Physical Education Challenge

Well another year has started and we are into our first year as an Innovation school. For grades K and grade1 they have Physical Education 4X/week. It is our belief that we can demonstrate an improvement in their fitness and skill level. We have begun to accumulate base line data and have some information from last year to see how a more typical school schedule of 2X/week compares with the new schedule. You may contact us at the Baker School should you have questions about our approach and goals. We have also completed the first Physical Education DVD video of our Physical Education Program at the Baker School and we feel it to be a valuable tool in helping to share what it is that we do with the Community and Parents. We are always available to discuss what it is we do and our belief that the more one is active the more brain connections are established in which academic learning can be enhanced. Looking forward to an exciting year, especially with our new climbing wall that was purchased by our parent PTAC association. So far, the children love climbing and challenging themselves, their smiles just say it all!

Back to School....Soon!

School is soon approaching and will be here before you know it! Now is the time to start thinking about your fitness level! Here are some things for you to think about now: Check your BMI level, so that you get an idea where you are now and then during the school year we will have you check yourself again! Remember this is only one tool for you to use and along with other check points, it will give you a picture of your health. Use the links on this blog site to help you! Next, remember the 5-2-1 program and you should check yourself to see if you are eating 5 fruits/vegetables daily, 2 hrs or less of TV/Computer time and 1 hr. of daily physical activity! Start looking now for sales on good running sneakers that give your feet good support! Get physical now so that your body can get ready for running, sweating and conditioning those muscles! Don't wait to start moving in our physical education class because you will find it hard to play many of the games and learn many of the new skills that you will be learning. So, enjoy the summer and make a comment on this blog site should you need any help or advice, I'll be checking this blog for questions! Also, walking daily, as a family unit, does a "body good" and builds those emotional bonds that you will always remember and get that warm fuzzy feeling inside of you! So walk daily and strive for 30 minutes a day of moderate walking, which is at least 3 mph. Until we meet again, enjoy the summer!

Backyard Game Night @ Ezra Baker Elementary School

Friday night, June 1, 2012, we had our first Backyard Game Night for the families of children who attend our school. We had 10 stations plus a Country line dance event going on all at the same time for families to choose from to participate. The stations were all arranged to be self directed and families could move about at will to play at any station and even adapt the station to meet their interest. Over 100 people attended and the event felt like an an old neighborhood party in which children played and families got to talk amongst friends and make new friendships. It was purposefully designed so that children and parents could move about freely and socially interact. It was truely a fun night in which many children and friends all enjoyed one another!

Jump Rope For Heart Totals-2012

Thanks to all of the children and families of the Ezra Baker School community, we raised $3200 this year for the American Heart Association!!! The Jump Rope For Heart week at our school consisted of each class participating during their normal gym class. The gym was set up with 12 fun stations all with a different focus of jumping or movement and the children would rotate stations. The children received their gifts this week from the AHA for their hard work in fundraising. Lindsay Peitro, who is the AHA representative for our geographical area also had a special plaque created to acknowledge all of the family members honored that the children Jumped for during this event. The plaque now is on the wall of our gym for all to see and it is quite heartwarming for the families to see their loved family member listed on the plaque and on our school gym wall. Thanks to all who participated and who helped to make this such a special event.

Jump Rope For Heart

We have 14 stations to celebrate Jump Rope For Heart week at the Baker School. Each physical edcuation class participates in 7 stations per gym class and each station offers a challenge and is FUN! Here are some pictues of our stations and we will add up our totals next week!!!

Basketball Unit

We just completed our basketball unit. Students were introduced to many basic skills such as dribbling while in place and moving in different directions and pathways. Students learned how to hold the basketball with the appropriate grip when shooting baskets along with the proper force needed to reach the basket from different distances. Passing was another skill students worked on. They practiced the chest pass and bounce pass both individually against a wall and with a partner. These skills were then utilized in games such as dribble tag, shooters and timers, snatch dribble shoot, etc. Students were encouraged to practice these skills outside of class as well, as the more we practice the better we become. We concluded our unit with a quick assessment to measure student learning.

Native American Unit

We will be wrapping up our Native American Unit next week with the first grade classes. During this unit, students worked on attributes such as agility, co-ordination, balance and speed. The activities and games that were played illustrated how Native Americans got their food. Obstacle courses were set up using hurdles, hoops, cones, and mats to resemble hills, rivers, trees, and rocks. Students carried foam noodles through the course crawling and jumping under/over the obstacles.
Students also worked on throwing for accuracy towards a moving target and were taught to step forward towards their target with their opposite foot of their throwing hand. Students worked together in groups and tried to throw their noodle through a rolling hula hoop. Students practiced important concepts like teamwork and helping others. The unit was very exciting and students had lots of fun participating in the games and activities while learning cross cultural ideas