The Best Parts of My Week - 12/3/12--12/7/12

Hi everyone,
     It was a busy week as we move closer to the holidays.......

....Every once in awhile an idea pops into my head unexpectedly, and usually at 3:00 am!  This week an idea I am calling the "PE Password" made it's debut.  I have been trying to find the best way to incorporate more vocabulary into our PE program without sacrificing activity time and the "PE Password" seems to be just the thing!  I introduced the "PE Password" this week to my students in grades three through five and it has been a hit!  Students were told the word and the definition and were also told that I would be asking them randomly throughout PE class to tell me the "PE Password".  They were correct every time!  I decided to take it a step further and asked students in the hallway and on the way to the busses and one class even told me in unison without being asked!  After introducing the password, I created spaces in the hallway where students could "peek" at the password.   Students coming to PE class later in the week were aware of these areas before I even got a chance to tell them!  It has been fun and the best part is that students are learning the word and it's definition!  Do you know what the "PE Password" is?  You can "peek" by clicking on this link:
North Park PE Password

.....Our school runs on a six day cycle - Days A-F.  I always tell my primary students that on A day we learn a new warm-up.  One of my first graders walked in on A day and said:  "It's A day so we must have a new warm-up right?"  I guess he was listening!

......Another new idea I tried this week involved number dominoes, odd and even numbers, and exercise.  I called it "Domino Fitness" and students were asked to run to an area full of dominoes, bring the domino back to their group, add the numbers, decide if it was odd or even, and based on that, complete a particular exercise using the total.  Students did a great job and several said:  "This was fun, can we do it again?"  I am always happy when students find an activity as much fun as I think it is going to be!  They were also practicing Math facts and did not mind at all!

.....Students in the primary grades have been participating in a unit about balance.  I had 11-12 stations set up using a variety of equipment so that students could practice balance.  They were so excited when they walked into the gymnasium!  One of the stations for second grade included an assessment task to be included in their portfolio.  I was pleased to see that when the students were done with the task but it was not time to go to the next station yet, several students took it upon themselves to do jumping jacks while they waited!

.....I am tremendously proud to be at North Park school for many reasons, but one reason in particular is the collaboration that happens so easily and positively.  This week a third grade teacher and I worked on a project together called the "3rd Grade Pedometer Project.  Students have been working hard to learn how to use pedometers responsibly and this week they were allowed to wear the pedometers for two full school days after making a prediction as to how many steps they would take.  It was great to work with the students and teacher on this project.  Students had a great time wearing the pedometers and made great conclusions as to the benefit of exercise!  Click on this link to view the data from this project:  3rd Grade Pedometer Project

I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  http://classrooms.hydeparkschools.org/webpages/MRobelee/

See you next week!

The Best Parts of My Week - 11/26/12--11/30/12

Hi everyone,
     We began the week remembering that every day is a gift.......

....I was greeted on Monday morning by a first grader who wanted to know if I enjoyed my Thanksgiving!  It was so thoughtful!

.....As fourth and fifth grade students were finishing a unit on cooperation, students were using buddy walkers.  One group decided to make up a pattern to help them with their goal of working together!

.....Other students in fourth and fifth grade were taking their turns on our traverse rock wall.  I noticed a partnership giving each other a high five when they made it to the end!

.....I asked several of my upper elementary students to self reflect on their cooperative effort during our cooperative unit.  Students worked in pairs and discussed their responses to some self-reflection questions.  I was proud of their honesty!

.....Physical Eddie and Healthy Hannah began the week in new classrooms.  The students in each class were so excited to have their turn to host Physical Eddie and Healthy Hannah!

.....We celebrated the 50th Day of School this week!  Some of our primary classrooms celebrate with a 1950's themed day!  We dressed up as if we were in school in the 1950's and there were many poodle skirts, rolled up jeans and white t-shirts!  Everyone looked terrific and we finished the day with a 1950's style sock hop!  It was great fun!  We danced the Hand Jive, the Stroll, and the Twist!

.....At the end of the week I invited some third grade classes to the gymnasium for a Fitness Friday activity.  I have not been able to do that as much as I would like this year due to changes in our schedule.  We had a great time with some fitness activities and dancing!  Healthy Hannah came along too!  I always appreciate the willingness of the classroom teachers to support our Fitness Friday activities!  North Park is truly a school of dedicated professionals making every minute count!

I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  http://classrooms.hydeparkschools.org/webpages/MRobelee/

See you next week!

The Best Parts of My Week! 11/19/12--11/23/12

Hi everyone,
     It was a week to be thankful for so much........my family, my friends, my health, my school, and the wonderful opportunity to teach Physical Education!

.....It was a very short week due to the Thanksgiving holiday and parent/teacher conferences.  We had early releases this week and as a class was leaving the gymnasium, I encouraged the students to go out and play that afternoon.  One of the students responded enthusiastically that everyone should definitely "GO OUT AND PLAY!"  He went on to talk about how kids should go out and play every day instead of playing video games!  I thought it was great and said he would be a great spokesperson for healthy choices!

