Play 60 Challenge

Craddock won the Play 60 challenge.

http://prod.preview.browns.clubs.nfl.com/news/article-5/15-local-schools-complete-Browns-Play-60-Challenge/08232aa1-9f15-4af3-9021-bdb9bc19ee19

Cardio Bop Ball

A great fast paced game that infuses two levels of competition, running and throwing. Students are split into teams. Team members are numbered 1-4.
Instructor calls out a number. Those with the called number race around track and back to team.
Once back the student then picks up the team ball and tries to hit the target ball in the center of area. Throwing continues until the target ball is hit.
At this point, the game is reset and a new number is called.

Hide and Go Seek 2014

Students enjoyed another year of Hide and Go Seek Tag.  This was their final lesson of the doge, chase, and flee unit.

Snow Day Fitness Fortune Teller

Ideas for this activity came from HPE Merritt: Health and Physical Education. Try this fun activity with your family and friends when you miss PE due to snow days or cold days. Making a Fortune Teller Before you begin, download a PDF of the fitness fortune teller template here, print, and cut around the perimeter (step 1) or create your own template. Next, fold it down the center (step 2). Then open it and fold it down the center again so you now have perpendicular creases (step 3). Open it and fold it corner to corner so the paper is now the shape of a triangle (step 4). Open it and fold it corner to corner again, the opposite way (step 5). Open it with the printed side face down and fold one of the corners in so the point meets the center of the paper, aligning it with the creases you made earlier (step 6). Do this with each corner (step 7), until all the corner have been folded in to the center point (step 8). Next flip it over so the colors are face down and pull one corner back in toward the center, aligning the point with the center of the paper (step 9). Repeat until all corners have been folded in to the center (step 10). Now pick up the fortune teller and slide your thumb and index fingers from each hand under the four colored flaps, pushing them in to the center (step 11). When it's done, it should look like the photo in step 12 above.

http://deceptivelyeducational.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/fortune-teller-spelling-review.html

Use these fun fitness cutouts from James Madison University Health and Physical Activity Institute.

Hide and Go Seek Tag

Hiding in the shadows.

As a teacher of Physical Education I have struggled with my personal teaching philosophy over the last five years.  The big question I continually ask myself is "What is my purpose as a physical education teacher?"  I can come up with a list of answers such as

1. To teach movement concepts and content
2. To get kids moving
3. Improve the health of today's youth
4. Introduce sports, games and activities that might otherwise be unknown to the students
5. Measure fitness and growth
6. Prepare students for jobs in the exercise/health/fitness industries
7. Teach students how to take care of their bodies for life
8. Help students who need health/wellness and fitness for careers in the Armed Services, Fire and Rescue and Police Departments

But what about PLAY?  Is my job to teach kids how to play?  When they reach grade 1 and 2 shouldn't they already know how to PLAY?

Increasingly I find it hard not to play in physical education class.  I spend most of my time facilitating play activities while embedding all the state standards for Physical Education into the games the students are playing. 

Students move through the gym safely in the dark while playing Hide and Go Seek Tag.

Today in Physical Education we played Hide and Go Seek Tag.  When surveyed 90% of my students reported never to had played this game.  What?  How sad.  This is one of my fondest memories as a child, especially outside  in the fall. 

Students stack mats to create a hiding tunnel.

Equipment boxes quickly become hiding places.

Students borrow empty kitchen boxes.

I know there are many reasons why Play is becoming a lost part of childhood and this is a discussion for another time. What I really want to know  "Are any other elementary PE teachers experiencing this phenomenon?" Again I find myself teaching play activities and embedding content into the games I teach.  Kids need to know how to play.  As a physical activity specialist I feel it is my duty to Teach Play.  Below is a brief sample of my lesson.

Health related fitness components.

Flexibility

Today's Lesson: Fitness

Game:  Hide and Go Seek Tag

Content Covered in Game: Discussed before, during and after activity.

• Cardiovascular Health- Running
• Muscular Health- Setting up obstacles
• Flexibility- moving into and out of hiding areas
• Cooperation- Setting up game with small groups, fixing obstacles, sharing hiding spots
• Identification of positive feelings associated from participation in a physical activity
• Positive social interaction
• Demonstrate conflict resolution strategies- rock-paper-scissors
• Adapt game to needs of all players
• Respond to appropriate and safe practices for self and class- check speed, look before running, never crawl on top of obstacles
• Demonstrate ethical decision making  -follow rules established by group prior to start of game 

Counting to 10 under the teacher's desk while class hides.

Spying on the "Taggers".

Non stop Cardio!