Pre-school and Pre-K Update

I am constantly receiving questions about what I possibly could be doing with the little ones. Don't they just run around and play? Well, no, not even close. In Health and PE at the PS/PK level students learn how to move their bodies safely and improve their gross motor function and balance.

Lately we have been working on positional words and movements, or the ability to move your body in a certain direction relative to an object. For example, stand in front, walk behind, jump to the side, stand next to a friend, stand behind the person in front of you in line etc. A simple skill that adults take for granted, but our little ones are still learning and practicing connecting their movements with their understanding of the definition of different words. If you are to ask a three year old, is the ball above or below the table, they could most likely tell you. However, asking them to put their body below the table is a totally different story.

We practice this using our spots. Put your body over your spot, next to your spot, above your spot, below your spot.

In addition to positional words, we practice expressing creative words with body movements. For example, what does it look like to be the word "push." We practice with a variety of words and ask the students to come up with some of their own. So of their favorites are: splash, pull, happy, love, hammer, and twist. Next time your cooking dinner and your child is waiting oh so patiently, ask them to match their body to new creative words that you come up with. While keeping them occupied, you are also practicing gross motor control, self expression, coordination, and their active!

And of course, we move like animals....Check out the "big green frogs" I found in the multipurpose room! (I Can Jump Like a Big Green Frog is one of our warm-up songs.)

Fitness Club 2012-13

During the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade recess, students are invited to join Ms. Hunt on a trip around the neighborhood. Fitness Club takes place on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, each day indicating a different type of activity.

Mondays- Walking Strong is for students and staff who would prefer a walking pace and incorporating strength training into their day.

Tuesdays- Interval Day is for students and staff that are trying to improve their cardiovascular endurance. We will follow an interval type pattern, alternating walking and running while incorporating different strength and CV exercises.

Thursdays- Just Run! Thursdays are for the students and staff that just want to go for a run. In order to join, you have to be able to run for at least 10 minutes without stopping.

I am asking students and staff to self select the group, or groups, that best fit their fitness level.

We are always looking for parents to join! Come for a run or walk or run/walk with the Maury crew during your lunch break once a week :) It's good for you!

Hope to see you there!

Dance for Peace

In honor of National Peace Month, Maury invited Dance 4 Peace to teach students how to be peacemakers through dance and the use of their bodies. The presenters explained to students that your body sends all kinds of messages and that they help us express how we feel.

"The [Dance 4 Peace] curriculum is a movement-based peace education program that promotes empathy, understanding, mediation skills, anger management, and emotional and civic engagement." 

www.dance4peace.org

Students were given a conflict solving strategy and then came up with a scenario that could be solved using that strategy. Then, students took the stage in their groups to act out their scenario. A great concept that our students seemed to really grab hold of. 

(Students learn to say their name in a new way. They were asked to come up with a movement for each syllable in their name.) 

Teamwork, Teamwork, and MORE Teamwork!

Sometimes I feel like that's all we talk about in class, but it's so important! In this activity called "Scooter Scramble," students had to work in teams to transport different pieces of equipment from the center of the room, back to their team's hoop. Each team is represented by a different color.

With the older classrooms, we talked about creating strategies and reflecting on what worked and what didn't. Some of the kids came up with some really great ideas!

They quickly discovered that working together (like the green and purple teams in the video) was far more beneficial for the team than everyone having their own plan. 

Some students even came up with a little song to remind them of the strategy their team created. 

You heard correctly, "scoot, scoot, slide back." Move over Interscope Records!

Hog Calls and Barnyard Noises

This activity forces the students to rely on a partner and trust their classmates. Each partner group is asked to come up with a two-part word or phrase for example "team-work." One student will say "team," the other will say work. They start on opposite sides of the room with their eyes closed and have to find their way to their partner using only their words "team" and "work." We emphasize the importance of moving slowly and trusting our classmates to move slowly and safely so no one gets hurt.

When they find their partner, they stand back to back quietly so the other groups can be successful too. 

After they have completely that challenge, the partners are grouped into teams of four or five. Each group is given a barnyard animal and the challenge to find your entire team using only the sound that animal makes. The kids think it's silly, fun and super challenging. 

Another great teamwork success!

MRC Sponsors a National Geographic Kids Initative

On Oct 26th, starting at noon, people around the country will be running 100 meters each in an effort to break the Guinness World Record for most people to run 100 meters in 24 hours. The Maury Running Club will be encouraging students, staff, family and friends to head to the school and take the challenge.



You can join us at the following times:
Oct 26th 12:05-1:35
Oct 26th 3:30-4:00
Oct 27th 10am-noon

You MUST check in at the security desk by the front door before participating. 

As if promoting running all over the country wasn't enough, NGK added recycling to the challenge as well! National Geographic Kids will also be collecting old sneakers. After the sneakers are collected, they will be tied together to break the record for the longest chain of shoes, then recycled into athletic surfaces such as basketball courts and running tracks. MRC will have a collection bucket on site to add to the effort. 

We hope to see you there with your old sneakers in hand!

http://press.nationalgeographic.com/2012/09/12/kids-sets-out-claim-guinness-records-running-recycling/

Moving Safely

Safety is key during the first advisory for all classes. The students learn how to move their bodies safely and how to use equipment properly. We practice moving in space at different speeds, starting and stopping using various signals and being able to change direction quickly.

Here students play "Super Hero Fitness Tag." In the game each color represents a different component of fitness: red for cardiovascular endurance, blue for flexibility, and green for muscular strength and endurance. When tagged the student must go to the "fitness zone" and complete the exercise that is associated with that component of fitness. With the younger students K-2, we brainstormed and picked exercises ahead of time, and with the 3rd-5th grade students they were asked to pick a playing card, and do any exercise associated with the component of fitness. The students used a key on the board to match the suit they picked to the component of fitness and the number on the card represented the number of times or seconds the exercise was to be done. 

Students are asked to skip, gallop, or "fast walk," as they call it, to prove they can move carefully and in awareness of their bodies. In elementary school, asking any student to be aware of their body and have self control over their movements is a tall order, but they are doing great!