Physical Education Curriculum

Introduction

The overall goal of the Physical Education Curriculum is to develop a physically competent, knowledgeable, physically fit, caring, Christian leader who has the foundation to continue a healthy, active lifestyle into high school and beyond and to pass some of those skills and values on to others.

The Physical Education curriculum encompasses all the content areas expected in a good program (non-aquatic)  and more. Components are taught and arranged so that EVERY child is successful. In addition, students are not only “taught” the concepts, they are given several opportunities to “teach” them to younger students through a “Middle School Coaches” program. Also, in 5th grade, students do an educational presentation for ACES Day. In 7th grade, students focus on officiating games. By 8th grade, students are given the privilege of selecting most of their activities, including guest presenters.

Students in grades 2-8 train for the President’s Physical Fitness Challenge through a progressive fitness routine done at the beginning of every class. Testing is in the spring and awards are given.

Because formal instruction is just once a week, other avenues are used to increase student activity and education:

• All students receive 25 minutes of Recess each day. (A formal “RRRRecess” program is conducted and run by the Physical Education teacher for grades 3-5)
• An alternating “once a week – twice a week” indoor gym use program supervised by the Physical Education teacher is conducted at Recess during the winter months.
• A unique technique, “Teaching Skills Through Stories, Songs,  and Other Easily Understood Terms” , originated by the PE teacher, is used to speed up the acquisition of skills by youngsters.
• Students in grades 2-5 practice one fitness component at their classroom break time each day.
• Grades 3 & 4 participate in a county-wide pedometer contest for one month.
• Various supplemental after school programs are offered by the PE teacher.

The major content areas of this curriculum include:

• Basic Non-Locomotor and Motor Skills
• Sports Skills
• Dance and Dance-Related Skills
• Gymnastics and Yoga
• Strategy and Cooperative Activities
• Fitness Concepts
• Cognitive Concepts
• Sportsmanship and Social Skills (some tie into Christian principles)
• (Outdoor Winter Sports are covered by a 5th Grade Camp Program)

Cognitive Concepts    

For the lessons or skills taught in Physical Education, an explanation is often given, a demonstration shown and questions are asked. Often posters are hung, diagrams are drawn and, occasionally, handouts are given. A unique approach of “Stories and Songs…” is used with the younger grades in an attempt to speed up and enhance their learning process. Another unique approach – a “Paper Bag Practice”- is used to engrain manipulative skills by way of repetition. In the upper grades, applications to science principles are given.

Some lessons require more in depth information. The “Food Pyramid” and “Fitness” are the two main concepts given greater detail.

“First Aid” and “Safety” are covered. They include:

• RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation),
• wound coverage and MRSA,
• personal space (bubbles),
• playground safety, clothing safety, floor safety, equipment safety,
• neck and eye protection,
• and “stop, drop and roll” awareness.

Rules of regulation sports are kept to a minimum due to time constraints, but adequate enough to allow basic participation. More focus is given to this in Middle School. A set of posters is also used to cover concepts such as history, equipment, field dimensions…

Students are formally tested on a particular item each year. The lower grades test by performance, the upper grades by performance and paper. The items tested are:

            K – Dominance
            1 – Motor and Non Locomotor Skills
            2 – Tumbling Skills
            3 – Posture and Lifting
            4 – Major Muscle Recognition
            5 - 15 Different Sports Skills
            6 – The Food Pyramid
            7 – Heart Rates
            8 – Teaching and Coaching Skills
           
The ultimate test of learning a concept is having the ability to teach it. This culminates in our “Middle School Coaches” program. By the time our students reach 8th grade, they will have taught several skills to our younger students.

Fitness Concepts

Fitness is covered every week in a routine at the beginning of class. It is student led and progressive in nature. The President’s Physical Fitness Challenge is administered in March to grades 2-8 to give feedback to students, parents and teachers as to the status of one’s fitness level. Awards are given to those who qualify. Encouragement and praise for honesty is given to those who do not.

