Educación Física y Salud

Kicking things off... Here’s the official video from our Athletics Carnival! A big thank you to Manuel for putting together this fantastic video to help us relive such an amazing day!

Preps

At the start of the term, our foundation students were busy getting ready for the Athletics Carnival by playing various games like parachute, sack races, and simple tagging games with 1 or 2 rules. Through these activities, students displayed strong teamwork skills and started to develop the ability to work together effectively.

Following the carnival, our foundation students have been participating in an ongoing gymnastics incursion program during PE. A coach from Melbourne Tumbling Academy has been guiding them through fun and challenging activities designed to help them improve their balance and body control. Students are learning how to use different parts of their bodies to stay balanced while also exploring different ways to move in space.

In addition, they have been practicing how to adjust their movement speed based on music tempo. They’ve had a blast playing tagging games at varying speeds, reacting in unique ways to different tempos. It's been exciting to see them respond to the rhythm and pace of the music!

1/2

In recent weeks, our Year 1 and 2 students have been diving into the exciting world of gymnastics. We've been focusing on movement sequences, which are a series of connected movements that flow from one to another. For our young gymnasts, this means learning how to string together different actions like jumping, spinning, and balancing while adjusting their speed, direction, and movement level to match the rhythm of the music. One of our favorite games is "La Secuencia de Aros," where students must perform a specific movement depending on the color of the hoop they land in. As they progressed, students had the chance to design their own hoop sequences, choosing movements to match each color.

In addition to sequences, we've also been practicing balance through fun activities like "El suelo es lava", where students navigate narrow balance beams and leap across gymnastic wedges, pretending the ground is molten lava. Their balance skills are truly improving! We've also started working on forward rolls, a key gymnastics skill that we'll continue practicing in the coming weeks.

We are exploring concepts of stability and weight transfer through these various activities, helping students build both their confidence and physical abilities. It's amazing to see their progress and enthusiasm as they grow stronger and more agile with each lesson!

3/4

At the beginning of the term, our Year 3 and 4 students dedicated their PE lessons to mastering movement sequences that would help them perform shot put and discus techniques efficiently in preparation for the Athletics Carnival. 

Following the carnival, we've shifted our focus to developing hand and jump coordination through various skipping activities during warm-ups. This has set the stage for our main learning focus: balance. Students have been exploring how to balance on different parts of their bodies, emphasizing the importance of maintaining stability. 

One of the key concepts we’ve introduced is the centre of gravity. Students learned that keeping their centre of gravity low and within their base of support is crucial for maintaining balance, especially when faced with external forces. For instance, in the "Pool Noodle Challenge" game, students practiced balancing on one foot while being gently pushed or pulled, helping them understand how to resist and recover from these forces without losing their balance.

During the balance beam course, students were further challenged by being asked to bend down or stand on one foot while walking along the narrow surface. These tasks required them to constantly adjust their centre of gravity, reinforcing the importance of focus and control when balancing in tricky situations.

I have also incorporated games like the "Relay Knock Down", where students had to move objects with their feet while balancing on one leg. This activity pushed them to maintain their stability while performing precise movements, a skill that translates to many real-world situations.

5/6

In recent weeks, our Year 5 and 6 students have been focusing on refining their movement sequences in PE. They’ve been working on incorporating forward, backward, and side rolls into these sequences, pushing their physical abilities and creativity to new levels. Collaborating in groups, students have tackled some challenging balance scenarios using equipment like balance beams, wedges, and gymnastic mats. The challenge? To execute jumps, balances and rolls while maintaining control and avoiding contact with the floor. 

This emphasis on problem-solving and teamwork has extended to other cooperative games like "Fishing Cones" and "Cross the River." In these activities, students have had to work together to strategise and execute complex movement sequences, incorporating locomotor movements, balances, rolls, shapes and turns. These exercises have not only improved their physical skills but also strengthened their ability to communicate and collaborate with peers.

The ultimate goal has been to create cohesive and dynamic movement sequences that demonstrate their growing mastery of balance and coordination, setting them up for even greater challenges ahead!

Yours faithfully, 

Raul - Health and PE Teacher