The Best Parts of My Week - 4/27/15--5/1/15

Hi everyone,
     Each week I take notes when special things happen so that I can put them all together in this blog on Sunday.  I have tried relying on my memory but I am not always successful in remembering everything that I want to include in this blog.  With that in mind, I started using a small notebook in the gymnasium that is easy to access during PE class.  Usually, I use one page of notes for each week's blog.  This week I ran out of room!  There were so many great things that happened this week! 

.....On Monday morning I went to the fifth grade classrooms to remind teachers about a PE vocabulary test that was scheduled for this week.  I visited each classroom as students were arriving and getting settled in for the day.  After I spoke to the teachers, students were eager to share their weekend adventures with me!  One student had gone to a softball tournament and was happy to have had the opportunity to meet Jenny Finch and get her autograph!  Another student shared his soccer game play by play and still others shared their opportunities to dance and exercise!

.....I was proud of the hard work and dedication that my fifth grade students showed while taking the PE vocabulary test this week!  

.....As students were warming up this week using jump ropes one student asked me to count how many jumps she could do in a row.  I counted 52!

.....Fourth grade students have an opportunity to take home pedometers using a program I created called PE Packs to Go!  I was collecting the PE Packs on Monday morning and one student was very proud to have completed over 10,000 steps - the daily goal!

.....At the end of class students complete exit tickets.  There are 30 different exit tickets and students randomly choose one to complete while lining up.  Examples include "Show a friend how to take your pulse", "Name two food groups", "Tell a friend why PE is important", "Tell a friend what you learned today", "Give a friend a compliment," and so on.  When students are lined up, I ask a few students what their exit ticket was and how they completed it.  One of my students had the "Give a friend a compliment" exit ticket.  When I asked her what compliment she gave she said that she told a friend "You have a kind heart."  I smiled inside and out!

.....My primary students are learning about Yoga in a variety of ways.  I am always surprised by just how much they enjoy it.  When they saw the Yoga mats on the floor this week as they entered the gymnasium there were many shouts of joy and smiles all around!  At the end of class one student said that she was going to teach her friend all of the Yoga poses that she learned that day!  

.....Physical Eddie is enjoying an adventure in a first grade class and the students brought him to PE this week.  One student was in charge of his care and made sure that he had his own Yoga mat and positioned him in every Yoga pose possible!  It was adorable to watch!  

.....Fitness Frankie had a terrific adventure this week as well!  He went to the Culinary Institute of America with a fifth grade class that was going there on a field trip.  One of the fifth graders was in charge of his care and said that they all had a great time!  I can't wait to see some pictures and hear about the details of the adventure!  

.....One of my first grade students said to me this week during class:  "Are you trying to tire us out?"  He had a big smile on his face and I said in reply: "Yes, how am I doing?"  He answered "Good!"

.....I love it when students share their exciting moments with me.  This week a student had a birthday and shared all of her birthday adventures with me!  

.....I love technology and had the chance to use some iPad apps in PE class for warm-ups and activities.  At the end of class one of my kindergarten students asked:  "Is this app free?"  He has his own iPad and wanted to get it for himself!  

.....After using our iPad minis for a warm-up activity I had the chance to explain to students that one of the things I love about using this kind of technology for PE class is that I can show students that technology is good for more than just video games and that it can be used to improve fitness.  I hope that message is received and remembered as they grow up........


I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week" and the updated look of this blog!  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  North Park Physical Education