Week 16 (December 10-14)

Friday (last week) and Monday: Third, Fifth and Sixth Grades
The students stayed in on Friday of last week and Monday of this week. We worked on a health lesson and adapted the lesson to meet the standards for each grade level. First, we worked on breaking down the vocabulary to the standard so that we all understood the language behind the standard. We broke down the vocabulary for moderate, vigorous and physical activity. We then worked on learning the six responses that the body has for moderate to vigorous physical activity. The six responses include: increase in body temperature, increase in heart rate, sweating, harder to talk, feeling just past the comfortable stage, and increase in breathing. We discussed what each of these responses included and made connections to each response inside of physical education. We also spent time learning about the maximum heart rate (220-your age) and the intensity levels for moderate exercise (50-70% of your maximum heart rate) and vigorous exercise (71-85% of your maximum heart rate).


First Grade
We started the week off by working on a new fitness activity. Students played rock-paper-scissors but with a twist. When a student won a round of rock-paper-scissors they would run to one end of the court and the non-winners ran to the opposite end of the court. Then they would challenge a new person and continue the process. Next, we worked on group cooperation skills. We divide up the students into a group and had them work on giving high fives to make a pattern in their group. Next, we added a playground ball into each group and had them pass the ball around (using the same pattern). We worked on chest passes and bounce passes. Finally, we played a game of Pin with each group. One person would roll the ball toward a pin (cone). If you touched the pin with the ball your team received 1 point. If you knocked over the pin you would receive 3 points. Taking turns was the focus of the activity.

Third Grade
This week we worked on basketball skills. First, we learned how to dribble (with our hands). We learned that you use the pads of your hands to dribble (not the fingertips or the palm) and that you want the ball to bounce up to the waist. We also learned to keep our head up to see what is going on around us. We worked at dribbling while stationary and while moving. Second, we worked on passing skills. We learned how to perform both a chest pass and a bounce pass. In the chest pass we hold the back side of the ball, take a step, snap our wrist and the ball should travel to your partner's chest. On a bounce pass we hold the back side of the ball, take a step, push the ball into the ground and the ball should bounce up to our partner's chest after hitting the ground. We spent time practicing these skills.

Fifth Grade
This week we worked on basketball skills. First, we learned how to dribble (with our hands). We learned that you use the pads of your hands to dribble (not the fingertips or the palm) and that you want the ball to bounce up to the waist. We also learned to keep our head up to see what is going on around us. We worked at dribbling while stationary and while moving. Second, we worked on passing skills. We learned how to perform both a chest pass and a bounce pass. In the chest pass we hold the back side of the ball, take a step, snap our wrist and the ball should travel to your partner's chest. On a bounce pass we hold the back side of the ball, take a step, push the ball into the ground and the ball should bounce up to our partner's chest after hitting the ground. We spent time practicing these skills.

Sixth Grade
This week the sixth graders worked on paddle tennis skills. We first reviewed the safety rules so that we would stay safe in our activity. We learned that we use the handshake grip to work on the forehand pass. We worked in stations while practicing ball control skills and hitting the ball against the ball wall. We worked at the sixth grade standard 1.2 by hitting a ball against a wall with a partner. We also worked at standard 1.4 that has us hitting a ball (using a paddle) so it travels in the intended direction.

Friday (Third, Fifth and Sixth Grades)
On Friday we had a shortened period because of the minimum day schedule. We played two "winter" holiday games that were found on pecentral.com. This web site is designed to give lesson ideas for physical education teachers. We played a tag game called Freeze and Thaw tag. We also played How the Grinch Stole Christmas.