LAB · ALL AGES (1–8)

🏃 Move It — Exercise and Body

Control a virtual character’s activity level over a simulated week and watch stamina, mood, and focus shift. Build a realistic exercise plan — no gym required.

Progress: 0 / 4 stages complete

How to do this lab — read me first!

1.Take the pre-quiz below. Type your answer into the box for each question — it's okay if you're not sure! This shows what you already know. Spelling doesn't have to be perfect, and CAPS or lowercase both work the same.
2.Read the lab sections below the quiz — they explain the science in plain words. Tap "Go deeper" on any card for extra info.
3.Work through each lab module by tapping the bubbles near the top. Read it, then press "Mark module complete" to unlock the next one.
4.Do the hands-on sorting activity — use the up/down arrows to put the items in the right order, then press Check my order.
5.Take the post-quiz. It unlocks after you finish everything above. Type your answers in — short answers are fine, just write the main idea.
6.Sign in to save your scores and earn a badge. No account? You can still explore the whole lab.

💡 Stuck on a question? Scroll back and re-read the section about it, then return and try again. There's no time limit!

📝 Pre-quiz — what do you already know?

✏️ Type your answer in the box. Spelling close enough is OK — UPPER or lower case both work.

1. Exercise primarily benefits which system?

2. Cardio exercise improves:

3. Strength training primarily improves:

4. Sedentary lifestyle increases risk of:

5. Exercise affects mental health by:

6. Heart rate during exercise:

7. Daily movement is:

8. Exercise improves:

9. You need a gym to be healthy:

10. Physical activity reduces:

Simulation overview

Students enter a virtual physiology simulator where they control a character’s physical activity level over a simulated week. The environment visually reflects changes in energy, posture, and stamina depending on activity choices. In high-activity scenarios, the avatar gains endurance, improved mood stability, and increased cognitive alertness. In sedentary conditions, students observe gradual declines in energy, slower reaction times, and increased fatigue during daily tasks. The simulation includes “real-world constraints” such as school workload, transportation choices, and free time limitations. Students are challenged to build a realistic exercise plan without requiring gym equipment while still optimizing health outcomes.

Lab modules

Work through each module in order. Mark each one complete to unlock the post-quiz.

What movement does to your body

Exercise isn’t one thing — it’s a coordinated response across every system. Heart and lungs adapt to aerobic stress. Muscles and bones adapt to load. The brain releases BDNF and norepinephrine. Mitochondria multiply. This module walks through what’s actually changing inside the body when you move.

The cardiovascular response

When you move, muscles demand more oxygen. Heart rate rises, stroke volume increases, capillaries dilate, and over weeks the heart literally remodels — left ventricle thickens, resting heart rate drops. A fit teenager’s resting heart rate can be 50–60 bpm vs 75–85 for a sedentary peer.

Go deeper

VO₂ max is the single best predictor of all-cause mortality — better than blood pressure or cholesterol. And it’s highly trainable.

Muscle, bone, and joint

Resistance work (push-ups, bodyweight squats, climbing) signals bone-building cells (osteoblasts) to lay down more mineral. Peak bone mass is set in adolescence — what you build before age 25 you carry for life.

· Muscle adapts in 2–6 weeks of consistent loading
· Bone responds slower but the gains last decades
· Tendons need the longest adaptation — go gradual
· Skipping movement during puberty has lifetime cost

The brain on movement

Aerobic exercise raises BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) — sometimes called ‘Miracle-Gro for the brain.’ A 20-minute walk before a test boosts test scores measurably in elementary and middle school studies.

Go deeper

Hillman et al. (2009) showed a single bout of moderate exercise improved attention and academic achievement in 9-year-olds within 30 minutes. The effect is dose-dependent.

Mood and stress

Exercise raises endorphins (yes, runner’s high is real), endocannabinoids, and serotonin. For mild-to-moderate depression, 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity 3×/week matches the effect of SSRIs in clinical trials.

📖 Case study: Standing desks in middle school

A Texas A&M study introduced standing desks in 6th-grade classrooms. Students burned ~17% more calories AND scored higher on executive-function tests across the year vs sitting peers.

Takeaway: Reducing sedentary time matters as much as adding workouts.

Key takeaways from this module

VO₂ max is the best predictor of all-cause mortality, and it’s trainable.
Peak bone mass is built in adolescence — load-bearing matters now.
Aerobic exercise is comparable to SSRIs for mild-to-moderate depression.
Dose-response is steepest at the LOW end of activity. Some > none always.

Hands-on activity: Warm-up to cool-down

Put the parts of a smart workout in the right order to prevent injury and maximize benefit.

1.Main workout (target zone)
2.Hydrate & fuel
3.Cool-down + stretch
4.Dynamic warm-up
5.Sleep for recovery

Post-quiz locked

Finish all 4 lab modules (0/4 done). Complete the hands-on activity above.