Turning Lemons..into Lemonade!

Even though our gym is being repaired...Watch the video closely to see the excitement in our children! Despite the adversity of no gym building.. the kids are excited about P.E., the smiles on their faces and their personal learning that goes on as they experience change is truly a great life lesson. We talk about change and how we deal with the negatives to find the positives....yes that is education.
thanks to Ms Cevoli for bringing Yoga into our lives!!!!!

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Phys. Ed. news!

So how about some dance and yoga to add into our PE curriculum this year?! Because of our unique facility situation, Miss Cevoli and Mr. Fantaroni have become even more creative with their physical activity ideas this year! We have added a Dance unit into our curriculum where students have learned or reviewed a variety of popular line dances and some original line dances choreographed by Miss Cevoli. The K-1 students have done some fun easy dances in their classrooms such as the hokey-pokey, YMCA, cha-cha slide, ‘seasons’ dance, and chicken dance! The 2nd through 3rd graders have also done the YMCA, chicken dance, cha-cha slide, and Cupid Shuffle. They have also learned some original choreographed steps from Miss Cevoli to a variety of music for warm-up and creative group work. By using a variety of music, it exposes the children to different types of rhythms, tempos, and genres! In February, we did some scooter activities that helped increase cardiovascular endurance and hand-eye coordination. Mr. Fantaroni introduced the students to his original “Scooter Handball” game as well as basic scooter soccer, and scooter relays. We take the students outside as well for some fresh air and fun in the snow whenever the temperatures can allow us to! When we return from February vacation, we will be starting some Yoga and core-type activities using the donated mats from Baker’s PTAC, parent donations, and various yoga studios throughout the Cape, thank you all for your help and support!

Baker School Supports "Stands UP to Bullying!"

The link to the left "This Bully Didn't See This Coming" is a must see! My friends at the Yarmouth Station Ave Elementary School passed along this link from our Cape Cod sister school in Falmouth, to us here at the Baker School and we are all in with this anti-bullying message! Bullying is not tolerated and we are all proud of our students who share in others well being and do step in to help students in many different ways. The video is well done and we all step in to protect our kids! In our P.E. curriculum sportsmanship discussion, we spend allot of time talking and practicing good sportsmanship and learning how to be happy winners and encouraging losers, with no place for bullying others in competition. Well done Falmouth!

Kindergarten health habits influence obesity chances!

The article to the left on this page discusses the health habits decisions which can lead to an early predictor of obesity. Please read and its crucial to help children learn healthy habits early in life about healthy lifestyle's early in life as a deterrent to avoiding the chances of being obese in life.

Snowy Owl on West Dennis Beach!!!

A lifetime of being active doesn't always mean playing sports! Bird viewing and hiking to where the birds are keeps you active , outdoors and can be personally rewarding, especially when you are fortunate enough to catch a Glimpse of this beautiful Owl seldom seen around here! Hike and explore the beauty that nature provides and will keep you healthy!

Baker is more than a building

Despite the loss of our gym temporarily, teachers pull together to keep kids excited about learning. Our P.E curriculum continues to adapt and create opportunities for learning health concepts, fitness, dance and FUN! Our teachers make Baker what it is...not the building! Let's Dance!

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Holiday Madness!

Happy Holidays from Miss C and Mr. F! Now that the holidays are here and in full swing, everyone is in full “elf” mode; shopping, cooking, eating, dining etc. Sometimes physical activity and exercise takes a back seat and you say “oh I’ll just start up again after the holidays…” DON’T!! Start NOW! I know its cold out, but this is New England! Bundle up and go for a walk with the family, play in the backyard, go ice skating at the local rinks, and the roads are still dry enough for a bike ride or skateboard! Not an outdoor person? Go to your local recreation center and PLAY! Sign up for a team sport, take a fitness class (kids or adults!), try out swimming at the YMCA, anything to keep you moving and active for the holidays! Here are some healthy tips and info on holiday eating and planning: 1) Be realistic. Don’t try to lose pounds during the holidays, instead try to maintain your current weight. 2) Plan time for exercise. Exercise helps relieve holiday stress and prevent weight gain. A moderate and daily increase in exercise can help partially offset increased holiday eating. Try 10- or 15-minute brisk walks twice a day. 3) Don’t skip meals. Before leaving for a party, eat a light snack like raw vegetables or a piece of fruit to curb your appetite. You will be less tempted to over-indulge. 4) Survey party buffets before filling your plate. Choose your favorite foods and skip your least favorite. Include vegetables and fruits to keep your plate balanced. 5) Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. Savor your favorite holiday treats while eating small portions. Sit down, get comfortable, and enjoy. 6) If you overeat at one meal go light on the next. It takes 500 calories per day (or 3,500 calories per week) above your normal/maintenance consumption to gain one pound. It is impossible to gain weight from one piece of pie! 7) Take the focus off food. Turn candy and cookie making time into non-edible projects like making wreaths, dough art decorations or a gingerbread house. Plan group activities with family and friends that aren’t all about food. Try serving a holiday meal to the community, playing games or going on a walking tour of decorated homes. 8) Bring your own healthy dish to a holiday gathering. 9) Practice Healthy Holiday Cooking. Preparing favorite dishes lower in fat and calories will help promote healthy holiday eating. Incorporate some of these simple-cooking tips in traditional holiday recipes to make them healthier. 10) Look at your plate. If all you see is whites and browns, then most likely you picked up all the heavier, starchy foods. Make sure your plate looks color-balanced. Potatoes and turkey with some roasted carrots and green bean casserole is a better color balance than all the “white” stuff.