Week of October 5, 2015

Here's a brief recap of the week of October 5, 2015.

Y5-5th grade PE:  Hula Hoops!!  We continued exploring with Hula Hoops.  Younger students continued exploration tasks and challenges with the hoops, and some classes had some partner time to try rolling the hoop to a partner.  Older students had more advanced tasks with the hoops, including partner rolling and backspin hoop tasks.

5th graders roll the hoop to partners

5th graders have choice time at squad seats

Strong Soldiers:  One of our warm up exercises we use throughout the year for all grade levels is ABC Strong Soldiers.  For this exercise, students go into high plank (hands and toes on the floor, push-up position).  Then, students pick up one hand and touch the opposite elbow or chest with that hand.  Then do the same with the other hand, alternating.  The ABC part is how we often count - students say one letter of the alphabet with each touch of their hand, ending on Z.  This exercise help build core muscles, along with upper body strength.  It is a lead-up to push-ups.  If a student struggles with holding high plank, they can walk their feet in closer to their hands (allowing legs to help support the body).  

Kindergarteners working on Strong Soldiers

1st grade Health:  We concluded our Social and Emotional health unit with discussion of a decision making model, WIN.  This model uses a step-by-step approach to making decisions.  We went over some basic decision-making scenarios as a group using the model.  

W:  What happened, or what is the situation.  Think about what is going on.  

I:  Ideas to choose from (options for what to do).  Consider options that are safe, realistic, and match your values.  

N:  Now, Act!   Choose the best option for you and take action.  

Our next health unit will be physical activity and nutrition!  

1st grade health: Social and Emotional Health

In first grade health, we are working on our Social and Emotional Health unit.  We have learned:

• How family members and friends build relationships by listening and helping one another
• How to predict the potential feelings of others and how to find out how others feel
• How to use interpersonal communication to enhance health, including courteous communication, recognizing and expressing feelings, listening, compliments, and appreciations

We read the book How Full is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath.  The book shows students that we all have a "bucket" with our positive, good feelings.  We fill our own bucket AND others' buckets when we do kind, thoughtful, caring things for other people.  We empty our own bucket and take from others' buckets when we do unkind things.  

Students brainstormed a wonderful list of ways we can help at home and with friends.  Students were given a piece of paper and asked to draw themselves helping at home or helping a friend.  Here are some of their drawings.  Look for your student's sheet to come home today or Monday!  

Helping someone who is hurt

Helping do the dishes

Helping set the table

Helping with cooking

Helping by playing with a younger sibling

Helping with dishes

Helping with dishes

Setting the table

Helping someone who has dropped a pile of papers

Helping carry things

Helping clean the house

For the rest of this health unit, we'll learn how to use a decision making model to help guide our  choices.