1) 8-10 second shuttle sprint, 2) 30-60 second high-intensity interval, 3) 2-3 minute continuous movement. After each station, prompt students to identify the primary energy system used and explain why.
Complete each station with effort, record observations, and discuss with a partner which energy system was most active and how they know.
Lead a short class discussion comparing the three stations. Ask students to justify their answers using intensity, duration, and recovery. Clarify misconceptions and connect the concepts to sports performance.
Share answers, compare results, and revise thinking based on teacher feedback.
Recap the key idea that different activities require different energy systems. Use an exit question such as: 'Which energy system is most important for a 400m sprint and why?'
Respond verbally or with a quick written exit response demonstrating understanding.
End by reinforcing that energy systems work together, but the dominant system depends on how hard and how long the activity lasts. Emphasize that athletes train specific energy systems to improve performance and recovery.
Formative assessment will be based on teacher observation, oral responses, partner explanations, and the exit response. Students must correctly identify the dominant energy system for each guided station and explain their reasoning using intensity and duration.