High flying...and possibly high sticking

Hey there, Wildcats!

              Amidst the snow days and MLK Jr. Day, we have been working on our hockey unit. The students have been learning the proper grip, stick handling, passing, and shooting. * POP QUIZ - have your Wildcat show you how to hold a hockey stick *

              Hockey was always one of my favorite units in PE when I was growing up, and the students really seem to be enjoying it. We have seen a great deal of improvement since the beginning of the unit. We started game play this week - we are just doing 1 vs. 1 games which really gives students an opportunity to work on their puck handling skills.

Your Wildcats hard at work...

Have a great weekend! Try to find a break in the rain to get out for a walk :)

Miss Stone

Scooters!!!

Hey Wildcats!
     
        It has been a wonky week! With no school Monday and a snow day on Wednesday, the PE schedule got a little bit tricky. I saw some of you twice, and others, I didn't get to see at all! Rather than start a new unit with this kind of schedule, I decided to have a fun-filled fitness lesson with the scooter boards :) We played Scooter Hoopla, Scooter Triathlon, and Alligator Tag. One thing is for sure...we know how to have fun while we move our bodies!

        Check out our Scooter Triathlon -

SWIM!!!

BIKE!!!

RUN!!!

See it in action!

https://vimeo.com/198410144

Have a great weekend!

Miss Stone 

Ropebusters

Hi Wildcats!

          We had the privilege last week of having the Dallas, Oregon Ropebusters Competition Team come to our school. The Ropebusters are a group of about 75 elementary and middle school students who work diligently to perfect and perform a variety of long and short jump rope skills. They came over to Wilson two days this week for workshops during PE classes and a performance. They travel all over Oregon helping students learn jump rope skills, so that students have another tool to become more heart-healthy!

Ropebusters performing at Wilson...

https://vimeo.com/147882733

https://vimeo.com/147882732

         This is such a great and unique opportunity we have here at Wilson! Students worked in groups of two or three with a Ropebuster. The primary grades focused mainly on long jump rope, while the intermediate grades worked on short jump rope skills and tricks. Wildcats, you did AWESOME!

Here are a couple of videos from last years workshop sessions with the Ropebusters...

https://vimeo.com/147392422

https://vimeo.com/147392500


         The coach and coordinator of the program, Jim Dent, commented to me that he likes coming to Wilson because of the students. He said they "show respect and try so hard - even if they know they aren't the best at jump rope." That is quite the compliment from someone who does workshops and performances all over Oregon. Way to go, Wildcats!!!

Enjoy the rest of the week,

Miss Stone

Nuts and Bolts of Nutrition

Hey there, Wildcats!

         We've been learning all about nutrition this week, and I have loved it! I especially loved watching a few of the kindergartners' confused faces when I told them that french fries are actually not something we should eat every day... I can't say I blame them - I grew up thinking that corn was a vegetable 😊 On the other hand, I love hearing conversations from students who obviously are learning at home how to make healthy food choices.

        Our nutrition lessons are some of my favorites because I feel like there is so much confusion surrounding nutrition these days - with the gluten-free movement, vegetarians, and other dietary restrictions. Technically nutrition isn't part of the PE curriculum, but I like to provide the students with the basics because the food choices we make are crucial to our overall health.

        We began the week by running relays to place food into three categories - food we should eat rarely, sometimes, or every day. Even with this seemingly simple activity, students have some interesting ideas based on what they have seen on TV, heard at home, heard from friends, etc. The tricky thing about nutrition is that very intelligent people have devoted their lives to the study of food, and yet they come up with dissimilar ideas about what is "good" for our bodies. It's safe to say they don't all agree on meat, grains, and dairy. All that to say, while every day vs. sometimes is a bit obscure, we can all agree that foods like candy, soda, ice cream, and McDonald's should fall into the rarely category.

