Archive for the ‘Physical Activity Plan’ Category

Overcoming Challenges to Providing Physical Activity For Preschool-age Children

Tuesday, July 10th, 2012

Part One: Time

One of the biggest reasons teachers are not able to provide sufficient amount of minutes of physical activity is time.  With all of the responsibilities teachers have leaves little time for activity.  Instead of giving up, look for ways to integrate activity into your day.  Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Transition time- hop to the next activity, stand like a stork, or walk like an animal, etcTips for Teaching- Overcoming Challenges to PE- Spark PE
  • Center time- create an activity center and students can use locomotor movements to go to next center
  • Literary arts- read books that include movements or have children act out the story
  • Music time- play music that prompts students to do different types of movements
  • Outdoor Time- structured and unstructured activity

For a sample SPARK physical activity lesson, Click Here.

Part Two: Equipment

It would be nice to have brand new equipment with enough for every child to have their own, budget issues don’t always allow this to happen.  Teachers oftenstruggle have little or no materials to provide for their classes. Instead of repeating the same activities or avoiding it altogether, be creative!  Here are some suggestions:

  • You don’t need the same “ball” for everyone.  Think “tossables” instead, use beanbags, fluffballs, tennis balls, etc. Students choose the tossable they want to use!
  • Use materials you have: instead of balls, use crumbled up paper or rolled up socks; instead of spot markers use carpet squares or foam sheets.
  • Do simple games such as tag, simple games, or and musical activities that don’t require equipment.  They are just as fun and improve your health!

For a sample SPARK physical activity lesson including a Family Fun activity to send home, Click Here.

Part 3: Space

So you have created time for activity found equipment for students to use, but you don’t have think you have enough space to move.  What should you do?  There are many ways to get students moving in limited space but it takes a little ingenuity to make it happen.  Some ideas to get you started are to:

  • Outside on grass area or blacktopTips for Teaching- Overcoming Challenges to Providing Physical Activity
  • Area of circle time
  • Move desks, tables, or other furniture out of the way
  • Children can thread around furniture at a slow tempo
  • Search your site for areas that can be used such as hallways or covered entry ways

The key is to give students their own personal space to move and participate.  They don’t have to be running around the room to get activity!

For a sample SPARK physical activity lesson including a Family Fun activity to send home, Click Here.

Posted in PE, Physical Activity Plan, SPARK Blog, SPARK PE, teacher fitness | Comments Off

Early Childhood Teaching Tips: Structured Activity vs Unstructured Activity

Tuesday, July 3rd, 2012
The National Association for Sport and Physical Education recommends that preschool-age children should get at least 2 hours of physical activity each day.  An hour of activity should be structured and the other hour unstructured. But what is the difference between these two types of activities?
Structured Activity is:
• Planned and directed
• Designed for child’s developmental level
• Organized activity with an instructional purpose
Unstructured Activity is:
• Self-directed
• Occurring as children explore their environment
• Opportunity to make up games, rules, and play with others
While unstructured activity allows time for creativity, self-expression, cooperation, structured activity is encourages socialization, development of gross motor skills and object control skills, and improves self confidence. The goal is to provide both types of activity each day.
Our sample lesson illustrates unstructured activity during Exploration, a time when children can just play with their fluff balls play near their spot markers. An example of structured and unstructured play in the same lesson is Challenges and Switcheoo. Click Here.

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education recommends that preschool-age children should get at least 2 hours of physical activity each day.  An hour of activity should be structured and the other hour unstructured. But what is the difference between these two types of activities?

Structured Activity is:

  • Planned and directed
  • Designed for child’s developmental level
  • Organized activity with an instructional purpose

Unstructured Activity is:

  • Self-directed
  • Occurring as children explore their environment
  • Opportunity to make up games, rules,and play with others

Tips for Teachers- Structured activity vs. UnstructuredWhile unstructured activity allows time for creativity, self-expression, cooperation, structured activity is encourages socialization, development of gross motor skills and object control skills, and improves self confidence. The goal is to provide both types of activity each day.

Our sample lesson illustrates unstructured activity during Exploration, a time when children can just play with their fluff balls play near their spot markers. An example of structured and unstructured play in the same lesson is Challenges and Switcheoo. Click Here.

