WEST ORANGE, NJ - Students at Roosevelt Middle School participated in PE Literacy Day during some unique gym classes on March 13 that combined physical activity with letters and word puzzles.

In an effort to promote literacy by developing cross-curricular activities, PE teachers Bridget Haine, Anthony Vitale and Margaret Theobold designed a modified combine workout for students. After forming groups, students ran across the gym to pick up a letter. That letter corresponded to a specific exercise that the group was required to perform before moving on to the next letter.

Exercises included incline pushups, tricep dips, mountain climbers, narrow squats, burpees, ninja kicks, and toe reach crunches. Once the team completed their exercises (all in sets of 12), the team had to unscramble the letters to find the word "badminton."

"The Physical Education department values the importance of literacy," said PE and Heath Supervisor Kevin Alvine.

"As our way of contributing to Read Across America, we created a fun literacy activity that also reinforces how PE plays an important role in the development of strong bodies and minds," he continued, "and to show students that it's not just a gym class, but a multitude of important learning experiences."

See the photos from the RMS Eighth Grade PE Literacy class here.

PE teachers Bridget Haine, Anthony Vitale, and Margaret Theobold instruct students on the Literacy Activity.

Artentry Jones grabs a letter.

Overhead tricep extensions with Dynabands.

Tricep dips.

Figuring out the word puzzle.

First team to solve the puzzle.