Back to 2003 All Star Teachers Showcase
Diann Earhart's
Lesson Plans, Activities, and Teaching Philosophy
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PUZZLE-CIZE |
Back to 2003 All Star Teachers Showcase Diann Earhart's Lesson Plans, Activities, and Teaching Philosophy
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The following lesson plans are used to prepare students
for Project Fitness testing, which we do in the fall and spring at South
Central. a requirement to become a station star member is to know the
name of each piece of Project fit Equipment. The first two lesson plans
will enable students to have hands-on information to learn the name of
each piece of equipment. the names of these lessons are PUZZLE-CIZE and
HIP TO BE FIT. Once those two lesson plans
have been used in class, a
written test is given
to be sure the students have learned the names of the equipment. BONES FOR SALE. This game is good for indoor preparedness for the Project Fitness testing. Also, the students will be learning about the skeleton and names of the bones in the body. This is a great teamwork as well as a physical game. HOT HANDS is a game that is used as a lead-up for basketball. This is done on our outdoor basketball court, which is paved and sits beside our Project Fit equipment. This can also be taken indoors with centers set up as exercise areas should the weather not allow outdoor play. CATCH ME IF YOU CAN is used outdoors at South Central. We have a grassy area next to our Project Fit equipment. Cones are used to mark off the track, which is 1/16 the size of a real track. This game could also be taken indoors using the gym area as a track with exercise centers set up within the circle. This is a very physical game and students love it. MAP OF FITNESS is a game using color-coded maps that students must follow. Along the trip there are pictures of exercises each group must do. As the group completes their map, the group goes to the piece of equipment and works out. If weather does not permit this, give the group a new map of a different color. CUP OF EXERCISES is a game that
is center oriented. Teams must work together to make this successful.
As members complete
exercises, cups are received. Students will try to build a pyramid with
the cups they earn. The highest pyramid is declared the winning pyramid
at the end of the time period. Concept Being Taught: Fitness, Cooperation,
Teamwork Description of Activity: Divide the class equally with no more than 4 on a team.
Team members go to their assigned area at the wall. On the beginning
of music, one member of the team runs, picks up one piece of the puzzle,
brings it back to his team. All team members must do the exercise written
on the back in unison. The next member continues and picks up the second
piece. Do the exercise as a team. Once all the puzzle pieces have been
removed from the hoop, the team puts the puzzle together and tells
the instructor the name of the piece of equipment. Once the name of
the equipment has been given the team will go to that piece of equipment
and work out. In case of rain, teams may rotate to a new puzzle.
Directions: This game can take place
in the gym or outside on a paved surface if located next to the Project
Fit Equipment. Each student has a basketball. On a given signal, all
students start dribbling the ball. With their free hand, each student
tries to knock the other student's ball out of their hands. when a student
loses his/her ball, he/she must go to the Project Fit equipment and workout
on a designated piece of equipment. After this is done, he/she may return
to the game. If indoors, centers may be set up on the perimeter of the
gym. When a student loses the ball, the student must go to a center,
do the designated exercise and then return to the game. Directions: Students are spread in a circle (cones marking equal distance on our outdoor track). On the given signal, students begin walking, jogging, or running to try to pass up a student in front of them. If a student is passed, this student must go to the Project Fit Station and do a certain number of repetitions on the designated piece of equipment. When the student finishes this task, he/she joins back in the circle. (Our track is 1/16 the size of a regulation track). Notes: Games should be timed and a designated number of laps should be stated. This game may be taken inside with the circle being around the gym. Exercise centers may be set up inside the circle. These stations are lead-up to the Project Fit Testing. Objective: To gather fruits or vegetables
to make the largest basket How to play: Divide the class into two
teams. One team will gather fruit and the other will gather vegetables.
