Fifth Grade California Content Standard 1.1
“Perform simple small-group balance stunts by distributing weight and base of support.”
Developing this standard has been difficult since it can be very dangerous and a difficult concept for students to understand. The premise behind the standard is to have a group of students perform a pyramid by distributing weight and base of support. At first glance, you can have your students set up a pyramid and check to see if they have good balance and move on from the standard quite quickly. This, however, is not going to help students understand the base of support or distributing weight.
This year I tried to get students more involved. First, we had to discuss the importance of a base of support. A wider base typically has better balance. We also talked about distributing weight so that one (or two) people didn’t have to take the brunt of the weight. I used a basic combative game to help make the connection. I had students face a partner and place their hands together out in front. Their feet are next to each other and they challenge each other to push their hands (only) to a point where one person had to take a step (lost the challenge). Then I directed them to place their feet shoulder width apart and take the same challenge. Which was easier to keep your balance? Then I directed them to take one foot and place it a little in front of the other. Which, of the three, was easiest to keep your balance? The goal was to get the students to see that the base of support could affect the balance of the activity.
After students understood the importance of a base of support we talk about the distribution of weight. We discussed how placing the weight on two locations makes it easier to support than just one location. Three locations are better than two locations, etc.
Finally, the class is ready to start their own small group balance stunts. I use groups of 7-8 people. Each group is handed a worksheet where they place their names (for tracking purposes). The class is directed to come up with five different group balances that share the weight distribution differently each time and also shows different bases of support. My goal is to see different types of pyramids than a typical three level (or four) pyramid. The students are required to make a diagram of the base of support and where each student in the group is going to stand. This process moves into a second class period where students are given extra time to practice balancing skills. After a few scary falls, I’ve decided to tell my students that they cannot go above two levels in a pyramid. This makes them have to work a little harder to come up with different ideas. I also talk about how they can make a pyramid that isn’t in a straight line.
During their assessments, students in each group perform at the same time. This allows me to see how well the groups have prepared but it doesn’t allow a group to get some extra time practicing while another group is performing. The groups who work together are definitely better prepared for this approach at the assessment. I have even had one group who has practiced so much that they were able to get into every one of their group balances in less than four seconds.
Other Connections:
This is a great lesson/unit that will allow connections to over arching standard 5. I constantly have to reinforce the importance of working together (5.5.3) and why it is important to stay safe (5.5.4). I have a few students who are doing all of the planning and not listening to others. I also have to reinforce the importance of allowing everyone to contribute their ideas (5.5.5) and to work with each other to accomplish their goals (5.5.7). The groups who struggle start to work closer together when I discuss the importance of everyone sharing ideas in the group. With a little work next year, my goal is to get students to understand the social concepts while participating in this standard (5.1.1). This way they reinforce the social skills that I’m looking for in class while they are working on a motor skill.
Third Grade Standard 1.2
“Perform an inverted balance (tripod) by evenly distributing weight on body parts.”
I was very fortunate to learn some of the basic gymnastics balances and stunts while in college. For most people, we never learn how to perform some of these stunts and we are now expected to teach them because of standards. Here is a way to teach the students about performing a tripod.
Set the stage. Explain the importance of helping other students (spotting) and that a good helper will help prevent an injury to another student. This is possibly the most important step since you want students to work in partners where one is performing the skill and another is spotting the performer.
Technique. The performer’s hands must be placed on the gymnastics mat about shoulder width apart. I usually find that having them rotate their hands inward at about a 45-degree angle will help with the balance later. When the person is upside down their forearm should be perpendicular to the ground or it will require them to use a lot of upper body strength to keep them upright. If the forearm is perpendicular the radius and ulna bones will balance the weight for the tripod.
Head Position. This is possibly the most important part for the balance. The head must be placed in front of the hands to create a triangle. The triangle has to be an appropriate size, too small or too large will make the balance difficult to accomplish. The head must be placed on the mat at the hairline. If a student places their weight on top of the head they will feel like rolling over. If a student places their weight on their forehead it can cause them to feel neck pain. Both of these are not acceptable. You will need to constantly check to see if the students are placing their hairline on the mat to create the best balance.
Knees. After the hands and the head are in place, the performer should move their knees up toward the hands. This will allow them to lift and not have to stretch too far. Lift one leg up so that the arm (elbow to shoulder) and the thigh cross each other to form an X. This will help the balance of the performer. If the arm and thigh are running parallel, the section that balances will be much smaller and harder to control. After the first leg is up than the second leg should be lifted into place using the same crossing pattern. Some students may find it successful to jump into place but I find that I want better control so I ask them to lift one leg at a time.