.....As I was getting ready for my day, a student stopped by my office to ask about Wellness Wednesday.  A question came up about whether or not a particular snack was healthy and he came to ask my opinion!  I was very flattered that he wanted to know what I thought!  I am always hopeful when I hear that the conversations about healthy choices continue beyond PE class!

I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  http://classrooms.hydeparkschools.org/webpages/MRobelee/

See you next week!

The Best Parts of My Week 11/12/12-11/16/12

Hi everyone,
     This week I had opportunities to pay tribute to our veterans, begin some new activities, and collaborate with colleagues across the state at a NYS AHPERD conference!

.....At the end of last week I was quite sick and lost my voice.  After a restful weekend, I was ready to get back to school.  Several students from kindergarten on up asked me if I was feeling better!  One of the students even said:  "Yea!  You got your voice back!"  It is so nice to be thought of!

.....As I was demonstrating a balance activity to a class, the noodle I was trying to balance fell.  One of the students remarked:  "Even the master makes mistakes!"  I guess I never thought of myself as a master of noodle balancing!

.....I spent the last part of the week at the NYS AHPERD conference where I had the opportunity to present sessions and share some of the fun activities and programs that we have here at North Park as well as learn new ideas.  I am always thankful for the opportunity to attend this conference.   Not only did I have the chance to interact with some of the best Physical Education teachers across the state, but this year I was able to attend sessions led by NASPE National Teachers of the Year!  I learned so much and am energized and ready to bring some new activities back to North Park!  The best part of the conference was getting a chance to see a former professor of mine.  She taught a course on Elementary Physical Education and I have not seen her since I graduated from college in 1983.  She actually remembered me!  Many of the conference attendees were students of hers as well and we were proud to show her the influence she had in our careers.......

 I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  http://classrooms.hydeparkschools.org/webpages/MRobelee/

See you next week!

The Best Parts of My Week - 11/5/12--11/9/12

Hi everyone,
     An exciting week!

.....More often than I would like, students are not prepared for PE class and must watch instead of play. I always tell my students that I feel bad that they can not play if they are not wearing sneakers, but I will feel worse if they get hurt.  That being said, it is important that their time on the side is productive and as a result, I provide my students with nutrition and Physical Education word searches and puzzles, books on different activities and sports, and coloring pages about vegetables, fruits, and activities.  This week one of my students was coloring a page about vegetables and took it upon herself to write a story on the back about her favorite vegetable!  She is a first grader and I was very proud of her!

.....Students return completed Fitness Calendars at the beginning of the month and are designated as "Fitness Fanatics" in our newsletter and website as well as a chart at school.  The response this year has been amazing!  This week I received a fitness calendar from a student who is now in the middle school but sent her calendar in with a sibling!  Fantastic!

.....Students in second grade learned for the very first time how to spot their classmates as they climb our traverse rock wall.  It is a tremendous responsibility and I was proud of how these students learned the spotting commands and kept their classmates and friends safe!

.....As we come to the end of our cooperative activities unit, our fifth graders were participating in an activity during which only non-verbal communication was allowed.  At the end of the activity, I asked the students how silence helped contribute to their success.  They were absolutely correct in their answer that silence helped them to focus and pay attention!

.....I introduced the "Magic Microphone" to my third and fourth grade students this week.  This is a plastic microphone that is "magic" because it only allows the person that has it to speak.  I use this tool to de-brief some cooperative activities when I ask students to share at the end of class.  It is a simple, but very effective tool.  This week one of my third grade classes enjoyed using the "Magic Microphone" and one of the students used it to thank me for helping with their strategy!  Another student used it to say that she liked it when her team trusted her!

.....As I was helping a younger group at the rock wall, other students were working independently at different stations.  One of the stations contained "noodle bits" and some other equipment for students to build creative structures.  One of my students was excited to show me her "healthy castle"!  It had a blueberry river, and was made of strawberries and healthy vegetables!  How cool is that!

.....As exciting as this week was, it was also a challenge because I was not feeling well and did not have much of a voice for most of the week.  I asked students to be helpful so that I did not have to talk any more than was necessary and they were very helpful indeed!  One of my students wondered why I was even at school when I was not feeling well and I explained to her that sometimes you have to do things that are important even when you do not feel your best - a teachable moment for sure!  Several other students wished me well as they left the gymnasium and encouraged me to "feel better".  It felt great to know that others cared!

  I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  http://classrooms.hydeparkschools.org/webpages/MRobelee/

See you next week!

The Best Parts of My Week - 10/29/12--11/2/12

Hi everyone,
      It was a very difficult week in the Northeast......and it continues to be difficult as so many are still dealing with the devastation of Hurricane Sandy.  My thoughts are with all those who have been affected.....

.....I was proud of a fourth grade class this week when they were asked to work together to complete a task.  Our exit question this week was "Did you cooperate today?" and when I asked the question at the end of PE class one of my students replied:  "Yes, especially during the planning time!"

.....The culmination to our cooperative activities unit is the use of our traverse rock wall.  The excitement was amazing this week as students walked in to find the wall open for climbing!

