The clocks are turned back so it must be Spring and the 3rd Trimester! Even though we have had a mild winter we are ready for consistent good weather so we can head outside again. Below is a synopsis of upcoming events in PE class.
Preschool 4 and Kindergarten will continue working on their eye hand coordination with “Feed the Alligators”- a scooter game where the children collect millions of tennis balls(meatballs) while on scooters and shoot them into the 4 alligator’s mouths(tall buckets). There are boundary lines so be careful you don’t get eaten by the alligators! We’ll celebrate Easter with our version of an Egg Hunt, where plastic, sports eggs are hidden under flower pots- is there an egg under there or has it been found?????? We also celebrate spring with our wind-up singing chicken enticing the children to follow him and do the Chicken Dance. The students will complete the year learning beginning tennis, kickball and wiffleball skills.
Grades 1-3 will also feed the alligators, have an egg hunt and dance with the chicken. In addition, they will learn the forehand and backhand strokes for tennis and hit balls over a real net in the gym. The children will play other tennis games geared to strengthen their grips and foster better eye hand coordination. An annual favorite is Baby in the Air-a game from my childhood summer nights that the children just love! We will play Tennis Baseball, Kickball and T-Ball/Baseball outside. We’ll wind up the year with New Battleship( a twist on a favorite game played earlier in the year) and “Shark” with the Parachute.
Grades 4-8 will finish their floor hockey tourney and then move into their Tennis, Lacrosse and Baseball units. They especially like playing “King of the Court” in Tennis where they challenge each other to become king/queen of the court in singles and doubles games. We will also complete our Presidential testing with Pullups.
Finally, the favorite leg of our Healthy Lifestyle project is “Healthy Choices”. Students will bring in a healthy food to share with their classmates. It could be fruit or veggies or a healthy alternative to a “not so good for you food”, such as fat free or sugarless candy, “baked” potato chips etc. The sky is the limit! Over the years the children have been introduced to many foods they may never have tried before and really enjoyed them. This project must be presented and shared during their regular PE class. It is due by the week of May 7th- as always early projects are encouraged.
Finally, the icing on the cake- FIELD DAY! This year it is Thursday, May 24th. All are welcome to join us- it is fun and easy to volunteer!!!
Once again I have enjoyed working with your children. We have had a fun year-assemblies with the Flyers and the Phillies, hockey and LAX tourneys, Doctor dodgeball games, Parachute, to name a few and of course- smelly stamps! It is rewarding to see skills progressing and confidence growing as the year moves along.
Thank you,
Mrs. M.A. Gilman
2nd Trimester
Welcome to the 2nd Trimester and a preview of what we will be doing in PE class.
Preschool 4 and Kindergarten will continue working on movement skills using different parts of their bodies to refine their catching, kicking and striking skills. Some of their games will include Balloon Play, Cows and Ducks(acting out animals to find their matching groups by sound), The Farmer in the Dell, Hula Hoop Bowling, Bowling for Dough(striking real bowling pins to earn Monopoly $$ for strikes and spares), Feed the Alligators(a tennis ball target game), Snowball Fort(gathering”snowballs”-scattered paper plates- while on scooters), Baby in the Air(a backyard game I played when young on summer nights) and various scooter races- Horsey is their favorite! The children are developing on target and enjoying themselves!
Grades 1-3 will work on many of the same games as above but at a different level.Some of the additional games they will play are Gladiators( a dodge ball game with numerous other games happening at the same time-probably the most favorite game of the entire student body!!!), Aerobic Bowling Bingo( a running and target shooting game), 4 Color Square(our salute to the Winter Olympics) and soft sided Floor Hockey. The children are continually moving and having fun!
Grades 4-8 have completed their basketball unit and are looking forward to the Floor Hockey Tourney. The students form teams, creatively name their teams and results are posted daily for all grades to enjoy. Other games included in this trimester are Gladiators, Hoof Ball(strategic kicking game), Mat Ball(wiffleball stealing game) and Tennis Baseball. We will continue our Presidential Testing with the Shuttle Run(test of speed) and Pull ups.
For the 4-8 PE Project this trimester, the children will develop their own fitness plan and implement it for one week based on the F.I.T.T. Principle. This will be explained to the students the week of Dec.12 and they will be given a handout. I am encouraging once again that the students do not wait until the last possible week to hand in their project and present it to their class. The last possible week to present is the week of February 20th. Any questions about the project, please email me. Thank you.
Trimester 1
Welcome to the 2011-12 School Year!!!
In PE class your child will
participate in developmentally appropriate activities that will help increase
their physical competence, self esteem and joy of being active no matter what
their abilities are.
Preschool-4 will begin their Gym class on Monday
October 3rd. Please dress your child with sneakers and comfortable clothes on
all gym days.
In Preschool we work on simple movements and skills and learn
how to interact safely. Some of the games we play are Duck, Duck Goose, The
Farmer in the Dell and Red Light Green Light. The little ones love the Parachute
and the clash of the real bowling pins as they hit the floor in our bowling
games. Gym is always one of their favorite classes! I’m looking forward to
meeting your children!!
Kindergarten-Grade 3 students will continue to
build competence in a wide range of motor, non-motor and manipulative skills. We
start out with some early skilled Football and Soccer games such as Kick and Run
and Goal Attack. We play several chasing games such as Bug Out, Alien Tag and
Stuck in the Mud. We love our favorites such as Friendship Ball, Battleship and
Parachute. The students have fun while learning to participate safely and treat
others with respect.
The students in Grades 4-8 will be setting and
achieving personal goals in the Presidential Fitness Testing. The first two
events are Curl-ups(sit-ups), which test abdominal strength, and the Mile(week
of October 24th), which of course tests their endurance. We will prepare for
both.
We always start the school year with our football and soccer units.
Some of our football games will include Ready, Set Hut, Bordenball, and Ten
Points, where we will work on our throwing and catching skills. We play outdoor
and indoor soccer. Indoor is their favorite because they can safely slide tackle
and they love pounding the walls with the ball!
Grades 4-8 will continue
their study of the importance of good nutrition and physical exercise. This
trimester’s project is called “Your Optimal Snack”. Your child was given a
handout the first week of PE classes explaining this project. It is due by the
week of November 14th. Sooner is always appreciated!!
I’m looking forward
to another great year interacting with your child. If you or your child have any
questions, please contact me. Thank You.
