Jump Rope for Heart

March Break Adventure Camp

Don't forget to sign up for our March break Adventure camp!

Striking and Fielding Games

We have started our new unit of striking and fielding games. The main skills students learn in this unit are how to strike different sized balls with their feet, hands, and objects (like a baseball or cricket bat), how to field a ball properly both in the air or on the ground, and how to use strategy to help their team win. The grades will be trying different types of striking and fielding games as follows:

Grade 4: Kickball, Danish Longball, Modified baseball

Grade 5: Soccer-Baseball, Grounders, Modified Cricket

Grade 6: Sprint ball, Baseball, Cricket

Aspects of Health

Due to the dome being used for Christmas Concert we have been spending some time in the classrooms this week, working on our Health units. Each grade is learning different aspects of Health and will be continuing these areas right into the Christmas break!

Grade 4: We are discussing the importance of vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in our diet. We are learning what each one means and what foods provide them for us. We also learn about the overall impact that healthy and unhealthy foods have on our mental, physical and emotional health. Once the students have completed some work at school they will be tasked with coming home to help prepare a healthy, home cooked meal.The students will need to share how it was prepared and detail the health benefits of the meal. This is to try and help them understand and apply their learning in a real life way that will benefit them in their future.

Grade 5: We are currently learning about healthy choices. This includes the choices of what food we eat and when, as well as our use of technology and exercise. We have been working on advertisements to have the students understand the impact that advertising has on their food choices, especially unhealthy foods. We are also learning about how to properly use food labels and nutrition facts to help us make informed, healthy decisions about the foods we eat. The students have been looking at healthy food labels and comparing them to unhealthy food labels to help them see what they are looking for. Students will eventually be tasked with packing their own lunch to bring to school and share with their classmates why they chose the items they chose to put in their lunch.

Grade 6: We are working on gaining a better understanding of technology and how to use it safely. We have discussed some of the main pitfalls that often come with using technology as well as the main things to be aware of when using social media. We have also been discussing how technology is often used to hide behind when bullying or bothering others and how to deal with that. This learning will eventually lead into discussions and learning about body image and gender stereotypes.

Sport Development

We spent this week developing our skills in our new sports. The grade 4's have been working hard in netball and have shown progress in their passing and strategy. They are getting open more often and making the defense work harder to stop their passes. The grade 5's have been working on their passing and shooting in basketball. They have learned to shoot the ball with proper form and have shown success in making baskets from different areas on the floor. The grade 6's have come a long way with their lacrosse skills. They have been practicing the skill of catching with the stick and we worked on our ability to make accurate throws towards goal.

Starting next week many classes will be affected by ongoing Christmas concert rehearsal either by time or space so we will be putting our invasion games unit on hold and doing some work on health and nutrition leading into Christmas.

Introducing New Sports

This week we started to introduce our new sports in invasion games. The students are now using different skill sets to try and demonstrate their ability in the sports we are working in.

Grade 4:
- We started our new sport of netball this week The students are working on spotting open teammates and moving to open space while also completing accurate passes and opening up defenders. They are also working on their shooting skills to be able to sink a basket with accuracy and consistency.

Grade 5:
- The grade 5's started their new sport of basketball this week. They are working on dribbling, passing and shooting accurately while moving and while stationary. They are also working on being able to find open space while working in a team system with a game plan. They are quickly learning some of the basic rules to basketball which will help them to play games next week.

Grade 6:
- The grade 6's are starting their new sport of lacrosse. We are working on our ability to send and receive a ball using an object (lacrosse stick). The students are working on their ability to scoop, cradle and pass a lacrosse ball while also being able to evade defenders that may be trying to steal the ball from them. Lacrosse is a new sport to a lot of the students and their skill development is fun to watch.

Pictures will be posted next week with some examples of the skills we are working on and the progress that the students have made over this short period of time.

Invasion Games are in full swing

We have jumped into our invasion games unit. Invasion games are any games or sports where two teams occupy opposite sides of a playing area and must attack into the other teams side to score points. Some examples of invasion games include soccer, basketball, hockey, lacrosse, water polo, rugby, football, and pirates treasure.

Grade 4: We have been working on dribbling and passing this week. The students have been trying to dribble with their head up, being able to use both feet when moving with the ball. We practiced turning left and right with control and being able to stop and start. During our passing lessons the students worked on being able to receive the ball with both feet and move with the pass to build onto the next one. Next week we will be working on shooting and plying some games to give the students a chance to demonstrate the skills they have been practicing.

Grade 5: We have been working on dribbling and passing in soccer as well. We have practiced being able to run wit the ball, while maintaining control and dodging defenders, and being able to turn with the ball going back between the legs.We have also been practicing the ability to thread a pass through defenders to an open teammate and being able to take and give a pass with two touches or less. Next week we will work on our accuracy of shots and build into a game setting where the students will have a chance to demonstrate their skills.

Grade 6: We have been practicing our backhand throws and two hand catches in frisbee. The students have been trying to throw the frisbee straight and accurate to make it to their target without curving away. We have also been working on catching a frisbee while moving and tracking a flying frisbee that may be curving. Next week we will work on our forehand throws and start to play games of ultimate frisbee.