Hi everyone,
It was a great week with many great moments! 28 years of teaching and I am still experiencing some things for the first time!
..... I had a great opportunity to go on a field trip with the 5th graders and their teachers to the Walkway Over the Hudson this week. This is an amazing walkway over the Hudson River. It was created as a restoration of a local train bridge and has spectacular views of the river and our beautiful Mid-Hudson Valley. It was the first time I had been on the Walkway and the views and experience did not disappoint! Students wore pedometers and made step count predictions ahead of time. They were excited to use our pedometers in a "real world" way! To be honest, I am not a fan of heights, so I was a little nervous about the trip, but my fears were calmed by the students' excitement, our ambassador's enthusiasm, and walkway's amazing views! Fitness Frankie and Exercise Ernie were in attendance as well and they were just as excited as we all were! This experience was a truly interdisciplinary one as Math, Science, Physical Education, Library Research, and Social Studies were all a part of the experience! Click this link to view some pictures!
.....After the Walkway field trip, Exercise Ernie and Fitness Frankie spent the week in two different third grade classes. During the week my third graders were sure to keep me posted as to their adventures! They both spent some time in PE class, but also enjoyed Art and classroom adventures!
......As my primary students were getting to know each other during our cooperative unit, I asked students to ask a friend "What is your favorite dinner?" One student answered: "Popcorn Shrimp!"
.....During another cooperative activity with my primary students, I challenged classes to fit as many students in as few hoops as possible during a game called "How Low Can You Go?" I was impressed as students were able to fit 18-20 students in just 2-3 hoops! (-safely of course!) It was great to see them including everyone!
.....As a result of my membership in the Southeastern Zone of NYSAHPERD, I had the opportunity this week to participate in a Care to Share event at Manhattanville College. I had fun sharing the game "Pigs in a Blanket", but it was even more fun sharing the experience with those preparing to become PE teachers!
.....I have recently begun a Cooperative Education unit with my students in grades K-5. I love this unit and always learn from it, even as I see the same activities create different outcomes year after year. This week my students in grades 3-5 played a game called "Scrunchie Tag". This game requires students to "donate" scrunchies to those who are out of scrunchies. At the conclusion of the game I ask students to relate how they felt when helping others, or when being helped. One of my students this week shared that it was more important to him to give away his last scrunchie rather than keep it for himself. THAT is the power of Cooperative Education!
.....My primary students participated in an "Alphabet Stretch" warm-up this week. During the week I changed the letters that students were creating. Later in the week the letters became more challenging and one of the letters that students were asked to create by stretching their bodies was the letter "Q". I smiled when I saw one of my kindergarten students making a terrific "Q" using one of his feet up in the air "just so" for the tail of the letter! Another student said "Look at my i!" He used his hand above his head as the dot!
.....I invited the 4th and 5th grade students to the gymnasium for Fitness Friday this week. We played UNO Fitness and danced the Cha Cha Slide. It was so much fun to see students working hard and having fun! Click this link to view pictures of some of our Fitness Friday pictures!
I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"
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