The first two weeks...

...are always very interesting for everyone involved: teachers, supporting staff, parents, and the kids. In the specials' world, we take these weeks to put solid procedures in place much like they do in the classroom. Here's a fly-on-the-wall view of what the PE/Health classes have looked like:

We teach teamwork and problem solving from day one. Here, two students show us one way to solve a dispute in PE/H (or at recess!) while playing a game that gets them up and moving, Rock, Paper, Scissors Tag.

Another teamwork activity! Students are encouraged to cheer for ALL their classmates, not just the students on their team. 

Unless you know what you're looking for, this one might not look like much. All students are learning about boundaries this year with the help of our new floor. We are using the line where the orangey-brownish part (don't tell Ms. Bomba that I made up color names) meets the black part of the floor as our boundary line. This gives the students a solid visual reminder of the safe areas of play. At the beginning of class, I asked the students help me set up our boundaries using cones as a check for understanding. The might be a little clumped together, but they got it!

We don't get to sit down in PE/ Health too often, and when we do it's for quick instruction so we can get up and move again. Here students are showing our "two whistle huddle." The students know when the hear the whistle blow two times, they come into our huddle. This allows me to give instruction or clarification very quickly. We can also use this format to reflect on how things are going, make connections to other classes, or practice "turn and talk" questions.

The 2nd-3rd graders played the Cooperation Cleanup game that reinforced the importance of working as a team and proper use of the equipment. 

And finally, every once in a while, a teacher has a moment where all she can do is turn on the camera and laugh along. Enjoy!

Widgets for Health

Can you find the newest addition to the blog? Look right! -------->

The Fitness Calculator lets you measure how many calories you burn in a given activity. Try it out! This calculator is great for all you anti-treadmill people out there (not that treadmill caloric expenditure calculators are all that accurate). The extensive variety of fitness activity options is quite impressive as well.

I found this widget on Wolfram Alpha. I highly suggest that you explore. It's like a google search engine plus an extremely accurate wikipedia article plus an expert on any subject you desire to learn about plus a technology geek. The site is excellent for finding the nutritional value of food, ex. an apple.

Here's to health and technology!

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to school! I'm excited to start the new year and it looks like the kids are excited too. The positive vibes from the Maury community are truly energizing.

Below is the letter I sent home in Tuesday folders explaining a little bit about myself and the program at Maury:


Welcome Back Maury Family!

It is great to back for my third year as the Physical Education and Health teacher. I want to highlight some of the changes and exciting things we have in store for this year in Physical Education and in Health.

Physical Education Curriculum:
This year, we will continue to use the SPARK PE Curriculum. “SPARK PE was designed to be more inclusive, active, and fun than traditional PE classes, and SPARK was proven to work with both physical education specialists and classroom teachers.” (www.sparkpe.org) Please be sure your student is prepared for PE! This means proper attire and footwear. If your student is wearing footwear that is dangerous for physical activities (flip-flops, open-toed shoes, high-heels, boots, etc.) they will be asked to not participate. Check out the DCPS Physical Education Standards here and the National Standards here.

Health Curriculum:
Our Health classes this year are concentrated around the Health Standards for DCPS which are aligned with the National Health Education Standards. I will also use curriculum from Welcoming Schools (www.welcomingschools.org) to combat bullying and promote a school culture that is accepting and welcoming of all students. In addition, Health includes: health promotion and disease prevention, access to and evaluation of health information, self-management skills, analyzing influences, interpersonal communication, and decision making and goal setting.

The BIG Change:
This year we will combine the Health and PE classes. If your student is in 1st-5th grade, they will have PE and Health class twice a week. There will be no distinction between PE and Health on the schedule which means that your student should come dressed to participate for both days of PE and Health class.

Fitness Club and Maury Running Club:
Please stay tuned for these great fitness opportunities for 3rd-5th graders! I will be sending out more information in the next few weeks. MRC will take place after school and Fitness Club will be run during recess from 12:05-12:35.

Check out the newest addition to PE and Health, the PE and Health Blog! Check back often to see updates on what your students are doing in class and what events will be coming up.

www.maurype.blogspot.com

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions regarding Physical Education, Health or the Fitness Club. I know this year will be a great success!

Stay active and healthy!
Caroline Hunt
caroline.hunt@dc.gov

True Olympic Champion, Allyson Felix

If you were around Maury a few years ago, you may remember a visit by some pretty famous athletes. One happened to be Allyson Felix. She showed the students her hula-hooping skills, impressively completed a hopscotch in heels and modeled just how important health and fitness is to our students.

