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! 

1st and 2nd Grade 'THE CIRCLE OF HEALTH'

Step 1: Tag

Step 2: The Circle of Health

For the past week 1st and 2nd grade have been diving into the world of health and fitness.  We are playing a new game (invented by yours truly), which has students combine tag with an aerobic/muscular fitness activity.  The game is called 'The Circle of Health.'  Four students guard a box of treasure which all the other students are striving to capture.  If a student is tagged by one of the guards, that student must go to the circle of health.  In order to get out of the circle of health, the tagged student must perform 5 push-ups and 20 jumping jacks.  Now here is where it gets interesting.  The area in the immediate vicinity of the treasure box is called the double health zone.  Any student tagged there must perform twice the exercises in the circle of health.  As one might imagine, after 30 minutes of playing this game each player will end up doing a lot of exercising!

1st and 2nd Grade Ninjas and Guards

For the past few weeks 1st and 2nd Grade have been diving deep into the world of 'Tag.'  We have learned how to play Ninjas and Guards, Giants Wizards and Vulcans, and Blob Tag.  Each of these games allow students to work cooperatively, use strategy, and have fun!  Today we played the game 'Ninjas and Guards.'  This game has one group of students act out the role of Ninja and another group of students act out the role of Guard.  Ninjas have to creep through a sea of Guards with the goal of either grabbing treasure or freeing a captured ninja.  Guards have their eyes covered and must listen for the faintest sound of a ninja footstep.  After a brief period of time an alarm goes off and the guards open their eyes and try to chase down and tag any ninjas!