FIRST QUARTER

Health Optimizing Physical

Education 4

MODULE 1
Nature and Background
of Outdoor Recreation

Name of Student

Grade & Section

Mr. Allyn T. Francisco

Subject Teacher
I. Content Standard
The learner demonstrates understanding of fitness and exercise in optimizing one’s health
as a habit; as requisite for physical activity assessment performance, and as a career
opportunity

II. Performance Standard

The learner leads fitness events with proficiency and confidence resulting in independent
pursuit and in influencing others positively.

III. Most Essential Learning Competency

The learner:
Discuss the nature of the different styles and characteristics of dances.

IV. Learning Objectives

After going through this lesson, the learner will be able to:
1. Discuss the nature of the different recreational activities
2. Explains how to optimize systems for safe and improved performance

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V. LEARNING PROCEDURES

Let us Pray

“Heavenly Father, You hold each of us in your loving hands. Come fill our hearts, minds and
bodies afresh with hope. Help us to cast our worries upon you, so that we can embrace our
learning today.

Bless us as we study and grow together. Come and anoint those who teach and tutor us to be
bringers of insight and knowledge. Lord, watch over us all, keep us safe within your Almighty
hand.

Amen.”

DISCUSSION

Nature and Background of Outdoor Recreation

What is outdoor recreation?

Consider the following activities: bird-watching, caving or spelunking, camping, snorkeling,

When and why do people engage in the mentioned activities? What is a common factor among them?
Answering these questions will lead to answering what outdoor recreation is all about. Wer your answers
the same or close to the following?

 done during vacation or school break

 they want to have fun
 done outdoors with nature

Putting the answers together, outdoor recreation is organized activities done during one's free
time for his/her own personal reasons, where an interaction between man and an element of nature is
present.

Let us break down the ideas to have a common understanding of the terms. When we hear "free
time," what does it mean to you as a student? "No classes" easily come to mind and consequently will be
able to use the "free time to do things which you want to do but have been unable to do so because of the
"lack of time" such as continuing a project or undone homework, or perhaps, going out with friends to
watch a movie. A day can be divided into three parts according to Clayne R. Jensen (2006): the existence
time, subsistence time, and free time. Existence time is time spent for biological needs like having a meal,

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sleeping, and other personal care. Subsistence time refers to the hours spent for economic purposes such
as going to work, chores, and for students, hours spent in school and school work. Free time, therefore, is
all the remaining time after. How one decides to spend free time varies from person to person. Perhaps, to
those who have been very busy with workload of school work, this is the best time to do recreational
activities, to relax, and to rejuvenate.

Recreation is derived from the Latin word recreare which means to be refreshed. Choices for
recreation vary from person to person. What makes one happy may not be so for others. Therefore,
recreational activities depend on one's interests, pursuits, and needs which may be reflective of one's
beliefs and level of gratification. For example, a natural park may serve as a bonding place for a family to
have a picnic, a great fitness area for a jogger, and a place to commune with nature or meditate for others

The outdoors in a broad sense is a space outside an enclosed area. Narrowing it down, outdoors,
as used it in this discussion, includes the natural environment and resources which comprises the land,
water, wildlife, vegetation, open space, and scenery. The outdoors may be in their most natural state or
"semi-natural" state, which is a state where it had gone through some human modification but has
retained its natural features.

People engage in outdoor recreational activities for varied reasons. Some do it for personal
satisfaction and enjoyment. Perhaps, it is a time away from the day-to-day routine. Others do it to be in
touch with nature, which they rarely have the chance to do, especially for those who reside in highly
urbanized areas. Many it for personal pursuit such as photography, collecting sea shells, reaching the top
of Mt. Apo, conquering the rapids of Cagayan River, or attaining a certain fitness level. Some individuals
or groups do it as part of outdoor or environmental education, such as bird watching, plant naming, etc.
Whatever reason there may be, people engage in outdoor recreational activity for their own sake and
pleasure, voluntarily, and of their own choice.

In this unit, different outdoor recreational activities will be presented and discussed with the aim
of encouraging you to start living a more active lifestyle that will contribute to your overall wellness.

BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR RECREATION

What are the different outdoor recreational activities?

The Philippines is rich in natural resources. Despite being in a relatively small country,
Philippines is surrounded by all kinds of land formations and natural water resources. In fact, it has been
listed in The World Foctbook (Maps of World, n.d.) as having the fifth longest coastline in the world. Its
natural environment has so much to offer, whether on land, on water, or even in the air. It hosts varied
outdoor recreational activities, some of which are the following:

Land
 Mountaineering
 Trekking/Hiking
 Camping
 Backpacking
 Picnic

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  Bird-watching
 Mountain Biking
 Orienteering
 Canyoneering
 Rock Climbing

Water
 Swimming
 Snorkeling
 Diving
 Surfing
 Canoeing
 Kayaking
 Whitewater
 Rafting
 Sailing
 Fishing
 Bamboo Rafting

What are the benefits of outdoor recreation?

