Lab 5: A Spectrum of Ball Handling Skills

1.      Use the internet to search for information about turtles and how they live.

·         Turtles are reptiles.

·         Turtles have a hard shell that protects them like a shield, this upper shell is called a ‘carapace’.

·         Turtles also have a lower shell called a ‘plastron’.

·         Turtles can hide their heads inside their shells when attacked by predators.

·         Turtles have existed for around 215 million years.

·         Like other reptiles, turtles are cold blooded.

·         The largest turtle is the leatherback sea turtle, it can weigh over 900 kg! (2000 lb)
Turtles lay eggs.

·         In some species of turtle the temperature determines if the egg will develop into a male or female, lower temperatures lead to a male while higher temperatures lead to a female.

·         Some turtles lay eggs in the sand and leave them to hatch on their own. The young turtles make their way to the top of the sand and scramble to the water while trying to avoid predators.

·         Sea turtles have special glands which help remove salt from the water they drink.

·         Turtles are notoriously slow movers (having a giant shell doesn’t help!).

·         Many turtle species are endangered.

Fun Turtle Facts!!!

2.      Identify the fitness components being addressed in squad square fitness. Where are these components located on the New York State Conceptual Framework for K-12 Physical Education?

The fitness components being addressed in squad square fitness are expressed through step-ups, ski jumps, curl-ups and hand walks. The health and skill related fitness elements that are concentrated in these activities are muscular strength and endurance as well as coordination, reaction time, balance and agility. Rhythm and motor/movement skills are also presented in these activities. These fitness components are beginning at the elementary level and are located throughout the intermediate and commencement level.

3.      Prescribe a series of ball handling skills for a second grade boy or girl that is afraid of catching a ball. What kinds of objects might you prescribe for throwing and catching?

A second grade student that is afraid of catching a ball would first be instructed to use a ball that they feel comfortable most likely larger, lighter, and softer. The Geo-Ball and Gator Ball are perfect examples. Techniques could be applied to students by having them first sit on the floor and have them at a low height throw the ball up in the air to themselves to catch it. Using progressions have them throw the ball higher as they are sitting until eventually they are standing. Once they are standing continue the process first tossing the ball up at a low level and having them bend their knees when catching for impact. Progress again till the ball is being thrown really high up and caught. Eventually you can make this task more difficult by using smaller objects that still soft such as bean bags.

4.      What are some of the guidelines you would follow in pairing students for throwing and catching?

Students can be paired with similar skill levels while manipulating the task by having them decrease the distance of the throwing ability until they are able to complete a proper catch and throw and then increase that distance through progression. There is also the possibility of having a student who grasps the concept of throwing and catching, help a student who is having difficulty. This will give the student who is helping the ability to have a leadership and teamwork attitude while enhancing his/her overall understanding of the process. The accuracy of the throw to student having trouble will help enable a better success rate of catching the ball while receiving feedback from a perspective of that students own level for throwing and catching.

5.      How would you help a special needs student learn to catch that displays a delayed motor control and lack of fine motor control dexterity?

Helping a special needs student learning to catch that displays a delayed motor control and lack of fine motor control dexterity can be complicated. I would start by asking the student to pretend to throw a ball back and forth to each other. I would have them imagine anticipating the ball headed towards them and catching it. I would then assist the student by holding each arm in a ready position to catch a ball that would be tossed by another student. When the ball got to a specific point in the air I would say now and start to close the student’s arms to catch the ball. Repeating this step with visual and verbal help in a rhythmic pattern may help the student to anticipate a catch when saying the word now to themselves.

Field Experience Day 1 - February 3rd, 2012

Knowledge of Students:

            I am having the pleasure of attending St. Mary’s School for another year for field experience required in EDU 355. The first day back I had the opportunity to meet the Physical Education teacher, Mr. Mack. He gave us a warm welcome and being a product of SUNY Cortland expressed his support to guide and help out with anything we needed to make sure we have an excellent learning experience while attending St. Mary’s School. The students in the Friday morning class were 2^nd graders. At St. Mary’s, there is a Jogging Club that sometimes takes part in Physical Education class. The 2^nd graders were instructed to run or jog around the gym for 10-12 minutes. The remaining time would be used to free recess time where the students chose different activities to play.

            Prior to the class starting to run laps around the gym, Mr. Mack asked questions to check for understanding. These questions included; what does the class do before they start running? (Answer: Tie shoes with a double not.) What do you do if your body starts to hurt? (Answer: Walk till the pain go’s away and then start running again.) How many minutes are you running for? (Answer: In this case 10 minutes.) What are we not allowed to do? (Answer: Hold on to each other and don’t stop for any period of time.) The students knew all of these questions and were extremely well behaved. From what I had observed there is a direct relationship between the behavior of the students and how well they learn the material instructed to them.