Have pictures of fruits and vegetables spread at one end of the playing
area. The two teams line up on opposite ends of the playing area. On
command, the first member of each team must run to the pictures and collect
his/her designated fruit or vegetable, bring it back to the coach who
checks to see if correct; if so, places it in the basket and tells the
next team member to go. If not correct, the student must return the
incorrect picture and pick up another. After a period of time, count
the pieces of fruits or vegetables to see which team has the largest
basket. Switch sides so each child works with both fruits and vegetables. Objective: To see which team (Fruits
or Vegetables) can keep the most fruits or vegetables on the parachute How to play: Name the students either a Fruit or Vegetable. Place the balloons on the parachute. On command, students pick up parachute and stretch it level. On the word GO, students try to keep their respective fruit or vegetable on the parachute while trying to pop the other off. FIVE-A-DAY FRUIT & VEGETABLE COLLECTION Objective: To collect as
many fruits and vegetables as possible before the parachute
closes down on the students How to play: Colors of beanbags will represent fruits or vegetables. Spread the beanbags under the parachute. Number the students. Call numbers and tell the students what he/she will be collecting at the given time. On the raising of the parachute, yell a number and say FRUIT or VEGETABLE. The student with the number must collect and be outside the parachute before it comes down upon them. If caught inside, the student has collected no fruit or vegetable.
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Project Fit America, a program welcomed into my physical education curriculum with the utmost respect. Having taught physical education for 31 years at South Central School, I needed something new to inspire my students and myself. Before this program, my physical education classes were probably repetitive with respect to exercise and fitness activities. Since we received the Project Fit America program in 2000, as the Tennessee State Model, I have gained great enthusiasm and excitement about my physical education classes. Each class starts with one type of movement. Students must keep moving to expel their energies, thus helping to stay in good physical shape. Thanks to Project Fit America, my classes have come from drab to a rewarding program full of intensity and excitement. I have always loved the poem, “Making a Difference”. This poem speaks of a young boy who is walking up and down the seashore. The young boy picks up a starfish and throws it back into the water. A man comes along and tells the young boy that he is wasting his time throwing the starfish back into the water because there are thousands of starfish on the beach. The young boy looks up at the man innocently and innocently says, “It makes a difference to this one.” With this in mind, I feel that if one child is inspired by Project Fit America, a difference will be made. This motivated child will in turn, tell other students of the difference Project Fit America has made in his/her life. Perhaps the domino effect will prevail, child-to-child, family-to-family, community-to-community, all being effected because of one single physically fit child that evolved from the program. My philosophy is that physical education should build
fit Americans. Passing on the knowledge of movement, the ability to be
specific in sports
and the awareness of body and self is important and worthwhile. Through
physical education, the student will enhance his/her ‘physical
me’ concept. He/she will be prepared for his/her physical and recreational
adult life. The student will obtain a sound body thus allowing the mind
to work and grow. Our school motto: Lifelong exercise yields lifelong
awareness. A lifelong learner will continually strive for excellence
in any learning situation. A person who has maintained lifelong health
awareness will continually strive to be healthier. This individual will
be able to handle whatever comes his/her way because of building self-esteem.
Being physically fit and being very knowledgeable, whether the problem
is physical, social, mental or emotional, the student will have a sound
body, which in turn will allow his/her mind to work through the problem. The Project Fit America program has been implemented in may ways in my physical education program. This program is at the root of each unit taught. The exercise program stems toward building endurance and cardiovascular strength and agility. This makes the student well prepared and physically able to do the fitness test. Since receiving the Project Fit America equipment, the students have gained tremendous respect for fitness. Ideas and interest more fitness-oriented. The students want to be very active and should we a slow moving game, the students will ask if are going to run. The is shows a greater respect to be fit on the student’s part. Several fitness mini-programs have been implemented into my physical education curriculum in response to the installation of the Project Fit equipment. Mini-programs include: Wildcat Pacer Challenge, Wildcat Station Stars, Mileage Club, Lub Dup’r Running Club, Project Fit Station Star Challenge, and Smile Mile in the process. These programs have really enhanced the student’s will power and self-esteem. Each one improves over their previous scores. Results on physical education fitness testing at the school show the success of these mini-fitness programs. Each child is unique and each child has his/her own personal goals to strive for. This program also lead to another grant from the Junior League of Johnson City, Tennessee. The league chooses unique programs to give education grant money. My grant was entitled ‘Lub Dup’R’ and we received $500.00 to spend to make this project a success. The greatest accomplishment of all from having