Weeks of 2/22 - 3/21!! Wow!!

We have been very busy in PE in the past month!!  First, some announcements and information:  

1.  PE report cards:  PE reports went to all students in lower elementary (young fives through second grade).  FitnessGram fitness testing reports will be sent home in June for grades 3-5.  I was involved in a committee of PE teachers who worked to revise the PE report card.  I appreciate all feedback on the report card (format, length, information included, etc.)!!  Please let me know if you have thoughts or suggestions on our PE report cards.

2.  Jump Rope for Heart wrap-up:  Haisley's Jump Rope for Heart event occurred during regularly schedule PE classes in February, and we raised over $4,000 for the American Heart Association!  Bravo, Haisley!  We helped many people with special hearts with our efforts, and learned how to take care of our own hearts, too!  Our efforts also earned Haisley a $300 US Games (PE supply vendor) gift certificate, which purchased new scooters and scooter storage poles.

Upper elementary students enjoyed more time with long jump ropes, and lower elementary students participated in more center-based activities, including more time with rope shapes (see attached pictures!).

3.  Thank you, Haisley PTO!!   PTO classroom grant funds purchased new coated foam frisbees, and 24" hula hoops.  These smaller hoops are SO FUN (and so much easier for younger students to manage than our larger hoops)!!  We used the frisbees and hula hoops this week, and loved them!!  Thank you PTO!!

And now, the pictures!!  Here are some snapshots of what we've been up to in the past month!

First grade: rope shapes

These first graders have heart. :)  

Cutting and pasting our germs craftivity booklet during first grade health.  

Cutting and pasting our germs craftivity booklet during first grade health.  

First graders:  it takes heart to be a hero!  <3

These creative first graders made a portrait of me with their ropes on the floor.  Notice my ponytail!  =)  

Learning about muscles and bones during first grade health.  

Driving hula hoop "cars" around on the "roads" (lines on the floor).  

Upper elementary students work on long jump rope skills:  turning the rope and jumping.  

Upper el: long ropes

Upper el: long ropes

Lower el:  dice warm up.  Roll the die, do the exercise that matches.  

Lower el dice warm-up

Lower el dice warm-up

Frisbees!  Thank you PTO!  

Upper el dice warm-up

Lower el centers:  dice (same as warm-up, but each student had their own die) and bowling

Lower el centers:  hula hoop, bean bag toss, and toss/catch the giant jack

Upper el: frisbee toss through the hoop

Upper el:  Ultimate Frisbee pass/catch practice

Upper el:  toss through the hoop

Upper el:  toss/catch practice with partner - forehand and backhand throwing

Upper el:  Toss through a hoop

Dice Exercise warm-up:  purchased from TeachersPayTeachers.  Click here to view.  

Warm-Ups are COOL!! Mile/Half Mile Run, and Builders/Dozers

Warm Ups are COOL! 
In all classes, we've been working on different types of warm-up (and cool-down) activities.   Some favorites include:

Y5, K, 1, & 2:

• Dots.  Poly spot dots are spread inside the three center circles.  Students move, using the announced locomotor skill (gallop, skip, sideways slide-step, jog/run) around the edges of the gym.  When the music stops, they put their feet on a dot and listen for what to do next!  This warm-up works on spatial awareness, and following directions (stop, start, freeze).  
• Walk the box/walk the lines.  Walking "the box" (the black line around the edges of the gym) or "the lines" (any/all lines in the gym) helps younger students identify important marks in the gym (spatial awareness).  This warm-up also works on following directions, especially start and stop directions.  
• 1&2:  Everybody's It Tag.  This is a great cool-down game.  Walking only, stay inside the box.  Just like the name of the game, everybody is IT!  Round 1:  Students tagged by anyone sit down, criss cross applesauce, hands in lap.  They're out until we start another round.  For now, students only play round 1.  Later in the year, they'll play rounds 2 and 3.  Round 2:  When out, you can tag others still in the game.  You stay out, but they're out, too, if you tag them.  Round 3:  When out, you can tag others still in the game.  You get back into the game if you tag another participant still walking.  

3-5: 

• Around the circles.   Students move around the center circles, listening for which locomotor skill to do (gallop, skip, sideways slide-step, jog/run).  We do this for one song, and then stretches, then our activity.  
• Rock Paper Scissors (RPS) - I Won, We Run.  Students play RPS over the center line against another person.  The winner runs and touches the black endline with their foot once.  The person who loses runs and touches the black endline with their foot TWICE.  When done with their running, students play against someone else - whoever is available at the center line.  No partners, no waiting for anyone in particular at the line. :)  Lots of movement!  
• Whip, Nae Nae.  There is a cardio workout for elementary PE classes to this popular song, and we tried it!  We used the YouTube video to follow along.  Most students enjoyed it - many students asked, "Can we do it again, right now?"  Ask your 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade student about this one!  

