Weekly Updates

Week ending 2/19/10:
We finished our basketball unit Thursday. Your child learned the basics of dribbling, passing, and shooting they can take and apply anywhere they play basketball. Ask your child what the three things to remember about dribbling (keep the ball low, don't stare, and use your finger pads), passing (step, push, follow-through with wizard hands), and shooting (BEEF-balance, elbows in, eyes on goal, follow through with zombie arm).

Some students finished their week of nutrition. We learned about the five food groups and which foods should be eaten more and which less. Nutrition is an important part of controlling your child's weight and keeping them healthy. It is very important that this is stressed and shown importance at home if they are to develop good habits as young-adults and adults.

Week ending 2/26/10:
We started our hockey unit. We learned how to properly hold the stick with an alternating grip (nails and knuckles showing). We practiced ball control and passing. Students used a plastic ball but could earn a hockey puck by showing good control of their stick and good control of their bodies. Also, the Ironman Challenges were introduced...ask your child about these challenges and check out the Ironman Page to be updated weekly as well. Encourage your child to practice these challenges at home and to enjoy play and exercise outside to increase their health!

Week ending 3/5/10:
Our second week of hockey we worked on more passing in the second and fifth grade. Tuesday we did PE in the classroom because they were holding elections in the gym so we worked on our fitness using a deck of cards. The students would chose a card and based on the suit they would do an exercise. Friday we worked with the stacking cups building anything we wanted, but we had to run to earn the cups. The 4th and 5th graders wore their backpacks loaded with books while they ran and built to simulate the effects of excessive weight gain on the bodies. This was the third lesson in the nutrition unit.

Week ending 3/12/10:
Our third week of hockey we worked on puck/ball control, passing, defense, and keep away. The second and fifth graders were introduced to Box Hockey, a modified game of hockey where students must stay inside a designated box. We continued with our nutrition unit by loading the backpacks with books and doing fitness stations and cup building with the 3-5 grades.

Week ending 3/19/10:
Started our first week of volleyball with the 2-5 grades. We used playground kickballs to work the underhand serve and bump (forearm pass). The students worked ball control and force control to try and bump the ball to a partner. Volleyball is a very popular sport around the world and is also considered a Lifelong Sport because it can be played no matter the age. I am really trying to instill in the students a sense of enjoyment for different games/sports that can be played outside of the class. Friday we worked on jump rope and cup building with the K-1 and played Box Hockey with the 2-5 (introduced it to the 3&4 grades that had PE).

Week ending 3/26/10:
Started our second week of volleyball. We worked again on our bumps and underhand serves. We also introduced the set pass.

Week ending 4/1/10:
We ended volleyball this week. The fifth graders were introduced to the spike which is used in volleyball to score quickly. Second grade used balloons with partners and then combined together with the entire class to play a modified volleyball game. The third through fifth grades used a playground ball and nets borrowed from NAMS to play two types of volleyball. The first game was a modified version where the ball was allowed to bounce before you hit. Points were scored when the ball bounced four or more times or the ball was hit four or more times without going to the opoosite side of the net. The second game was regular volleyball rules.

Week ending 4/8/10:
For the next three to four weeks we will be doing out Project Fit America Challenges on the outdoor fitness equipment. There are seven stations: Pole Climb, Vault Bar, Pull-ups, Sit-ups, Horizontal Ladder, Parallel Bars, and Step-up. Each station has different requirements in order to receive Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Kong levels.