            I had asked Mr. Mack, would it be appropriate to try and have the students push themselves through their cramps when running. He explained that he wasn’t concentrated on the cardiovascular endurance rather the speed, agility and coordination of the students running at this particular level. Mr. Mack said he is “preparing the students for the higher levels of the jogging club.”

            The jogging club sounds like a great idea. The one thing I would modify if I were to use this method in my classroom would be to relate some of the running skills into lead up games especially at this level. The extra time given to the students at the end of class can be reduced to have more time perform these lead up games and express important health information related to running.

Lab 4: Improving Manipulation with Bean Bag Challenges

1.      Explain how a unit based on lessons of this nature would serve as a foundation of acquiring specialized throwing and catching skills.

The unit lesson that was demonstrated in class serves as a foundation for acquiring specialized throwing and catching skills with the ability of instructing games suitable for the appropriate level of students and using bean bags. Bean bags are soft, which prevents injury when catching a bean bag. There are also many different manipulation techniques that can be created involving bean bags that can help students learn throwing and catching.

2.      Identify a theme that could be applied to health hopping appropriate for young children.

A theme that could be applied to health hopping appropriate for young children can involve outer space. Students can pretend to be astronauts that can do different activities on the moon involving the locomotor skills. They can also imagine themselves doing fitness activities easily due to the small amount of gravity that is on the moon.

3.      Design a checklist of critical elements to look for when observing a child performing a locomotor movement.

Gallop

ü  Student is using same foot first when galloping.

ü  Student has torso square with the direction that he/she is moving.

ü  The back foot never over steps the front foot.

ü  Landing steps are from heel to toe.

ü  Maximum effort is being given when performing.

4.      Create two bean bag activities that demonstrate manipulation to specific skills.

A bean bag activity that would demonstrate a manipulation of throwing and catching would be a game of musical toss. Similar to musical chairs, the class would gather in to 3 or 4 group circles and throw 2 or 3 bean bags around to other students while the music was on. Once the music stopped, which ever students had the bean bag last would have to switch circle groups and start all over again.

Another bean bag activity can be demonstrated in a game of ultimate bean bag. This game similar to ultimate Frisbee would have 2 games going on at the same time. The game would demonstrate students throwing the bean bag to one another and only being able to run around to be open for a potential pass. Once the bean bag is caught that student cannot move and must find another student. The objective is to get close enough to the bucket to throw it in and gain a point. As a class they have to try and make in 20 buckets.

Lab 3: Locomotor Skills Applied In Low Organized Games

1.      Select one of locomotor skills and create your own set of teaching cues.

Teaching a locomotor skill of running could have a set of cues to help teach students to remember how to perform running. These cues could be “pumping” of the arms, “opposition” of arms and legs and “heel to toe” when landing on your feet.

2.      Identify the specific pathways used in each of the low organized games presented in the lesson focus.

The specific pathways used in each of the low organized games presented in the lesson focus consisted of a straight line, zigzag and a curved or circular pathway. The Fire Chief game utilized a straight pathway. The Forest Ranger game utilized a circular pathway. The game Spelling Master established a pathway of a zigzag.

3.      Select a topic for a class talk and outline the questions and key points that would help you guide a class talk.

A topic that could be expressed during a class talk would be Goal Setting.

·         What is the students personal goal?

ü  This will help the students to start to think of what it is they would like to achieve.

·         Why is important to put 100% effort into reaching your goal?

ü  This will help the students understand the importance of trying their best to be successful and that with hard work establishes a reward.

·         How will goal setting help you throughout life?

ü  Students will be able to understand that setting a goal will drive them to achieve and create opportunities to better themselves as they get older.

·         Is it ok to not reach your goal even though you gave 100% effort?

ü  This will express to students that they are not always going to be able to fulfill their goals but giving them encouragement for trying their best as well as having them continue to try and reach that goal.

4.      Make a checklist of performance points to look for in one of the locomotor movements.

Jumping:

ü  Both feet are together during takeoff and airtime.

ü  Both feet land at same time.

ü  Knees are bent when jumping.

ü  Arms are being pumped when jumping.

ü  Student leans forward slightly to jump forward.

Lab 2: Singing to Movement Activities

1.      Explain why exercises such as sit-ups and push-ups have to be modified for kindergarten and first grade students in the DVL 1 group.

Exercise such as sit-ups and push-ups have to be modified for kindergarten and first grade students in the DVL 1 group because at this particular young age instructing students to do these activities bluntly is considered not fun and work for the students. They become immediately turned off and will have a bad experience in their early years of physical education. This could prevent them from ever being interested in activity.

2.      Why is rhythmic activity important for young children?

Rhythmic activity is important for young children do to their natural urge for rhythmic expression. Introducing rhythmic activity develops a system to better remember the activities that are being performed. It also allows for the activity to be fun for the students when relating the activity to themes such as “Busy Bee” and the “Brush Your Teeth” song.

