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).

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

So I heard it's hot in DC! I have been traveling since we got out of school so I haven't had the pleasure of dealing with the extreme heat...yet. However,  I do know a little about exercising in the heat. The biggest concern when exercising in extreme heat is staying hydrated.

What does that mean?
When your body sweats you don't just sweat water, your body loses electrolytes and salt too. Electrolytes affect the regulation of blood pH and your body's hydration, which it turn affect the way your nervous system and muscle function.

How do I prevent dehydration?
Drink lots of water all the time, not just when you are exercising! We've all heard that the average adult needs 8 glasses of water a day, but when you sweat just walking from your front door to the sidewalk, it's a sure sign you need to drink even more. Carry a water bottle with you all day and constantly refill. Another way to avoid problems associated with dehydration is to exercise in the morning or evening. Try to stay out of the mid-day heat.

So is drinking water enough?
Maybe. If you find that you are lightheaded, have headaches, or stop sweating- a sign of even more serious hydration issues- you may want to think about drinking a sports drink or coconut water after you exercise. Coconut water is a natural way to replenish the electrolytes in your body without the added sugar that comes with popular sports drinks. Coconut water is also the very "in" drink of chose among fitness freaks, if you're into that sort of thing.

So why do people drink gatorade all the time?!
The same reason people drink soda all the time. It's sweet, comes in every color of the rainbow, and really well advertised.

Gatorade was designed by the University of Flordia's College of Medicine after the football team was struggling during summer practices. The athletes were experiencing all the signs of dehydration including muscle cramps and literally passing out during practice. Clearly water wasn't cutting it. So, some of the professors designed a drink that would help replenish the players electrolyte, water, and salt loss during practice. That year the team went on to beat the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in their first Orange Bowl victory. When the Yellow Jackets' coach, was asked why they lost the game, he claimed, "We didn't have gatorade. That made the difference."

Read more about exercising in the hot, hot heat here: http://www.active.com/fitness/Articles/8_Tips_for_Exercising_in_Summer_Heat.htm

Here's to healthy hydration!

Summer Time and the Living's Easy

After a few relaxing weeks of summer, I'm back in school mode! I started thinking about all the running clubs and physical activity I push for at Maury. So, after running the DC Challenge with the specials teachers (plus Ms. Nesper) and a 10K with loads of Maury family members. It's more accurate to say that I survived rather than ran the race because I didn't do a whole lot of training. I decided to get back into running. Never in all my fitness laden life have I enjoyed running. However, I have come to learn how vital of a role running could play in the life of an inner city kid. Without the space to simply play, running can be a great supplement for people of all ages. All you need is a sidewalk! (Or grass, or dirt, or a multi-purpose room floor).

In an effort to increase my cardiovascular endurance (and not nearly keel over half way through the next Maury race), my partner and I decided to start a simple "Couch to 5K" running program. Currently on week four, I feel like the program is accessible to just about everyone, especially people who have never run before or happen to hate running. It's a great program to do with your kids as well because the bouts of running start off short (60 seconds) with walking breaks in between.

Over nine weeks the workouts become progressively harder, as they slowly ease you into running. This means that your body can get used to the constant impact on your joints as your feet hit the ground. Many people are instantly turned away from running because of the impact factor. However, impact can be a great thing in that it aids in the prevention of osteoporosis. Ever wonder why the astronauts have to go through intensive physical therapy when they return from the space station? Without the pushing and pulling of muscles on our bones, our bodies start to break down and fall apart.

Check it out!

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

The best part about the program is that each session takes between 20-30 minutes which happens to be the amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity an adult is supposed to get each day anyways. It's quick and easy and you will be happy with the progress you can make in only nine weeks.

Here's to health in the hot, HOT sun!

P.S. Run in the morning or evening and hydrate well. Try to stay out of the heat!