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PACERAMA (Grades 2-8)

Objective: To GAMIFY the FITNESSGRAM PACER test by turning an individual task into a team task.

This change will:

-Enable students to participate when they are not being “tested” (as opposed to sitting and watching and taking

notes)

-Increase individual “PACER” levels

-To get a more accurate individual PACER score

-Make teacher collection of assessment scores easier and more complete

-Increase the student motivation to excel as their peers become “cheerleaders” for higher “Pacer” scores

Equipment: (needs are based on 2 teams of 10 players)

Cones (15-20)

Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors (1000)

Wristbands

Catch buckets (10)

Dome cones

5 gallon buckets (2)

Fitnessgram pacer C.D.

Gym Set-up: Before classes arrive, place a row of cones across the center of gym from underneath one basketball

hoop to the other. Next place five (5) rows of cone domes (parallel to the orange cones) in order to make five lanes.

These lanes must be twenty (20) meters in length. Place one (1) empty catch buckets at one end of each individual

lanes. Next, place two five gallon buckets with 500 sticks each in opposite corners of the gym. (See DIAGRAM

for details on gym set-up)

Object of the game is for each partner group/team to pace themselves and earn as many sticks as they can while

completing the traditional FITNESSGRAM PACER test in the action packed cardiovascular game of

PACERAMA!

Procedure: Divide the class into two teams and have them sit in their respective “end zones” (see diagram e.g.

“Team 1” and “Team 2” End Zones). Once there, students will be assigned a partner. At their teams “end zones”,

students will sit with their partner at the end of each lane. Explain with a teacher demonstration the PACER beep

system and how to successfully post a “PACER” score. Stress that in the game PACERAMA, the team that pushes

themselves and works the hardest will be the team that will outlast the others and earn the most sticks and

wristbands for their partner group/team total.

To Begin: There are two rounds in PACERAMA (I recommend playing the rounds on separate days as all students

are moving in both rounds, they just have different positions/roles). In the first round, using the PACER music

track, one player from each partner group stands up and gets ready to begin. They are the “PACERS” and their

partners are the “STICK RUNNERS”. The “STICKRUNNERS” job is to kneel at the end of their lane. When the

first BEEP occurs the “PACERS” pace themselves by running from one end of their lane to the other before the

next BEEP occurs. If a “PACER” makes it to the other end of their lane before each consecutive beep occurs then

their partner (the “STICK RUNNER”) runs to their team’s stick bucket (far corner of their teams side of the

gym), grabs one stick and runs back to place it in that “PACERS” catch bucket. Note: each “PACER” has their

own catch bucket to allow for accurate pacer score at end of each round. “PACERS” and “STICK RUNNERS”

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continue their roles until the “PACER” player has failed to reach their end zone twice before the next beep has

occurred. Once all “PACERS” on team 1 and 2 have failed to reach their end zones twice before beeps occur - the

round is over.

OPTIONAL: During each round, “STICK RUNNERS” can turn ten (10) sticks and exchange them for one

wristband. This will make it is easier for the teacher to keep an accurate count at the end of game. Once both

rounds are complete, representatives from “Team 1” and “Team 2” will count all the wristbands and sticks in both

partners’ buckets from each round (do not allow students to put all sticks and wristbands together as this will not

allow for individual scores). Announce totals and declare a winner.

Note: if you are playing PACERAMA to fulfill your school districts fitness testing requirements it is imperative

that at the end of each round you write down each individual “PACERS” score by taking their number of

sticks/wristbands in their individual bucket, which then correlates very easily to their individual pacer score/ Vo2

Max score.

Rules and Safety:

1. “PACERS” should try and make it to each end zone before the next BEEP occurs. The more times the

“PACERS” make it the more points their teams earn.

2. If “PACERS” miss no more than one beep getting to their end zone, they are still safe and must continue

playing.

3. Once “PACERS” miss a beep for the second time in a round they are to go sit with their “STICK

RUNNER” and cheer on the rest of their teammates.

4. Only one partner group per lane.

5. “STICK RUNNERS” can only run and collect one stick once their partner the “PACER” has successfully

made it to opposite end zone before the next BEEP.

6. “STICK RUNNERS” can exchange 10 sticks in for one wristband, which is the equivalent of 10 sticks and

makes counting at the end of rounds much easier.

7. For each round, the current “PACER” has their own stick bucket in which the “STICK RUNNER” is

placing the sticks that he/she earns so that we can accurately see what level the “PACERS” make it to on the

FITNESSGRAM Pacer test.

Special Note:

Eliminate two to four hoops per row for classes with 30-50 students or eliminate one row of ten hoops. Too

many hoops may cause some players to get stuck in hoops for a lengthy period of time.

Larger classes may need additional rows added, especially if there appears to be little “traffic jams” of

players waiting to get into the first hoop.