.....Physical Eddie is one of our mascot bears who spends time in each of the classrooms learning about Healthy Highway and healthy choices.  He was in a third grade class this week and the students brought him to PE class.  We were playing a Project Adventure game called "Peek-A-Who?" where students stand behind tarps and figure out which of the students is hiding behind the opposite tarp.  The students included Physical Eddie in this game and during one of the rounds he was the one who was hiding!  The other group figured it out!  At the end of class when we were sharing our feelings about the activity, one student helped Physical Eddie share that he felt good that the other group noticed that he was missing!

.....My primary students were playing a warm-up game called "Cleanies and Messies".  The "cleanies" like the cones set up and the "messies" like the cones down.  All students take turns being a "cleanie" and then a "messie" but some like one role better than the other.  When I assigned one student to be a "cleanie" she exclaimed "YESSSSS!"

.....At the end of the week we held a Healthy Highway assembly during which we introduced our new "road" that we will travel on for the month of November.  We will be traveling down "Responsibility Road" and we had a great time teaching students about the meaning of responsibility in terms of behavior, physical fitness, and nutritious choices, and recognizing students for their responsible choices.  We always end our assembly with a dance and this month a fourth grade class volunteered to be the leaders on stage for the dance!

      I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  http://classrooms.hydeparkschools.org/webpages/MRobelee/

See you next week!

The Best Parts of My Week - 10/22/12--10/26/12

Hi everyone,
    WOW!  What a week!  I hope you enjoy reading about the Best Parts of My Week as much as I enjoyed experiencing them!

.....My primary students are participating in a cooperative activities unit and this week began with a lesson called "Scooter Spaceships".  This lesson reinforces the concepts of playing fair, playing safe, and working together.  I told the students that I had some special "space music" to play while they were taking a trip to space.  The looks on their faces when I played the theme to Star Wars was priceless!  Most knew the song and I was surprised!

.....Students in the upper grades are assigned duties as the "materials manager" when log cards and other materials are needed.  Most students like to be the "materials manager" but there are times when students do not clamor to do the job.  One day this week a student decided that when the current materials manager did not finish the job correctly, she would step in of her own accord and finish the necessary tasks.  I was proud of her!

.....I love it when adults and students hear what is going on in the gymnasium and stop by to visit!  This week one of our monitors heard the music and excitement and just had to stop and see all of the fun that we were having!

.....Fitness Frankie has been assigned a role as Healthy Highway ambassador this year and is not visiting classrooms since Healthy Hannah and Physical Eddie are taking on that responsibility.  One of my fourth graders asked me "Where is Fitness Frankie?"  He was in my office so I brought him out and everyone was excited to see him!

.....I have mentioned before that we have a tremendous number of new students this year.  It has been exciting meeting so many new friends!  This week it occurred to me that "what's old is new" and so much of the "new" is exciting to so many new friends!

.....At the end of the week I had a wonderful opportunity to go on a field trip with the 5th grade classes to the Walkway Over the Hudson.  Students wore pedometers and logged steps, classroom teachers taught students about the history of this Walkway, and we finished the trip with a healthy snack of apples!  It was an amazing day and I felt terrific when the students expressed excitement when they knew that I was going too!  I had a chance to chat and walk with the students and be a part of a collaborative effort that included history, math, physical fitness, and healthy nutrition!  I brought Fitness Frankie, Healthy Hannah, and Physical Eddie (of course), and each class was asked to care for one of the bears during the trip.  The students were so happy to have them along and took great care of them on the trip!  Pictures of this trip will be on my PE website soon!

I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  http://classrooms.hydeparkschools.org/webpages/MRobelee/

See you next week!

The Best Parts of My Week - 10/15/12--10/19/12

Hi everyone,
     I had a great week!  How about you?  I hope you enjoy reading about the "Best Parts of My Week"!

.....At the beginning of the week I decided to bring Fitness Frankie to one of our Healthy Highway meetings.  I know that he is "just a bear" but there is something about him that is irresistible!  Everyone at the meeting agreed!  I still had him in my hands as I walked down the hallway as the students were arriving.  The students were all smiles as they patted his head and said hello!  It has been fun introducing him to our new friends!

.....My upper elementary students played a game called "Frogger" this week.  The focus is on playing safe, playing fair, and being honest.  One of my students came up to me during the game and said:  "Somebody got me but I don't know who it was".  She was asking for advice as to what to do in this situation.  She cared enough to play fair and be honest!  I was proud of her!

.....We are working hard on our cooperative unit and I am always impressed by the students approach to the lessons and their willingness to share when it comes time to de-brief.  Cooperative education is so powerful, and while it is sometimes difficult, I am always reminded to "trust the process".  I have seen such tremendous growth in my students in recent years and I enjoyed a fifth grade group this week playing moon ball, working together, creating a plan for improvement, and enjoying their success!

.....At the end of the week a student who is new to our school this year began PE class by saying that "it is so much fun to be in a new school because you get to learn so many new games!"  It was great to hear that she is enjoying the new experience of North Park!

.....Our week ends with Fitness Friday and while my schedule is pretty busy, I try to invite different classes to a special Fitness Friday activity when I can.  This week I invited two first grade classes to a Fitness Friday activity at the end of the day.  It was so much fun!  The students and teachers were so involved!  This collaboration of students and teachers alike create such a positive experience for all!  We exercised, we danced, and we all earned a mile along the Healthy Highway!

