This year in PE we are focusing on a different muscle every month. Since I don’t want to spend any movement time having my students sit and listen, I talk about our muscle as we do our stretches. Here is an example of a mini lesson I did this week focusing on the calf muscle.
Introduction: We are starting a new month today so that means we have a new muscle to learn. What was our muscle last month? (quadricep) Where is the quadricep? This month we are going to learn about the calf. When I stand on tip toes you will be able to see my calf muscle. Stand in front of the group flat footed, and then go to tip toe. Did you see the calf muscle engage?
Activity: Everyone stand up right where you are and try standing on your tip toes. Do you feel you muscle engaging. Can you see the outline of your calf muscle.
Activity: Teach a stretch for the calf muscle: Take a big step back. Make sure both toes point forward with your body. Push your back heel to the ground. Bend your back knee a little if you need to to feel the stretch. I walk around and correct form. Talk about the need to keep toes pointing forward to actually stretch the right muscle since this is a common mistake in form I see with my students.
Activity: Ask for suggestions of motions that use the calf muscle and do some of them such as running or jumping rope.
As the month goes on, we will repeat our calf stretch every class period and emphasize movement activities that engage the calf muscle.
My students are loving this. They were actually the ones who reminded me that it was a new month and asked what our new muscle would be!