News from the Gym

The K-3 classes are having fun practicing their striking skills using balloons. They learn to set the balloon using their fingerpads as well as bump the balloons using their forearms. They work by themselves or with a partner. Each day is a new adventure using balloons to learn different skills. They will also use their skills to play games over the volleyball net using beach balls.

2nd grade classes using striking skills with balloons

The K-2 classes are having fun playing games with the Parachute. They make waves, parade around in a circle using their listening skills to turn directions, sit inside the parachute like a tent, climb the mountain on hands/knees, make volcanoes using bean bags/Nerf balls, and pop popcorn using bean bags and Nerf balls. The students love the color game in  which they exchange places when the parachute is up high. It’s great fun for everyone.

Kindergarten parachuting in Physical Education

Ms. Maguigan's class making waves with the parachute.

Tyler bowling for Bowl America

Rhea having fun bowling

 

 

      The K-2 grade classes are participating in a tumbling/gymnastics unit.  They are performing tumbling skills (animal walks, rolls, agility/strength and balance skills on the mats. They also climb ropes and practice skills on the balance beam.

Climbing ropes builds strength

A front scale on the balance beam

Tumbling skills on the mats

The 3rd grade through 6th grade is continuing to improve on their gymnastics skills that they learned during the last school year.  We have students that are beaming with pride as they climb the rope, to the top knot, for the first time as well as students that are progressing through the forward roll.  We have students with a wide variety of experiences in gymnastics and it’s great to see the students challenging themselves at the level that is appropriate for them.  Knowing your strengths and pushing yourself to improve are skills we work on throughout the school year.

Below you will find some pictures of our sixth graders, in Mrs. Spinelli’s class, working during PE.

Working on walking down the balance beam as well as practicing a balance.

 All grades are participating in an obstacle hockey course. One half of the class slow jogs around the perimeter of the gym (getting ready for the pacer test) while their partner performs certain hockey tasks. They have 2 minutes to complete these tasks in any order and then change with their partner. These tasks are 1) Dribble around big cones 2)Dribble between small cones 3)Dribble and shoot into buckets 4) Stop on poly spots and 5) Pull back on poly spots. These hockey tasks teach the students to practice their  dribbling skills along with keeping their heart rate up. It’s fun and it helps to  improve their skills.

Third Grade classes participating in a hockey obstacle course.

The Kindergarten through Second Grades are learning to jump rope during the month of February.  They will make shapes and letters  using  their ropes along with working with a partner to make two letter words. They will also learn the basic jump and the rebound to help them improve their skills. Jump Rope for Heart is a great tool for the students to practice jumping and have fun with their friends. It will be held February 27 from 1:30-3:00 at Haycock. Day 100 of school the students jumped 10 different rope jump skills 10 times each.

100 day of school jumping rope

100th day of school jumping 100 times

Students in grades three through six are practicing their jump roping skills.  Posters on the wall have pictures and descriptions of the jumps, from simple to difficult.  Students spent a week of lessons completing a peer assessment so that they would each know which jumping skills they were proficient at completing.  This week they are working alone or in groups creating a Jump Rope Routine.  These routines showcase the skills they learned last week in a performance based assessment.  This assessment allows the students to practice making and performing a sequence of skills.

Ms. Emanuel's class practicing their jump rope routine.

Fifth Grade practicing Jump Rope Skills

The K-2 grade students are learning the difference between muscle and fat in the bodies. We are playing games using hoops and bean bags to differentiate these parts of the body. Each hoop has 3 blue bean bags (fat) and 3 red bean bags (muscle).

Each student starts out with a blue bean bag(fat) and tries to exchange it for a red bean bag (muscle). They keep active by running around to different hoops to exchange bean bags. Then after each game we see which groups have more muscle than fat. We talk about foods that contain fat  and foods that are good to eat to increase your protein levels.

The first graders are participating in scooter relays. They love this game.

1st Grade classes participating in a game of exchanging Fat to Muscle

Students work with a partner. They are trying to hit the badminton shuttlecock (birdie) back and forth in a rainbow arch to their partner.

The students in grades 3-6 have a two week unit on using a short handled implement. We have chosen the badminton racket and the 3rd graders begin using balloons. Once they have mastered tracking a balloon they move on to using a shuttle cock or birdie.

Ask your child to draw you a picture of a badminton racket and identify the parts for you.  They have been taught the terms, handle, neck, head and face of the racket. They should also be able to show you the proper grip (thumb facing up towards the head of the racket).  The students are practicing the underhand, overhand and backhand positions.  The hardest part seems to be learning to underhand serve. It all takes a lot of practice but each time they   come they see improvement.

December Dance in the Gym,

Grades K-2 will be dancing to the beat of different musical songs. Some of these include the Hokey Pokey which teaches body parts, 7 jumps which they learn to listen to the song and do what it says, the Bunny Hop, Chicken Dance, Yankee Doodle, Sneaky Snake, Les Saluts, Cha Cha Slide and Dance, Dance, Revolution which the students love Roxy, the teacher on the DVD. All these musical songs help the students move, move,  move in the gym.

