Riker Hill Elementary School

SEPTEMBER

During the month of September the students are getting accustomed to class procedures and are informed of teacher’s expectations for the year. Safety guidelines and procedures (fire drill & lockdown) are discussed for gym as well as, safety considerations for using playground equipment. All grades throughout the month of September participate in a variety of spatial activities to prove their awareness and ability to move their bodies safely. Students are also participating in cooperative activities demonstrating and expressing the importance of cooperation, team work, and sportsmanship.

October

During the month of October Kindergarten, First, and Second grade students are continuing to participate in a variety of spatial awareness activities while responding to cues and demonstrating various loco-motor movements. Students also explore spatial concepts while traveling on scooters.  We will then begin a jumping unit learning the proper jumping techniques within a variety of jumping activities. The students will then learn and demonstrate leaping skills over various obstacles for height & distance. The First and Second grades are preparing for the 200yd run.

Grades 3, 4, & 5 have been involved in a social decision making/striking activity called 4 Square. They begin learning the proper way to strike the ball in various directions, rules of the game, strategy, develop understanding of different points of view, and how to solve problems. Then game of 4 Square is also a great way to make a bridge to other sports such as tennis. The 3rd grade students also will participate in soccer activities learning and practicing basic skills of dribbling, passing, and kicking. Next, students will begin their football unit focusing on cooperation, proper throwing techniques to a moving target and catching while running in various patterns.

November

During the month of November the students are being evaluated on their fitness level. These areas of fitness are upper-body strength (flexed arm hang/pull-ups), lower-body strength (standing long jump), abdominal strength/endurance curl-ups), flexibility (V-sit & reach), and cardio-respiratory endurance (PACER).

Grades K-2 will conclude the month participating in a hand-eye coordination activity using scarves while incorporating the proper steps to rolling and tossing. We will then begin rolling and tossing activities incorporating those steps previously learned.

At the conclusion of fitness testing, grades 4 & 5 will begin their goal setting project and develop their personal goal they would like to achieve for each area of fitness in May. Throughout the year the students are encouraged to improve their pre-score and try to meet their goal they set for themselves during the post fitness testing in May.

Grades 3-5 will conclude the month in leaping. During this unit students will be practicing and demonstrating age-appropriate mechanics of the skill while leaping over various obstacles. This loco-motor skill will be used to improve cardio-respiratory endurance, learn about the cardiovascular system and how to measure their exercise intensity. The 4^th and 5^th grades will also be introduced to heart rates. We will discuss how to find their heart rate, calculate resting heart rate, HR after exercise, and percent of heart rate max.

December

Within the month of December, grades K through 5 are involved in a variety of basic movement, loco motor, fitness, and ball-skill activities.

Grades K through 2 will be introduced to the proper form of tossing by using the corresponding steps and cues. Next, students are introduced to hand dribbling challenges using both dominate and non-dominate hand and finally, the concept of jumping rope and the importance of this activity for cardio respiratory endurance and rhythm. Students are introduced to a variety of styles for progressions and accommodations. Students will also participate in a variety of chasing/fleeing and dodging/ tagging skills.

Following the fitness unit, grade 3-5 students are introduced to skills related to basketball, such as, dribbling, passing, and shooting.  A variety of drills are used to develop the appropriate skill level of these basic basketball techniques and related concepts. We will conclude the unit with basketball stations reinforcing skills learned and applying these skills to exciting group activities. If time permits at the conclusion of the unit, the fourth and fifth grade students will be involved in modified basketball games.

GYMNASTICS

Within the months of January and February, grades K through 5 will be involved in a variety of loco motor, fitness, and basic movement activities within our gymnastic unit.