Fourth graders warming up with the Whip, Nae Nae workout

Other Activities:  
Fitness Laps:  In grades 3-5, we'll do a fall Mile Run PRE-test sometime in the next month.  Classes this week will (weather permitting) go outside for an activity called Fitness Laps.  Students go around the sidewalk track, after each lap stopping to do an exercise.  Exercises include jumping jacks, ski jumps, scissor jumps, hops, wall sits, and stretches.  Second graders also participate in Fitness Laps at this point in the school year to prepare for a half mile PRE-test.

Builders/Bulldozers:  Y5-2 students have also been enjoying an activity called Builders and Bulldozers.  Cones are scattered all over the playing area, some tipped over, some set up.  Students have a job during the game - builders or bulldozers.  Builders use their hands to set up the cones.  Bulldozers use their hands to tip the cones over.  Students have a chance to do both jobs usually several times during each game, and we change the locomotor skill we use to move around the playing area.  This game works on following directions, spatial awareness/personal space, staying in control, locomotor skills, and start/stop signals.

Young Fives enjoying Builders and Bulldozers

Ship to Shore:  Ship to shore is a basic game that helps with directions and spatial-movement awareness.  Color coded cones are placed on each endline, and the center line of the gym.  One endline is the Ship, the other endline the Shore, and the center line is the Bridge.  Students listen for directions for where to move and how to move.  For example, the direction given might be:  "Girls, skip to the Ship."  Then, "Boys, gallop to the Shore."  etc.  This activity also helps me assess locomotor skills (gallop, skip, sideways slide-step, hop, jump, leap, walk, run).  

PE: Y5 - 5

In PE this week, students are participating in a 7 minute continuous jog warm up.  During this warm-up, a scoreboard is projected onto the wall with 7 minutes on the clock (pictured and described in last week's blog post).

5th graders running.  The clock is projected onto the wall to let students know exactly how much time is left.  

After our warm-up, classes participated in cooperative hoops during one PE class.  Students form a circle and join hands.  A hula hoop is placed on one student's arm.  The challenge is to move the hoop all the way around the circle and back to where it started without letting go of hands.  Students work on spatial awareness concepts, communication, teamwork, and cooperation during this activity.

After warm-up during the second PE class of the week, students played a quick round of Pins and Baskets (2nd - 5th grades), Guard the Pin (1st grade), or Clean Out Your Backyard (K and Y5).  

Self-contained ASD classes this week worked on kicking and throwing in PE classes, along with our regular routine cardiovascular/locomotor skill warm-up.  We also played t-ball, and even ventured outside for a walk around the sidewalk track!!

Ms. Addison's POHI class continued with working on individual goals during PE.  These goals including walking with or without a gait trainer, throwing/rolling/catching a ball, grasping objects, and participating in a t-ball activity.

Overhand Throw and more

This week, fifth graders are finishing up miscellaneous Fitness Testing items as needed.  

Grades 3-4:

• Jump Rope challenge warm-up.  Get a rope and go to letter seats and start jumping.  When the music starts, your challenge is to jump as much as you can during ONE song (about 3 minutes).  If you miss, reset yourself and keep jumping!  Take breaks with side-swings if needed, and then go back to jumping.  (During this time, I am usually also jumping with them - demonstrating some of the tricks we have learned and giving feedback as needed.)
• First class of the week:  Game Day!  Many classes have earned a game day through being prepared for PE class.  
• Second class:  Overhand throw activities.  Review steps of overhand throw (T, Muscle, Step, Throw), and concepts (stepping with opposite foot gives more force, eyes on your target, etc.).  Throwing practice.  

Grades Y5-2: 

• Locomotor skills warm-up. 
• First class of the week:  Game Day!  Many of these classes have also earned game days by arriving to PE prepared.  
• Second class:  Overhand throw.  Demonstrate the steps with the keywords of the overhand throw (T, Muscle, Step, Throw).  Practice at wall targets.  During this practice time, I circulate to students to give specific feedback.  We also take about 10 minutes of this class period and do some activities with the beanbags, and then conclude the class with a few more target throws.  

First graders practicing the "Muscle!" step of throwing.

 "THROW!"

New Warm-Up

I recently observed a warm-up in another PE class and thought we would give it a try!  Here's a picture of fourth grade students participating here at Haisley.  I am introducing this warm-up to students this week.

Gym setup:  Four cones near one endline, different colors.  A corresponding set of four cones (matching colors) near the other endline.  Students divide into approximately even groups, behind the cones at one end of the gym.

Activity:  Students move, one at a time, to the other cone using the specified skill (run, skip, gallop, slide-step, high knees, back kicks, etc.).  Once they reach the other cone, they walk around the edges back to their group's start cone.  Students wait until the person before them reaches the half court line before starting.  It's not a race, and with built-in walking breaks, allows students to self-pace appropriately for their cardiovascular fitness level.

We usually do warm-up activities for five minutes or less.  Often the length of one song is perfect, and the addition of music helps increase energy.  =)