Phed Blog #3

For this week's blog we were asked to find 3 websites that give physical educators information and resources on games, contest, and relays.  This what I found- enjoy! :)

First one:
http://education.alberta.ca/PhysicalEducationOnline/TeacherResources/
This website is great as it provides various lesson plans that a physical educator can use (whether directly or even just as a guideline) on different activities and games.  It can also help you create your own lesson plan.  This website is based on what they call "four general outcomes- the A, B, C, and D's of physical education".  Each of these outcomes, have their own specific outcomes that help focus in on or define different learning ideas for each grade.  This website also provides a list of different teaching tools as well as links to different websites that might be useful for teachers.  This website was probably my most favorite of all the ones I visited as far as how it was all laid out and for the useful tools it provided for physical educators.

Second Website:
http://www.campusschool.dsu.edu/playground/peclass.htm
This next website is very simple as it just provides a bunch of links to different websites and gives some information about each of the website it lists.  This is useful as you can find what you are looking for quickly and easily.  Once you find one you want, you click on it and it will take you to that website.  For example, their is one site called "Funattic" which gives ideas for different indoor and outdoor games and relays.  So if you wanted to find a fun relay to play in class you could just use this site for ideas.  

Third Website:
http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/pe/contents01games.htm

The last website I found basically just gives a big list of different games and relays that physical educators can use in their classes.  It also describes each game in detail so that the teacher can explain it to their class.  Some of them even provided diagrams/pictures in order to help demonstrate the game.
Here is one of the pictures provided to help explain a "Hoop Race" Game:

Hoop Race

For this activity, students should work in groups of four. They should then split into pairs, and each pair of children should stand about 15 m apart. Each group of four children should have one large hoop (big enough for two children to fit inside).
Instructions:
One pair stands in a hoop, and, without using their hands, lift up the hoop. Then, staying inside the hoop, they should run to the other pair.
When they reach the second pair, the first pair should drop the hoop. The second pair should then pick it up (no hands!), and run to the original marker and back again (with both students in the hoop).
The first pair then stand in the hoop, pick it up without using their hands and, with both students in the hoop, run back to the starting point.

Important Points

Remember to reinforce the importance of safety during the activity, and the fact that students have to cooperate in order to complete the task.


Well, that's all for this week in the "Life of Phed 1280".
Until next time!
Courtney.
 

Blog #2

Hey All!
Last monday was an exciting class!  We were divided into groups of 5 people in which we had to go around to different game stations.  At each station, we were to make up a game as a group and include all of the equipment at that station in our game.  (There was different equipment at each of the 5 stations we had to go to).  I am going to be telling you about two out of the 5 games that we invented/played as a group.
In game number one, the equipment used were hockey sticks, hoola hoops and small indoor hockey balls.  The game was that the hoola hoops were spread out in a circle, and there was one person in each hoop (can play with anywhere from 3 to 10 players).  Each person in a hoop was given a hockey stick.  There were 3 balls being used in this game at one time.  The game was that you had to pass a hockey ball from your hoop to another person in the circle.   That person had to receive the pass without stepping out of their hoop.  The players had to call the person's name of whom they were passing to as to try and avoid confusion or passing two balls to one person at the same time.  If a ball was passed that did not go to anyone directly, the player closes to the ball was allowed to step out of their hoop and bring that ball back into the game.  Some modifications made were moving the hoops closer together (so making the circle smaller), in order to speed up the game and make it more difficult for the players.  Another modification was giving each player a number of (depending on how many players) in this case, 1 to 5.  Then making the players pass in the sequence of their numbers.  For example, number two would always receive from number one and have to pass to number three, and so on... this also made the game more challenging.  This game worked on many skills which include: passing and stick handling skills, always having your head up while controlling and passing the ball, communication, and teamwork.  The age group intended would be anywhere from age 10 and up.  This is because at age 10 the kids will be old enough to have a good understanding of this game and should be able to juggle all the skills it requires at the same time.  What I really enjoyed about this game was that you had to communicate well with your team in order to be successful as well as that it forced you to always have your head up and be thinking about your passing.  There was nothing that I disliked about this game nor was I ever frustrated.  It was my favourite game of the day!!

For the second game, the equipment used was a parachute as well as 3 small dodge balls.  This game is intended for age 5 and up, I would say, as any younger children might have trouble holding the parachute up.   The rules of this game were that every person had to hold part of the parachute and the three balls were on top of the parachute.  The point of this game was to wave the parachute up and down while trying to keep all three of the balls on it without them falling off.  One modification we made was that if a ball rolled off between you and the player next to you, both of you would lose a point.  I liked this modification because it made you have to work with the person beside you to try and not let the ball roll off on your side.  It was a great "teamwork" skill required as well as it helped you work on communicating with the people beside you.  Some things that I did not like about this game was that it seemed a little boring as there did not seem to be a lot of options with the equipment given.  Or maybe it just seemed more difficult to be creative with the equipment given at this station. As well as it was surprisingly hard to keep the ball from rolling off your side.  Also, at times it was frustrating when the person beside you wasn't focused or working with you very well to keep the ball from rolling off your side.            
Overall though, this was a fun class as I was able to get to know some people better and be able to work together creatively.
Until next time!
Courtney.

Life in Phed 1280- Blog 1

My philosophy when it comes to teaching games or activities to children is that everyone is unique in who they are and how they learn and/or develop.  Each child develops at a different pace, some may be able to pick up a skill rather quickly and others may take longer to learn that skill.  I believe as teachers, or hopeful teachers, that we need to take the time to identify where each child is at and to find ways in which we can help each child in the way that they seem to be able to learn best.  As well as we should be patient with those who may take longer in learning a new skill.   I also believe that everyone should be included and given a role in each game or activity.  I personally would try and avoid elimination games as much as possible as this leaves many children left out, and many times, feeling useless or unworthy.  I once had a soccer coach who taught us his abbreviation for team: Together Everyone Achieves More.  I loved this abbreviation because I have known it to be so true; when everyone is playing an active part in something, it is much easier to accomplish or achieve a goal that's been set out.  Teaching games is very much about learning how to be part of a team, how to support each other, encourage each other and work together to achieve a goal.  I want the kids that I teach to have fun in their learning and therefore I would play a wide range of games in order to exemplify every child's strengths and interests and not just the main sport athletes (such as basketball players, volleyball players, soccer layers, track and field athletes, etc.).  I would highlight to the kids that winning isn't everything but that trying your absolute best and improving on your skills, while treating others with respect, is what is most important.  Games and activities are about more than just developing their game/sport skills.  Don't get me wrong, they still should focus on developing their game skills but also, and very importantly, their life skills.  Things such as understanding the importance of a healthy lifestyle, as well as how they interact with their classmates and even just other people in general, such as in the community.  All in all, I feel that team play, respect, effort and participation as well as helping others are all things that are worth teaching as these are things that a child can take with him and practice throughout his/her life.
Until next time!
Courtney Dennill