Focus on Physical Education

Engaging with Enthusiasm!

It has been a fantastic start to the year in PE. Students have settled back in lessons wonderfully well and are engaging with a lot of enthusiasm.

Foundation

Students have made a great start to their school journey! The focus of their early PE lessons has been to practise moving around the gym safely, as well as following simple rules and instructions for games. I have been very impressed with how quickly they have adjusted to life at school. The focus for the remainder of the turn will remain on movement skills with the occasional introduction to equipment.

Grades 1 & 2

The grade 1 and 2 students are also looking at moving around in different ways. They have been playing a lot of simple movement games while performing a variety of actions, for example. side step, skip, gallop, high knees, lunges, etc. A number of students have made connections to activities they do outside of school with comments such as “we do all these movements in my gymnastics class”. “I have done this movement before at football training”. “I know this, we do this at netball training”. These movements are a fun way to be active and help coordination.

Grades 3 & 4

Grade 3 & 4 students have been playing a modified version of volleyball called newcombe ball. In newcombe ball players throw and catch the ball rather than hit it over the net. The learning focus and challenge for students is to demonstrate some simple teamwork strategies. 

While playing, students are required to stay in their spot (play their position) because if players move out of position then it is too easy for the other team to win the point. Players need to encourage and support teammates when they make a mistake, as well as pass to others who are in better positions.

Grades 5 & 6

Students have been attempting to play volleyball. Students have looked at and practised the individual skills of serve, dig, set and spike and attempted to put all these together into mini games. I am very proud of the way the students are preserving and practising these trickier skills and it has been fun to watch them have success and watch them rally during mini matches.

In Future Lessons

Looking ahead all Grade 3 – 6 students will be given opportunities to practise for cross country over the coming weeks. The cross country trials will take place during PE lessons later in the term, most likely the week beginning  24 March. During these trials every lap students complete is worth points for their house regardless of times.

District Swimming Report

By Georgia Broomhall (PE Captain)

On Wednesday the 19th of February 32 enthusiastic FPS students set off to the Northcote Pool to compete at the annual District Swimming Carnival. Everyone had nerves about winning, losing and everything in between – at the end of the day their worried faces had turned to grinning ones and everyone had a grand time. All of the girls relay teams and the 9/10 boys relay team have qualified for the division swimming carnival along with loads of individual students in their events.

 

It was a great experience for kids who had their first time there as well as some who had been there many times before. From medleys and relays to individual and B races, for everyone it was a super fun day.

 

All of the students were being really supportive and I think everyone enjoyed an excuse to skip school! Even the people who didn’t get through to the next carnival put up a great effort and I’m sure they were very pleased. For those who did get through … can’t wait for divisions!

~ Geoff McShane, Physical Education & Sports Teacher