Examples. I usually perform the skill for my class to show them what a tripod looks like. This is a great opportunity to explain that if an “old guy” like me can perform a tripod that everyone in class can perform a tripod. Now is the time that I explain the importance of helping (spotting) a performer. I ask a student to come up and demonstrate a tripod. Many of my students have taken gymnastics classes before. This allows me a chance to show the spotting technique to help a student with the balance and to help them avoid rolling over.
m Option #2 (Movement Oriented Activity)
A second way to cover your expectations has a movement focus. Students are given the expectations handout at the start of class (with lots of blank lines on the handout) and told that they will be completing a scavenger hunt for class. I divide the students into groups of two or three students. Each group is given a scavenger hunt map before starting. My biggest rule for the scavenger hunt is to stay together. Students can run, walk or jog but they have to stay with their partner/group. I also have listed a well defined boundary for the activity since I cannot allow the students to wander across the whole campus. I typically keep them on our athletic field for this activity. I make sure to tell the students where I am going to stand (in the middle of the activity area) so they can come to ask questions if they need help. It is important to also make sure you cover how you are going to stop the class at the end of the period before you dismiss the students since they have not learned dismissal procedures this early in the year.
This method of presenting the expectations has been enjoyable to watch. Students would rather learn the information while moving. The students also enjoy the social aspect of the activity. The competitive students run the whole time and the non-competitive students walk. My students do not have to change for PE so this works well even if your kids are not required to dress out already.
Closure
Both of these methods have proven effective for teaching my students about my expectations. The greatest part of getting students moving is that after a long summer my voice doesn’t take a beating the first week of school. Students are able to learn the materials just as effectively as through lecture and they enjoy the method of learning way more than if I was lecturing. Maybe it’s time I try and develop more lessons from information I thought could only be learned by lecturing.
The start of the year is right around the corner or has already started for some of us. Its the yearly trek down expectation lane for every teacher. In the first week of class we always cover our rules/expectations, grading, absence procedures, dress code, non-participation rules and a host of other important things. This information takes time to get across and the most common way to present this information is by lecture.
I’ve always felt that specific types of content are more effectively taught through lecture, while the students are sitting at a desk. The first week of school is a very boring week for students. Every teacher tells their students all about their expectations. I have some students who have fallen asleep during the first week because everyone is lecturing about expectations. A few years ago I decided to try a change based on a professional challenge to find ways to get kids moving. This was a very difficult proposition for me because I was worried that students wouldn’t understand the information as well if I didn’t give them a lecture. As a result, I created two different types of activities for my students to cover expectations.
Option #1: (Team Building Focus)
I take my expectations and create small (paper sized) posters. Each poster lists one of the expectations for class and I also create one poster for each of my grading criteria. Lastly, I count the number of students in my class and cut all of the posters up to match the class size. For myself, I have 34 students in my fifth and sixth grade classes. I take my 8 posters and divide up the posters to have 34 pieces. I make sure that I place the poster pieces in a plastic bag to keep them all in the same location.
Upon entering class and introducing myself on the first day, I give a little story for my students. I tell them that I have made these great looking posters about my expectations, but during the weekend someone came into school and decided to cut the posters up into little pieces. I need help from my students to put them back together. I promptly hand out the puzzle pieces–one for each student. Students then use a classroom to walk around and find where their puzzle piece belong. When all of the puzzles are assembled we stop the activity.
There is another way to use the posters, as well. Students can use them to write down the expectations on a worksheet. They can continue to walk around the room and find the information needed on each puzzle. This option makes the activity an individual activity for each student. To continue to work on the team building/group focus, you can also have students become experts in their “field” (or experts on their poster). You can perform a jigsaw teaching program by having one person at each poster match up with someone from all the other posters. The students use their expertise to teach their new teams their piece of the information. Students learn from each other. The key is that students are learning the materials, but you don’t have to lecture them about the process.
I’ve done this activity with first graders through seventh graders. I’ve modified the activity for the younger students by printing each poster on a different color of paper. This allows them to find their poster quickly and not walk around aimlessly for the whole period. For the older students, I have printed the posters on the same color paper. This makes the activity a lot harder and more complicated. They really have to focus on the poster and match up words and pictures. I typically try to use a different cutting pattern for each poster. One poster I will make round cuts while another poster will be straight. I might also use more square pieces in one poster and diamonds in another, the difference being the direction of the text and pictures compared to the cuts. I usually spend a little time before letting students start by asking the students how they could tell the differences in the posters. This gives some clues on how to find your poster among the numerous pieces.