I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  http://classrooms.hydeparkschools.org/webpages/MRobelee/

See you next week!

The Best Parts of My Week - 10/8/12-10/12/12

Hi everyone,
     A short week never fails to supply many "Best Parts of My Week"!

.....Physical Eddie is spending a few weeks in a fifth grade class while Healthy Hannah is being taken care of by a K-1 class.  No matter the age, students are always thrilled when one of our mascot bears arrive at a classroom to be taken care of!  It's heartwarming to see such enthusiasm and care taking by so many!

.....My upper elementary students use pedometers each PE day and now that we have practiced using them, students are able to accumulate many steps during our PE class.  One day this week we were playing a cooperative game called "Scrunchie Tag".  This is a very active game and students are required to skip to move.  At the end of the class a fourth grade student was getting ready to fill out his log card and said "YES!"  He was very pleased with this step count and so was I!

.....As I mentioned above, students in grades three through five were playing "Scrunchie Tag" this week.   This is a cooperative activity that asks students to "donate" scrunchies to those who have none. It is a terrific game and really shows the value of cooperation to students.  One of my third grade students remarked:  "This is a good game to learn how to be kind!"  I was so happy that she really understood the purpose of the game!

.....My primary students are also learning about cooperation.  This unit is always especially important to me because I think that it is vital for students to learn how to work together.  It is a lifetime skill that can not be underestimated or under valued.  We were playing a game called "How low can you go".  In a way, it is like a cooperative version of Musical Chairs using hoops.  Students must work together to include all students when the music stops, even when hoops are taken away.  The object is to fit the entire class safely in the lowest number of hoops possible.  During this activity, students invite others to join their hoop when needed so everyone is included.  I never tire of seeing the looks on the faces of the students who are invited as well as those who are working hard to include everyone!

.....At the end of the week I received an e-mail from a teacher at a different school in our district.  We have started a Pen-Pal project between her class and "Soccer Sal" - their classroom bear, and Fitness Frankie!  The e-mail contained the second letter from Soccer Sal and her class to Fitness Frankie.  This project is taking on a life of it's own and is so much fun!  It's great to collaborate with colleagues beyond the boundaries of the school!   More to come as the year moves forward!

I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  http://classrooms.hydeparkschools.org/webpages/MRobelee/

See you next week!

The Best Parts of My Week - 10/1/12--10-5/12

Hi everyone,
     As the Fall season has arrived, the leaves are changing, and we are busy busy at North Park!


.....I received an e-mail this week that shared the news that our Family Fitness Night held last June as a result of a Fuel Up to Play 60 Grant was featured in the October Fuel Up to Play 60 Newsletter!  Check it out:  http://school.fueluptoplay60.com/newsletter/October2012/?audience=snp

.....One of our parents told me this week that her son's eating habits have improved since he became a student in our school!  She said that as a result of our Wellness Wednesdays and Healthy Highway program, he not only asks for healthy snacks, he eats them!

.....I began a cooperative activities unit this week and one of the first lessons that I do with my primary students is "Puzzle Buddies".  Students move with one piece of a two-piece puzzle and on a signal, find their "Puzzle Buddy".  Students are then asked to find out something new about their buddy.  It is always great to watch the surprise on the faces of the students when they realize who their "Puzzle Buddy" is!

.....Students in the upper elementary grades begin a cooperative unit by completing the "Cooperative Puzzle Project".  During this lesson, students are divided into six groups and each group works together to find puzzle pieces for their unique puzzle.  When completed, each puzzle portrays a different concept with words and a picture.  These concepts are:  Show Respect, Cooperate, Play Fair, Play Hard, Play Safe, and Courage.  When students have completed the puzzle, they discussed as a group what they think the puzzle means.  Each group shared their thoughts with the class and every group was right on target! As simple as this activity is, it starts us off on the right foot!

.....Students in third, fourth, and fifth grade have recently been introduced to the use of heart rate monitors.  Students are so excited to use them!  What a great opportunity to teach students the value of exercise and fitness!  I have commented many times on the fact that we have some wonderful equipment and amazing opportunities to teach our students, but there are times when those opportunities make me smile even more!

.....Each month I create a Fitness Calendar that students and families are invited to complete.  One side contains simple exercises and healthy suggestions, while the other side is blank for students to complete with their own exercises and healthy choices.  Students who complete the calendar are designated as "Fitness Fanatics" and earn a mile for their class as their car moves down our Healthy Highway roads.    So far 96 calendars have been turned in!  It's a record!  It has been so well received that I am going to need another chart to keep track of all of our "Fitness Fanatics"!

.....At the end of the week, we were completing a dismissal drill when one student passed by and said:  "I am eating healthy snacks!"  I love it when students are proud to share their healthy choices with me!  It ended my week on a great note!

I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  http://classrooms.hydeparkschools.org/webpages/MRobelee/

See you next week!

The Best Parts of My Week - 9/24/12--9/28/12

Hi everyone,
     As September drew to a close, it felt as if we are back in the rhythm again!

