How do you find your way? GPS or a Map?

This past week, I began to teach my younger students lessons on pathways - straight, curved, and zig-zag. Now, I have been teaching for quite some time and I have continually updated my lessons over the years. I like to add new lessons and equipment to keep my program current, but there are some lessons that are timeless....or so I thought...... This particular lesson about pathways begins with a simple enough question to help students think about how they get from one place to another. I begin the lesson with the following question: "When Mom and Dad are taking you on a trip in the car and your family has not been there before, how do Mom and Dad find their way without getting lost? In past years, the answer has been unanimously "a map". Usually, I will have a map with me at the ready and we then discuss what the lines on the map represent, and how they can be straight, curved, or zig-zag. The lesson then progresses to students moving in those pathways in various ways, etc. This year however, for the very first time, the answer given by my students, many as young as 5 years old, was "A GPS"! I should not have been surprised, since I include many kinds of technology in my program, and I have the opportunity to present on the topic of technology at state and regional conferences, but somehow this answer caught me by surprise! Of course, some students had no idea what a GPS was, and I was able to recover from my surprise and explain that a GPS is really just like a map on a screen! Students were satisfied with this response and we continued to complete the timeless (well, maybe not) lesson on pathways. How do you find your way?

2009 STACK UP!

I am pleased to announce that we will be participating in the 2009 WSSA STACK UP! on November 12, 2009! This is an event to attempt to break the current Guinness Book of World Records for the most people sport stacking in multiple locations in a single day! Students at North Park will participate in 30 minute blocks and sport stack away! Look for pictures of this event on my website: http://www.hydeparkschools.org/NPE/pe.html

We are getting ready to STACK UP!

Exercise US!

Recently, my school had the opportunity to participate in the inaugural Exercise US, held on October 1, 2009. This project was started by Len Saunders, of Project ACES, and created a "Wave" of exercise across the United States begining at 8:00 am on the East Coast and ending at 3:00 on the West Coast. It was wonderful to be a part of such a wonderful project! Our entire school - 360+ students and adults - danced and exercised in the gymnasium (a little crowded but the weather did not cooperate that day!). The smiles on all - students and teachers alike -proved that exercise is fun and worth doing! I am fortunate to be in a building that supports these school-wide fitness initiatives. In fact, when we have "Fitness Fridays" our teachers prefer to participate as a school rather than individually as classes! I applaud Len Saunders and all the work he has done over the years to increase awareness of the need for exercise for all! Pictures of our participation can be found on my website at : http://www.hydeparkschools.org/NPE/exercise09.html

We are looking forward to next year's Exercise US!