P.E. News
Debbie Powell
At the beginning of the school year I participated in a Math in P.E. webinar. The program showed different ways to incorporate math skills, strategies and terminology into the P.E. curriculum with little change to the current program. The training was for grade levels K through middle school.
Many ideas were so easy to incorporate in all areas of the class. Simple things such as rolling dice to determine how many sit-ups to do (number bonds), doing warm-up runs in hundreds, tens and ones (and being in order) and counting plank holds by 2’s or 5’s are a few examples. Patterning and problem solving are also easy add-ins to P.E. It helps that I am in 1st and 2nd classes during their math time, keeping me up to date on what they are learning. I can then incorporate the skill, terminology or both into my classes.
I enjoy my time helping in the classrooms, getting to know the students on a different level and helping our superb teachers. Thank you parents for your support!
Classes are full of energy and enthusiasm! It was an easy transition from summertime fun to school routines.
The first weeks were spent reviewing rules and emergency procedures, getting reacquainted with each other and playing familiar games.
Pre-K has been getting use to sharing equipment, learning warm-up routines and following directions. Shapes and colors are identified in the gym and with the equipment we use. Throwing/catching skills have been introduced and they have practiced with beanbags, scarves, yarn balls and ghosts (fabric covered tennis balls). We have just started over/underhand throws. They are enthusiastic and eager to try and learn new skills.
Grades K – 3 are working on listening and following directions; individually and as well as part of a team, using good sportsmanship and transitioning quickly from moving and talking to being still and listening. Activities such as Steal the Bacon, relays and line to line listening drills help classes practice these skills. Third graders also did the sit-up test and will be doing the flexibility test soon. Kindergarten has learned how to do relays (taking turns and working together) and some tag games.
Grades 4 through 8 are working on team games; following the rules of the game and using good sportsmanship. Some classes are dividing up into teams on their own, making the teams fair, dividing as a group and not using the “captain” method. Classes have also done the sit-up and modified pull-up tests. Most have done a retest on sit-ups just to see what gains have been made in 5 or 6 weeks. They will set a goal for another retest in March.