received Project Fit America, is the results on the fitness test. For two years, the scores have improved. Each child has had a percentage increase in one or more areas. This is proof that Project Fit America is a success. The Pride of Wildcats at South Central is truly roaring about this program and has greater respect for fitness. With deepest respect and thankfulness, having Project Fit America at South Central has rewarded me. It has truly made a difference in me as well as my program. “Making a difference” in at least one child’s life is reward in itself. The children at South Central are testimonials in themselves. As our test scores reveal from Project Fit america, we have steadily improved our percentages. Articles have come out in our local newspapers. (TSBA Journal's Award for Excellence program recipients) Publications of Wellmont Foundation called Foundation Focus featured South Center in the Summer 2002 issue. Members of the Kong Club were included in the feature. Parent Teacher Association Bulletin has also made recognition of students who have been successful in their fitness goal. Pictures of students participating in fitness activities and receiving awards are testimony to the fact that Project Fit is up and running full-steam ahead. Since receiving Project Fit America at South Central, I have gained tremendous respect for the fitness of each child at South Central. The health of each child is my number one goal. All my ideas and interest are more fitness-oriented. Using the Project Fit america equipment has enabled a response to meeting the important fitness and healthy development of the future adults, our young children. By implementing Project Fit, physical education has an outstanding practical and fun approach for enhancing the future of each child. As stated earlier, the role physical activities play on basic maturation of the brain are well incorporated by Project Fit America. The positive relationship of physical fitness and academic fitness will shine. In the race for fitness, there is no finish line. We must imprint the idea of fitness in the minds of our young children and each child must learn that fitness is a continual program to which there is no end. Project Fit America is in itself a testimonial to the program at South Central. Without this I feel our program would have stayed repetitive and even boring. Project Fit has given me a new outlook in life and put the spark I needed to make a change in my career. APPLICATION OR ADAPTATION WITH USE OF CORE PFA STATIONS Many different PFA mini-programs have been implemented into my physical education curriculum at South Central. One such program is Wildcat Pacer Challenge. Each six weeks, Pacer is done. Two levels are added each six weeks. First six weeks we try for level 6, adding 2 per six weeks. by the end of school we are attempting level 15. Each child gets to attempt this goal. I have each child who does not succeed at the level at which we are on set an individual goal of getting a level higher than he/she did the previous 6 weeks. At the end of the year, each student that has successfully finished level 15 are rewarded with certificates and a Wildcat Party. Wildcat Station Star is a second mini-program within my physical education curriculum. All students K - 8 get to take part, once in the fall and again in the spring. An extra attempt takes place on our annual Field Day in May. Should a student beat a prior score on Field day, this score is mailed to California formational Station Star attempt. Wildcat Station Stars are rewarded with certificates, ribbons, and pictures on display at school as well as in our local newspapers. Wildcat Station Star winners are entered with Project Fit America to compete to National Station Star Challenge honors. Should we have winners, of which we have had several, these students are rewarded on Honors Day in May. Lub Dup'R is
a fitness rope-jumping mini-program within my physical education curriculum.
this project uses
a skill ladder challenge. this challenge also offers certificates and
ribbons. Time varies with grade level. Students will be using blood pressure
equipment to see the effect of rope jumping on their bodies. Five-A-Day Challenge is a Better Health Program that encourages the student to eat 5 to 9 fruits and vegetables daily for good health. Each day for five days students take part in discussion, taste testing, and games to explain the value of eating correctly daily. Students keep records on a challenge sheet. Students learn that eating correctly is a valuable asset of maintaining proper fitness level. Games included here that go along with preparedness for Project Fitness testing as well as nutrition value are GATHERING OUR CROP, FRUIT AND VEGETABLE POP OFF, and FIVE-A-DAY FRUIT & VEGETABLE COLLECTION. Students gain valuable knowledge on the relationship of a healthy diet and exercise as an asset for fitness. Mileage Club is another mini-program included in my curriculum. This club is a walk, jog, run club with the ultimate goal of shaping our American youth. This is a first-time program for me. There are many rewards for the students. Students must keep tally of the laps they walk, jog, run. This can be done in morning before school, recess time, or anytime the student has adult supervision. The student will receive pencils, certificates, and a lanyard with glow toes for different levels of their walk, jog, run. Physical Education Point Challenge. This is a yearlong program. Students earn points on any and everything they do in physical education class. At the end of the year, the boy and the girl at each grade level is rewarded with a trophy on Honors Day in May. Students strive hard to receive the physical education award. Those students that earn this award are a testimony that Project Fit America is at work at South Central. Beyond Physical Education
Programming
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