Fun and pleasure are perhaps the immediate answers of the majority who have experienced
outdoor activities. However, there is more to it than just the fun. Studies have shown that being close to
natural environment is healthy. Aside from the fresh air and the amazing sight of nature, the outdoors
have positive effects on the general wellness of an individual most especially if it is done with regularity.
Wellness encompasses the general state of a person (physical, social, psycho emotional and spiritual) and
in the end contributes to a better quality of life.

Physical Health Benefits

Being outdoors prevents a person from having a sedentary life. It allows people to move, whether
by walking, running, swimming, biking, paddling, etc. With the surge of electronic gadgets, more and
more people (children and adults alike) are unconsciously getting stuck with a sedentary life, contented
with playing with their computer games, tablets, or cellphones, or watching television for hours. Green
space is now called "screen space. Unknowingly, a great part of their day was spent sitting or lying down
with gadgets in their hands. The outdoors is a great distraction from these gadgets. It helps people to be
on the move. It gets their hearts pumping and their bigger muscles at work. Such movements expend
energy, promote cardiovascular and muscular fitness, and improve the function of the immune system. In
fact, the physical activities done in outdoor recreation may range from average to vigorous levels of
intensity. Many people have documented the benefits of staying active that include reduced obesity,
reduced risk of disease, enhanced immune system, and increased life expectancy.

Psycho-Emotional Benefits

Engaging in outdoor recreational activities helps people to rest, relax, de-stress or unwind, and
feel revitalized. In fact, some research showed that too much artificial stimulation and time spent in

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purely human environments can cause exhaustion and loss of vitality and health (Katcher & Baeck, 1987;
Stilgoe, 2001)

Nature has its own way of positively distracting a stressed mind and calming it down. As Kuo
and Sullivan (2001) explained it, "natural setting and stimuli such as landscape and animals seem to
effortlessly engage our attention, allowing us to attend without paying attention." This alone helps reduce
stress and prevents some cases of depression and anxiety.

Being outdoors also improves our self-esteem, confidence, and creativity. There is a sense of
"feeling good" whenever one achieves the goal in a particular activity such as reaching the peak of a
mountain or learning a skill of paddling in canoeing.

Lastly, outdoor recreational activities contribute to one's personal and spiritual growth. It allows
an individual to discover his/her inner spirit and sense of self, creating new behaviours and identity. A
person identifies with the activities that he/she does such that he/she becomes biker diver, and
"mountaineer. Then, that individual identifies more with who he/she is at work. In the end, engaging in
these activities contributes to satisfaction in life and makes life happier.

Social Benefits

Outdoor activities are ways for families to become closer. They can be a family-bonding activity
as each family member participates in an activity, achieves a common goal, and goes through the same
experience.

Spending time outdoors also allows one to meet and interact with others who share the same
passion for a community recreation. Participating in a team will help form lasting friendship and develop.

Outdoor recreation also promotes stewardship. Activities done outdoors in the natural setting help
in making people realize the great things that nature provides mankind. Increased knowledge and
appreciation helps them understand how personal actions can strongly affect the environment Thus,
people's feelings and connection with nature are the greatest motivation for them to care for the natural
environment and advocate for its preservation.

Economic Benefits

People who have a relaxed body and mind tend to be more productive at work. This translates
into efficiency at the workplace.

"It's more fun in the Philippines!" as the Department of Tourism slogan goes. Indeed, it is more
fun as well for everyone involved in ecotourism activities in the Philippines. It has been rewarding for the
local folks as ecotourism in the country created jobs and other economic activities which have, one way
or another, contributed to our economic growth.

Spiritual Benefits

Positive outdoor experiences can stir up spiritual values. Being one with nature brings certain
calmness within a person. It strengthens an individual as it heals, rejuvenates, and soothes the body and
soul.

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Does one need to be athletic to be able to participate in outdoor activities?

Outdoor recreation involves a lot of physical activity, but it does not require one to have athletic
level of skills to be able to participate. However, one needs to be physically fit to be able to carry out the
activity. For instance, bird-watching requires walking to be able to go to the birds' natural habitat and
watch the birds.

Physical fitness tests are not new to students. It is usually done in lower grades or at the start of
the school year in a PE class. Maybe, some can remember having the 3-minute step test, squats, sit and
reach test, and were asked to compute their body mass index (BMI). All of these tests were to determine
one's health and fitness level which includes learning about cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular
strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition. If the last test one has taken was a long time
ago, take it again. If one has the result of his/her last fitness test, compare the result and see if one
progressed or even regressed through time. Do not just take this aside as a requirement but rather look at
it as data that tells a person about his/her lifestyle. For example, a male student with a good
cardiovascular endurance can finish one mile in under 11 minutes.

