Thanks so much to Mrs. Altekruse and all of our Jump Rope for Heart volunteers for making our event successful.  We were able to raise over $6,300 for people who have heart disease.  All children were able to participate in the jump rope stations.  We completed the fitness testing on time thanks to our parent volunteers!  I have sent all fitness cards home with student progress recorded for this semester. 

In K-2 classes we are doing some parachute play, modified kickball,  baton relays, and lead up volleyball skills.  In 3rd-5th, students are making up their own games in our Games unit.  They are following the rules of being SAFE FAIR COOPERATIVE and FINESS BASED.  They had some really creative ideas!

Review sheet for final exam PE- District test

We have learned these concepts in class throughout the year.  Students should not have to memeorize, but should apply knowledge gained from our discussions and activities in class. 

Required District Written Test Review Sheet

Cardiovascular endurance= Aerobic (heart activity)- such as PACER run, endurance run, jump rope, soccer

Flexibility-stretches my muscles- such as sit and reach test, straight leg stretch,

                 Superman, hug-ins, yoga,  anything with the word stretch at the end

Homework:

Students in 3rd-5th grade are writing goals for each event on the card.  It should be written in sentence form, and should be realistic.  Parents can assist with the goal setting and encourage them to improve at home. 

Upper body muscular strength- works my muscles in the arms, chest, and back,

      increases upper body strength- such as push-ups, power climber,  flexed arm hang

Abdominal strength-works the stomach muscles, increases abdominal strength- such as curl-ups and planks- the test also lists leg lifts which we do not do

The benefits of good physical fitness:

1. strong heart
2. good health
3. increased energy

The main benefit of good flexibility is that it decreases injuries .

The recommended amount of daily physical activity is 60 minutes.

Fitness volunteers

Dear Parents,

     I am in desperate need for help in the gym with fitness testing.  This year we have more double classes, and will have less time for fitness testing.  I have attached a schedule with our volunteer opportunities.  No experience is necessary!  Duties will include timing, simple data entry,, assisting students with questions and recording scores, organizing small groups, etc.  We need help every day, all day!  Each volunteer basically saves us one day of testing, so that will allow children to enjoy other fun and exciting activities in the gym.  Please fill out the form below with the time(s) and date(s) that you can help and return to the gym or email Mrs. Andrews at terri_andrews@ipsd.org and copy Mrs. Altekruse at kaltekruse@gmail.com.  If you cannot come in during the school day, we can always use help with entering and organization before or after school.  Fitness testing begins April 2-April 27                            

                                                       9-10:20                 10:20- 12                12:35-2:15                     2:15-3:30

Mondays   April 2         ____________            _____________          ____________            ___________

April 9                                      ____________            _____________          ____________            ___________

April 16                                   ____________            _____________          ____________            ___________

April 23                                   ____________            _____________          ____________            ___________

Tuesdays       April 3           ____________             ____________                _____________            ___________

 April 10                                     ____________             ____________                _____________            __________

April 17                                      ____________             ____________                _____________            ___________

April 24                                     _____________           ____________               ______________          ____________

Wednesdays April 4          ____________           ____________                _____________            ___________

                               April 11      ____________             ____________                _____________            ___________

                               April 18        ____________            ____________              _____________           ____________

                               April 24       ____________            _____________          ____________            ___________

Thursdays,       April 5      ____________             ____________                _____________              ___________

                                April 12       ____________          ____________          _____________            ___________

                               April 19       ____________           ____________           _____________         ___________  

                               April 26          ____________            _____________          ____________            ___________

Fridays,            April 13       ____________          ____________           _____________            ___________

                      April 20     ____________          ____________             _____________            ___________

                       April 27    ____________             ____________           _____________            __________

Just send an email to kaltekruse@gmail.com  and please copy me at terri_andrews@ipsd.org if you can help!

Heart adventure is here

We have started our Heart Adventure units in all classes.  Students learn about the heart by experiencing what it is like to be the blood in the circulatory system. 

      

 Concepts learned in Dead Bug Dodge ball:

1. The red ball is oxygen in all of our games.  The blood is red when it contains oxygen.
2. The blue ball was carbon dioxide in all of our games.  The blood is blue when it contains carbon dioxide.

Concepts learned in Risk Factor Dodge ball(game with yellow, brown, and green):

1. Too much cholesterol is bad for the heart. It is in foods from the fats and oils
2. Smoking makes the heart and lungs have to work harder and are bad for the body.
3. Being a couch potato ( a person who does not exercise) makes the heart have to work harder and is bad for the body.

Concepts learned in Healthy Heart and Arteries & Veins(with the red and blue hoops and plastic balls)

1.      Arteries carry blood with oxygen

2.      Veins carry blood with carbon dioxide

3.      Too much cholesterol will clog up the arteries so the blood can not get through.

Concepts learned in the Healthy Heart and Unhealthy Heart Obstacle Course  ( the one where we put in the obstacles of smoking, couch potato and closed up the tunnel for cholesterol)

1.      The valve lets the blood go through and then closes so that it only goes one way.

2.      The obstacles represent the extra work that the heart has to do if you are a couch potato, smoke, or eat too much cholesterol.

3.      The atriums are the top two rooms(chambers) of the heart (*3rd -5th only)

4.      The ventricles are the bottom two rooms(chambers) of the heart.(*3rd-5th only)

5.      The lungs provide the oxygen for the blood.

Concepts learned in the Big Heart Adventure Obstacle Course ( the one with the scooters and the playground balls)

1.      The aorta sends the blood to the brain and the body parts.

2.      What times in the circulatory system that the blood contains oxygen and when it contains carbon dioxide.

3.      The blood leaves the heart and goes to the lungs to get oxygen.  Then it returns to give it to the brain and body parts.

4.      *5^th grade only- the names of the four valves: mitral, pulmonary, tricuspid, and aortic

This information will help them throughout their adult lives and on specific Science/Anatomy classes from 4th grade through college.  Few adults can truly explain how the blood circulates through the body with the specific information and detail that our students can provide!  They learn it all by experiencing it- not just by memorizing.  Kinesthetic learning is the most effective way to truly understand and apply this information.  In addition, this is usually the students favorite unit.  It is a blast to play the games and learn about the body!

Dance like no one is watching!

We have been working on keeping the beat, counting music, and inspiring creativity.  We completed our individual dances where the students made up their own choreography and ideas.  The classes are now working on Swing dance.  They are learning the basic steps and then making up some of their own choreography modeling the style of swing dance.  Third-fifth grade is now working on a group routine in which they will choreograph transitions from parallel lines to horizontal lines to another formation of their choice in 32-60 counts of dance.  They have worked on self-evaluation, peer assessments and group evaluations.  K-2 students are working on memorizing steps and performing simple circle and line dances.  I do have videos that I plan to post this week.  This blog technology is hard!  I haven't figured out how to post a video yet, but I am learning!