Physical Education
Ms. Alice Atkinson and Ms. Meliss Saltaformaggio
The girls are off and running during P.E.! They warm up their bodies by practicing the large motor skills of running, skipping, galloping, hopping, and sliding as they listen to lively music. To differentiate between skipping and galloping, we use fun phrases called “Selfish Sam” and Suzie Shares.” Your child would love to demonstrate these for you. After we exercise, we stretch and cool our bodies down with deep breaths and walking. This activity prepares them for the lesson of the day.
During the second half of the class, we utilize the equipment and play low organized games. The parachute, beanbags, balance beams, scooters, and playground balls have all helped the girls enhance their skills. Our low organized games are easy to learn, since there are not many rules or much strategy involved. Their favorites seem to be Mr. Fox, Musical Spots, and Back to Back.
Although all three grades participate in many of the same activities and games, the games and activities can be expanded and adapted to the different grade levels, depending on their skill level. Nursery is focusing on ball activities: bouncing, catching, and tossing. These help develop hand-eye coordination. The girls enjoy exploring creative movements with stories that develop their imagination. Pre-K is focusing more on low organizational games. They are working on their social skills as well as the skills of balancing and climbing. The Kindergarten is practicing rope jumping, simple rhythms, dances, and relay races.
We believe in positive reinforcement during P.E., and it is important for the girls to leave class on a positive note. If they have a positive experience with movement as children, hopefully they will continue to enjoy exercising as a way of life!
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