Matt Arentz K464 Section I: Developmental Patterns

12/1/13 Fitness Integration

For elementary students in grades 3-5, physical and mental developmental patterns are relatively the same, but as with any grade level and subject matter there are differences in every child. In the physical education realm, teaching skills and concepts at this level is very challenging and exciting. As elementary students continue to acquire and develop skills, there is a wide range of variability concerning general levels of skill proficiency. At this point in the life of a child, many factors are influencing how much time and effort they put into certain skill sets. How much success is found while performing skills is one of the biggest factors at play. Children enjoy activities in which they can excel, so they will most often look for opportunities to pursue these skills sets outside of the physical education classroom. For example, if a child is naturally inclined to kick a soccer ball, they are likely to play recreational and competitive soccer outside of school. With older elementary students, physical education teachers should begin to introduce the basic skills and concepts needed to play small sided games of a variety of sports and activities. Knowing that students enjoy activities in which they can find success, physical education teachers should keep skill introduction and practice simple, and have a myriad of ways to use intratask variation to help all students find success and challenge themselves, no matter what general level of skill proficiency they are at. To keep activities and concepts simple, teachers need to keep in mind that even the oldest elementary students are no more than ten or eleven years old. At this young age it is expected that many students still need time to

practice developing and mastering basic locomotor movements and fundamental skills needed to progress to higher general levels of skill proficiency in the future. Knowing this, quality physical education teachers can work to focus lessons and units on fitness, which is an integral part of developing healthy and physically literate individuals. It is expected that many elementary students are involved in some type of extracurricular physical activity, be it a sports team, hiking or biking with parents, etc. However, it must be understood that not all students are physically active outside of the classroom, and even the students who are, do not necessarily meet daily moderate to vigorous physical activity requirements. The responsibility of helping students meet and maintain a health enhancing lifestyle falls on the shoulders of trained, professional physical education teachers. This is where innovative lessons and activities in the classroom ensure students are staying and learning how to be physically fit. Physical education teachers can integrate fitness into their curriculum by utilizing locomotor movements, skills, and concepts they have already taught their students. By using knowledge and skills students already possess, teachers are open to a variety of ways to include fitness in the classroom. Fitness can be integrated by utilizing stations, games, equipment (especially equipment specific to the days lesson), competition, and the creativity of teachers and students. Stations are great for fitness because it allows students to work individually or with partners and teams, and students can work at their own pace and GLSP. Competitive and non-competitive small sided games are also great for integrating fitness because they provide a fun atmosphere where students do not often realize they are getting a good muscular or

cardiovascular workout in. Teachers who are able to incorporate game and activity equipment into fitness activities help students become more comfortable and skilled with equipment they will be using throughout their physical education careers. An example of using equipment would be a basketball lesson which is set up in stations. At one station students are dribbling between and around cones as fast as they can while staying under control. Another station might have students in a squat position working on the locomotor movement of sliding, which is directly related to defensive basketball skills. Another station might provide examples of exercises students can perform with their basketball, such as crunches, push-ups, squats, etc. These are examples in which a teachers creativity incorporates equipment as well as previously taught skills and concepts into a lesson which still focuses on its main objective, teaching and refining basketball skills. To conclude, when developing curriculums for elementary grades 3-5, it is important to understand what you can and cannot do. This understanding comes with experience and a knowledge of the varying abilities of your students based on their mental and physical development and general levels of skill proficiency. At these grade levels, physical education teachers should use skills such as locomotor movements taught in previous grades to help introduce new activities and integrate fitness into those activities. Previously taught skills and movements should continue to be refined and mastered as students continue to develop, and activities should always be able to be altered so that each student can find success and challenge themselves, no matter what ability level they are currently at.

Section II A) Activities 1. Aerobic Fitness 3rd Grade: SPUD - Each student is assigned a number. With all gathered in the center of the gym, one player tosses a ball into the air and calls a number. Players scatter, dribbling away as fast as possible. The player whose number is called yells SPUD! when they catch the tossed ball they have ten dribbles to complete a chest or bounce pass to another student who then becomes the next person to toss. 4th Grade: Lay Up Madness This activity works best with multiple basketball hoops available. Students each have a basketball and are instructed to make 10 lay ups as fast as they can. Must alternate hoops each shot/not use the same hoop twice in a row, etc.

5th Grade: Kings and Queens of the Court Divide class into teams of 3-5 and set up 3-5 circular areas around the gym. One player from each team is at a different circle and all students dribble in the same direction around their circular area. When the music stops, each student must dribble to a basket and score as fast as possible, before returning to their circle. The first team to get all its members in their circular areas wins the round. 2. Muscular Strength and Endurance 3rd Grade: Wall Sit Pass - Divide class into partners. One partner performs a wall sit while the other sends them a bounce pass (x10,15, etc.). Switch. 4th Grade: Slides and Mirrors Divide class into partners. One partner dribbles to and from a pair of cones as fast as they can while under control. Their partner assumes a defensive (squat) position and slides along beside them. Switch. -

5th Grade: Ballin Fitness Set up stations throughout the gym. Each student has a ball and dribbles to complete tasks and challenges at each station. Stations include activities utilizing the basketball as much as possible, such as abdominal and oblique twists holding the ball, pushups with hands on the ball, squats, etc. 3. Flexibility 3rd Grade: Pretzel Passing - Stand back to back with your partner. Twist left and right to hand the ball off to your partner. Try passing over your head, between your legs, etc. -

 4th Grade: Jump Ball Challenge Divide students into groups of 3 (group by height as well as you can). One student is the referee who will toss the ball between the jumpers who are facing one another. Toss the ball so they must jump, reach and stretch to try and tap the ball to a ghost teammate. Rotate roles.