       The second lesson involved familiarizing themselves with the food pyramid. They rode and drove their "grocery carts" to place food items into the correct bin according to food group. Check out the action

https://vimeo.com/191887197

        I recently watched a fantastic documentary on Netflix, called "Fed Up", concerning nutrition and the obesity epidemic. In a nutshell, this is what the documentary reveals -

Consider that, since the ‘80s, the number of overweight children has gone from one in 20 to one in five. And while entire industries have ignited over weight loss, the number of those struggling to shed pounds only grows. “Fed Up” reveals the complex ways in which the government is inadvertently subsidizing the obesity epidemic through food lobbies. It guts the myth of personal responsibility (emphasized by the rhetoric of “eat more, exercise less”) and gets to the cause of our growing waistlines: processed food that has no nutritional value and ever-increasing helpings of added sugar.

Give it a watch if you have a free hour or two. Thanks for checking in! Have a great weekend, Wildcats!

Miss Stone
       


     

Small-Sided Soccer

Good afternoon, Wildcats!

Watch our second graders at work -

https://vimeo.com/190312189

         It's been a little while since I've checked in. We started our soccer unit, and we are getting down the fundamentals before we begin some small-sided game play next week. Team sports can be a little bit unnerving for students if they haven't been involved in those activities outside of school.

         Fortunately, there exist a variety of methods to make sure each student experiences some level of success.  Small-sided games are one of the best methods for ensuring that PE is not dominated by those with a higher level of skill in a given activity. A small-sided game is one in which the rules or environment is modified.


         For example, next week we will be playing some 1 vs 1 games to get students used to controlling the ball. We will also be playing 3 vs. 3 with four potential goals for each team and no goalies. These small-sided games create an environment where players are able to get more quality touches on the ball, more experience in all phases of the game, and a higher degree of enjoyment and success. I love these small-sided games because, although the game is modified, it still provides students with the fundamental and tactical skills required for the activity.

Check out the link to see a small-sided game example -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq0BQCbQMTU


         The past two weeks, we covered dribbling, trapping, turns, passing, and kicking. Next week, as we begin some game play, we will work on shielding. Thanks for checking in!

Thanks!

Miss Stone

Fat vs Fuel

Hey there, Wildcats!

          These week in PE we've been learning some things about nutrition. We played a game called Fat vs. Fuel. This is a fast-paced tag game to get students thinking about the foods that they put into their body.  This activity leads to some really good conversations about good fats and bad fats, lean meats, whole grain foods, food preparation techniques, etc.
           Every year, it is so interesting to see what foods students identify as a Fat or Fuel. A few of the debated items were chicken, cheese, and hot dogs. What we put into our bodies is almost as important as how much we move our bodies, so these are important conversations to be having with our Wildcats while they are young.

Check out this link for some interactive games that your Wildcat can play to learn more about nutrition -

https://www.choosemyplate.gov/games

Thanks for checking in :)
Miss Stone

PACER - what's that!

Another week in the books, Wildcats!

         Last week, the intermediate grades completed the initial PACER test. The Fitnessgram assessment tool is the most widely used youth physical fitness assessment. The PACER test evaluates aerobic capacity which is essentially how efficiently our hearts transport blood to the rest of our body. 

         According to the Cooper Institute, "Aerobic capacity is perhaps the most important component of any fitness program. Research indicates that acceptable levels of aerobic capacity are associated with a reduced risk of high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, obesity, diabetes, some forms of cancer, and other health problems in adults." 

        So when your Wildcat asks why they have to do the PACER test in PE, please assure them of the importance of cardiovascular health :) The 20 meter PACER test progressively gets more difficult as it continues - the running speed starts slowly, but gets faster each minute. They run as long as possible - the second time they are unable to complete a lap before the sound, their test is over. 

        Students fall into one of three categories - 1) Healthy Fitness Zone 2) Needs Improvement 3) Needs Improvement - Health Risk. If you would like more information on how these ranges are determined, check out this link - http://www.cooperinstitute.org/healthyfitnesszone

         Even though the PACER test is a nationally recognized test, it is important to remember that many factors could impact the results (ie amount of sleep the night before, a good healthy breakfast, activity level outside of school, maturation, motivation, etc). 

        That being said, I have some homework for you :) If these Wildcats are going to improve their cardiovascular system, they need to be getting at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK! Take a walk in the evening, play at the park, go on a scavenger hunt out on the trails - just move! Keep up the hard work! 

Thanks for checking in! 

Miss Stone