Reflect back on the activities for the past weeks or months and lifestyle as a student. Were you
able to carry out your day-to-day tasks as a student with alertness and vigor without undue fatigue? If not,
then perhaps you need to rethink. Have you been spending too much time with your gadgets? Has your
body been getting enough rest and sleep? What about your nutrition and eating habits have you been
dependent on fast food, chips, and sodas? Are you eating on time? Have you been heavily stressed with
school work?

Some students love to cram school works leaving them with lesser hours of sleep. However, one
must remember that sleep has the essential purpose to rest the body and mind for one to be able to
function well the next day. Moreover, the lack of sleep also affects eating behavior as the hormonal
system controlling the appetite is also affected, making a sleep deprived person feel hungrier than usual.
According to the National Sleep Foundation (2015), a recommended number of sleeping hours for young
adults (18-25 years old) is 7-9 hours of sleep. However, 6 hours or 10-11 hours are just appropriate as
well, but lesser than 6 hours or over 11 hours are not appropriate for one to carry out a task the next day.
Moreover, sticking to a regular sleeping schedule, whether during weekdays or weekends, helps establish
a good sleeping habit.

Aside from sleep, the food that the body takes in is equally vital for a person to be fit. You have
already learned in the previous grades what a balanced diet is all about. However, good eating does not
just end on the plate. It also includes the correct eating habit, behavior, or pattern that one has established.
Have an honest assessment of how you have been eating with the following considerations:

 TIME: When do you eat? Is it done at a certain time of the day? Do you skip meals?
Perhaps do you "eat mindlessly, meaning, you eat even if you are not hungry?
 AMOUNT and KIND of FOOD: Are you conscious of the amount of food that you eat?
Do you follow a balanced diet? Do you lose control when your favorite food is served on
the table? Do you crave for carbohydrates or sweets at certain times of the day?
 PLACE: Where do you eat your meals? Do you eat on the dining table with family or
friends? Do you have a preferred place such as your study area, computer table, or the
family room or sala?

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  FEELINGS or EMOTIONS: Do you associate eating with certain moods or feelings such
as eating when bored, sad, depressed, angry, or happy?
 ACTIVITIES: Do you associate eating while doing something else such as watching
television, reading a book or newspaper, or using the computer? Do you feel the need to
eat in order to enjoy watching a movie or sports event?

The right amount and kind of food certainly will fuel the mind and body to carry out the day to-
day tasks. However, eating pattern and behavior matter as well. This starts with having a regular eating
time throughout the day. In a study done by Laksa et al. (2014), it showed that among the young adults,
meal regularity such as routine breakfast and dinner had strong association with healthy dietary pattern.
Eating regularly helps prevent too much hunger, which often results in overeating the next meal. Eating in
some places other than the dining table allows you to do other things while eating. For instance, if one
eats in front of the television, then, most likely, the focus will be on the TV show and not on the meal,
leaving the person unaware of how much food was consumed. Studies made by Robinson et al. (2013)
have shown that distracted eaters actually consume 10% more calories while sitting than those who are
not distracted. Further, they will also consume 25% more calories on a later meal.

Some people also crave and, thus, do not eat for hunger but for pleasure. Fluctuation of blood
sugar level is one cause of food craving. Therefore, one way to avoid food craving is by controlling the
blood sugar level through avoiding or limiting the consumption of sugar and processed foods and by
regular exercise. Food also serves as a comfort to some who are going through emotional problems. The
best way to break food craving and emotional eating is to look for alternative activities one loves to do,
such as talking with friends, making crafts, or doing sports.

After the re-evaluation of your eating pattern, the quality of food your body has been getting, and
the number of hours of sleep you have been having, it is now time to think of ways to become more active
and live a healthier life. You may start engaging in outdoor recreational activity as this is a great way to
de-stress and feel invigorated.

What are the important things that should be remembered when participating in an outdoor
recreational activity?