5th Grade: King/Queen of the Hill Players try to avoid having their basketball knocked away by other students as they dribble in a confined area. If your ball is knocked out of bounds, select a card which has a stretching activity on the back. Perform the stretching activity and return to the game. 4. Body Composition 3rd Grade: Lay Up Challenge - Attempt to make 10 lay ups in a row. Keep track of how many times the ball does not go in the hoop. If you have 3 misses go to station 3, 4 misses go to station 4, etc. Complete the basketball workout at that station, then try to beat your high score! 4th Grade: Obstacle Court Set up various obstacles and stations around the gym that students must dribble though as quickly as possible. Stations range from shooting, passing, and dribbling challenges to basketball inspired workouts that incorporate the ball and basic knowledge of game rules, concepts and strategies. -

5th Grade: Hot Shot Divide class into partners and set up poly spots at increasing distances away from the basket. Closest spot = 1pt, middle = 2pts, farthest = 3pts. Partner one has ten shots from any spot they choose. Their total score corresponds to what exercise(s) the pair will complete. Partner two performs the same task, with their score corresponding to the amount of reps and sets they will perform their exercises. B) Unit Objectives 1. Psychomotor: Students will be able to shoot a basketball with proper form by keeping their elbow underneath and dipping their hand in the cookie jar. Students will be able to dribble with proper form by keeping their eyes up and using their finger pads. Students will be able to pass with proper form by stepping to and following through to their target. (NASPE 1, 2, 5) 2. Cognitive: Students will be able to identify and discuss one way that basketball drills and practice can aid them in each of the four fitness components (aerobic fitness, muscular strength/endurance, flexibility, body composition). (NASPE 1, 2, 3, 5) -

3. Affective: Students will be able to discuss and explain how and why teamwork is important in basketball and be able to describe two ways they successfully used teamwork during the unit. (NASPE 2, 4, 5) C) Equipment 1. Basketballs of varying sizes (one for each student), basketball court with as many hoops as possible, cones, polyspots, hula hoops, jump ropes, yoga mats, fitness station cards, music and sound equipment D) Teaching Models/Strategies 1. Skill themed approach to introduce a fitness model into modified games - Heavily involving skill themes in modified games and activities helps children stay engaged, especially when tasks are able to be altered for each student to find individual success. When students are having fun in engaging situations it becomes easier to start incorporating fitness activities and principles into lessons and units. 2. Guided Discovery - Especially early in a unit, guided discovery can help students identify and practice ways to use equipment for that unit. The teacher can help introduce ways to use the equipment to incorporate fitness into future activities. 3. Intratask Variation and Teaching By Invitation - These are two teaching strategies that must be included in any quality physical education unit. They provide students with choices of what equipment to use, what difficulty level to start at, and help them develop a sense of independency. These strategies provide teachers with an opportunity to assess perceived ability and comfortability levels, as well as challenge all students and help them find individual success in all tasks and activities. E) Assessment Strategies 1. Informal Assessments a. Mile Challenge- this challenge can provide an informal measure of how much aerobic exercise students are getting in one class period. Provide student with a pedometer before class and challenge them to accumulate one or more miles in steps by the time class is dismissed. Offer to put students name on the Mile a Day poster. b. Verbal Check for Understanding- this is to be done throughout the unit. During activities and before/after lessons, ask students to provide a verbal description or physical demonstration of cues, skills, strategies, or principles regarding basketball and fitness. 2. Formal Assessments a. Teacher Observation- teacher will have a checklist to complete for each student. The checklist includes skills such as passing, shooting, dribbling, and looks for proper form during exercises such as sit ups, pushups, planks, etc. b. Enter and Exit Slips- at the beginning and end of some lessons, students will fill out a short list of short answer questions that cover basketball and fitness form, strategies, principles, and tactics.

c. Peer Observation- peer observations will also be used throughout the unit, especially when students are in pairs or groups. Peers will use checklists to mark if classmates are using proper form, utilizing teamwork, strategies, tactics, etc. These observation forms are used more to assess the observing peers in the cognitive domain. d. Homework- homework assignments could include interviewing friends or family members regarding fitness habits, practicing skills outside of the classroom, or teaching skills/exercises to friends or family who would then write down cues their friend or child taught them. F) Timeline 1. This basketball fitness unit can be implemented into the 3 rd, 4th, and/or 5th grade curriculum(s). It would only be taught once in the year, and if it is used in consecutive grade levels it would progress in difficulty as children continue to develop physically and mentally. The principles of how fitness is incorporated into this unit can be applied to any other unit, doing so depends on how heavily weighted fitness integration is at your school and district. Incorporating fitness into units, especially games units would be extremely beneficial in areas where fitness testing is required.

References Graham, G., Holt/Hale, S., & Parker, M. (2013). Children moving: A reflective approach to teaching physical education. (9 ed., pp. 173-500). New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. National standards and grade-level outcomes for k-12 physical education. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/standards/nationalstandards/pestandards.cfm Pe central:the premiere website for health and physical education. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.pecentral.org/