Using state content standards to teach physical education can be a daunting task. As a middle school physical education teacher, I often see teachers of sixth, seventh and eighth grade teach the same lesson all day long. They teach the same lesson regardless of the students’ needs, skills or developmental level. I’m not sure if this is due to laziness or if its because these teachers haven’t looked at the standards closely enough to realize there is a developmental progression that builds on previous years.
Bonnie Mohnsen’s third edition of Teaching Middle School Physical Education, A Standards Based Approach for Grades 5-8 presents an excellent model of how these grades should differ in their curriculum. This book presents sample units for grades five through eight and the reader will clearly see how these grades should differ in both content and focus.
Mohnsen is probably best know in physical education circles for technology. She is the CEO and president of Bonnie’s Fitware. Her previous experience as a middle school physical education teacher shows in her writing. In other words, this text provides practicle applications that are not coming form an “ivory tower” approach. The book is very well researched and uses these professional resources as support for the suggested practices found in each chapter. Mohnsen presents a good foundation up front on such issues as grading, assessment, teaching environment, choosing equipment and teaching styles. The book is particulary useful for someone who is new to the profession or someone who is looking for some new ideas.
Teaching Middle School Physical Education uses national physical education standards as a guide. As a result, a teacher needs to realize that the book is only an example and is not meant to be a cookie cutter approach to teaching. Teachers will need to use the examples to creat their own lessons based on their own states physical education content standards.
Teaching Middle School Physical Education is 584 pages in length. The book is comes in a soft cover and the third addition also includes a CD-ROM with examples of task cards and detailed lesson plans that can be purchased to accompany the text. The ISBN# is 13:987-0-7360-6849-9.
After students have learned to use pedometers there are a number of ways that you can integrate them into different subjects or concepts.
Perceived exertion. A pedometer can be used to work on perceived exertion, another physical education standard. A student can make comparisons to the number of steps taken to a perceived exertion chart. This chart was originally designed to work off of a person’s heart rate but a teacher can guide students to a moderate activity (through steps) and can help the student make a judgment on their location of the perceived exertion chart.
Multiplication. A teacher can use a simple math integration for every lesson while using the pedometers. A student who has learned their stride length can estimate how far they have traveled by multiplying the number of steps by their stride length. The result will be the approximate distance traveled. Having students figure out this simple multiplication problem can be a simple cross-curricular lesson.
Estimation. I have students run across the field and ask them to estimate how many steps they would take in order to travel that distance. They can also use some of their own knowledge of their stride length and field length to determine an answer. This involves using division to find their answer.
Graphing. Having students graph the information that you have written down through the the tracking of data is also a useful math lesson. After a few weeks of using pedometers, a class period can be devoted to graphing the data.
Compare and contrast.A Language arts integration can be to use the data to compare and/or contrast different types of activities. Any time that you can ask a student to write about what they have been doing helps to deepen their content knowledge in physical education and helps to integrate language arts as well.
These are just a few of the ideas I have used to integrate pedometers into physical education and other subjects as well. The sky is the limit and I encourage the reader to be as creative as possible in attempting to integrate pedometers into their lessons.
As physical education teachers, it is often our goal to maximize movement time for students. Ideally, we would like to have one piece of equipment for every student. Sometimes, this is difficult and thinking outside the box can help with this dilemma. Using additional equipment can help maximize students’ movement times.
Recently, I completed a scooter board lesson with my elementary students. I had one scooter board for every two students. The students who were not on the scooter boards were standing around and started to become off task. I pulled out some jump ropes during the class to help with my classroom management. While half of the students were off on scooter boards, their partners were jumping rope. This cut down on students being off task and they were not bored waiting their turns.
There are four benefits for splitting activities with your classes.
1.Maximize participation. The split allows you to deal with limited equipment or limited space. As group A is working, group B is working in a different area with different equipment. Since most people don’t have enough equipment for everyone to be working at the same time we have to modify our activities. Having students wait their turn can be unproductive. Adding a secondary task helps them become more active during class time.
2. Keep idle hands busy. I have found that students who are required to be patient soon find opportunities to keep themselves occupied in less than desirable ways. Giving a secondary task allows those students to focus their attention on the activity instead of doing something that makes me want to take early retirement. Those hands are no longer idle and they stay on task more often.
3.Focus on Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA). This is an easy way to incorporate another standard into your lesson. For me, having the kids jump rope while they were not on the scooter board helped them keep their heart rates up. The students didn’t have time to relax and cool down. I even had students comment on the fact that sweating was such a bad thing. This “teachable moment” allowed me to explain the sweating mechanism. Spending lesson time on MVPA activities is sometimes difficult. By adding a secondary activity, like jump rope, it allows me to help focus my students on their heart rates and keeping their heart rates up during class.
