TREASURE CHEST Fitness Activity

Grades: 3 and up
Equipment: 35 Activity Cards for a class of 30, 10 Cards should say GO

Procedure:

Pre-set: Physical Fitness is a "treasure" each of us should value. The items in the treasure chest are activities, which reward the body by helping it to maintain a high level of physical fitness.

Place 30-35 Activity Cards face down on the floor in the center of the gym (the Treasure Chest)

Students make a large circle around the cards. On the start signal, each student picks up a card, reads it, places it face down on the floor, and performs the task. After completing the first task the student returns and selects another card and does that task.

Every time a student draws a GO card, they run one lap.

This continues for a set time. (5-7 mins.)

Print two copies of these cards plus the 10 GO cards:
"Cut and paste" Activity Cards using PFA Equipment (jump ropes-optional): PDF - HTML

EXERCISE AND RUN   

Grades: 3 and up
Equipment: Exercise Cards, poly spots

"Exercise and Run" cards: PDF - HTML

Formation: Rows of even numbers of students, with space between students for exercising. A jogging area around the students.

Procedure:

Each row of students is a team trying to do the most exercises in the time given. A set of exercise cards are given to each row and placed on a spot in front of each row. At the end of each row is a spot. The first person in each row takes the top card off the pile and demonstrates the exercise to their team and makes sure all in their team are doing the exercise correctly before taking the card with them and jogging a lap. After completing a lap the runner places the card on the spot at the end of their row, while the next person is picking the next card. this goes on until the teacher tells the teams to stop. The last student in each row then counts the number of cards on their last spot.

Noon Time Fitness Programs, Student Reward and Recognition

Additionally I run a Noon Time PFA Fitness Program. Volunteers run this program. Monday is PFA Team Fit, Tuesday is the 10 Mile Club, Wednesday is the Jump Rope Club, Thursday is the 10 Mile Club and Friday is PFA Station Star Challenges. The students complete punch cards or meet a goal and are recognized monthly at spirit assemblies and receive a lanyard with a charm for each goal met.

Once a trimester a Pacer Challenge is offered before or after school.

Download the The Pacer (primary) - PDF - HTML

Download Pacer Score Sheet - PDF - HTML

At the end of each year I put together our field day. This involves setting up 25+ centers at finding volunteers to manage them. I invite former students who are now in high school and middle school to help also.

Additionally I co-chair my school’s committee to study the nutrition and health needs of our students while researching the relationship to student learning.

I have been a teacher representative on our PTA board and I am very proud of the activities our PTA offers to our families. Almost monthly events that are free or low cost, such as Bingo, Sockhop and International Nights, etc are because of their efforts.

I co-chair the elementary physical education specialist group for our school district. We meet as often as possible with a set agenda. We have been working on ELRS, share activities, go to workshops , have presenters, and put together a district wide elementary track meet.

I attend at least 2 professional physical education workshops per year. This year I attended a Brain Dance workshop in Seattle by Anne Gilbert Green. Also in this past year I presented a brain dance workshop to members of my staff and did an elementary physical education workshop for classroom teachers.

Leslie True’s Teaching Philosophy and Curriculum

My goal is to provide a supportive environment where students can learn and practice positive social skills while developing physical skills. I strive for all students to be active and successful as much time as possible. I want students to experience a broad spectrum of activities to help them find ways to love to be active and fit. I try to incorporate activities that support brain research linking motor skills and the development of the brain.

My curriculum varies from year to year to accommodate a large variety of activities. A sample of a yearly plan might look like this:

Intermediate grades 4-6:

• Cooperative challenges, team building activities and games
• Team sports-basketball, soccer, flag football, volley ball, floor hockey, etc.
• Individual sports and activities- juggling jump rope, tumbling, racket/paddle sports, track, etc.
• Dance and rhythmic activities
• Fitness Challenges
• International games

Primary grades 1-3

• Safety training
• Creative movement
• Brain Gym and Brain Dance
• Individual use of small equipment
• Partner and small group challenges
• Rhythmic activities and dance
• Fitness challenges
• Games
• Sports lead ups

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