Grades K through 2 will be introduced to gymnastics. We will start the unit learning basic tumbling skills, such as, animal crawls and walks (seal, crab walk, injured puppy, injured monkey, bear walk) and basic rolls (pencil, log, egg, tree, shoulder roll). Students are then introduced to the common gymnastic positions for future practice and performance (layout, tuck, pike). As a prerequisite to the forward and backward rolls, students will then demonstrate the importance of the tuck in the back rockers and standing back rockers. Forward rolls and backward rolls will then follow as students practice and progress according to individual abilities. Finally, students will then demonstrate upper-body strength and rotational skills by performing donkey kicks and pinwheels.

Grades 3 through 5 will start this unit reviewing basic tumbling skills, such as, animal crawls and walks, basic rolls, and basic gymnastic positions. Students will then progress into back rockers and standing back rockers for proper demonstration. Students then practice forward and backward rolls leading to adding additional skills such as, backward roll extensions, backward straddle roll, jump turns, and balances as progressions. Demonstrating rotational skills, students will practice pinwheels, cartwheels, and round-offs. Finally, students are introduced to inverted balances, such as, tripod, headstand, and handstand.

Concluding the gymnastics unit, the students will participate in a variety of challenging stations, which will progress in difficulty each week.  These stations allow for review and further practice of skills previously learned, as well as new activities including rope climbing, vaulting, balance beam, and other gymnastics related activities.

During the month of March, we are finishing our gymnastics unit with station practice of a variety of skills learned within the unit and the 4^th & 5^th grades are designing and preparing for their gymnastics routine project.

Following the gymnastics unit, grades K through 2 will be participating in a variety of ball skill activities. All grades will be involved in a variety of jump rope activities and students will be introduced to various individual jump rope styles.

The 5^th grade classes will be instructed in a highly aerobic dance that will be practiced as a warm-up. We will spend 2 weeks learning the dance and one week practicing as a warm-up in place of jogging. The class will be challenged to perform all movements rhythmically to the music.

The 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th grades will be introduced to a variety of individual, partner, and long rope styles. For the 4^th grade classes, this jump rope unit will serve as preparation for Jump Rope for Heart in May. We will continue to discuss fitness concepts including cardio-respiratory endurance, aerobic activities, circulatory & respiratory system, and heart rates with the 4th and 5th grades. We will discuss how to find their heart rate, calculate resting heart rate, working HR, and percent of heart rate max.

APRIL

All students are reviewing the many jump rope styles previously learned during their warm-up activity. The students will be engaged in a variety of cardio-respiratory jumping activities and cardiovascular health discussions.

Grades K-2 will review previously learned manipulative skills including rolling and tossing and then participate in over arm throwing activities. Students will then be introduced to another jumping rope activity that is more cooperative: long rope jumping.

Grades 3-5 are reviewing their individual and partner jumping skills they previously learned. Students will then review long rope jumping and learn various tricks and challenges during this cooperative activity.They will participate in many fitness activities during warm ups to help further prepare for fitness testing in May. Students will be running and jumping rope to help increase aerobic capacity and endurance for the mile run. Grades 3-5 are beginning their volleyball unit working on striking skills such as, the bump, set, and serve while participating in many cooperative drill activities. The 5^th grades will progress to various striking drills and tactical based activities to help prepare students for the student vs. faculty volleyball game on champion’s day.

May

During the month of May all students are participating in various fitness and ball skill stations for practice, evaluation, and assessment. The fourth and fifth grades are also participating in their goal setting. The students work on completing and reflecting on their performance and improvement through their fitness goal setting project.

Following the fitness unit, grades K-2 will practice hand foot coordination through foot striking activities as used in the sport of soccer, such as kicking and dribbling. The 3^rd grade is given a written test covering areas of sportsmanship, health, safety, cooperation, practice & improvement, fitness tests & their measurements, and benefits & body reactions associated with physical activity. Grades 4-5 will be given a written test covering the components of fitness.  The 4^th grade test covers health-related components and the 5^th grade test covers both health and skill-related components. This test is administered and evaluated as a post test to determine improvement of fitness knowledge.

June