Top ten unhealthy foods

1.  Gravy( almost all fat)
2.  Cheesecake (very high in calories, fat, and sugar)
3.  Pop (all sugar and chemicals)
4. Donuts (sugar and fat)
5.  Bacon, bologna, pepperoni, salami(high fat meats)
6.  Fried cheese, fried onion rings, french fries
7.  Snack cakes(Twinkies, HoHos), frosting
8.  Salad dressing, mayonaisse, butter
9.  Anything in a cream sauce
10.  Candy

No more food pyramid

The USDA has eliminated the food pyramid.  They have replaced it with "Fill my Plate".

This new design allows children(and adults!) to see clearly that half of their plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables.  The other half should be lean proteins and whole grains.  Most children and adults do not eat enough vegetables(vitamins and fiber), and few eat lean proteins (turkey and chicken no skin, seafood, and beans- white, black, brown, and red).  Half of the grains that we eat should be whole grains which also provides a lot of fiber. Most Americans eat almost no whole grains.  Here is what we have been talking about in our Nutrition lessons and practicing in our activities and games:

_ Most foods are a combination of healthy and fats/sugars such as chicken nuggets, ice cream, and peanut butter and jelly

-We need some fat in our diet, but most people eat way too much fat

-If you do not eat meat, you need to get protein from Beans, tofu, lentils, nuts, and seeds

*Drink skim milk instead of whole milk   *Eat vegetables like carrots at lunch *Eat more fruit, less candy  *Drink milk instead of pop   *Eat lower sugar cereals *Eat frozen yogurt instead of ice cream   *Eat lower fat snacks like pretzels or goldfish  * Drink 100% juice instead of juice drinks    *Order smaller sizes of high fat/sugar items *Order grilled, steamed or baked instead of fried  * Take off the skin or breading if fried

Sources of fat:

-Any meat except skinless grilled or baked turkey, chicken, or seafood with no

  breading or butter

-Any nuts or eggs-come from an animal

Any dairy except skim milk or fat free dairy products

Skin on meat (on chicken and turkey)

Anything fried, butter, mayo, or salad dressing(unless fat free or low fat )

Any kind of cream (whipped cream, ice cream, sour cream, cream cheese)

Baked goods(cakes, pies, cookies, brownies)- they are made with oil, butter and eggs

Chips and crackers ( they are fried and/or made with oil)

** Healthy oils can be found in salmon, fish(not fried), almonds, walnuts, olive oil,

         and dark chocolate

Sources of sugar:

Sugar, brown sugar, syrup, honey, corn syrup

Fruit drinks, cocktails, or blends, Sunny Delight, Hi C, kool aid, soda, Gatorade- ( Check the label.  If it does not say 100% juice, mark it as a sugar.  If it has 50% or more juice, you can mark  both.)

Candy, frosting , icing, glaze

Baked goods(cakes, pies, cookies, brownies, donuts, Danish, etc.

Anything that is not fruit, but tastes sweet

Empty calories: foods/drinks with no nutritional value.  Pop, gum, hard candy, jello, cotton candy, Gatorade, koolaid, syrup, sprinkles, honey, salad dressing, oil, mayo

*Remember- this is not just junk food, it’s food with NO nutritional value that doesn’t really fit into any of the food groups.  For example, a donut is not an empty calorie even though it is high in sugar and fat.  It is still made from some flour and eggs, so it has some nutritional value  Hard candy or jelly beans, however, are just sugar.

*Remember that product information can be deceptive (they are not honest).  For example, you would assume that a product labeled 90% lean ground beef would only have 10% fat.  That is not true.  The 10 % comes from the amount of fat that you can have in an entire day.  The real fat content is more than 30%!  You need to be a smart reader and eater to stay healthy.                                                                                    

  

Tumbling unit

We have started a Tumbling unit in K-5 classes.  We are very lucky at May Watts to have some great new eqipment that most school do not have.  Last year the PE department won a grant for new mats and a new balance beam.  We also had a past grant for a vault and swing bar.  Our students are learning new skills and beginning to challenge themselves in a variety of ways in the gym.  I have explained to our younger students that there are many things in life(especially in PE) that can be a little scary at first.  I encourage them to try new things and let them know that I will be there to keep them safe.  The students are also learning how to self-evaluate their skills and are working with partners and small groups to learn to give constructive feedback.  I suggest that students always say at least one positive thing to their partner, but then also let them know one thing that they could do to improve that skill.  In K-2, they are learning to choose their best skills in each category using 4 square writing skills from the classroom.  In 3rd-5th grade, they are designing their own routines using flow.  They integrate the 4 suare writing skills learned in the classroom to design routines that show their best skills and creativity while utilizing best flow. 

