Kindergarten Gymnastics

Hello families!
Among lots of other fun activities the Kindergarteners here at Palouse Prairie School have been working on gymnastics!  The primary focus is to facilitate psychomotor development.  We accomplish this by working on new and challenging movements that build coordination and physical stamina.

-Mr. Greg 

Swarm Tag!

Greetings families,

For the past few weeks 1st grade and kindergarten have been working on a game called 'Swarm Tag.'  Swarm tag is a really fun game that is designed to maintain an elevated heart rate and at the same time be fun for the students.  In addition, this game allows students to focus on different movement patterns, such as grapevining, that will assist with psycho-motor development.  

Hockey Baseball

                            Greetings families!

Hockey Baseball in action

Warm up exercises that focus on core body strength.

For the past few weeks our 1st through 4th grade students  have been learning how to play baseball.  Well, almost baseball.  Instead of a baseball or softball we use a dodgeball, and instead of a bat we use a hockey stick.  This may sound strange, but it has two very important functions.  This first is that the dodgeball/hockey stick combo allows every single player to at the very least hit the ball and make a dash toward first base.  The second reason is due to the fact that our gym ceiling is only about ten feet high, and dodgeballs hit by hockey sticks tend to stay lower to the ground.  Our main focus with this unit is for the batting team to learn the basics of running bases, and the fielding team to learn the basics of fielding a ball and trying to get the runners out.  In addition, to our PE games, we spend almost half of our PE time working on our cardiovascular fitness and our core body strength.  


-Mr. Greg 

3rd and 4th Grade Soccer

Many classes at Palouse Prairie School are now playing soccer.  As we get to the park each team will warm up and demonstrate proper passing technique, that is to say, passing with the side of one's foot rather than the tip of one's foot.  Following the warm up period we start two games.  The benefit of having two smaller games as opposed to one large game is that team sizes are much smaller, meaning that each player interacts with the ball more frequently.  While we have only been playing soccer a few days we are already seeing great growth from each crew member!

The Legend of the Stacker

Stacker and Sentinels defending the pins

Legendary Stacker: John Wallace

Terminators on the look out for an unsuspecting Stacker

Legendary Stacker: David Jessup

For the past few weeks grades 1-4 have been playing a game called 'Legend of the Stacker.'  Legend of the Stacker is an exciting game involving the principles of bowling, chess, dodgeball, and soccer.  Each team has one Stacker, several Sentinels, and several Terminators.  A Stacker's job is to stack pins that have been knocked over, while at the same time evading incoming dodgeballs.  Stackers can only move side to side and must stay behind a dotted line at the back of the court.  If a Stacker is hit with a dodgeball, they are out of the game.  The Stacker is the only position vulnerable to dodgeballs. Sentinels guard the pins and the Stacker, but they can't use their arms or hands (soccer rules).  Like the Stacker, they can only move side to side (but in front of the dots).  Terminators can move anywhere they want and can use their arms and hands.  Terminators throw dodgeballs to get the Stacker out, and roll tennis balls to try and knock over the opposing team's pins.  It is very rare, but sometimes a Stacker will stay in the entire game, evading countless dodgeballs.  If a Stacker survives to the end of a game, AND his/her team wins (knocks over all of the opposing pins), that Stacker becomes a "Legendary Stacker."  Though many have tried, very few have obtained this noble title.  If a Stacker becomes a legend, they get their picture taken and are placed on the 'Legendary Stacker' poster on the gym wall.

Fifth and Sixth Grade Ultimate Frisbee

Photo taken by Simone Wulfhorst

Photo taken by Simone Wulfhorst

Greetings! 
 
For the past few weeks fifth and sixth

Photo taken by Simone Wulfhorst

Photo taken by Simone Wulfhorst

grade have been learning how to play Ultimate Frisbee.  Initially, we focused on proper throwing and catching technique.  As the students became more and more proficient we shifted the focus away from the fundamentals and towards how the game is played.  When we first started playing Ultimate many students were struggling to be successful.  After some positive class meetings and reflection, our crew is achieving more and more each session.  Today was our best session yet!  We had players making excellent plays, and we had cooperation and sportsmanship.  Our 5/6 crew is really demonstrating the EL design principles The Primacy of Self Discovery, Success and Failure, The Responsibility of Learning, and Collaboration and Competition.  Way to go crew!

Kindergarten: Leaving the Ant Hill!

2.  Rest and review.

1.  Warm up to the drums.

3.  We're leaving the ant hill HI HO!!

For the past few weeks the Kindergarten crew has had a wide variety of music incorporated into the PE curriculum.  We are now warming up using congas.  Different beats on the congas correspond to different movements.  Right now we are still working on jogging and skipping; however, we will soon be adding hopping and galloping.  In addition, we also sing songs and act out different movements that go along with the song.  So far we have learned two really fun songs that the kiddos are starting to master.  This week's song is called 'Leaving the Ant Hill.'  Students have to march (we are pretending to be ants) around the room and sing while I lead them in song with my guitar or ukelele.  Then after each refrain the kids are given a different movement (hop, side shuffle, gallop, etc).  Once given the movement the kids have to collect food from an unattended picnic and use that movement to bring the food back to the ant hill in the center of the room, and get back to the outer zone for more singing and marching!  One of the many things I love about this activity is if there are any frowns going into it there are certainly none leaving it!