This project aims to enhance elementary physical education and music, recess, and our campus after school run club and dance team by integrating heart rate monitors into daily lessons, activities and practices. By using wearable technology, students will receive real-time feedback on their activity levels, helping them better understand the connection between movement and heart health. The data will empower students to set personal fitness goals and encourage lifelong healthy habits. This innovative approach combines physical activity, technology, and self-awareness to make fitness fun, measurable, and meaningful for young learners.

Elementary school students today face increasing physical and mental health challenges that directly impact their academic performance and long-term well-being. Nationally, only 24% of children ages 6–17 engage in the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day (CDC, 2023). Our school mirrors this trend. Based on physical fitness assessments, a significant percentage of our students are not meeting basic cardiovascular fitness standards, with many lacking awareness of their own physical activity levels and how these relate to heart health. This is also a reason that our campus organized after school programs that incorporate physical activity. Our elementary school serves approximately 680 students in grades 1–5, with over 54% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high-need population. Many of our students have limited access to extracurricular sports, structured activity, or fitness resources outside of school. For many, physical education, music class, recess and our after school run club and dance team are the only consistent time during the week where they are intentionally moving their bodies, developing fitness skills, and learning how to care for their health. Currently, our PE program relies on observation and subjective self-assessment to gauge student effort and engagement. While enthusiasm is high, there is a clear disconnect between perceived effort and actual physical exertion. Without access to real-time biometric feedback, it’s difficult for students to understand how their bodies are responding to exercise or to recognize when they’re in their target heart rate zone. This lack of awareness reduces opportunities for self-improvement, goal setting, and genuine engagement in lifelong fitness habits. By incorporating heart rate monitors, we will bridge this gap by giving students immediate, personalized data to help them monitor and adjust their activity levels. This technology will not only make lessons more interactive and meaningful but will also foster accountability, intrinsic motivation, and health literacy at a young age. Teachers will be able to tailor instruction to meet diverse fitness levels and provide inclusive, differentiated feedback to students who may otherwise go unnoticed. The heart rate monitors will also be used with students during music class (as there are state music TEKS that incorporate physical activity), recess and for students who are a part of the after school run club or dance team. Students will be able to carry over the use of heart rate monitors from the classroom setting to "real-life" physical activities. When funded, this project will transform the way students understand and engage with fitness, empowering them with tools to take ownership of their health—now and for the future.

To address the growing need for personalized, data-driven health education in our elementary PE program, this project will integrate heart rate monitors into PE and Music instruction, grade-level recess for all 1–5 students and for students who are a part of our after school run club or dance team. By providing real-time feedback on physical exertion, students will better understand how their bodies respond to movement and will be empowered to make informed decisions about their health. This project aligns with our district’s mission to personalize learning and nurture the whole child by combining physical education with modern technology, data literacy, and social-emotional growth. Specific & Measurable: By the end of the 2025–2026 school year, 100% of participating 1–5 students (approx. 680 students) will use heart rate monitors during PE and Music classes at least once per our 6-day rotation to track and reflect on their physical activity levels. Students in run club or dance team will use heart rate monitors during their practice days. Achievable: At least 85% of students in grades 3–5 will be able to accurately identify their target heart rate zone and demonstrate appropriate adjustments to their activity levels by the end of the third grading period, as measured through a short reflection activity and fitness tracking reports. Realistic & Relevant: PE teachers will incorporate heart rate data into at least 75% of cardiovascular fitness lessons, using this data to differentiate instruction and support diverse learner needs. Music teachers will incorporate heart rate data into at least 50% of music lessons that incorporate singing and physical activity. Coaches for run club and dance team will incorporate heart rate into 75% of practices. 
Time-Bound: By May 2026, at least 90% of students will show improvement in time spent in their target heart rate zone across the semester, indicating increased engagement and cardiovascular endurance. Grant funds will be used to purchase a class set of wearable heart rate monitors (IHT Spirit), along with the required charging stations, software/app licenses, and protective storage equipment. Funds will also support initial training for staff to ensure effective and safe use of the devices. Instructional use will include warm-ups and fitness circuits that encourage students to aim for and maintain a target heart rate zone, reflection/tracking charts or digital logs where students analyze their activity levels and set personal fitness goals, sand mall-group challenges, games, and team activities that reinforce cardiovascular awareness in fun and age-appropriate ways. All activities will take place in our campus indoor gym and outdoor activity areas during regularly scheduled PE classes, our campus Music classroom, grade-level recess, and after school run club and dance team practices. Heart rate monitors will be worn during movement-based units with a focus on: cardiovascular fitness, such as running, tag games, fitness stations, and aerobic games during PE, and singing, instrument playing and rhythm activities during Music class and physical activities during run club and dance practices. Over the course of the year, all 680 students will engage with the monitors in structured, consistent ways. When funded, this project will deepen student learning by transforming physical education from a purely movement-based class into a data-rich, personalized, and reflective experience. Students will not only be physically active but will also gain meaningful insight into how physical activity impacts their bodies—an important form of health literacy that aligns with state PE TEKS. Students will also be able to take what they are learning regarding their heart rate during PE class through the use of heart rate monitors and apply it to "real-life" physical activities when they wear them and monitor their physical activity during music class, recess and run club or dance practices.  Students will be encouraged to set individual goals, track their own progress, and take ownership of their physical growth. This level of engagement supports personalized learning, a core value in our district’s mission. Students who struggle with motivation or confidence in traditional PE settings will benefit from seeing quantifiable progress and receiving individualized encouragement based on real data. Our district’s strategic plan includes a strong focus on personalized learning and whole-child development. This project integrates physical, cognitive, and emotional growth by using technology to personalize instruction and promote self-regulation. In addition, our campus improvement plan emphasizes student wellness, equitable access to instructional technology, and the development of lifelong healthy habits—goals that are directly advanced by this initiative. Wearable tech also enhances self-efficacy, a key predictor of lifelong fitness engagement. When students receive timely, visual feedback about their heart rate, they gain confidence in their ability to improve and make healthy choices—something traditional instruction alone cannot always deliver. By using wearable heart rate monitors in elementary PE and Music, grade-level recess and run club or dance practice, this project meets students where they are, encourages growth, and brings innovation to one of the most essential components of whole-child development: physical education. Through personalized, data-driven instruction, we will foster healthier habits, support our most underserved students, and ensure every child understands the value of movement, both now and in the future.