Today, I shared my "Circle of Fun" with my middle school students. This circle of fun involved 12 different "FIT DECK" cards. Half of these cards involved Plyometric Exercises and the other half involved Resistance Band Exercises. I set this up in a large circle around the gym, alternating plyos and resistance. This allowed for each student to get their heart rate up (check to see if they were in their target zone) and then recover at the resistance band station and learn a new strength training exercise. I played Toby Mac while we participated in each different station with one partner for 45 seconds and then rotated to the next. I couldn't believe it, but by the time class was done the students really DID think it was fun. This combined with their "2 Song-Jog" at the beginning of class really got them moving and working hard within our 40 minutes together!
I am so passionate about fitness, and allowing students to experience NEW activities, exercises, and health concepts in a safe environment. It's so rewarding to see students enjoy things they never even knew existed- and to conquer a workout like they never thought they could. I hope that each of my students finds something enjoyable that they can use in their life after their years at West Side. Sometimes it's so worth taking a break from team sports and being able to level the playing field with new individual physical activity- to really see how far my students can push themselves and realize they can do SO much more than they thought they could.
What a great day.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Sunday, February 17, 2013
WOW!
Wow! Our students raised $1,900 for the American Heart Association through Jump Rope for Heart! This past week was an exciting celebration Wednesday through Friday as each class came to the gym with their donations and participated in jump rope/basketball stations one last time.
I'm looking forward to introducing new activities, fitness topics, and sports games this week with all students Kindergarten through Eighth! Middle school students will start out by learning eighteen different forms of dodgeball (!). We will then introduce a new game called Speedball- a combination of football, basketball, and soccer. We are already discovering that learning that many different form of any game is a skill itself. :) Third and Fourth Graders will begin their floor hockey unit combined with learning specific exercises for each part of the body, as well as agility drills, balance, and coordination (can't resist throwing in fitness). First and Second Graders will be practicing teamwork and cooperation using the parachute (first time all year)! Kindergarten will be emphasizing locomotor skills in different pathways, levels, and directions as well as throwing and catching with different objects.We will also continue working on the skill of listening through music and practice cross lateral movements.
Lots to do! Time to get moving.
I'm looking forward to introducing new activities, fitness topics, and sports games this week with all students Kindergarten through Eighth! Middle school students will start out by learning eighteen different forms of dodgeball (!). We will then introduce a new game called Speedball- a combination of football, basketball, and soccer. We are already discovering that learning that many different form of any game is a skill itself. :) Third and Fourth Graders will begin their floor hockey unit combined with learning specific exercises for each part of the body, as well as agility drills, balance, and coordination (can't resist throwing in fitness). First and Second Graders will be practicing teamwork and cooperation using the parachute (first time all year)! Kindergarten will be emphasizing locomotor skills in different pathways, levels, and directions as well as throwing and catching with different objects.We will also continue working on the skill of listening through music and practice cross lateral movements.
Lots to do! Time to get moving.
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