Allyson is a perfect example of dedication and hard work in athletics. In 2004, Allyson, only 18 years old at the time, attempted to earn gold at her first Olympics in the 200 meter track and field event. Falling short, Allyson came in second earning a World Junior record with a time of 22.18. A few World Championships and eight years of hard work later, Allyson qualified for the London Summer Olympics. Running against the worlds fastest women, Allyson finished first in the 200 running the race in only 22.81. Ironically Allyson ran slower than her Olympic race in 2004, However, this should not deter us from noticing her hard work and success just a few days ago.

She is a great role-model for our young people. In June of 2010, Allyson- along with many infamous athletes including Billie Jean King, Dominique Dawes, Michelle Kwan, and Grant Hill- was appointed to the President's Council on Fitness, Sport, and Nutrition by Michelle Obama. On the day of the introduction of the new council members, Obama explained, "The Council will play an important role in our effort to help combat childhood obesity in this country and I am grateful to the athletes, chefs, doctors and nutrition experts who are volunteering their time on the Council to help make a difference.” And it has. The Council is responsible for advising the president through the Secretary of Health and Human Services about "opportunities to develop accessible, affordable and sustainable physical activity, fitness, sports and nutrition programs for all Americans regardless of age, background or ability."

Here's to athletes that are also genuinely inspirational role-models!

Happy Summer Olympics!

The 2012 Summer Olympics are here! What a great way to introduce kids to new and exciting sports. It's nice to see that there is more to the world of sports besides football, basketball, and baseball. The Olympic games show amazing athletes celebrating sport for the sake of simply playing the game. The million dollar contracts are no longer in the spotlight, the athletes are.

In honor of the Olympics, get out and get active! Here's a quick idea that will introduce your kids to track and field. 

Javelin Throw-  Line up your friends each equipped with a pool "noodle" and see who can throw their javelin the furthest. Watch the track and field events on tv and check out this video on how to throw correctly:

(Brittany Borman- US Olympic Track and Field Team)

Enjoy the games! Here's to health!

Tacky for a good cause...help me buy an Ipad, please!

Do you want to make your child's PE and Health classes even more amazing!?

Maury is a great school community, but the multi-purpose room leaves some things to be desired. Unlike every other classroom in the building, the MPR has NO technological capabilities. There’s no computer or way of showing students up to date visuals or supporting materials. There is constant traffic in and out of the room, which poses a security issue. The room is utilized for many other purposes than my classroom, therefore, a permanent technological installation is not feasible. I have thought through every possibility and it seems to me that the only way I can solve these problems and incorporate technology is to purchase a tablet computer.

In my planning and preparation for the upcoming school year, I am very excited about what this piece of technology could do for your students. If I were able to purchase an Ipad I would...

- Utilize the tablet’s video capability to film a student performing a skill and then review the video with the student as a reflective practice
- Show cutting edge visuals of the inside of the body and how our body systems work
- Show students short video clips of athletes from around the world
- Introduce the students to the integration of pedometers, heart rate monitors and other technologies in fitness. For example, use the tablet to display in real time the heart rate fluctuations of a student who is actively exercising
- Use the tablet to track various physical challenges over the course of a year in order show the students their progress in real time, much like a classroom teacher charts reading level growth.
- Provide guardians and students with detailed grading reports that include performance measures for each standard covered along with pictures and video of the students performing the skills learned
- Effectively assess students during each class period

If you are able to donate to these worthy goals, please help me defray the cost by simply clicking the “Donate” button on the top right corner of this page.

Thank you for supporting me in making your student's Maury experience as enriching as possible.

Watermelon, the perfect summer treat!

When it's hot outside, it's natural to crave watermelon. Watermelon has excellent levels of vitamins A and C and good levels of vitamin B6. It also aids in hydration!

Check out the recipe below from letsmove.org. It's simple to make, easy for the kids to be involved, and doesn't require you to turn on the hot stove. Don't be afraid to introduce the kids to red pepper flakes and vinegar. I've discovered through lunch duty that the more you talk about the food and make it exciting for the kids, the more likely they are to try something new. Enjoy!

Fire and Ice Watermelon Salad

Serving Size
Serves 4 (1½ cup)

Ingredients

• 6 cups watermelon, rind removed, cut into large chunks
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion
• ⅓ cup torn mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• ⅔ cup white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon chili powder

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine watermelon, onions, mint, and red pepper flakes.
2. In a small bowl, mix vinegar, oil, and chili powder.
3. Drizzle vinegar mixture over watermelon mixture and serve. Line muffin tin(s) cups with paper baking cups (18 total).