Mentors

My 3rd and 4th graders wanted to learn how to double-dutch jump rope. I knew that to really master this skill it was going to take more instruction than one teacher could give. I arranged with the 6th grade teachers for small groups of 6th […]

Cooperative Handball

Here is a new game I tried with my 5th and 6th graders. It combines skills from several sports and they had a good time playing it. I like activities that can involve all my students without being threatening and this one did that. Cooperative […]

Hula Hoops

I pulled out the hula hoops today with 1st and 2nd graders. They are a fun and active prop with a lot of possibilities. Here is the sequence we followed: 1. Explore: Give them all a hoop and let them try anything for a few […]

Stress Less

This month our faculty staff wellness focus is “stress less”. Stress adversely effects our health so it is important to develop tools for dealing with it. Did you know that certain foods can help reduce stress? Power foods are foods that have phytochemicals in them. […]

Spider & Flies

My 3rd and 4th graders had a blast playing this game today. I liked it because it was easy to do for a few minutes and it really got them moving. Spider and Flies: One person is the spider. The rest of the class lines […]

bean bags

Here is a progressive lesson plan idea I did with my 1st and 2nd graders this week. 10 minutes: fitness 5 minutes: Give them each a bean bag and have them practice tossing and catching (to themselves). I stressed that the goal was to catch […]

Maintain Don’t Gain

For our staff wellness focus this month, I chose the theme “Maintain Don’t Gain”. The holidays are here and that means parties, treats, eating out, and all kinds of activities that tend to lead to weight gain. I have challenged our staff to just try […]

circuit training

I have been working on ideas for an indoor fitness program for my 5th and 6th graders. During the outside months we could run laps, lunges up and down the field, etc. Winter brings a challenge because our gym is so small and my classes […]