Exercise and Mood: Before-and-After Experiment

Students rate their mood, energy, and stress before and after 15 minutes of aerobic activity of their choice, then compare class results. They experience firsthand the link between physical activity and mental health.

How to play

1. Baseline (3 min): each student anonymously rates mood, energy, stress, and focus from 1 to 10 on the sheet.
2. Choice (2 min): three coned zones: easy loop running, aerobic dance to music, and a moving passing game; each student picks one.
3. Activity (15 min): steady work at moderate intensity, where you can still talk in short sentences; switching zones is allowed at 7 minutes.
4. Post-check (2 min): after 1 minute of walking, rate the same items again.
5. Analysis (3 min): collect the sheets, figure out the class averages before and after out loud, and discuss what changed and why.

Rules

• Safety: keep the intensity moderate; if you get tired, slow down without stopping completely.
• Sheets are anonymous and nobody comments on someone else's data.
• Respect each classmate's choice of zone.
• The passing zone is no-contact.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: seated passing or upper-body dance.
• Anxious or shy students: solo running zone with headphones if they prefer.
• Lower fitness: brisk walking on the loop instead of running.

Learning goals

• Test the effect of physical activity on mood.
• Sustain moderate intensity independently for 15 minutes.
• Interpret simple class data critically.

Equipment for a class of 25

• worksheets: 25
• pens: 25
• cones: 12
• music: 1

Teacher tip

Stress that it's an experiment with no right answers; if someone's mood drops, that's valid data too. Protect anonymity so students answer honestly.

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