4.Review. Secondary activities can also be used to review an activity that was previously taught. For me, jump rope was an activity that I’ve already taught. I was able to review my expectations for the students and they already understood what they needed to accomplish. I was able to give minimal instructions before allowing the students to start the activities.
With a little work and extra preparation you can easily add more movement time into your classes. Use your equipment and space to maximize your student movement. Try to find ways to add in extra movement to get students MVPA.
Its not unusual for the conversation to turn to the topic of push-ups when a group of physical educators get together. This is probably because teaching students to do correct push-ups seems to be a really difficult task. I know that in middle school, I see some very interesting takes on what my students think a push-up is. Many of them seem to lack the kinesthetic awareness needed or core strength. Consequently, its difficult to make them understand what a good push-up feels like.
Matthew Bassett, a contributor here at FitMet, stumbled upon this push-up variation video on TeacherTube. It left me wondering if I might have more success teaching middle school students correct push-up form if more students were exposed to this teacher’s approach in elementary school.
I’ve discussed the value of TeacherTube on this blog previously. In fact, I even went so far as to suggest that my readers post something on the site.
Recently, my sixth graders helped me create an instructional video on the Electric Slide line dance. We also collaborated with some 8th grade students at the school who are in a small learning community with a focus in technology. While the quality of the video isn’t necessarily that of a professionals, I am impressed at what these tech savey students came up with. They filmed the video footage, did the editing and added some snazzy transitions.
After watching the video, I’ve had some time to reflect on the lesson. Consequently, I’ve decided that I need to spend more time with the students on following the beat of the music.
I’ve posted this video on TeacherTube and also embedded it on my school Web page. I envision using it in the future when I teach line dancing again. Students will be able watch the video for homework to reinforce what they have learned in class. I’m also thinking of asking one of my classes to watch it ahead of the lesson to see if it makes my job easier.
If you attempt something like this with your students, be sure to get parent permission before filming and posting on the Internet.
Recently, I learned about Google Docs, a free service offered by Google that allows for the creation of simple surveys using a form. Simply sign up for a Google account and you will have access to a few online applications that are very similar to Microsoft Word, Excel & PowerPoint.
A form is an easy way to create a nice looking survey that you can have students complete on the Internet. Once you’ve created the survey, Google Docs gives you a Web address to click on. This address takes you to the survey. If you have a school Web page, all you need to do is post a link on your page directing students to the survey. The best part is that you can have students complete the survey for homework by directing them to your Web page.
When students complete the survey, their answers appear in a spreadsheet as soon as it is submitted. This spreadsheet is stored in your Google Docs account and operates very much like Microsoft Excel.
There are a few things I really like about this technology. First, you can have students complete an assessment without having to sacrifice activity or movement time. Second, you can save a few trees. And third, you can save yourself the headache of carting out a bunch a clipboards, pencils and papers. I’m not saying that this technology should completely replace good old paper and pencil assessments. If used wisely, it certainly has its place and can be used to inform instruction. One drawback is that you may not get the response rate you are looking for.
If you design the survey with some forethought, you can even create a few questions using a likert scale. For example, “On a scale from one to five with five being best, how much did you learn from the lesson today?” By assigning a number to the answer, you can get an average by manipulating the numbers in the spreadsheet. When surveying depth of knowledge pertaining to a concept, I create questions that are short answer or open-ended. These answers also wind of up in the spreadsheet and you can easily scan them to see just how much learning is occurring in class.
In conclusion, Google Docs is a technology that has some awesome potential for physical educators. I see that it has the potential to really increase my ability to inform my instruction based on student responses. I would encourage you to sign-up for a Google account and experiment with the applications within Google Docs. With a little imagination, you can come up with some really innovative ways to use this technology.
A final thought. I’ve created a simple survey using a Google form so you can see a sample. Please click on the link below and give us some feedback about this blog.
m Option #2 (Movement Oriented Activity)
There is another way to use the posters, as well. Students can use them to write down the expectations on a worksheet. They can continue to walk around the room and find the information needed on each puzzle. This option makes the activity an individual activity for each student. To continue to work on the team building/group focus, you can also have students become experts in their “field” (or experts on their poster). You can perform a jigsaw teaching program by having one person at each poster match up with someone from all the other posters. The students use their expertise to teach their new teams their piece of the information. Students learn from each other. The key is that students are learning the materials, but you don’t have to lecture them about the process.