It has been established earlier that outdoor recreation is an interaction between man and nature.
The interaction should come with care and respect. It is important that in using and enjoying what nature
offers, an equal responsibility in conserving and preserving it must be consciously employed by the
people. This way, everyone can continue to go back and have future generations experience the great
things in nature that the current generation has. The "Leave No Trace Seven Principles" is a set of
universal outdoor ethics that guides one in the activities to do with nature. It also provides the framework
for making decisions in outdoor recreation. Taken from the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics'
official website (https://Int.org/learn/7-principles accessed June 15, 2015), the principles are as follows:

THE LEAVE NO TRACE SEVEN PRINCIPLES

Principle 1: Plan Ahead and Prepare

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  Before going to a place, check if your planned activity is permitted. Make sure to know
the rules guidelines, and safety procedures they have set. Some places require certain
permits or dearances
 Make sure you have the needed equipment for your activity and the skills needed to
undertake the activity
 Plan how to cope in case emergency arises
 Check the weather forecast and be prepared for changing weather conditions
 Learn when areas are most crowded and try to avoid those times
 To minimize environmental impact
 Repack food to minimize waste and for safety reasons, keep group numbers small
 When trekking, maps and compass must be used to avoid markings or leaving of marks
on rocks and the like.
Principle 2: Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

 Walk run, bike, or camp on durable surfaces like established tracks, rocks, gravel and dry
grasses
 Avoid walking on soft surfaces like soft plants. You might be trampling on a young tree
or pasture and this will cause vegetation damage.
 Use existing trails or campsites, no need to build a new campsite that will alter the
environment
 To avoid erosion, walk in single file in the middle of the trail
 Avoid places where impacts are just beginning to show
 When camping, keep the campsite small and discreet. Camp at least 200 feet from lakes
and rivers to protect the waters.

Principle 3: Dispose of Weste Properly

 Pack it in pack it out' means everything you brought should be brought back with you
Including left over food or fruit peel. Nothing should be left
 When camping cat holes are dug 16 8 inches deep) for human waste and covered the
same with sol and weeds or leaves on top
 Dishes should be washed 200 feet away from lakes or rivers and use biodegradable soup
Scatter strained dishwater.

Principle 4: Leave What You Find

 Examine archeological structures, old walls, and other heritage artifacts but do not touch
nor leave marks on them
 Leave nature as you found them. Do not take any plant, rock, plants, or marine animal
with you
 Avoid introducing non-native plants and animals
 Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches

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Principle 5: Minimize Campfire Impacts

 Use lightweight stove for cooking, campfires can cause lasting impacts.
 If fires are permitted, use fire rings or mound fires that are already set-up.
 Keep fires small and use only sticks from the ground than can be broken by hand.
 No burning of plastics or other substances that emit toxic fumes
 Burn all wood to ash and make sure fires are completely out. Scatter the cool

Principle 6: Respect Wildlife

 Observe wild animals from a distance and they should be avoided during sensitive times
such as mating nesting, or raising the young
 Do not feed wild animals or birds as it is not their natural food. The food might damage
their health or alter their natural behaviors and even expose them to predators.
 Protect wildlife and protect your food as well by storing and securing the trash well,
 In case you decide to bring your pets along, make sure it is allowed and you can control
them. Otherwise, do not bring them with you.

Principle 7: Be Considerate of Other Visitors

 Respect people who live and work in the countryside.

 Respect other visitors and let them have a momentous experience as well.
 Allow the sound of nature to prevail, not your noise or your radio.
 Be courteous: yield to others on a trail
 Camp away from trails and other visitors.

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References
 Conrado R. Aparato, Zyra Ruth Talaroc-Brebante, Lualhati Fernando-Caillo,
Peter Fermin Dajime - Rex Book Store – Physical Education and Health, Volume
II
 Tiktok
 https://www.rexestore.com/154-physical-education-college-books

Prepared by: Reviewed by:

MR. ALLYN T. F RANCISCO, LPT MS. LADY JANE B. CALDERON, LPT

Subject Teacher Subject Coordinator

Checked by Recommended for approval by:

MS. JENNY LIZ J. ANYAYAHAN DR. FEDELIZA A. NAMBATAC

Academic Coordinator, Basic Education Principal, Basic Education

Approved by:

BRO. HUBERTUS GURU, SVD

Director, Basic Education

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 PE 3

LEARNING ACTIVITY #1
Name: Date:
Section: Age:
Subject Teacher: Mr. Allyn T. Franciso, LPT

LET'S DO THIS!

Activity 1. Determining an Outdoor Recreational Activity

Football and soccer are activities done outdoors and on grass. Are they outdoor recreational
activities? Why or why not? Defend your answer.

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Activity 2. Choosing an Outdoor Recreational Activity

Given a chance, what outdoor activity would you like to try? Why? Where? Who do you like to
be with? Research, surf the Internet, and read blogs. Print a picture or cut out a picture then post it below
and write something about it.

What? Why? Where? With whom? What benefits can I get from it? Write your description here:
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_____________________________________________________________________________________
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Activity 3: Left a Trace

From your observation, whether first hand or from other sources (news, documentary shows,
narrated by friends, etc.), which among the Leave No Trace Seven Principles is usually not being
observed in the Philippines? Explain your answer. You may cut and post a news article or a personal
picture to back up your explanation.

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_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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