G5 Volleyball Introduction #proudteacher

I introduced Nukem/Volleyball at Grades 3 and 5 into the PIE Physical Education curriculum three years ago. This year I have some of the original G3's who participated in that very first unit. So far we've only revisited the overhead pass (for one lesson) but I must admit it makes me feel proud seeing how much they retained, understood and learnt from that first Volleyball unit in Grade 3 #proudteacher

Practicing the Overhead Pass playing "Overhead Pass Basketball"

Essential Agreements 2015 - 2016

My classes came up with some fantastic Essential Agreements for this school year in PE. #essentialagreements #physed

 

G2 Problem Solving...

G2 Problem Solving... Running Out of Road!!!

Last day of the school year, units are done, reports are written, everybody is winding down.
This little group did make laugh :)

They had almost completed the obstacle course without touching the floor. The last challenge in their way was getting over the vaulting box (they couldn't go round (far too easy)). For the exercise they had the use of foam balance beams and scooters.

The photos below shows what happens when too many students push ahead without thinking ahead. A pile-up of little people, hanging onto the vaulting box for dear life as they try to have equipment send to them from the rear.

A valuable life lesson - lol

Harvard University: Making Thinking Visible

Our Final Feedback from the Course :)

Click to Enlarge

Certification of Completion

KG: Fun with Storage Crates

As the title suggests, the students loved playing with the storage crates - from experience let me tell you, pushing them around the gym floor with students tucked safety inside is a real cardio and whole body workout.

Grade 1 and Grade 2 Striking & Fielding Ideas

Inquiry in Physical Education: G5 Volleyball - Creating a Checklist (a slide show)

I created this slide show to help share with my peers some of the things I was doing with my Grade 5's. The slide show is centered around two lessons (extracts from both lessons can be found in the movie links).

In one of the movies I do refer to the checklists as rubrics, they are not rubrics they are just a simple checklist of the skills broken down by the G5's.

G1: Inquiring into Teamwork through the Physical Education Learning Lens of Striking & Fielding (Kickball)

What Are Striking/Fielding Games?

Players on the batting team strike an object and attempt to run between two points before the fielding team can recuperate the object. Tactical Problems related to Striking and Fielding Games include striking the object, fielding the object, running the points.
Examples: Baseball, Softball, Cricket, Kickball

G2 Relationships in Team Sports through the Physical Education Learning Lens of Striking & Fielding II

The G2 Striking & Fielding Unit II will focus on the concept of Relationships.

Taken from my conceptual map for Primary Physical Education

Striking and Fielding Unit II is about transferring the skills, knowledge and understanding the learning in Unit I and applying it to a different Striking & Fielding Game. This Unit we are inquiring into Baseball, via Cricket.

Grade 2 In Action

In the photographs you will notice we are still using the cricket wickets as bases and a cricket bat. The thinking behind this is by using the wickets it still gives the students a bigger target to aim at when fielding (and when running) and the cricket bat makes it easier for the students to hit a bowled/pitched ball (with a cricket bat you can hit the ball even when it is bowled along the ground). 

In the photos you will see I am the pitcher, these are early photos within the unit (I pitch because I want every student to have success with the bat). In later lessons I will turn the pitching duties over to the students. Being the pitch also puts me right at the center of the game and in a position to teach within the game, both the rules and game sense.

MTV: Reflection - I Used To Do/ Now I Do

G3 Bouldering

What is Bouldering?

Written by: Lucreid (http://www.abc-of-rockclimbing.com/info/bouldering.asp)

 Bouldering is a type of Climbing where you actually don’t need to leave more than twelve feet off the ground. But don’t let the height fool you. Bouldering is not for the faint of heart. It requires total body control and upper body strength. This allows climbers to do certain moves which are dangerous to do if you are more than 50 feet off the ground.

As its name implies, Bouldering is basically the type of Climbing where one has to work his or her way through a boulder route which is usually called problem. As simple as it may sound, some problems require specific moves for one to get through them. These moves require intense training and practice to successfully pull them off. Keep in mind though that Bouldering doesn’t actually need most pieces of Rock Climbing Equipment such as Ropes, Carabiners, and Harnesses. It only requires Climbing Shoes for better scaling, Chalk for better grip, obviously a Chalk Bag for the Chalk to be used, and Crash Pads to cushion a fall. Sometimes, instead of using Crash Pads, climbers assign a spotter, or someone who will stand below the climber to prevent the latter from landing badly.

Bouldering has already been practiced as early as 1880, used by the British in training climbers for longer mountain climbs. It was only during the 1950s when the Father of Modern Bouldering, John Gill, who is also a climber and gymnast, brought Bouldering into the mainstream and made it into a sport in its own right.

As a sport, Bouldering is steadily working its way up to the ranks of extreme sport. It already spawned some star athletes such as Lisa Rands, Ryan Pasquill, Emily Harrington. It is also increasingly getting popular as a sport that promotes physical fitness, body endurance, creativity, and quick thinking.

In short, Bouldering is a sport suitable for people who thrive in adventure and for adrenaline seekers who aren’t afraid to take risks. Sure, it may be difficult at the beginning, but after a few tries on the rock and finally getting the hang of it, rest assured that the feeling of accomplishment and relief will overshadow whatever frustrations you've had when you were starting.

Why Go Bouldering?

It is common for those who are unfamiliar with Bouldering to wonder where the thrill is in scaling a twelve-foot wall. The characteristics below may help you change the way you look at it.

• Bouldering is not all brawn. It does not only require body strength but also the creativity in solving boulder problems. A climber may actually have to dangle a bit to reach that far-off-corner slope, but then again, there may be other ways to traverse your way through it. Overcoming a problem takes a certain amount of creativity aside from the physical exertion involved.


• It’s the perfect drive for physical fitness. Like most things, you cannot simply waltz your way to success. Sometimes, it takes time, and consequently a handful number of times to beat it. Bouldering is a great way to motivate yourself to work out, while pushing yourself to the limit until you eventually succeed.


• It’s ideal for thrill-seekers since Bouldering is never without the risk of getting injured. But more often than not, it is the aspect of danger that turns on some daredevils to try it. One should keep in mind, though, that also because of the risk factor, one should at least be aware of Rock Climbing Safety Guidelines to fully enjoy the sport.

Grade 3 Bouldering 

In developing the bouldering unit at PIE I've been playing with the wall with the purpose of making the routes challenging enough for the G3's. A keen eye may notice the number of holds have dropped dramatically from the first couple of pictures to the later ones. In addition I have put in a number of hoop holds along the new routes to raise the level of the challenge the wall has to offer. The students also learn how to cross one another and how to lead a partner blindfold across the wall without too much physical contact.

Making Thinking Visible: Reflections

I used to do/think and Now I do/think