Physical inactivity is a key determinant of health across the lifespan. A lack of activity increases the risk of heart disease, colon and breast cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, osteoporosis, anxiety and depression and others diseases. Emerging literature has suggested that in terms of mortality, the global population health burden of physical inactivity approaches that of cigarette smoking. The prevalence and substantial disease risk associated with physical inactivity has been described as a pandemic. The prevalence, health impact, and evidence of changeability all have resulted in calls for action to increase physical activity across the lifespan. In response to the need to find ways to make physical activity a health priority for youth, the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Physical Activity and Physical Education in the School Environment was formed. Its purpose was to review the current status of physical activity and physical education in the school environment, including before, during, and after school, and examine the influences of physical activity and physical education on the short and long term physical, cognitive and brain, and psychosocial health and development of children and adolescents. Educating the Student Body makes recommendations about approaches for strengthening and improving programs and policies for physical activity and physical education in the school environment. This report lays out a set of guiding principles to guide its work on these tasks. These included: recognizing the benefits of instilling life-long physical activity habits in children; the value of using systems thinking in improving physical activity and physical education in the school environment; the recognition of current disparities in opportunities and the need to achieve equity in physical activity and physical education; the importance of considering all types of school environments; the need to take into consideration the diversity of students as recommendations are developed. This report will be of interest to local and national policymakers, school officials, teachers, and the education community, researchers, professional organizations, and parents interested in physical activity, physical education, and health for school-aged children and adolescents.

Understanding Motor Development, a worldwide best-selling text, provides students with both an explanatory and a descriptive basis for the processes and products of motor development. Covering the entire life span, this text focuses on the phases of motor development and provides a solid introduction to the biological, affective, cognitive, and behavioral aspects within each developmental stage. The student is presented with the most up-to-date research and theory, while the Triangulated Hourglass Model is used as a consistent conceptual framework that brings clarity to understanding infant, childhood, adolescent, and adult motor development.

In Developmental and Adapted Physical Activity Assessment, you will learn about the assessment process, the tests available, how to administer them, and how to interpret the results and program accordingly. You will also learn how to assess the whole student by examining their social, affective, physical, and cognitive abilities.

An increasing majority of children with varying levels of disabilities including autism, Aspergers, ADD, ADHD, Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities and behavior disorders; as well as typically developing children with varying skill levels, exhibit challenges with motor delays, co-ordination, self-esteem and weight management issues. These challenges make it difficult for children to just be children and participate in group activities with their peers. Early intervention is critical when dealing with such issues. Now, with the help of Adaptive Fitness & Gross Motor Development, parents will be able to work with their children in the comfort of their home. They will have a step by step guide on how to perform gross motor development activities the correct way and with proper form. They will be given step by step guide on how to perform hands on techniques for each activity for those children that need more assistance with performing the skills. And more importantly, they will be able to interact, connect with, empower, and motivate their children into going beyond unexpected limits.

Thoroughly revised and updated, this second edition continues to present both a theoretical and practical approach to motor development and adapted physical activity programs for preschoolers and infants with delays or disabilities. Written from a broad perspective, the authors use easy-to-understand language so that families, caregivers, students, and teachers may provide instruction utilizing the ecological dynamics of various environments. Chapter topics include: motor development, organization of the nervous system, muscle tone, medical and biological considerations (including prematurity and low birth weight, drug exposure, and autism spectrum disorders), assessment, principles of intervention, and multi-sensory activities. This new edition identifies the effects of Autism Spectrum Disorders on sensory dysfunction and provides activity interventions to be used by movement specialists. Additionally, the book explains the principles of motor development and answers questions related to positioning, lifting, carrying, and feeding of young children. Practical suggestions and activities are provided for families and professionals to enhance sensory-motor development of the young child during structured motor intervention and throughout the day. Generously illustrated, this comprehensive book is an excellent resource for adapted physical educators, early interventionists, and caregivers in motor development for young children with delays or identified disabilities. It will additionally serve as a reference for individuals developing motor programs for older children, particularly children with severe sensory-motor delays.

“Natives and Settlers provides a beginning to what should be (and should have been) a continuing, respectful discussion.” —Blanca Schorcht, Associate Professor, University of Northern British Columbia. Is Canada truly postcolonial? Burdened by a past that remains ‘refracted’ in its understanding and treatment of Native peoples, this collection reinterprets treaty making and land claims from Aboriginal perspectives. These five essays not only provide fresh insights to the interpretations of treaties and treaty-making processes, but also examine land claims still under negotiation. Natives and Settlers reclaims the vitality of Aboriginal laws and paradigms in Canada, a country new to decolonization.