Guided Heart Rate Discussion Script

Teacher: “Okay, now that we’ve talked about how to calculate our max heart rate and the different zones, let’s chat about how your body feels when you exercise. Ready?”

— Pause to settle in —

Teacher: “First, can you tell me about a time you noticed your heart beating really fast? Maybe during gym class, playing tag, or running around at recess?”

Follow-up if needed: “What game were you playing? How long were you running?”

Teacher: “Thanks for sharing! When your heart was pounding, what did you notice happening in your body? Did your breathing change? Did your legs start to feel tired?”

Follow-up if needed: “Did you feel sweaty or find it hard to talk?”

Teacher: “Those are all great clues! Now, remember our three zones: resting, moderate, and vigorous. Which zone do you think you were in when you felt that fast heart rate—was it moderate (a comfortable effort) or vigorous (really working hard)?”

Follow-up if needed: “What made you choose moderate versus vigorous?”

Teacher: “Perfect. If you said vigorous, you might have been between 70 and 85 percent of your max heart rate—that means your heart was working really hard! If moderate, you were between 50 and 70 percent. Now, have you ever measured your pulse or heart rate yourself? Tell me what that was like.”

Follow-up if needed: “Where did you check—wrist or neck? How long did you count beats?”

Teacher: “Measuring your pulse helps you know exactly what zone you’re in, instead of just guessing by how you feel. That way, you can keep your workout safe and get the best benefits. For our Zone Tracking Walk today, we’ll check your pulse twice and record it.”

Teacher: “Before we start walking, let me know: what’s one thing you’re curious about when it comes to your heart rate or how hard you’re working during exercise?”

Follow-up if needed: “Would you like to know how long you should stay in each zone? Or how to make your workouts more fun?”

Teacher: “Great questions! We’ll keep those in mind. Let’s grab our stopwatch and chart, and head out for our Zone Tracking Walk.”

Zone Tracking Walk Instructions

Overview: A short 5-minute walking activity where you’ll measure your heart rate at two different intensities—easy and brisk—and record your findings.

Materials:

• Stopwatch or heart rate monitor
• Personal HR Zone Chart

Steps:

1. Warm-Up Walk (1 minute)
   • Walk at an easy, comfortable pace around our marked course to get your muscles ready.
2. Measure Easy-Pace Heart Rate
   • Immediately after the warm-up, stop and find your pulse (wrist or neck).
   • Count beats for 15 seconds, then multiply by 4 to get beats per minute (bpm).
   • Record this value in the “Easy Pace” row of your Personal HR Zone Chart.
3. Brisk Walk (1 minute)
   • Pick up the pace to a brisk walk—enough that breathing is heavier but you can still talk in short sentences.
4. Measure Brisk-Pace Heart Rate
   • Right after the brisk walk, immediately check your pulse again.
   • Count beats for 15 seconds, multiply by 4, and record the bpm in the “Brisk Pace” row of your chart.
5. Cool-Down & Discussion (2 minutes)
   • Walk slowly to cool down for about 1 minute.
   • Review both bpm readings together.
   • Discuss which zone each reading falls into (resting, moderate, or vigorous) and how your body felt in each phase.

Outcome: By the end, you’ll have two clear heart rate measurements tied to pace levels. Use these data points to set your personal cardio target in our final reflection.

Personal HR Zone Chart

Name: ___________________________________ Date: ________________

1. Calculate Your Max Heart Rate

Formula: 220 − age = max bpm
Your age: _______
220 − _______ = _______ bpm

2. Compute Your Heart Rate Zone Ranges

Using your max bpm above, calculate each zone range:

• Resting Zone (<50% of max): _______ bpm and below
• Moderate Zone (50–70% of max): _______ to _______ bpm
• Vigorous Zone (70–85% of max): _______ to _______ bpm
  
  
  
  

3. Record Your Heart Rate Measurements

Use a stopwatch or heart rate monitor to count beats for 15 seconds, then multiply by 4.

4. Reflection & Target Setting

1. Which zone did you feel most comfortable in and why?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. Based on your readings, which zone will be your target for future workouts?
   Target Zone: ______________________
   Target BPM Range: _________________
   
   
   
   

3. How will you use this chart during your next exercise session?