2nd grade classes disco dancing to the music of YMCA

Joshua dancing to Dance, Dance, Revolution

 

Mr. Wilson's class moving their feet and arms to Dance, Dance, Revolution

A few of Haycock's teachers dancing to Dance, Dance, Revolution

Here the students dance The Electric Slide. Students learn during the line dancing lessons that dance is a form of exercise and can be fun with done with friends.

Students dance The Cotton Eyed Joe. They learned to use their arms and hop to increase their heart rates.

ChooseMyPlate is the new food icon based on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Guidelines encourage all Americans to eat a healthy diet and be physically active.

Here is a drawing of what types of foods should make up every meal you eat. All five food groups are represented but notice how the grains and vegetables are slightly larger than your fruits and proteins. Can you make your plate look like this at every meal?

• Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Avoid oversized portions.
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Switch to fat-free or low fat (1%) milk.
• Make at least half your grains whole grains.
• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals – and choose foods with lower numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

http://www.choosemyplate.gov

NUTRIFAX
Fighting Childhood Obesity
Today, childhood obesity is a major national health crisis affecting about 25% of all students. Poor diets and lack of exercise are the major causes of this epidemic. Parents are role models who must take an active role in guiding their children’s food selections and encouraging physical activity. It is recommended that children exercise at least 60 minutes a day and spend less time in front of the television or computer.

Remember to grab a December Health and Wellness Calendar and we encourage you to exercise three times a week, outside of your school, for 20 minutes.  The calendar is available in the gym or you can print it from our blackboard site.

Haycock was awarded the GOLDEN Wellness Award for the SY 2010-2011

Grades K-2,

1.  Music Movement- The students are using their listening skills to move around the gym using locomotor skills to the  music.  They love dancing to the music and doing the Boogie Walk.

Ms. Monfett's 2nd grade class is doing the Boogie Walk during P.E. class. They step to the left and to the right, then jump 3 times in place and put their arms in the air and say the Boogie Walk. Then they shuffle to the left and then to the right, put their hands up high and then down low. The process starts over again.

Mrs. Bosworth dancing with students to the song Listen and Move

Mrs. Callsen dancing with her class to the song Freeze

The  students in Grades K-2 are learning Striking Skills using body parts. They will learn to dribble with their feet practicing a soccer dribble relay. They will also pass the soccer ball towards a bowling pin using their foot trying to knock the pin down.

Tyler soccer dribbling up and around a cone.

2nd Grade Classes playing pin soccer

Brandon dribbling a soccer ball during Physical Education

The students will dribble a ball with their hand up and around a cone. They will practice dribbling skills using a variety of balls. The students are learning that there are different themes for Striking Skills.

Beckman's 1st grade dribbling

Monfett's class practicing dribbling

2nd Grade Dribbling

November brings in basketball skills.  We finished striking a soccer ball with our feet and are moving on to a new ball (basketball) and a new body part (finger pads).  Students discussed other sports they could think of that used hands for striking. 

Once we determined Basketball was one of the choices we began working on dribbling.  Ask your child to show you how they use their finger pads, place their hand on top of the ball, keep the ball at a diagonal to their hip (a little to the front and a little to the side) and keep their eyes up.  Students practiced these skills in a dribble tag game and in a dribble relay.

Mr. Milton playing a dribble tag game of basketball with a fifth grade class.

On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, from 8:45-9:05, Haycock students have the opportunity to join Mrs. Callsen in a morning walk/jog for 20 minutes.  No sign up necessary. 

The blue Cougar Cardio Club sign will be posted at the front lobby to remind students, as they enter the building from Kiss and Ride, bus drop off or walking to school.  If the weather is good we meet on the blacktop by the gym, if it’s raining we meet in the gym.

We are encouraging student so make their own healthy choices and decide if they want to come as they arrive at school.  We have about 30-50 students each Tuesday and Thursday choosing to get a little exercise before school starts.  Keep up the good work Healthy Haycock Stars. 

Students arrive and stary jogging or walking from 8:45-9:05. Keep up the good work and I'm glad to see so many Healthy Haycock Stars choosing to get some exercise before school.

Haycock Elementary School is always looking for ways to encourage healthy choices among our community. Last week we all participated in one minute of Jumping Jacks out on the soccer field and our school has submitted the paperwork to National Geographic Kids in hopes of  helping break a Guinness World Book Record.   We had 817 participants jumping and 30 independent volunteers to help count the number to jumpers.  Pictures of this event can be seen on the Haycock ES main web page.

This week your children should be learning about making Healthy choices when it comes to sleep, nutrition, exercise and screen time.  You should see a 9-5-2-1-0 Zip Code to your Health book mark in this week’s Tuesday Folder. Have your child explain to you what each number means.

Another program that Haycock’s PE dept. offers is the optional Health and Wellness Calendar Challenge. Students were offered the calendars or they can print one from our blackboard site.  Each day, on the calendar, has a spot for your child to write down the exercise activity they participated in, outside of school time.  They are encouraged to be active 20 minutes, three times a week.  Once their calendar is turned it their name will go up on the poster in the gym and they will receive a star to put on their bracelet.

Ask your children about running laps during recess and the feet charms they receive.  So many ways for our students to stay healthy.  Keep on encouraging your children to turn off the TV and go outside and PLAY!