.....My primary students were creating obstacle courses this week while they were learning the concepts of over and under.  I reminded my students that while cartwheels are fun, the surface of they gym floor is not safe for indoor cartwheels.  One of my students came up to me and said:  "Guess what?  My mom is 33 and she can do a cartwheel!"

.....My third grade students are using pedometers for the first time during PE class and they are very excited!  One student left PE class this week and said:  "I feel like I still have my pedometer on!"

.....We have many new friends at North Park this year and many have not had as much jump roping practice as some of other friends.  I smiled when I saw a student master a jump rope skill this week for the first time!

.....We have some new bear friends this year at North Park to reinforce our Healthy Highway program. This year, Physical Eddie and Healthy Hannah from Savannah are with us and they made their classroom debuts this week!  Healthy Hannah came to PE class and one of the students asked if she could take Healthy Hannah for a run during the warm-up!

.....All of our students completed baseline PE assessments this week for the very first time.  They required diligence and perseverance from all.  I was impressed at the work ethic of our students and their willingness to take the assessments seriously!

.....One of my kindergarten classes had enough time to play outside at the end of their baseline assessment task.  Unfortunately, one of the students took a tumble on a piece of equipment.  While I was making sure that he was OK, another student came up and gave him a hug to make him feel better!

.....At the beginning of the year my students created their "hand cut-outs" for a class contract.  This week after cutting out all of the hands and asking students about the rules that they felt were important to include, I was putting the contracts together.  It struck me that for the first time, one of the rules that students felt was important was "Eat Healthy".  How about that?  It was great to see that our efforts to include nutrition and healthy choices are starting to pay off!

.....My primary students were participating in a warm-up called "Alphabet Soup".  During this warm-up students touch letters, spell their names or spell words that they know while moving in different locomotor patterns to music.  One of my second graders came up to me during the warm-up and said:  "I just spelled Healthy, now I am going to spell Highway!"

I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  http://classrooms.hydeparkschools.org/webpages/MRobelee/

See you next week!

The Best Parts of My Week! 9/17/12--9/21/12

Hi everyone,
     It has been a very exciting start to the school year at North Park!  We have so many new students and families and I think that I made some progress this week in getting to know everyone!

.....I was impressed by a fourth grade student who completely understood the concept of pacing himself during a warm-up and fitness activity this week.  It is a hard concept to teach and I am always thrilled when the message gets through!

.....My upper elementary students were assigned their pedometer numbers this week.  This is always exciting and when it was time to put the pedometers away I rattled off the odd numbers from 1-30 so that those students could clean up first.  One of my fifth graders looked at me while I was doing this and said "impressive!"  I responded - "Thanks!  I like Math!"

.....My younger students were playing a game called "Find My Color", which I use to reinforce the assignment of color groups at the beginning of the year.  Students look under cones to find foam sticks that match their color group.  One of the rules is "No Peeking".  One of my first graders took this rule very seriously and it was great to watch him play by the rules!

.....One of our early pedometer activities is an activity during which students walk for six minutes and attempt to get as many steps as possible.  It is always a challenge to walk and not run during this test.  I was proud of how well the students followed the directions and was also impressed at the number of steps they walked!  They were too!

.....During the course of the week I heard comments from several adults about how PE has changed over the years.  They are glad for the opportunities their students have to learn about nutrition and lifetime fitness during PE class and wish they'd had that opportunity when they were growing up......

.....We are off to a great start in our journey down the Healthy Highway!  One of the opportunities that our students have is to earn a bracelet and a mile for their class if they bring a healthy snack for their birthday treat to share with class.  We have had so many take advantage of this opportunity already this year!  Students have brought in homemade blueberry muffins, zucchini cakes, popcorn, and more to share with classmates as they celebrate their birthdays!

I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  http://classrooms.hydeparkschools.org/webpages/MRobelee/

See you next week!

The Best Parts of My Week - 9/10/12--9/14/12

Hi everyone,
     School is in full swing and in many ways it feels as if we never left!  It was a busy week!

.....We started the week with our first Healthy Highway Assembly of the year.  This was very exciting because we have so many new students.  It was great to be able to introduce the program and how North Park travels down the Healthy Highway to so many new students and adults!  I read Fitness Frankie's Summer Adventure book to everyone and we explained the meaning of our traffic light sticks and our very first road of the year:  Courage Crossroads!  Our school motto is:  "We have the COURAGE to do the right thing!"  "Physical Eddie" and "Healthy Hannah" made their debut and of course, we danced!  At the end of the day I was talking with some students and asked them about their favorite part of the day.  Several of the students  commented on the assembly and about how much they liked the dance!  It was great to start the year on such a positive note!

.....During the summer I created a bulletin board that I call "Fitness Frankie Approved!"  The board contains ten different summer activities and some paw prints.  I asked the students to place paw print stickers on the activities that they participated in this summer.  Each student and adult received four paw print stickers and they were asked to place them on the activity board.  It was great to see the excitement from the students and adults!  One of the students asked me if I put my stickers on too!  I was happy to share that my stickers were put on the activity boards for kayaking, walking, bicycling, and golf!  Fitness Frankie was watching as the students placed the stickers.  Some of the students in one of the fifth grade classes asked me if they could hold him.  They were very excited to pass him around and said that they loved his new hoodie!

