Y5-2: Students will work on the overhand throw! We work on four steps for throwing:
- T: point to target, body shaped like a T, opposite hand pointing at target
- Muscle: Bend arm with ball/beanbag up, showing your muscle
- Step: Step with opposite foot, transferring weight from back to front
- Throw: Let the ball/beanbag go, end pointing toward target
During our first class of the week, students are assessed before instruction on the overhand throw. Then, we do instruction on the keywords -- with teacher demonstration, student practice without a beanbag, and then practice at individual mid-level targets with a beanbag. I circulate during this practice time and give students feedback on their form. I have them say the keywords while they're moving their bodies for each step of throwing. This is to help them remember each step.
Students then practice with a low target (a foam cylinder shaped pin). Then we move to partners (throwing at two pins, trying to knock both down at once), and then larger groups as time permits.
3rd-4th, and Carnegie (5th): These classes experienced basketball dribbling last week, so they are moving on to do basic jump rope activities. These activities are adapted from Landy and Landy, Ready to Use PE Activities for Grades 3-4. Activities include:
- Rope patterns: stretch rope along the floor for these activities (speed jump rope)
- jump zig zag from one end to the other end, facing forward, sideways
- hop back and forth across your rope, move from end to end
- straddle your rope, and jump this way (one foot each side of the rope)
- jump straddle-cross, so your rope is between your feet each jump.
- keep hands on the floor while you jump your feet back and forth, while you move along the rope.
- what are other ways you can move on or over your rope?
- Circle patterns: (speed jump rope)
- make your rope into a circle
- make a tall statue inside your circle
- make yourself as small as you can, as big as you can
- make a bridge with X parts inside the circle, X parts outside the circle (tried several of these!)
- put your hand in the center of the circle, legs straight out. Walk legs around your hand like a grinder (coffee grinder), switching hands and directions after two times around.
- leave your circle and do different locomotor patterns to the music. When the music stops, find an open circle and listen for directions (make a statue, bridge, balance, do an exercise, etc.).
- Shapes: For these next activities, students switched to a beaded jump rope.
- make a shape with your rope -- any shape - circle, triangle, rectangle, hexagon, pentagon, parallelogram, etc.
- make letters and or numbers with your rope
- with a partner (or small group), make some new shapes. you now have twice the rope to work with!
- For our second lesson of the week, grades 3 and 4 start out with a brainstorm of shapes they could make with jump ropes. Some ideas include: a house, igloo, sailboat, sunshine, clouds, flower, name(s) in cursive, letters, numbers, words, Nike logo, Under Armor logo, mitten, New Hampshire (!! a second grade student did this last week, unprompted!), any state....and more. :)
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| 5th graders enjoying our jump rope lesson |
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| 5th grade rope shapes |
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| Michigan! |
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5th graders: GO BLUE!
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| Fourth graders at work |
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| 4th graders transfer the Scream painting (below) to our gym floor |
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| Fourth graders: ice cream cone! |
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| 3rd and 4th graders make cupcakes! |
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| 3rd and 4th graders make cupcakes! |
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Weindorf/Schafer: Basketball dribbling activities, or fitness testing as needed! See previous posts for upper elementary basketball/fitness testing activities.
First grade health: This week, we learned how and why to call 911. Then, we started a craftivity (craft + activity!) to review fire safety. This craftivity will take several weeks to complete, and we'll send home the final products in January.
SXI: The SXI class continues to work on t-ball, bowling, and moving, moving, moving during our PE time. We adapt tasks as needed to allow for maximum participation and success. For example, we have a ramp to use for bowling. Each student has different needs and abilities, and we aim to have all students having fun, moving, and learning!
ASD: Both ASD classes have similar PE routines. Students walk around cones in the gym, and then participate in a locomotor skill warm-up (gallop, skip, sideways slide-step, and run). During some classes, we practice throwing/kicking/catching. Next, we play kickball or t-ball, followed by choice time. We have a large therapy ball they enjoy, scooters, hula hoops, playground balls are some options during choice time. In January, students will add some stretching activities following our locomotor skill warm-up. These activities work on following directions, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, listening skills, taking turns, and basic locomotor/manipulative skills. Basic locomotor and manipulative skills serve as the basis for all sports and activities.
