Week of 11/17/15

PE:  
Grades 3-5:  We are continuing fitness testing this week with the curl-up test (measuring abdominal strength and endurance), and the trunk lift test (measuring core strength).  For more information on FitnessGram, click here.

Fourth graders completing their curl-up test.

Fourth graders preparing to complete their curl-up test.

Grades Y5-2, and some 3-5th:  Locomotor Go Fish!  Students are in different groups (skip, gallop, hop, jump, walk, run).  They do that skill to go to the center of the gym, one at a time, where there are cards.  They take a card and try to be the first group to spell their locomotor skill's name.  This game works on practicing locomotor skills, cooperation, and relay formation, along with literacy/spelling/letter recognition skills.  Kindergarten and young fives play this game "open face", with letters showing in the center.  1st - 5th graders play with letters facing down.  3rd through 5th grade classes participate in this activity if there is time after fitness testing.

The template at each station helps students know which letter(s) they still need to complete their word.  

The "open face" format for K and Young Fives 

This team has spelled their skill word, RUN!  

This kindergartener waits for her teammate to return before hopping to Go Fish. 

Kindergarten

Young Fives

Fourth graders working together

Health: 
First graders are continuing talking about fire and burn safety!  We read some fire and burn safety situations and discussed why each situation was dangerous, and what students could do to be safer.  We also had time for students to share personal connections to fire/burn safety.

Fitness Testing

We have (mostly) concluded our fall "pre-test" fitness testing.  We'll test again in the spring!!  Below is a photo of the curl-up testing.

The tape on the mat marks how far the students are to curl up -- sliding their fingertips from the beginning of the tape to the end on each curl-up.  An audio track from my computer counts out the pace.  Just for fun, we named the man who counts the pace on the track "Walter".

To set up, students bend their knees over the tape and line up their fingertips with the start of the tape.  Then, they use their abdominal muscles (abs, tummy muscles) to curl up their upper body, sliding their fingers along the tape until they feel the end of the tape.  The tape is wider for upper elementary, and less wide for lower elementary.