The fitness routines followed by each class are shown in the following chart:

Skill	K	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Walking						aa	a aa	a aa	aa a
Biceps Pump						aa	aa a aa	a aa	aa a
Triceps Pump						aa a aa	aa a	a aa	aa a
Marching					a	aa	aa	aa	aa
Jumping Jacks				aa	a	aa a	aa a	aa a	aa a
Walk and Talk	a	a	a	a	a	aa a
Push Ups	a
Curl Ups	a
V Stretch	a a
Shuttle Run	a	aa
Distance Run

The following charts show the progression that is followed to train for the test:

Grades 2 & 3

Grades 4 & 5

Grades 6, 7 & 8

All Kindergarten – 8th grade classes participate in the Distance Run. Numbers reflect trips around the gym floor. Other numbers are repetitions of the skill.

Grades K-5 do a cool down routine at the end of each class. It consists of:

• quad stretch
•  gastroch stretch
•  hamstring stretch
•  and a hook up

Strategy and Cooperative Activities

The following list contains some of the strategy and cooperative games played throughout the years in approximate ascending order by grade:

• Clothes Pin Tag
• Superstars
• Mr./Mrs. Fox
• Zaga
• Paint Tag
• Crows and Cranes
• Hot Potato
• Snakes and Frogs
• Snatch the Bacon
• Mission Impossible
• Baggo
• Sharks and Seals
• Bowling for People
• Scramball
• Clue Hunt
• Quidditch
• Cup Stacking
• Coneball
• Capture the Flag
• Invent a Game
• Bocce Ball

Broad categories include:

Parachute Games (Cat and Mouse, Sharks and Lifeguards, Popcorn)
Scooter Games (Scooter Soccer, Scooter Hockey, Scooter Basketball)
“Survivor” Games (Team Building)
Bully Games (Victim “Defender” Tag, Better Bystander Backup Tag)
Handicap Games (Blindfold, One Eye, One Arm, No Legs)
Holiday Games (Pass the Present, Letter Scramble, Egg Hunt)
International Games (Ko Ko Ko, Tackraw, Cricket)

Highlights and Special Events include:

Summer Olympics                                                                 Just for kindergarten:
Winter Olympics                                                                             Pirates
Talent Show                                                                                       Rodeo
ACES Day                                                                                            Circus
Paper Airplane contest
Pedometer Contest
Student/Teacher Games
Field Day

The Food Pyramid is taught through some lecture, but more through activity.

Activities for each grade level include:

• K– Food Recognition Race  
• 1 – “One Group” Hunt
• 2 – “One From Every Group” Hunt
• 3 – Daily Requirements
• 4 – Daily Requirements with Junk Food Commercial Taggers
• 5 – Food Label Game
• 6 – Food Label Game with Fitness Factor
• 7 – Food Label Line-Up

All grade levels: When asked to be someone’s partner, make them feel welcome. Jesus reached out to everyone.   And everyone gets a chance at key positions.

Just as it is not polite to eat in front of other people, it is not polite to talk while other students are listening nicely.  “We listen together, we play together.”

Everyone makes mistakes, but, if questioned, the answer should be “Yes, I did it. I am sorry. I will take my punishment.” If something is broken, the approach should be “Yes, I broke it. I am sorry. Can I pay for it or fix it?”  (BIP & DIP)

If we hurt someone, even by accident, we should offer AID:  Are you OK? I am sorry. Do you need anything?

We always “include others”.  If they ask to play or share, we say yes or help with some other accommodation. And we never say, “I won’t be your friend.”

K - Honest people are successful & others like to play with them. Be honest.

Just because you don’t “feel” like doing something, your arms and legs can do it anyway.

1 – Solve disputes with “Rock, Paper, Scissors”
       Don’t over celebrate & brag. Think of other’s feelings and “do unto others...”

2 – Close calls count. We don’t have instant replay so do R, P,S.
       Never give up, even if things are tough. “Sore legs, happy hearts!”

3 – Games are invented so someone scores. Don’t get down if they do.
       Believe in what you don’t see. Some things come with time.

4 - Adjust your level of competition to different circumstances.
      God made us all different and that’s a good thing. Think of the half that’s full.

5 – Share substitutions in alphabetical order so no one has to sit out long.
       Accept the challenge of being the underdog. Be courageous.

Middle School – Acknowledge others. Try to reach out to all groups. Do not llive by the code of revenge. Your most important skill is “self control”.