We have wrapped up our gymnastics unit. Here are a few more pictures of the kids learning in their centers. Some of the pictures are nothing more than a blur but, keep in mind, the kids are rarely standing still during PE.
Golden Shoe Awards are used as an incentive for classes to be on their best behavior and work hard during PE. Each day classes are able to earn up to five stickers to put towards their goal of forty. Once a class reaches their goal they are presented a golden tennis shoe to be displayed outside their class or in their room until the end of the year and a new goal is set. So far this year five classes have earned forty or more stickers and their first shoes. Congratulations to Ms. Hull’s, Ms. Beaman’s, Mr. Brooks’, Ms. Ellett’s, and Ms. McGlon’s students for consistently doing a great job in PE and earning their shoe. Many other classes are very close to their goal and will reach forty stickers within the next week.
I do stickers a little differently with Pre-K. Ms. Smith’s and Ms. Dunston’s students can earn one sticker a day and have had a goal of three stickers. Both classes easily earned their first two shoes. They now have a goal of four stickers to earn their next shoe.
The Golden Shoe Award
Last week students in the fourth and fifth grade played a fitness and teamwork game called Action Packed. Hula hoops were placed in a circle around the room to create a giant game board. The students then worked in small groups rolling dice, moving from hoop to hoop, and completing the activities in the hoop on which they landed. Fitness activities included burpees, curl ups, sit ups, and plank just to name a few. Ring Around the Rosie, linking elbows and singing the ABC song, and group high fives helped build teamwork and allowed the kids to have some fun together. The teamwork activities got some groans from the students during the directions but judging from their smiles, everyone seemed to enjoy the silliness and short break during the game.
Pre-K through 3rd grade have started a gymnastics unit. Each grade is participating in developmentally appropriate gymnastic themed centers. Students are practicing balance, transfer of weight (lead up to cartwheels and cartwheels), rolls and basic body awareness. The gymnastic unit will last a few weeks with slight changes made to the centers each time the kids come to the gym. It has been great to see the smiles on the faces of the kids when they realize they can do something they didn’t think they could and students with gymnastics experience have enjoyed sharing their skills with friends.
Pre-K
This week in PE Pre-K is working in groups of four to learn how to participate in relays. Our relays have included zigzagging through cones, leaping over hurdles, and running through hoops. I’m happy to say that all the kids did a great job taking turns and trying new things.
Kindergarten and First Grade
Kindergarten and first grade classes started PE this week by naming different ways to exercise and discussing all the good things it does for the body. After agreeing that exercise is both fun and an important part of being healthy, we got our hearts pumping by playing with scoops and bean bags. We practiced baby tosses, mama tosses, and daddy tosses. Once we gained confidence in our ability to catch we added some tricks such as toss, touch our head and catch as well as toss, spin around and catch. At the end of class, we balanced our bean bags on various body parts as we traveled around the room using several locomotor skills and pathways.
Scoops are easy to make at home and a fun way to add exercise to your child’s day. Simply cut the bottom off a gallon water or milk jug, turn it upside down and there you have it, instant fun. Balled up socks or a beanie baby can be used in the place of a bean bag.
Second and Third Grade
Second and third grade classes shared their favorite way to exercise and discussed how our bodies respond to exercise. Students listed sweating, increased heart rate, and breathing faster (increased respiration) as indications that an activity may be exercise. We put these ideas to the test with a game called Bowling Bombs.
Bowling Bombs is a throwing, rolling, catching, blocking, and teamwork game. The kids and I both love these types of games. Each student has nearly limitless opportunities to practice their skills and experience success while participating in continuous vigorous physical activity. It was not long before students were sweating, heart rates were up, and the sounds of heavy breathing filled the room.
Fourth and Fifth Grade
Fourth and fifth grade classes have been playing fitness games to help us get ready for the practice fitness tests. Most recently we played a game called Mathletics. Students chose fitnesses activities to complete in order to earn a playing card. Fitness activities included running a lap around the room, jumping rope, jumping jacks, and plank hockey among many others. The cards were used to answer questions reviewing fourth and fifth grade number sense. Finding cards with the product of 35 and finding all the factors of 10 are two examples of the math problems they were answering. The game was physically challenging but I was very impressed with how easily the students answered the math problems.
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