Winter Olympics Wrap Up

We swear that we will take part in the Olympic Games in fair competition, respecting the regulations which govern them and with the desire to participate in the true spirit of sportmanship for the honour of our country and for the glory of sport.

In PE and Health, the students learned about the Paralympic game Sledge Hockey and created their own Olympic Events. You can learn move about Sledge Hockey here.

Here's what the US Paralympic team looks like:

What does Sledge Hockey look like in PE...without ice?

Below you'll find pictures of the students planning their events. Groups combined the 4th and 5th grade classes. The students stepped up to the challenge of working with people from outside of their class showing great empathy and teamwork.

The students got a chance to teach their final game to another "country." 

When Teachers Start the Day with Movement...

...it's a beautiful day! Thanks, Mr. Roger's for leading this great morning meeting! One more way we are dancing at Maury :)

Dance Craze at Maury!

It has begun! With the help of some great parent fundraising and grant funding we have brought dance to Maury every day of the week! Last week kicked off our new relationship with four new Joy of Motion Instructors. We welcome Becca Nelson- Tap with 5th grade, Dana House- Break dancing with 3rd and 4th, Mackenzie Shimon- Jazz with 3rd and 4th and Lesina Martin- West African with Kindergarten. So far, I've had the opportunity to take part in class with Dana and Mackenzie. Both instructors were great with the kids, professional and a stickler for hard work. I also found out that Mackenzie teaches hip-hop after school for Polite Piggies and already knew a few of the students. 

Growing up as a dancer (not that I was ever phenomenal, but I took a lot of classes, loved it and danced ALL THE TIME), this is probably more exciting to me than the 10K grant I received. SOOOO PUMPED! 

But wait, the dancing doesn't stop there! On Friday, Mrs. Battle and Mrs. Vick led a great African inspired dance class for the Journey Through Time program. The kids had a blast learning new dance moves and creating some of their own. All while learning the importance of dance in creating connections with ancestors and expressing emotions. 

AND! This Thursday night is Maury Loves Disco! Can't stop, won't stop!

Nutrition Education At Maury

What does Nutrition education look like at our school? It's fun, dynamic, cross curricular and active!

The third, fourth and fifth graders learned how to read and analyze nutrition labels, as well as create their own for a food their group created. If you look carefully, you may notice that some foods are healthier than others....

Students learned the break down on macro-nutrients, how much of each our bodies need to be healthy, and why some people need more than others. 

Here you see the students playing a game which asks them to make an educated guess on whether their food has more grams of carbohydrates, proteins, or fats. A fun way to practice this at home is to pull some cans and boxes out of the pantry and see if you can categorize together. You might be surprised at what you find!

What does nutrition have to do with art? The amazing Ms. Bomba could tell you! Check out how Ms. Bomba seamlessly integrated nutrition information into Art. While learning about the unique pop art styles of Andy Warhol, students created posters of various foods while emphasizing a key nutrition fact they believed was important for the consumer to know.

New National Physical Education Standards

Check it out! The American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance has released the newest PE standards. The National standards will drive the creation (or re-creation) for state standards.

With permission from the Director of Health and PE for DCPS, I will be using the new standards to drive my instruction from here on out. If you have a questions, feel free to email me!

http://www.aahperd.org/

Crack a Smile Week!

I love everything about this!

Canned Foods Please!

Good afternoon!

Ms. Bomba and I are collecting canned foods for a collaborative project, allowing kids to both analyze food labels for nutrition info as well as explore the pop art work of Andy Worhol. The canned food items will then be donated to the Capitol Area Food Bank. Please consider donating healthy canned foods (not just the stuff in the back of your cabinets).  There is a collection box in the main lobby, near the office.

From the Capital Area Food Bank website:

What is the Capital Area Food Bank?
The Capital Area Food Bank is the hub for food sourcing, food distribution and nutrition education in the Washington metro area, serving those struggling with hunger. In Washington, DC and its six surrounding counties, there are nearly 700,000* individuals at risk of hunger, of which nearly 150,000 are children. Last year, the CAFB distributed 45 million pounds of food – equivalent to 37.5 million meals – to 478,100 people through direct service and a network of more than 500 partner agencies. The CAFB service area includes: Washington DC; Montgomery County, MD; Prince George’s County, MD; Fairfax County, VA; Prince William County, VA; Arlington County, VA; and The City of Alexandria, VA.

Thanks for your help!