When the talk turns to physical education, several things probably come to mind: running, jumping jacks, team sports, sweat.

But walking to and from lunch?

No way, say state legislators and health experts, who were concerned that some schools were using the time it took to walk across campus to meet a state law that said elementary school kids need to have 150 minutes of physical education a week.

The law, which went into effect last year, did not specify how schools should fit those 2 ½ hours into days already crammed with reading, math and writing. So some took a creative approach, cobbling together minutes of stretching, recess and health talk in a given day.

''There were some really great things that went on,'' said Don Knitt, president of the Florida Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance and Sport. ``And there were some interesting things that were not the intent of the bill.''

A new bill passed this year gives school districts less creative license to meet the requirement. It says that on any day during which kids have physical education, they must have at least 30 minutes in a row.

''The idea is to get kids up and active and moving,'' said Knitt, who is also the physical education curriculum coordinator for the Polk County school district.

The law is intended to try to combat the childhood obesity epidemic but also to help students pay more attention in school, said state Sen. Lee Constantine, R-Altamonte Springs, who sponsored the bill.

''When you have good health, you can learn more,'' he said, adding that exercise can help reduce bad behavior by giving kids a positive way to release energy.

Now many schools are struggling to meet the tougher requirements.

NEED FOR RELEASE

In Broward, most elementary schools have physical education at least once a week; all have recess on non-PE days.

At Lakeside Elementary in Pembroke Pines, students have 40 minutes of PE twice every seven school days. A recent class started as usual: kids doing jumping jacks, twists, a run around the track and then a mad dash to the water fountain.

''They'll never walk,'' said PE teacher Dennis Valerioti. ``It's another way of getting their exercise.''

Kids that day were sitting on low scooters and working leg muscles by pushing themselves backward and forwards around a cone.

''That was fast!'' said first-grader Cameron Bolash, 6, after he took his turn.

Although Lakeside has longer PE classes than most schools, Principal Marion Ann Fee said it is still a challenge to work in all the required time.

''You just have to adjust,'' she said. ``They do need that physical release.''

On days kids don't have PE, teachers have to make sure they're meeting the law's requirements -- and that calls for some creativity.

Elly Zanin, the Broward school district's physical education curriculum specialist, said schools could potentially package health and nutrition education with physical activity to meet the 30-minute mandate. State officials said that would meet the law as long as kids were actively engaged the whole time.

The district has given schools equipment and games, and has put lesson plans on the district website so classroom teachers can better integrate physical activity into other subjects.

''The kids are loving it when they get to do their math by standing up, going around the room and measuring the dimensions of the desks and picture frames,'' Zanin said.

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