Top ten unhealthy foods

Anything fried
Cheesecake
Bacon/bologna/hot dogs
Soda
Donuts/cinnamon rolls
Anything with the word cream in it
Candy
High fuctose corn syrup products
Alfredo, cheese sauce, butter sauce
Mayonaisse

Top ten healthy foods

There are many healthy foods. These are the top ten healthy according to leading nutrition experts:
Skim milk
Greek yogurt
Almonds
Whole grain pasta and bread
Spinach
Olive oil
Avocados
Berries- blackberries, blueberries, raspberries
Salmon
Beans- black, brown, white

Market Day healthy Choices!

1. Wild Alaskan grilled salmon( protein, healthy fats)
2. Vegetable fried rice ( most fried rice has alot of fat, but this only has one gram- grains, vegetables)
3. Diced chicken tenderloins-I use this in everything- salads, soups, tacos,etc. (protein, low fat)
4. Baja roasted corn blend- vegetables, black beans for protein)
5. Oven ready boneless turkey breast (protein, low fat)
6. Tilapia filets( high protein, low fat)
7. Fruit singles( 100% fruit, no sugar added and taste great)
8. Chicken stir fry kit (protein, low fat, vegetables)
9. Snyder's snap pretzels (low fat, grains)
10. Tropicana orange juice singles (100% fruit juice)

family self defense night- Wednesday, Oct.5- Prevent and protect!

Dear Parents,

     The safety of our children is of great importance to all of us.  We can do our best to keep them safe at home and school, but situations may arise that we can not control.  These incidents can happen anywhere, at any time, and with anyone.  It is not just an issue in the big cities or always a “stranger danger" attack.  Parents are often unsure of what to say to their young children and how much information they should provide to them.  Mrs. Andrews will provide an age appropriate, hands on self-defense workshop in which you may participate with your family.  When parents are in attendance, they can hear and see first hand what she plans to cover.  Your child can practice these techniques on their parents or adult family members. Competence and confidence in self- defense techniques can relieve anxiety and is a good resource for your child.  The majority of self -defense is avoidance of dangerous situations and good information.  That will be her focus.  We will be practicing physical defenses, though, so please have your child wear comfortable clothing and safe gym shoes.  Older siblings and all family members are encouraged to participate.  Permission slip will be coming home soon.  The number of participants will be limited due to safety and space needs, so be sure to return this slip promptly.  This event will be held Wednesday, Oct 5 from 6:30-8:30 for K-5 students and parents. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Mrs. Andrews at terri_andrews@ipsd.org  or 428-6709. 

Track and field day rescheduled!

We will be rescheduling the track and field day to next Monday, October 3 at the same time:
5th grade 9:20-10:30, and fourth grade from 10:40-12.  Thanks so much to our volunteers and especially Mrs. Altekruse for helping to organize this event.

thanks for the chocolate donations

Thanks to the many families that have sent in Hershey kisses or Tootsie Rolls for our running test days. I have plenty until the next testing, so please hold off if you were going to send any more. This really helps to cut down on nurse visits when they exert themselves and have a small drop in their blood sugar. It was getting quite expensive to buy on my own, so I really appreciate it!

Welcome back! News from the gym

I need parent volunteers in the gym for fitness testing and for our track and field event.  If you scroll below, I have listed the volunteer opportunities for both events.  You can contact me at terri_andrews@ipsd.org to volunteer.    I have a link above where you can find my PE schedule, and a link above where you can find the information for fitness testing volunteers. .

Welcome back to school! This year we are looking forward to a great year in PE Here are some of the new things in the gym:
1. Mrs. Ganger will be helping out with double classes on Mondays and on Friday aftternoons.  Mrs. Ganger was our adapted PE teacher a few years ago, and now is back teaching PE at three different schools.
2. Thanks to the Jump Rope for Heart fundraiser, we were able to replace a lot of worn out equipment, and purchase a few new things as well.

