Grades K-2 

From Mr. Barlow in PE & Health

In the second marking period, students will continue to work on overhand throwing, catching, locomotor movements and other fundamental skills.  They will also be doing yoga, music & movement and Jump Rope for Heart.  

Students will practice helpful feedback and positive communication during skill development and practice. Helpful feedback is providing specific tips and methods to improve technique or performance without being critical or hurtful. Examples of ways students are asked to give feedback might be, “remember to step forward with the opposite foot when you throw” or “keep your back straight when you do the push up”. Sportsmanship is incorporated into all lessons in addition to teaching the importance of including others in games by teaching grouping strategies that they can use to make groups at school and at home.  

Yoga and our music & movement units provide students with additional ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle, both physically and mentally.  Students will perform a variety of yoga poses, routines, stress management techniques, and visualization.  They will also improve coordination and rhythm through some fun dances and activities. 

In health, students will have lessons about kindness and good sportsmanship. Brief video clips (1-2 minutes) showing children and adults facing difficult choices will be viewed, followed with teacher-guided discussions. Students will have multiple opportunities to talk about personal experiences with their classmates and practice decision making skills through role play and small group conversations. We hope that students will practice these skills in the classroom, gym, recess, organized sports, etc. 

Other versions of this letter can be found at www.region10ct.org on my web page

Grades 3-4 

From Mr. Barlow in PE & Health

During the second marking period, students will engage in units of yoga, invasion strategies, basketball and pillo polo.  The yoga unit will teach students that it is important to have healthy bodies and minds.  We will be working with the art department to have each student create their own peaceful place.  This peaceful place will be use during yoga classes when the students are meditating they will be told to imagine their peaceful place as a tool to help them relax.  The students will write a paragraph describing what their peaceful place is like, things they hear, feel and smell, they will then bring it to art where they will bring their peaceful place to life.   Invasion strategies (offensive and defensive strategies) will focus on performance skills including ball-handling, passing, moving to open space, and communication.  Students will practice helpful feedback and positive communication during skill development and modified game play. Helpful feedback is providing specific tips and methods to improve technique or performance without being critical or hurtful. Examples of ways students are asked to give feedback might be, “remember to step forward with the opposite foot when you pass” or “remember to move to open space when asking for the ball”. Sportsmanship and game etiquette are incorporated into all lessons in addition to teaching the importance of including others in games by teaching grouping strategies that can be used at school and at home. 

In health, students will have lessons about kindness and good sportsmanship.  Brief video clips (1-2 minutes) showing children and adults facing difficult choices will be viewed, followed with teacher-guided discussions. Students will have multiple opportunities to talk about personal experiences with their classmates and practice decision making skills through role plays and small group conversations. We hope that students will practice these skills in the classroom, gym, recess, organized sports, etc. 

Other versions of this letter can be found at www.region10ct.org on my web page