.....This week we held our annual Meet Your Teacher nights.  I enjoyed so much meeting so many new parents and the opportunity to share what North Park PE is all about with parents and grandparents with a slide show celebrating last year's activities.  I had some great conversations!  I finished showing this slide show to my students as well this week and it was great to hear comments like "I love that!" when students were watching all of the activities that they participated in last year!

.....My primary students are learning about moving in general space safely with a game called "Bubbles".  Students use hoops to create a bubble and attempt to move throughout the gymnasium without popping!  When I explained that the hoops would be pretend bubbles, one of my first graders suggested that they could also be a force field!  How creative!

.....I ended the week with the signing of the Healthy Highway pledge board.  It was wonderful to see the students sign carefully and take the pledge seriously!  I invited the adults in the building to sign it as well and they were delighted to be a part of it!

I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  http://classrooms.hydeparkschools.org/webpages/MRobelee/

See you next week!

The Best Parts of My Week - 9/4/12--9/7/12

Hi everyone,
    Well, the summer flew by!  I had some wonderful adventures, time to rest and relax, and time to get ready for the new school year!  Summers are wonderful but when they are over, I am always ready to get back to school!  I had a great first week!

.....If you follow this blog, you may already know that the end of last year was challenging because a school in our district had to be closed.  As a result, most of the students from that school were scheduled to come to North Park in the fall.  It has been terrific meeting so many new friends!

.....The first day of school is always so exciting!  There were many smiles, only a few tears, and much anticipation for the opportunities and promise of a new year!

.....As I was getting to know our new students I recognized some names from the past.  It turns out that several of our new students had parents and family members who went to North Park as well!

.....During our Cooperative Hands Project, where students decorate a paper hand as a promise to follow the class contract, I noticed that one of the students was decorating his hand with an American Flag........it was great to see such patriotism from such a young student!

.....The first PE class of the year involves a brief movie of pictures from the previous year's activities.  I find that this is a great way to introduce new students to North Park PE, and to remind current students of the amazing opportunities that we have.  During the primary classes, I encouraged the students to look for Fitness Frankie during the show.  It was so great to see the students point him out to our new friends, and the delight on their faces each time they saw him!  (He is all over the place!)

I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week!"  To find out more about the PE program at North Park, visit my website:  http://classrooms.hydeparkschools.org/webpages/MRobelee/

See you next week!

The Best Parts of My Week! 6/18/12-6/22/12

Hi everyone,
    This past week was the last week of school and it was full of "best parts"!

.....Our PTA treated our students and staff to an all natural fruit ice pop this week.  I was in charge of getting the ice pops and distributing them.  I had a second grade class at the end of the day and I thought they would like to be my "Pit Crew".  They did an amazing job and we distributed more than 350 ice pops in no time flat!  At the end of the distribution, my "Pit Crew" and I got to enjoy our ice pops!

.....I only had classes for the first two days of this week as there were special events and early releases for the rest of the week.  As a special treat, I took my primary classes to the playground for their last PE class for the school year.  One of my kindergarten students, not in my class at the time, was out at recess and she came up to me to show me all of the yoga poses she had learned this year!  She was very good at them!

.....My second grade students completed a PE portfolio for the first time this year.  They worked very hard all year long and I was getting the portfolios organized and ready to go home.  As I looked back at the work they had completed, I was proud of their efforts and knew that their families would be just as proud as I was!  It was fun bringing them to the classroom teachers to distribute!

.....Mid-week we held our moving up day ceremony for our fifth grade students.  I am always surprised by how much the students have grown and I am always proud of their accomplishments.  During this ceremony I am able to witness their accomplishments in so many areas as they are recognized for their hard work.  I am also privileged to be able to honor several students for exemplary work during PE class.  Not only were the families smiling and applauding, the students were smiling and applauding each other!  At the end of the ceremony, our principal asked our students to recite our school pledge one more time and asked them to take the message with them as they grow and learn.  I noticed a former student in the audience reciting the pledge right along with everyone else!

.....After school one day this week I had several former students come to visit.  I love catching up!  While they were visiting, a mom of one of the students came in to chat as well.  While we were chatting the students were reminiscing about their years at North Park and they even sat on the circle where they gathered as kindergarten students in PE class!

.....The last day of school is exciting, yet sad......we take pride in the learning and friendships that took place, but we are sad that a year is ending because we know that next year will always be different than this one, and never quite the same....We have quite the celebration on the last day, complete with streamers and bubbles!  Many of our fifth grade students, while happy to have completed elementary school, are in tears as they leave on the last day.  It is wonderful in a way because to me that means that we have had a positive influence in our students' lives......

.....There is so much work to be done to finish the school year and I always wonder how I will get it all done!  I am not alone and despite the deadlines and work to be done, there was much camaraderie among my colleagues this week.  Unfortunately we are saying good-bye to many who are moving on....some to other buildings and some to other ventures.....  We wish them all the best!

.....It was a great school year!  Summer vacation is upon us and I will resume this blog in September! Thanks for reading about 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!