We will be starting this year with a Track and Field unit for 3rd-5th graders, and a locomotor and low organized games unit for K-2.
3rd-5th Track and field will include:
Running events(cardio) Throwing events(strength) Specialty Events(flexibility/coordination)
50 yd. dash,   Shot put,   Running long jump
1/4 mile (400m.), Discus, Hurdles
1/2 mile (800 m.), Javelin, High jump
1 mile (1600 m.),
1/4 mile relay (400 m. relay)

These events allow practice of fitness, coordination, and introduce a wide variety of new skills to students. This allows them to find an area in which they enjoy participating. It also opens up great opportunities for them to practice sportsmanship and strategize as a class to create the strongest plan for their team. I will be asking for parent helpers on Monday,  September 26 for a special fourth and fifth grade Track and Field day competition.

K-2 will include:
Locomotors: These skills are the building blocks for all future sports and movement activities
run jump hop gallop skip slide leap

Low organized games:
Games that require careful listening, following directions, applying safety rules, and using equipment that is new to them.

The new Fitnessgram is here! We piloted the fitnessgram fitness testing four years ago, and now it has been fully implemented across the district and in most schools across the nation. It takes the best parts of the Presidential Fitness testing and replaces some of the tests that were not valid and reliable.
Running- we used to do a timed test for a set distance. In this old format, everyone started at the same time and ran until they completed the entire distance. This left children who have a hard time with running struggling out on the field while the rest of their class was finished. It was always run outside, so wetaher was a huge factor in the testing. We will still do some running on the field with modifications, but our main test is done in the gym with the PACER. We run short timed laps across the gym and back, and stop when they can't maintain the pace.

Curl-ups- This exercise is a more safe and valid test of abdominal strength and endurance than the full sit-ups. Sit-ups work the back and hip flexors, and do not isolate the abdominals. We do this in a timed cadence for safety and proper form.

Push-ups- This upper body strength exercise allows children to progress throughout the year. In the old test of pull-ups, most kids could not even complete one. Push-ups can be practiced every day, and can be done with a whole group instead of one at a time.
Sit and Reach- This one leg at a time test is safer on the back and measures the flexibility of both legs.

We will need a lot of parent help in the gym during fitness testing! We are scheduled to start September 26th!

2011-2012 fitness volunteers needed

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.  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 Sept  26 and will run through Oct 14                            

                                                       9-10:30                 10:30- 11:55                 12:25-2                     2-3:25

Mondays   Sept 26                              track and field event                 ___________             _____________                

                        Oct 3             ____________            _____________          ____________            ___________

Oct 10- no school

Tuesdays    Sept  27         ____________             ____________                _____________            ___________

                              Oct 4         ____________             ____________                _____________            __________

                             Oct 11        ____________             ____________                _____________            ___________

Wednesdays Sept 28        ____________           ____________                _____________            ___________

                               Oct 5         ____________             ____________                _____________            ___________

                               Oct 12        ____________            ____________               early dismissal

Thursdays,       Sept 29      ____________             ____________                _____________              ___________

                                  Oct 6       ____________          ____________          _____________            ___________

                                 Oct 13       ____________           ____________           _____________         ___________

Fridays,            Sept 30       ____________          ____________           _____________            ___________

                            Oct 7         ____________          ____________             _____________            ___________

                            Oct 14      ____________             ____________           _____________            ___________

Mrs. Andrews favorite &fast healthy Market Day items

1.  Wild Alaskan grilled salmon( protein, healthy fats)
2.  Vegetable fried rice ( most fried rice has alot of fat, but this only has one gram- grains, vegetables)
3.  Diced chicken tenderloins-I use this in everything- salads, soups, tacos,etc. (protein, low fat)
4.  Baja roasted corn blend- vegetables, black beans for protein)
5.  Oven ready boneless turkey breast (protein, low fat)
6.  Tilapia filets( high protein, low fat)
7.  Fruit singles( 100% fruit, no sugar added and taste great)
8.  Chicken stir fry kit (protein, low fat, vegetables)
9.  Snyder's snap pretzels (low fat, grains)
10.  Tropicana orange juice singles (100% fruit juice)