From the Gym...
Posted on 02/05/2016
The first half of the school year has come and gone and it is time to look back on all the amazing work that the students of the Cambridgeport School have accomplished in Physical Education so far.
September
Students in all grades focused on teambuilding and special awareness skills. Students focused on mainly two essential questions during this unit of study. The first being “why is cooperation an important life skill?” and the second being “how will working together improve learning?” By asking these two questions students where able to improve focused on teamwork, communicate more effectively, and learn how to constructively resolving conflicts through critical thinking.
October
Students in grades JK-K explored skipping, galloping, slide-step, hopping, and leaping. They also learned about open and personal space and how to safely move while in them.
Students in grades 1-2 explored traveling and movement concepts. During the beginning of the month students used tag-like games to learn how to properly tag as well as how to use fakes, changes of speed, and changes of direction to avoid being tagged. The end of the month the focus was on understanding straight and curved pathways and when they should be used during game play.
Grades 3-4 participated in a unit focusing on invasion games. Using the games of Capture The Flag and Pillow Polo the students in these grades learned about offensive and defensive strategies and how fair play makes activities fun. The 4th grade also took part in an eight week swimming and water safety class at Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School.
Grade 5 participated in a team sports unit. During this unit students participated in soccer and basketball. The focus of this unit was to teach fair play, teamwork, how to appropriately handle competition, and how using strategy can improve performance.
November
In November, students in JK-K completed a unit of study called Chasing/Fleeing/Dodging. Students participated in activities that explored moving though space to avoid others, and they learned appropriate ways to tag. During tagging games, they learned how to use fakes to create pathways to open space.
Grades 1-2 completed the first half of a unit called Collecting/Throwing/Catching. Students participated in activities that explored catching a ball above and below their waist. They also focused on tracking objects that are moving through the air, and learned about two handed catching.
Students in grades 3-4 continued the unit: Invasion Games. Students participated in activities that explored offensive and defensive strategies. They also focused on making tactical adjustments during game play to improve team outcomes.
In 5th grade students continued the unit: Team Sports. Children participated in activities that explored offensive and defensive strategies. They also focused on making tactical adjustments during game play to improve team outcomes.
December
In the month of December, students in JK-K took part in a unit of study named Movement Concepts. They learned about the differences between high, medium and low movement, and how each level can help them successfully move through an obstacle course. The unit also covered work with hoops where students explored the differences between in and out, near and far, over and under, and twisting.
In the month of December, students in grades 1-2 took part in the second half of Collecting/Throwing/Catching. They learned about over and underhand throwing through both individual and partner work. Students demonstrated long distance throwing for control and accuracy.
Students in grades 3-4 took part in a unit called Hand-Eye Coordination. They were asked to demonstrate skills for an overhand throw for distance and accuracy, and to perform controlled hand dribbling with both their dominant and non-dominant hand. Students use these skills to participate in a variety of group games.
The 5th grade took part in a unit called Individual/Dual Activities. This unit focused on the rules of Candlepin Bowling and also how it can be a life long activity. Students participated in a weekly bowling league and learned how to score in Candlepin Bowling.
Our school’s “Habits of Mind” have become a large part of the Cambridgeport PE curriculum. Physical Education Class offers students a great opportunity to experience these habits in a physical environment. Since implementing this higher order of thinking students have been discovering ways in which these habits can be used in their daily lives.