Hello My PE Friends,
     I'm getting so excited!  It's almost time for us to return to PE and learn how to play some new games and stations.  As you are shopping for school clothes, I wanted to remind you to get a pair of tennis shoes and some active wear that you can move freely in on your PE day.  It's going to be HOT the next few months, so you might want to pick up a water bottle as well.  Remember to put your name on it.  I can't wait to see you!  I am counting down the days until we will be together again.  Enjoy the rest of your summer!  Love you!!

Welcome Back!!  I hope everyone had a restful and joyful winter break!!  The weather has really put a damper on our PE classes!!  One day we can go outside and the next day we have to stay inside!!  Keeping our fingers crossed that the weather pattern will be back to normal soon.  We are limited on things we can do when we are inside, but we make the most of the limited space we have.  Balloons, mini trampolines, cans and tennis balls, chinese jumprope, legos, puzzles, magnetic blocks, and ball boards are some of the things we use when we are indoors.  Stay tuned, Jump Rope for Heart information will be coming home shortly. 

The month of October was very busy for us. We learned how to stay safe in all different types of situations.  The kindergartners learned what an emergency is and how to call for help.  The first and second graders learned how to react to an emergency.  The second graders were also taught when to perform CPR and  how to perform CPR correctly.  A huge thank you to Mandi Willis and several paramedics from  Levy County who volunteered their time to come teach the second graders.  I'm so proud of all the knowledge about being safe that our students were exposed to during the month of October (road safety, bike safety, pedestrian safety, school and home safety, fire safety, and CPR).  We also played games that were related to being safe.  

We just finished our unit on "Movement."  The students had so much fun playing games and just being active.  We learned about personal space, general space, boundaries, surroundings and obstacles all through active movement.  It is still very warm outside, so please dress your child appropriately on PE days.  I also recommend bringing a water bottle to PE.

Welcome Back!!  I hope you had an exciting summer!  I'm looking forward to another great year in PE.  Your teacher will be giving you a schedule for special area, so you will know what day you have PE on.  Please try to remember to wear your PE shoes and bring a water bottle.  I have some new games and activities for you to try!!  I can't wait to see you!!

I would like to thank Rex's mom, a student in first grade, for donating brand new basketballs to our PE class!!  A great big thank you to the FHSAA and Rex's mom for providing  the basketballs.  We greatly appreciate it!!

"Swish!!!"

Learning how to strike an object with body parts or using an implement, is what the students are working on!  It is so much fun to strike objects using rackets, paddles, bats or body parts, such as hands and feet.

Hunters and Birdies is a great way to practice striking using rackets.

"Fly Birdie Fly!"  Students must run as fast as they can without being hit by a birdie from the hunter.  

Using batting tees to practice striking.

Our "Jumping and Moving" unit ended with our annual "Jump Rope for Heart" event.  The students participated in five stations.  Each station had an activity that included the skills of jumping and moving.  The event raised over $4,500 for the American Heart Association.  Great job to all the students who participated in the event!!  Keep jumping and moving!!  I love healthy hearts!!

Congratulations to our "Jump Rope for Heart" top money raisers:
Morgan West 2nd Grade, Morgan Owen Kindergarten, Bristol Gladwell Pre-Kindergarten and Noah Barreira 1st Grade (not pictured).  Morgan Owen raised the greatest amount of money for our school!

Rolling and jumping through hula hoops!

Jumping rope and singing jump rope rhymes.

Swinging and jumping over ball sticks is a big hit with kids!

Jumping rope and smiling!  The perfect combination!

We started the new year with lots of cooperative activities.  The students rotated through many stations as they worked on teamwork and resolving conflicts as a squad.  I'm very proud of how the students are learning to work together as a team!

It's always fun to shoot baskets with friends.

It is exciting to watch the students create new ways to play old games.

Ball Sticks are so much better when friends get together.

Partner Paddles

We finished up 2016 in PE with lots of fun games!!!  I was able to purchase some pedal cars and the students loved playing, "Here Comes Santa" in them.  The "Great Gift Giveaway" was also fun!!  I hope you have a blessed and relaxing winter holiday break.  See you in 2017 with bigger and better activities in PE!!

The students enjoyed playing some "old fashioned" relay games for Thanksgiving!  They loved running in the "Turkey Leg" relay race, knocking down cones in a game of "Hunters and Turkeys" and finally, they enjoyed a game of tug of war!

Turkey Leg Relay Race

Hunters and Turkeys

Pull!!!

Winner!!  Winner!!  Chicken Dinner!!

We played a few more games as we continue to practice throwing and catching!!  Second graders love playing "Hoop Pass", which is a fast paced game that involves throwing, catching and lots of running.  Kindergarten and first grade students enjoy catching with the scoops.  

Hoop Pass

Scoops

Rolling, throwing, catching and bouncing a variety of objects using the correct technique!  Check out these fun games that get the students up and moving!!

Castle Ball:  rolling balls to knock over the other team's castle

Indoor Hoops!!!  A little bouncing action!

During the month of October, we worked on safety.  The focus was on identifying an emergency and thinking and acting safely.  The students were taught that every place they go, there are safety procedures and plans to keep them safe in an emergency.  Our games for this month focused on thinking and acting quickly.  

"Spaghetti and Meatballs"
Students try to put the meatballs on the plate, as the spaghetti (pool noodles), knocks it off.  

"Think Fast!"  Students run to the center as fast as they can trying to get the most tennis balls for their team.

Scooter Pulls:  Pretending to get to an emergency quickly.

We finished up our unit on movement by playing a few fast moving games!!  The kindergarten students really enjoyed moving to the old fashioned game of "Duck, Duck, Goose!"  They laughed and ran and had such a great time.  The first and second grade students played a version of the video game "Frogger."  They had to run from one end of the pond to the other, using the lily pads (hula hoops) to stay safe from the alligators.  The students built up lots of stamina while playing this game!!

Kindergarten students playing "Duck, Duck, Goose."

First and Second Graders playing "Frogger."

Last week, we had a "Hula Hoop Fun Week!"  The students got to do whatever they wanted to do with their hula hoop (roll it, run through it, jump rope with it, or just plain hula hoop with it).  It was amazing to see the games the students invented using hula hoops!  It was such a great week in PE!

Kindergarten students creating games

Hula Hoop Week!!

We are getting stronger and building stamina!!

Second graders are working on building up stamina by running a course the requires them to step through a ladder.....

and hoops.

Kindergarten and First graders are practicing different ways to move by "Running the Red Carpet!"

We are off to a "moving" start!!  We are learning how to work as a team, as well as, how to move in a variety of ways.  Dodging, ducking, running, jumping, stepping, etc... are a few of the ways we have learned how to move.  All of these types of movement have been incorporated into games and activities.  Check out a few of the things we have been doing!!!

You have to practice moving side to side to get good at it!!

It takes teamwork to make the parachute fly high.

You must stretch before you move!

Welcome Back!!  We are going to have an exciting year in PE.  Get set to work on all of the skills necessary to lead a healthy, happy and active lifestyle.  Parents, please be sure your child wears PE shoes and appropriate PE clothing on PE days.  UNLESS I receive a note, I will expect all students to participate in PE.  I look forward to a great year in PE filled with lots of laughter and fun!!