Week of 1/11/16

Lower Elementary:  Parachute!  
Lower elementary students are having their turn with the parachute this week!  And, needless to say, they are LOVING the parachute.  We start with introductory concepts (where to stand, how to hold the parachute safely, etc.), then practice how to inflate the parachute without it.  Then, it's time for the fun!  We shake the parachute - slow/fast, high/low.  We inflate it - making a big bubble up above our heads.  Depending on the grade level, we do different things - we might inflate it several more times, do color switching activities (under/around the parachute), shake the parachute with foam balls on top (popcorn), and go under the parachute after inflating (igloo).

Although the parachute is clearly AMAZINGLY AWESOME, we are working on many important concepts while we are having fun.  Movement concepts for lower elementary students during parachute include:

• sudden/sustained movements
• moving in unison = all together at the same time
• strong/light movements (use a large amount of force or a small amount)
• high/low, start/stop, slow/fast, big/small
• up/down, on/off, above/below

Many of these concepts are relationship-based, so they are hard to measure -- but certainly very important in daily life and in other subjects!!

Kindergarten enjoying the parachute!  

Young Fives

Upper Elementary:  Paddles
Upper elementary students are working with paddles.  For their first lesson this week, they use their hands as paddles.  They start with a ball at individual wall spaces.  Tasks include:

• hit the ball with one hand and catching it, then hit with the other hand
• try to continuously hit the ball against the wall at your wall space - see how many you can do without losing control of the ball
• try to hit the ball against the wall with one hand, then the other hand - alternating this way - see how many you can do without losing control
• try to hit the ball and hit the target 

Then, we gather near the dry erase board and go over rules for two square: 

• play starts with a bounce-serve
• ball must go over the center line
• one bounce only allowed
• after you hit it, the ball must bounce inside your opponent's square
• keep score: 
• one point scored if: 
• ball bounces twice
• ball lands out of bounds

Then we divide into pairs and play begins!  Time permitting, groups combine into groups of four and begin playing four square.  One fifth grade class asked to play four square indoors with playground balls, so for the last five minutes of class, we tried it.  

Fifth graders play two square with hand paddles

Fifth graders: four square

Four square with a playground ball

Fourth graders playing two square

For their second lesson, they use an actual paddle to strike the ball.  We have two types of paddles:  wood and plastic.  They are short, about 15" from the end of the handle to the tip of the paddle.  We use them in a variety of ways to improve eye-hand coordination, and also for striking skills.  Students are encouraged to try some or all of the following tasks:

• balance the ball on top of the paddle - knuckles up (forehand), fingers up (backhand)
• bounce the ball lightly up from the paddle (forehand and backhand trip)
• bounce the ball to the floor from the paddle

ASD and SXI Classrooms
In ASD PE classes, we have added two stretches to our routine.  The stretches happen after our warm up, which includes laps around the gym.  We do laps that include walking, running, galloping, skipping, and sideways slide-stepping.  Adding stretching to our routine helps with flexibility, and also helps prepare students for middle school PE, where stretching is often a part of every class.

SXI continues to enjoy playing t-ball, and working on activities and skills based on each individual student.  These activities and skills may include tracking an object with eyes, holding/pushing/pulling a ball or object, throwing an object, throwing at a target, or catching.

1st grade PE/Humanities - Health:  Medicines, Poisons & Tobacco
In health classes this week, first graders learned about staying safe from medicines and poisons.  We learned some rules:
Medicine:  

• only take medicine from a trusted adult
• never share medicine with another child
• never take more than a trusted adult says to take or gives you

Poisons:  

If you're not sure what something is, never sniff, swallow, taste, or play with it!  

We also learned about how smoking and tobacco use can damage our bodies, making our hearts work harder, and hurting our lungs and mouths.  Students learned what secondhand smoke is, and ways that they, as first graders can avoid secondhand smoke.  Ideas included: 

• move away from the person smoking
• go to another room
• go outside
• open a window
• keep bedroom door shut if someone in the house smokes
• respectfully ask the person to stop smoking

Family resource sheets were also sent home for these topics, as well as our Personal Safety unit.  We'll be learning about how to stay personally safe next week!  

