Testing fitness levels
Making hypotheses on how the use of computer games affects fitness
In this activity students will learn about hypotheses by looking at heart rate data.
This lesson follows our Wii Fitness activity, which provides students with an opportunity to collect fitness data which they can use as evidence to debate whether people should be encouraged to engage in computer-based sport activities.
This is one of a set of resources developed to aid the class teaching of the secondary national curriculum, particularly KS3. It has been designed to support the delivery of key topics within mathematics and science.
Activity: Making hypotheses on how the use of computer games affects fitness
In this activity students will review their results from our Wii Fitness investigation to form a hypothesis on how different activities affect heart rates. Students must consider the validity and size of the data set collected and work through a series of questions to explore if the data is sufficient to confirm their initial hypotheses.
Download our activity overview for a starter lesson plan on hypotheses.
The engineering context
Engineering often involves problem-solving, and hypothesis based on initial observations can help engineers quickly define the potential cause of a problem. Hypothesis helps engineers to interpret data and can even guide them towards designing tests to make sure that the correct data is being gathered. This systematic approach can help to quickly validate or refute hypothesis, allowing engineers to find the right solution for the problem at hand.
Suggested learning outcomes
Students will be introduced to hypotheses and know how to create one from using a data set. They’ll also be able to evaluate the suitability and validity of the data collected as well as explain how results and ideas can be changed when we consider other variables.
Download our activity sheet and other teaching resources
The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download (including the video), and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your class’s and your schools’ needs.
You can download our classroom lesson plan below.
Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation.
Available Downloads
Activity overview
Activity description, teachers' notes and curriculum links.
Presentation
Comparing activities carried out today with those from the past.
Worksheet
Heart Rate Log - worksheet for students to measure their pulse rate at rest and then at intervals after exercise.
Worksheet
Can using a games console make you fitter? Worksheet for students to consider how their pulse rate is affected by Wii tennis and real tennis.
