Physical Activity
Physical activity is crucial for improving health and preventing chronic disease. We offer ideas, backed by the latest healthy living research, to help Texans incorporate physical activity and exercise appropriate for people of all ages and fitness levels.
Related Departments: Nutrition
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Step Up Scale Down
Step Up Scale Down is a 12-week wellness program based on USDA guidelines and scientific research. Each week focuses on a different topic related to nutrition, healthy eating, exercise, and more to support you in your weight loss journey.
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During play, children escape the constraints of reality where the usual meanings of objects can be ignored and new meanings substituted. Explore the definitions and theories important to the concept of play, appropriate play materials and how to support learning and play in early childhood classrooms.
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Developing a strong foundation in mathematics during the preschool years with high expectations regardless of gender, race, socioeconomic or language background is critical for all preschool children. Specific math materials which allow children to explore mathematical ideas throughout the classroom are provided.
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Developmentally appropriate preschool STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) experiences give young children opportunities to develop divergent thinking, problem solving, and cause and effect. Experiences have great potential to affect brain development during the crucial early childhood window of opportunity.
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Classroom management refers to skills teachers use daily to supervise and organize time, materials and activities, while keeping children safe. From the rules and routines to the activities, each component needs to be planned and followed through with children to ensure they are learning through play throughout the day.
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“Getting the wiggles out” is not the sole purpose of outdoor play. This course helps teachers understand the importance of outdoor play and how to make it a priority. Safety aspects such as playground standards
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Literacy skills are essential to success. Students who enroll in this course will learn about the various components of emergent literacy, strategies for promoting early literacy development in children, and how to create a literacy-rich early childhood environment. This course qualifies for 1 clock hour of credit.
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Delve into various aspects of language development, how those look in the infant and toddler years, and ways to strengthen that development. You will explore the universal stages of language development. Finally, the various milestones during the first three years will be presented.
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Explore math in an early childhood setting and see how mathematical concepts develop from simple to complex. Identify five math content areas and gain strategies for integrating concepts in a way that will engage preschool children all day. Connect math concepts to literacy in a math-rich environment in the classroom.
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Circle time, or large group time, is when children come together to learn and have fun, solve problems, and be part of a community. This setting helps children begin to look at the world from the perspective of ‘we’ and ‘ours’. Circle time experiences, transitions and strategies for keeping children engaged are introduced.
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Develop a pathway to enhance classroom science centers by means of interactive science experiences for preschool children. Explore the scientific process and making discoveries within four different areas of science: Life Science, Health Science, Physical Science, Earth and Space, and Environmental Science.