The Best Parts of My Week: 6/11/12--6/15/12

Hi everyone,
    As we get closer to summer vacation, the excitement grows and the celebrations continue!

.....My students have been enjoying a bowling unit recently and they have been so excited!  We are fortunate to be able to set up six bowling lanes and at times it sounds like a real bowling alley when the pins go down!  I loved the looks on the faces of my students when they were successful with a strike or a spare.  Many students this week looked both shocked and excited and exclaimed "I got a strike!" or "I got a spare!"

.....We were treated to a day long visit from chefs from the Culinary Institute of America on our Wellness Wednesday this week!  This event was made possible by our Fuel Up to Play 60 grant and a generous grant from a family which funded our Healthy Snack Cart.  Chef Rico and Chef Christina spent the day and taught our students how to make healthy snacks.  The variety was fantastic and each grade level made a different snack.  Students were able to participate in the creation of the snacks and then eat what they had made.  The students were so engaged and excited!  One of our fifth graders said:  "That was awesome!" after he made and ate a spring roll made out of rice paper and fresh vegetables. I could not help but think that this was an amazing opportunity for all involved!  Click here for a slide show of this event!

.....Most who know me know that I am a creature of habit and that I am a detail oriented person.  That being said, I do forget things sometimes, especially when there is so much going on at the end of the school year.  This week I forgot to put out one of our character bears - "PE Paddy", and our "Stop and Think About it Center".  One of my kindergarten students noticed and reminded me that I had forgotten to do both!  I appreciated another "detail oriented" person helping me out!

.....At the end of the week our principal, librarian, and myself had the opportunity to go to another school in our district and present a Healthy Highway assembly to the student body.  This particular school is closing, and while we are all sad that the school is closing, we are looking for ways to make the transition smooth.  Most of these students will be coming to our school so we thought it would be fun to introduce Healthy Highway to the new students.  We brought Fitness Frankie, our Courage Lions - Courageous Carlos and Courageous Cassie, our NP Healthy Highway car, and the book that I wrote about Fitness Frankie's Summer Adventure.  We had a great time introducing the program to the new students and they seemed to enjoy it.  At the end of the assembly we danced the Healthy Highway dance!  It was great fun!  I felt a little bit like a rock star when students came up to us to ask questions after the assembly!  I also was able to visit with some former students and I enjoyed catching up on their adventures!

.....Our Kindergarten Celebration was held on Friday afternoon and I had the pleasure of taking pictures for our school website.  This events celebrates the growth and hard work of our kindergarten students.  We are all so proud of how much they have learned and how much they have grown!  There were more than a few tears of pride and joy from parents and teachers alike!

Thanks for reading about 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!

The Best Parts of My Week - 6/4/12-6/8/12

Hi everyone,
    The "Best Parts of My Week" can be summed up in two words:  FIELD DAY!  Well, alright, a little elaboration is necessary.......

The Memories
.....I recently spent some time with my son and some of his friends.   One of his friends and my son were students at North Park once upon a time.......We were reminiscing and the memory from North Park that came up time and time again was Field Day!  My son's friend said:  "Field Day was the best!"  These young men are adults now and have careers, but they still remember Field Day!  I start preparing for Field Day in late March and by the time the event arrives the excitement in the air is palpable, but somehow I am always surprised by how excited everyone gets!  I wonder if other alumni remember Field Day with the same excitement?

The Weather:
.....We divide our Field Days by grade levels to keep the event fresh as the years progress but also to be sure that age appropriate activities are included in the various Field Days.  Tuesday morning was Field Day for grades 3 and 4, Tuesday afternoon was Field Day for grade 5, and Wednesday morning Field Day was scheduled for grades K-2.  The weather was cool and cloudy (actually a perfect day for Field Day), and we hoped for the rain to stay away for both days.  It did and we were able to complete all Field Days in grand style!

The Families:
.....We have so many wonderful parents and adult family members that volunteer to help with our Field Days.  It makes me smile to see the excitement on the faces of the parents as well as on the faces of the students!

.....Every year we have moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, and other family members come to Field Day just to watch their children participate.  It's great to see the pride on the students' faces when their family members cheer them on!

.....This year we had some North Park alumni who were parent volunteers.  I had fun reminiscing about Field Day when they were students.   (Yes, I was their PE teacher back then!)

.....Some of our parent volunteers for our 5th grade Field Day remarked that it was their last Field Day at North Park.  They have volunteered unselfishly for so many events at North Park for so many years.  We will miss them and their children!

The Students:
.....Our students were amazing during Field Day!  Our Field Day events are non-competitive and meant for fun and exercise.  Students know this and it was heartwarming to hear our students cheering for each other!

.....As I was moving from station to station at our various Field Days, I participated in some of the stations with the students.  I was included in each event enthusiastically and students were happy to share that they were having a great time!

.....My wonderful husband helps me to set up for Field Days very early on each scheduled day.  When the event is over, I always marvel at how quickly the equipment is cleaned up.  I had some wonderful help from students and families!  This help made it easy to get ready for the next one!

Fitness Frankie and Exercise Ernie
.....I had a terrific time taking Fitness Frankie and Exercise Ernie to each of the events!  Students were happy to see them and smiled for the camera along with FF and EE!  I was even able to introduce them to some of our parents who had not yet met them!