Posted in PE, Physical Activity Plan, Physical Education, SPARK Blog, SPARK PE | Comments Off

Early Childhood Teaching Tips: Stop and Start Signals

Tuesday, June 26th, 2012

Spark Physical Activity Lesson PlansIn order to keep children on task and provide instruction during lessons, it is important to teach children to respond quickly and consistently to start and stop signals. This will allow more time to be spent on activity rather than class management.  There are many different types of stop and start signals.  There are many other types of signals you can use that are successful for preschool age children. We recommend using music as often as possible.  Music is fun, encourages movement and is easy to hear turn on and off.  Other ideas include:

• Whistle cues
• Claps and response claps
• Visual signal (hold a hand up or turn the lights off and on)
• Verbal cues (“1-2-3 eyes on me”)
• Bang a tambourine or other musical instrument
For a sample SPARK physical activity lesson, Click Here.
    • Whistle cues
    • Claps and response claps
    • Visual signal (hold a hand up or turn the lights off and on)
    • Verbal cues (“1-2-3 eyes on me”)
    • Bang a tambourine or other musical instrument

For a sample SPARK physical activity lesson, Click Here.

Posted in PE, Physical Activity Plan, Physical Education, SPARK Blog, SPARK PE | Comments Off

Early Childhood Teaching Tips: Repeating PE Lessons

Tuesday, June 12th, 2012
Children enter preschool with different experiences and levels of exposure to physical activity. Lessons should be presented in a teaching progression to introduce and develop fundamental movement and motor skills which require repetition and practice. Teachers are the best judge of how rapidly to progress through lessons. Rather than moving on to the next lesson, repeating lesson segments using slight modifications may be beneficial in helping children feel successful. Keep in mind:
• It is acceptable to repeat lessons or lesson segments to help children feel comfortable. Repeating activities children enjoy ensures they are having fun!
• It is acceptable to repeat activities that children enjoy and are easy to teach. Avoid getting into the routine of repeating the same activity too frequently “just because” it is fun and easy to teach. Instead, use favored activities as “the carrot” to motivate and heighten enjoyment.
For a sample SPARK physical activity lesson that is fun and easy to teach, Click Here.

Repeating Lessons- Tips for TeachersChildren enter preschool with different experiences and levels of exposure to physical activity. Lessons should be presented in a teaching progression to introduce and develop fundamental movement and motor skills which require repetition and practice. Teachers are the best judge of how rapidly to progress through lessons. Rather than moving on to the next lesson, repeating lesson segments using slight modifications may be beneficial in helping children feel successful. Keep in mind:

• It is acceptable to repeat lessons or lesson segments to help children feel comfortable. Repeating activities children enjoy ensures they are having fun!

• It is acceptable to repeat activities that children enjoy and are easy to teach. Avoid getting into the routine of repeating the same activity too frequently “just because” it is fun and easy to teach. Instead, use favored activities as “the carrot” to motivate and heighten enjoyment.

For a sample SPARK physical activity lesson that is fun and easy to teach, Click Here.

Posted in PE, Physical Activity Plan, Physical Education, SPARK Blog, healthy school environment | Comments Off

Integrating Physical Activity and Literature

Tuesday, May 29th, 2012
Integrating Physical Activity and Literature
The primary goal of structured physical activity time is to ensure that children engage in sufficient minutes of developmentally appropriate activity. Teachers have opportunities to enhance lessons through the integration of language arts by reading a book before a lesson, incorporating a book into a lesson, or reading a book immediately following a lesson as part of a cool-down. In an effort to keep physical activity at its highest integrate literature without giving up movement time.
Books should coordinate with lessons and can relate to one or more of the following themes:
• Colors
• Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Movement Skills and Knowledge
• Nutrition
• Personal Development
• Science
• Self Image
• SocialDevelopment
For a sample lesson plan that includes literature integration, Click Here.

The primary goal of structured physical activity time is to ensure that children engage in sufficient minutes of developmentally appropriate activity. Teachers have opportunities to enhance lessons through the integration of language arts by reading a book before a lesson, incorporating a book into a lesson, or reading a book immediately following a lesson as part of a cool-down. In an effort to keep physical activity at its highest integrate literature without giving up movement time.

Books should coordinate with lessons and can relate to one or more of the following themes:

• Colors

• Language Arts

• Mathematics

• Movement Skills and Knowledge

• Nutrition

• Personal Development

• Science

• Self Image

• Social Development

For a sample lesson plan that includes literature integration, Click Here.

Tips for teachers

Posted in Physical Activity, Physical Activity Plan, Physical Education, healthy school environment, physical education and health care | Comments Off