3.      Define laterality and explain why tracing giant letters helps reinforce cognitive learning?

Laterality is taking a concept that humans prefer to use one side of their body for a task over the other. Drawing the large letters stimulates the students cognitively, because young students have a tendency to remember large objects especially if they experience the task of tracing the letters with their psychomotor skills first hand.

4.      Why are educators concerned about young children not being able to keep an internal beat?

An internal beat in a child is natural and is important to all forms of movement. Children who have problems keeping an internal beat can be a concern for educators due to problems that maybe occurring in the brain. This could prevent children from learning important information properly and cause learning disabilities.

5.      Define home-lateral and cross lateral movements.

Homo-lateral movements are movements that involve using only one side of the body to do an activity. An example of this would be raising your right arm and leg at the same time. Cross lateral movement will involve action on the opposite side of the body. This could be alternating planks where you stick one arm out and the opposite leg out.

Lab 1: Questions on Class Management and Organization

1.      Why do class management and effective teaching go hand in hand throughout every day of teaching?

How well a teacher manages a classroom is a significant aspect to how effective that teacher will be introducing material to the students that must be learned. Management has the ability to keep a class of students organized and on track to focus on learning material. Disruption and chaos can cause students to disengage from the class as well as the teacher. Research has also been shown that teachers who introduce and rehearse management strategies in the beginning of the year are considered effective teachers.

2.      Why should your list of class rules be short and positive?

Class rules should be short and positive because the attention span of a student especially at the elementary school level is short. Important one or two word rules that could be represented or relevant to something that students address everyday will help them to remember the rules. Rules should be positive because students sometimes rebel against the word no or things that they shouldn’t do. Students especially at the elementary level are like sponges so it is important to have a positive environment that will give the students the aspect of being positive which will evolve as they get older to hopefully positive goal setting amongst other elements.

3.      List three reasons why students enjoy the squad square structure as well as three reasons why teachers benefit from employing the squad square structure for management?

1.      The squad square structure allows students to be in a squad with friends or the ability to make friends.

2.      The squad square structure also allows for competition between not only other squads but the teacher as well.

3.      The squad square structure can involve a captain or leader which can be considered a reward or privilege.

1.      The squad square structure gives the teachers the ability to organize the class in a way that is helpful for taking attendance as well as set up games involving a team work aspect.

2.      The squad square structure also helps teachers be able to visually see the entire class without distractions between the students.

3.      The squad square structure dividing the students equally helps for full participation between all students especially if the equipment is of low quantity so it will allow for more touches.

4.      What common elements do all of the activities in this management lab share?

The common elements that all of the activities in the management lab share is the ability to organize management of a class of students through rehearsal of participation to strengthen focus towards the teacher and awareness of rules established by the teacher.

5.      How is the affective domain addressed in this lesson? How is the psychomotor domain addressed in this lesson? How is the cognitive domain addressed in this lesson?

The affective domain is addressed in this lesson through concentrating on respect for an individual student’s personal space with the ability to not touch each other.

The psychomotor domain is addressed in this lesson through rehearsal and movement of the students using different locomotor skills and games to address the management strategies in these particular activities and games.

The cognitive domain is addressed in this lesson through the ability to relate the elements in management into games and activities with the use of psychomotor rehearsal it will give the students the ability to remember and effectively demonstrate the rules that are applied into these activities by repetition and involvement.

6.      A particular management game that I would like to introduce to my students would involve musical poly spots. Through different locomotor skills and the signal for attention being the music I would have the students move around until the music was stopped. Once the music was stopped the students would have to find an available poly spot as fast as they could. I would then use a different task assigning each person a specific poly spot. Eventually these chosen poly spots would be the area in which these students would sit in the beginning of class while music is being played. Once that music stops class has begun and all students must be sitting on their “attendance spot”.

EDU 355: The Next Chapter of Physical Education

              As part of one of my first assignments for EDU 355 it is expected of me to introduce myself on this continuing blog to my new talented and intelligent professor Dr. Baert. My name is Robert W. Goldkranz. I am now a senior at SUNY Cortland and have been studying for a career path into Physical Education. Prior to this I was a chef at a Catering company and received a Professional Cooking degree at the Culinary Academy of Long Island. Although the change in my career choice is quite different I feel I have made the right choice. Throughout my field work experiences and classes, I have been able to conclude that I am where I want to be and have been inspired to make a difference in the fields of Physical as well as Health Education. Also I am now trying to expand my horizon by integrating my culinary skills into the education system through the field of Home Economics.

            The interests that I desire on a daily basis include playing Hockey and ASA Softball. Also, I have been bowling since I was 5 years old. I enjoy watching a different variety of movies as well as sports. I hope to be able to coach once I have established myself as a teacher in a school district and look forward to teaching students the importance of being physically educated and healthy.