My Colleagues
.....I work with an outstanding group of professionals who work incredibly hard everyday to teach our students.  Field Day requires a school-wide effort and I am so grateful to all of my colleagues who helped in so many ways....supervising stations, helping to set up, cheering, being flexible with daily schedules, and so much more!  I can not do it without them.......Thank you to all of my wonderful colleagues!

Thanks for reading about 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!

The Best Parts of My Week - 5/28/12--6/1/12

Hi everyone,
     All I can say about this week is:  WOW!  It was terrific!

.....Exercise Ernie spent the weekend with a staff member and her family.  He had a terrific time and on Monday I was presented with a book of his weekend adventure!  It was complete with pictures and a story which included being part of a Memorial Day Celebration and remembering those who served.....

.....A primary student was exercising to warm-up and said:  I'm sweaty!  I said:  sweaty is good!  He agreed!

.....As the end of the month comes near, many students return their completed Fitness Calendars so that they can be included in the list of Fitness Fanatics.  One student brought me a stack of Fitness Calendars completed by her entire class!

.....Operation Healthy North Park was coming to a close this week as well.  I received many, many "Coop Cars"in the inter-office mail this week.  I was thrilled to see that one pile of these cars came from our middle school.  I recognized many of the student's names as North Park alumni.  I wrote an e-mail to the Health teacher that promoted this project in her class to thank her for supporting the project.  She responded by saying that she thought it was a great project and that many of her students remembered participating in the project when they were North Park students.  I realized that sometimes it is possible to continue to make an impact long after students leave the building.......

.....Students in the primary grades have been participating in activities called Movement Sentences and Locomotor Go Fish.  Both activities require some reading on the part of the students.  The students have learned so much this year and I was proud of their work as I watched them read and help each other with words that were challenging.  My kindergarten classes surprised me most of all when they read words that I was sure they did not know!

.....As many of you know, our school is a pilot school for a program called Healthy Highway.  Wendy Cooper is the creator of this program and we have become colleagues and friends throughout the years. Wendy offered to create a station for our Family Fitness Night and also wanted to spend the day at school with us on Friday.  We had such a good time!  Baking Bella was in attendance and our students and staff were happy to see her again!

.....Our first ever Family Fitness Night was scheduled for this past Friday - June 1st.  This event was made possible by a Fuel Up to Play 60 grant that was obtained as a result of the efforts of our Food Service Director and several others.  We had been planning this event for quite some time and I will admit that I was a bit nervous......I wanted everything to go well, of course, but it was also the first event that our new students - from a school that will be closing - were invited to.  It is a difficult situation for everyone when a school closes and we wanted to make all of our new families feel welcome.  I have to say that it was an amazing evening!  I was worried about having enough help, but our PTA, and my friends came through in fine fashion!  We played, laughed, learned about nutritious foods and physical activity, and even had a chance to hear our hearts beat! We hosted 137 people  and had a terrific time with all of the different events, one of which included a healthy snack made by chefs from the Culinary Institute of America!  As I was taking pictures of Exercise Ernie and Fitness Frankie during the event, one of our new moms asked about our bears.  She said that she had looked at our website and that the bears were EVERYWHERE!  I enjoyed telling hear all about their adventures!   I met so many new students and families and I look forward to September when we will begin the new school year with all of our new friends!

Thanks for reading about 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!

The Best Parts of My Week! 5/21/12--5/25/12

Hi everyone,
     What an exciting week!  Summer is quickly approaching but we have many special events yet to come!

.....Exercise Ernie spent the weekend in Buffalo at a NYS Gymnastics Championship!  I had a great time looking at pictures of his adventure!  It's so amazing when others have so much fun with our special bears too!

.....Fitness Frankie spent the weekend in Florida at an Ironman competition!  Our director of PE, Health, and Athletics took him on this amazing journey!  I am looking forward to seeing some pictures and hearing more about his amazing adventure!

.....One of our teachers came to see me this week and told me that her daughter, who goes to another school in a different district, politely corrected an adult in her building when Physical Education was referred to as "GYM".  Her daughter has visited our school on several occasions, and has even participated in some of our events.  I told her how proud I was of her daughter!  We call Physical Education "PE" here at North Park and I was thrilled that her daughter knew this and received the message that PE is not GYM!  My colleague commented that she must have the "North Park Vibe"!  I responded that it was a great vibe to have!

.....We have been fortunate to receive a Fuel Up to Play 60 grant through the efforts of our Food Service Director and many others here at North Park.  We are busy planning our first-ever Family Fitness Night and this week I had the pleasure of meeting with some chefs from the Culinary Institute of America!  They will be teaching our families how to create a healthy snack and will also be back to North Park to teach all of our students all about healthy snacks during a day-long visit!  It was so great to meet them both!  They are so enthusiastic and knowledgeable.  I can't wait to taste their healthy creations!  What a great resource to have in our own backyard!

.....While finishing some Yoga activities with my primary students this week, several students commented that Yoga helps them get better at karate, basketball, and dance!  What a great connection!

Thanks for reading about 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!