Week 7 (October 1-4)

First Grade
This week started with us using the parachute for the first time this year. We spent time working together in numerous cooperative activities. We spent time working on making domes, making waves, making igloos and playing pop. The goal of the parachute time is to have students work together to achieve a goal. The culmination is to play a game called pop. During this game we use a "parachute" buddy that we place on the parachute. When students work togehter to make a dome it allows the parachute buddy to pop into the air and "fly." The better that the students work together as a group the higher that the parachute buddy goes into the air.

We also continue to work on fitness skills. We are working on getting into the plank position to help the first graders start to develop their upper body strength. If the first graders are capable of achieving this elementary position then the chances of them being able to perform a quality push up in the next few years becomes higher. We have also worked on a fitness standard for first grade that asks us the students to be able to sit on the ground and get up without using their hands. This standard asks for students to have abdominal strength (rectus abdominus and oblique muscles).

Third Grade
This week was designed to work on participating in different games/activities where students are playing games from different cultures around the world. We played a game called Indian Wrestling that comes from the Native Americans in the United States region. This game allows students to challenge another student to a "battle" of strength. Students who can keep their balance longer than their opponents will win.

We finished off the week working on the parachute. We spent time working on domes, igloos, pop and we also played a game called Lifeguard. In Lifeguard, a few students are chosen to be the lifeguard and a few are chosen to be the sharks. The sharks are sent under the parachute for the game. The rest of the students sit on the ground with their legs hanging under the parachute. When a shark tries to "attack" a person the lifeguards are supposed to run over and save the people. If a shark gets a person completely under the parachute they become sharks.

The fitness goal for this week was to work on running (cardiovascular endurance). We had the students run 2 laps during each class period to help them develop their cardiovascular system. In the future we will be timing the students for a half mile time and will also build up to a full mile time. The goal for running the mile will be for a third grade student to finish the mile in the allotted time.

Fifth Grade
This week's focus was to work on the new food pyramid guide. First, students were taught about the new categories for the food pyramid (grains, vegitables, fruits, others, milk and milk products, and meats, beans and nuts categories). The students were taught that the new pyramid uses colors to represent the categories. The new pyramid also has a physical activity section. This is new for the pyramid and promotes the importance of having good eating habits but also the importance of regular physical activity. After the students were taught about these items they were divided into groups to participate in a food pyramid relay. Each team was to collect small cards that represented the foods inside of the six categories. After the relay was over the students were given a quiz covering the six categories and the foods inside of the categories.

On Monday and Tuesday, the students were given a Mile Preparation Worksheet that was meant to go home and be read with the parents. The key of the worksheet is to prepare the students for the mile and to try and prevent students feeling sick to their stomach. The biggest factors are for the students to eat a good meal the night before, get up and get a quality breakfast the day of the mile and to eat a proper lunch. The other big factor is to make sure to have the students hydrate themselves.

On Wednesday and Thursday the fifth graders were given the task of running the mile. The mile run is apart of the cardiovascular endurance test for the California FitnessGram tests. Our goal is to have ten running tests throughout the year. The students were asked to keep an even pace and to make sure to run behind the tress (on our field). When the students finished they recorded their times, checked their heart rate and then completed a worksheet about their mile run. The students were asked to answer questions about their mile times, their heart rate, how they felt running, how they felt afterwards and to list a goal for the next mile run.

Sixth Grade
This week's focus was to work on the new food pyramid guide. First, students were taught about the new categories for the food pyramid (grains, vegitables, fruits, others, milk and milk products, and meats, beans and nuts categories). The students were taught that the new pyramid uses colors to represent the categories. The new pyramid also has a physical activity section. This is new for the pyramid and promotes the importance of having good eating habits but also the importance of regular physical activity. After the students were taught about these items they were divided into groups to participate in a food pyramid relay. Each team was to collect small cards that represented the foods inside of the six categories. After the relay was over the students were given a quiz covering the six categories and the foods inside of the categories.

On Monday and Tuesday, the students were given a Mile Preparation Worksheet that was meant to go home and be read with the parents. The key of the worksheet is to prepare the students for the mile and to try and prevent students feeling sick to their stomach. The biggest factors are for the students to eat a good meal the night before, get up and get a quality breakfast the day of the mile and to eat a proper lunch. The other big factor is to make sure to have the students hydrate themselves.

On Wednesday and Thursday the sixth graders were given the task of running the mile. The mile run is apart of the cardiovascular endurance test for the California FitnessGram tests. Our goal is to have ten running tests throughout the year. The students were asked to keep an even pace and to make sure to run behind the tress (on our field). When the students finished they recorded their times, checked their heart rate and then completed a worksheet about their mile run. The students were asked to answer questions about their mile times, their heart rate, how they felt running, how they felt afterwards and to list a goal for the next mile run.

Next Week's Goals:
First Grade- Paddle Skills
Third Grade- Paddle Skills
Fifth Grade- Volley Skills & Curl Up Test
Sixth Grade- Volley Skills & Curl Up Test