Hi everyone,
Could it really be 2012? My career began in January of 1984, so I have officially started my 29th year of teaching! To say it has gone by fast is an understatement.......I feel like I still have so much to do! When you have such great moments to reflect on, time seems to fly by!
.....I tried a new parachute activity this week called the "washing machine". During the activity, students pretend to be the clothes under the parachute and the other students make the parachute move in specific movements to wash, rinse, and spin-dry the clothes! I had fun with my students during this activity! During one class I asked the "clothes" (students) how they were doing under the parachute. One student remarked "clothes can't talk!" Of course, he said this with a grin and I smiled too!
.....My upper elementary students were playing a game that I created using that uses pedometers and chips. Based on the number of steps that students logged during a particular exercise, they put chips in a cup. At the end of the activity we compared the exercises based on the number of chips in each cup. The visual of the chips in the cup helped students to make the connection, but when I asked "does this make sense?" - they all agreed!
.....My primary students used dice this week to complete a warm-up. Their task was to roll the dice and then use the number to perform an exercise of their choosing. I was impressed at the choices that they made! Kindergarten students in particular came up with terrific exercises; including abdominal and upper body exercises! As I walked around the gym and commented on some of the exercises I noticed a kindergarten student who repeated several push-ups. I asked her if she liked push-ups and she said: "not really, but I figure if I get better at them maybe I will like them more!" I must repeat - a kindergarten student actually said this!!!
.....A second grade teacher commented to me that when her class was beginning a Science unit, she asked her students if they had heard the term "energy" before. One of her students answered that she had heard of the word energy in PE class!
.....During a parachute activity with my primary students I used number spots that were shaken on the parachute. Students were asked to add up the numbers that were facing up when we stopped shaking the parachute. I was impressed with their math skills as they added up the numbers!
.....As classes were lined up ready for their teachers to pick them up this week I asked if students had eaten healthy snacks during vacation. Students readily volunteered the snacks that they had eaten. Some of the answers I heard were: grapes, apples, clementines, carrots, bananas, and more!
I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"
Visit the North Park PE website if you would like more information about the PE program at North Park!
