Sally Shaver DuBios, lecturer in kinesiology, has developed a program in partnership with United Community School that teaches students K-6 the importance of physical activity and health.

On Dec. 9, ISU education and community and public health majors worked with students from preschool to sixth grade for the third time this semester by putting together a large group activity.

Dubios substitute teaches at United and originally put the program together to give ISU students an opportunity to work with the younger population.

United has a one-to-one laptop program in which allows students access to the internet to complete coursework. Shaver took advantage of this program by creating a website in which students uploaded information throughout the semester for United kids to refer to during free time.

“I asked myself, ‘how can we incorporate technology in physical education’ because i think this is the key to getting the next generation up and moving,” said Dubios, who has also worked in the physical education and health field for 25 years.

The website has information ranging from the importance of hand washing and fire safety to physical activity vs. exercise. 

“I’ve seen a difference in activity level from kids now a days and 20 years ago. Kids are not eating as well as they should and physical education is being taken away in the school,” Shaver said. “I’m always an advocate of anything we can do to get kids up and moving and that’s what I was trying to get my kids to learn at Iowa State.”

This is the partnership’s second year, and Shaver plans to share her techniques and online resources with teachers across the state of Iowa in the future.

“I think today went very successful,” Shaver said happily in regards to the Dec. 9 program. “I think the students at United having ISU students as role models is very helpful to the program’s overall goal, and they enjoyed it as much as we do.”