Health and Physical Education
As always there is lots happening across the school in our Health and Physical Education classes.
Year 7 Swimming
Our Year 7 Physical Education classes have started their swimming program at Bayside Aquatic, Mentone Grammar. This is an essential component of the Year 7 Physical Education curriculum. Each class will participate in several swimming classes during their allocated Physical Education lessons.
Swimming is a lifelong physical activity and participation can enhance health related fitness and wellbeing across the lifespan. These lessons not only try to provide a fun and enjoyable activity for the students but also address the water safety issues that students may encounter in their daily lives. The program supports students to develop knowledge, understanding and skills to make safe decisions and behave in ways that protect their own safety and that of others, including safe practices when near water.
Year 9 Electives
Our Year 9 elective classes, 'Fit for Life' and 'Outdoor Education' have been busy bike riding, walking, orienteering and recently went to the Melbourne Cable Park to experience the High Ropes course (see reports on this page).
We’re so lucky that we have such great resources close by like the bike paths and the beach and we’re able to utilise these different environments during our classes.
Year 10 Health and Physical Education
Over several Physical Education lessons this term, our Year 10 Health and Physical Education classes will be undertaking their self-defence program. This is a program that runs for our Year 9 Physical Education classes each year but given the current Year 10 students missed out last year due to COVID, we feel it’s an essential life skill that the students need to experience so are running it for them.
The self-defence program is designed to help the students be aware, recognise and avoid dangerous situations. It teaches some basic skills that can help the students defend themselves in the event a dangerous situation may arise.
As part of the Physical Education program, the classes are also undertaking a fitness unit, where they are participating in HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) sessions and yoga classes run by 'Proactivity' and a body pump and body balance class over at South Pacific Health Club, Mentone. The main focus of our Physical Education program at Year 10 is to try and guide the students towards a healthy lifestyle. By participating in a wide variety of activities we hope to provide enjoyment for the students but also to provide lifelong health and physical activity.
VCE Vet Sport and Recreation
Our VCE VET Sport and Recreation students are busy preparing for the upcoming Year 7 and 8 Netball days, which the class plan, organise and run as part of their assessment. Not only does this provide our VCE VET Sport and Recreation students with the chance to run an event for the assessment in their class, it also provides the Year 7 and 8 students with a great chance to get active and work as part of team!
Natalie Burke
Learning Leader:
Health and Physical Education
Year 9 - Fit For Life
A few weeks ago, the Year 9 Fit For Life class participated in a Stand Up Paddle Boarding class at Jetty Road in Sandringham. They had been looking at the 'Experiences in Physical Activity' topic to understand the various reasons why people participate in different forms of physical activity. This activity came under the reason, 'recreation'. It was an amazing day. The weather and flat water conditions were perfect for a leisurely paddle board. The instructors gave great insight into the specific technique of paddling and where to stand on the board to turn them quickly.
Another activity the class participated in was Trampolining at Cheltenham Youth Club in Braeside. They were experiencing a 'vertiginous' activity which means participating in something that is very high. They were able to try various skills on the Olympic trampolines and complete rolls into the foam pit.
The class are now looking into the 'Australian Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour' Guidelines and understand that they need to complete at least 60 minutes of physical activity everyday and limit their screen time to less than two hours. They have been participating in a beach walk once a week as part of this topic. Students are encouraged to motivate family members to also achieve their recommended amount of physical activity every day. Some exercise is better than NO exercise and breaking up long periods of sitting is also highly recommended.
Year 9 - Outdoor Education
This term the Year 9 Outdoor Education classes participated in the half day bike ride from Port Melbourne to Kilbreda. They had been participating in many bike riding sessions both at school and along the local bike paths in preparation for this bike ride.
They enjoyed meandering along the bike paths taking in the views of the bay and some of the enormous properties in Beacon Cove, Port Melbourne, Brighton and Black Rock. They communicated well with 'stopping' and 'slowing' calls and rode well in single file and pairs.
Thanks to Maddie, Gen, Tim, Sabir and Derek who assisted with our bike rides.
The Outdoor Education classes also recently participated in the 'Urban High Ropes' course at the Melbourne Cable Park.
The students enjoyed the various challenges across the three different levels. Most students quickly moved from Level 1 up to Level 3 to attempt the bike, surfboard and 'ringing the bell' out on the ledge. Quite a few students accepted the challenge of the tightrope on Level 2 which is 13 metres off the ground and sitting at the picnic table on Level 3.
The girls were great at encouraging each other to try the various obstacles.
Maree Clark and Steve Brown
Health and Physical Education Teachers