Week of 10/19/2015 and 10/26/2015: Bowling, Bowling, Bowling!

Haisley is fortunate to participate in a program called In-School Bowling (Bowler's Ed), in partnership with Bel-Mark Lanes.  Bel-Mark provides 6 carpet bowling lanes, 6 sets of pins, and 6 bowling balls (rubber) for two weeks.  They deliver and pickup the lanes, and students enjoy them in the meantime.  This morning, students were SO EXCITED as they entered the gym to see the bowling equipment set up!  (Thanks to my morning and afternoon helpers for the setup assistance!!)

For older students (grades 3-5), the first bowling lesson begins with safety reminders and basics (how to hold the ball, which fingers to use, and different approach steps).  We discuss how to rotate at the lane (bowler, line judge, pin setter, and ball returner).  Then it's time to bowl!  Students "warm-up" with two rolls each turn.  The second lesson begins with a brief review of the first lesson, and some warm-up time.  Then we play Tic-Tac Bowl.  Lanes play against each other, aiming to knock over a certain number of pins to be able to mark a tic-tac-toe on their scorecard, hoping to beat the other lane!  A strike means a team can put their X or O wherever they choose, over any number.  

5th graders, Lane 1 versus Lane 2 in Tic Tac Bowl.

4th graders warming up

Younger students also begin with safety reminders and basics.  Most younger students don't do any approach steps, but rather stand with opposite foot forward, swinging arm(s) back, and then rolling the ball that way.  I encourage opposite foot forward, which then helps prepare them for then taking steps when they're ready.  We also discuss rotating "jobs" at each lane, but for younger students, the rotation is much more simple:  wait to bowl, bowler, and pin helper.  After you bowl, you help the pin helper set up the pins ("help clean up your own mess"), and then the pin helper brings the ball to the next person and waits for their turn to bowl.  Tape marks spots to wait and be a pin helper for younger students.

Young Fives:  One student is pin helper (near the pins), one bowling, and the other waiting her turn.  

Young Fives:  All six lanes in action!  

Self-contained classes will also practice bowling!  Our SXI and ASD classrooms love bowling.  Bel-Mark lanes brought not one but TWO bowling ramps to help all students enjoy and learn with this equipment.  Thank you, Bel-Mark!!  

Bowling is a great lifetime activity, and most of all, it is FUN!  I'll be posting more pictures of students in action throughout the next couple of weeks.  

Health: Safety

Over the past couple of weeks, we have been covering safety in kindergarten and first grade health.  Lessons are different based on their grade level, but cover the same basic concepts.  Last time I posted on the blog about health lessons, we were discussing fire safety and safety when moving around and on wheels.  We have since moved on to personal safety.  Personal safety is:

• Following safety rules
• Being aware of what is going on around you
• Taking safe action in situations that could be dangerous, destructive, or disturbing
• Asking for help when it is needed

Both grade levels discussed a rule for telling right away:  if something is Dangerous, Destructive, or Disturbing.  Those are what we refer to as our "3 Ds of Telling".  That means if something fits one of those words, we tell a trusted adult right away.  We discussed examples of trusted adults, and students came up with extensive lists of adults they can trust in these types of situations to help.  Some situations are so serious that they are considered emergencies.  Emergencies are when someone needs the help of a doctor, firefighter, or police officer RIGHT AWAY.  We talked about when to call 911 and why it's important to know how to call.  

We also discussed good touch and bad/confusing touches, and how to stay safer from bad touch.  The Michigan Model of Health outcomes for this area of our curriculum are: 

• Students will comprehend concepts related to appropriate and inappropriate touch.
• Students will demonstrate strategies to avoid personally unsafe situations and to get away in cases of inappropriate touch or abduction.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to ask a trusted adult for help.

We watched a video related to this topic, and also had a class discussion about these issues.  Students did a great job listening respectfully and actively participating in our lessons about these serious and extremely important topics.