Sport @ Arlington
Courage to have a go
The Arlington PE program consists mostly of a physical activity component but with possibilities to explore and make connections with classroom projects. Primarily my role is to facilitate the acquisition of Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS), concepts and strategies to enable the children to confidently, competently and creatively participate in a range of physical activities. There is an emphasis on having courage to have a go in PE and focusing on what we can do. Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) are generally not picked up incidentally or through play, they require explicit teaching and structured practice. There are 11 fundamental movement skills that have a direct relationship to specific, more complex sport skills that can be transferred to a broad range of sports. For example the FMS ‘overhand throw’ is specific to softball, cricket, volleyball, badminton, netball, baseball, javelin, and tennis. Our focus in Term 1 has included lots of locomotor activities including running, jumping, skipping and sidestepping and body control activities including balance. All the children have explored the central idea that ‘we can recognise the physical changes that occur to our bodies when exercising.’ On Grandparents and Grandfriends day the children were able to showcase their skills with some of the audience joining in. We have measured our heart rate by taking our pulse over 15 seconds and multiplying it by 4 to work out our beats per minute when resting compared to post exercise and vigorous exercise. The 7s, 8s & 9s and the 10s & 11s are designing their own fitness routines in groups to share their understanding of the central idea.
Playing games is an integral part of what we do. This term all the children, including the Kindergarten, have learned and practised variations of tag games. Tag games involve lots of running, dodging and starting and stopping. Tactical and strategic play can be developed through tag. Some of the tag games we have played include scarecrow tiggy and bug tag (working together), freeze tag with a bean bag on our head (balance), body part tag with Madame Suzanne where to free your friend, the French word for arm or leg or back was necessary. Hoop tag, with the added complication of hoops, and hot dog tag have also been lots of fun. With our developing fitness we will move into Term 2 running, jumping and throwing alongside our Commonwealth Games Athletes.
Talitha Crawford
PE Teacher & Campus Coordinator