Ms. Bignell | Physical Education

March 24, 2023

This week we began our Mission Impossible unit! Students were excited to try the course which is a culminating activity for our gymnastics unit that happened a few weeks ago. They were able to practice their balances, jump off the vaults, rope climb, walk on the balance beams, use the Canadian Climber, try their luck at getting through the ball pit and crawling underneath the “lasers”.

We will be continuing Mission Impossible after the break so please remember to have your child dressed appropriately!

Just a reminder to fill out the survey for our Bike To School Day happening in June! Here is the information…

Bike Survey: To encourage Active School Travel, Woodbine has partnered with EverActive Schools to run a “Bike to School Day” on June 7th (weather dependent). This initiative will focus on increasing cycling knowledge and safety awareness. In preparation for this event we are looking to find out what students have bikes and helmets at home and other logistical items. We ask that you please complete the following quick survey (please follow this link or copy it into your search engine) https://www.surveymonkey.com/r... If you have multiple children at the school, we kindly ask that you fill the survey out separately for each child. In addition, if there are any individuals who have cycling knowledge or knows how to tune up bikes and would like to contribute their knowledge to this event, please reach out to Ms. Bignell at clbignell@cbe.ab.ca At a later date we will be sending out some details to ask for volunteers for this event! Stay tuned!

Have a lovely Spring Break Woodbine students and families. See you in April!!

March 17, 2023

This week we wrapped up our lacrosse residency with Coach Jacob. Students learned how to pass, catch and shoot during some fun drills. On Thursday most classes participated in some St. Patrick’s Day games. Leprechaun Tag was played by the Div 1 students, who had to run away from the leprechauns. If they were tagged, they took a piece of gold and jumped down rainbow road and placed it in the leprechaun’s pot of gold. At the end, we counted who had more gold! Div 2 students tried out 4 way Capture the Gold, played like capture the flag, except the gym was divided into four quadrants and we had 4 teams facing each other instead of 2!

A reminder for next week… We begin our Mission Impossible Unit!! Here are some reminders about what to wear for safety reasons.

Clothing that allows freedom of movement (no special uniforms or outfits are required – sweats and a t-shirt work best).

· Loose fitting/baggy clothing may get caught on equipment when climbing.

· Tucking shirts in may help to prevent an accident.

· Students may wear shorts under clothing if they wish.

All jewelry that could get caught on equipment should be removed (left in classrooms) or left at home (watches, rings, long earrings, necklaces, etc.)
Students with long hair should have their hair tied back with an elastic or hair band.
Students wear indoor running shoes (first preference), bare feet or dance slippers.

Here is some other important information…

Swimming Volunteers: Thank you to all the parents/grandparents that have signed up to help with our swimming lessons in May. There are still a large number of spots to be filled. If you have a valid police clearance and have the time, please sign up

Timbernook Residency: In April, Woodbine school will be participating in an outdoor play residency. Please see the information below. More detailed information will be posted on the teacher blogs closer to the date.

March 10, 2023

This week we began our ELEV8 Lacrosse residency. Students were introduced to Coach Bob and Coach Jacob, former and current NLL players. Many students have never played lacrosse before, so this was a great opportunity to learn new skills. They were taught how to scoop the ball, toss and catch the ball, and partook in some passing drills. Students also learned some “tricks”, like the pancake flip and painting the circle. We are super excited to have Coach Jacob back next week to continue learning new skills!

March 3, 2023

This week we began our gymnastics unit by working on some skills on mats. We started the week off learning different travels (seal walk, troll walk, inchworm, etc). The students were very engaged and did well at being creative! Day 2 brought balances. We learned how important it is to squeeze our body and focus on something stationary. Students tried different point balances (how many body parts make contact with the floor). Some classes got the chance to create a short sequence with the travels and balances they had learned. Moving on to day 3, we worked on jumps! We spent the day on the mats learning the different shapes we can make in the air. All classes began with learning the safety landing (knees bent to absorb, arms out in front, feet shoulder width apart, chest up, and hold for 3 seconds). We emphasized how important this landing is, especially when we move on to Mission Impossible and the equipment that is used. All classes moved on to learning the pencil jump, star jump, and tuck jump. Div 2 students tried a ½ turn and full turn as well. Day 4 we did rolls and jumps off of the benches. All grades were introduced to the log roll(pencil roll), tuck rock and roll, and egg roll. Students were learning to engage their core muscles to be able to stand up from the rock and roll with no hands. The Div 2 students briefly learned the steps to a back shoulder roll. Working in a small station group, students performed rolls down the mat, monkey jumps or arm pulls on the benches, and then performed a pencil, star, or tuck jump and safety landing off the bench. Some classes got the chance to learn donkey kicks, donkey kicks with a sore leg and monkey jumps on the floor as lead up skills to handstands and cartwheels.

Overall, it was a great week of learning and the students are very excited for Mission Impossible in two weeks time!

Also as an FYI…

The Woodbine Parent Association is excited to launch our new website TODAY. On our site you will find our latest events, fundraisers, volunteer information and FAQs. Check it out!!!! https://woodbineparents.com

February 24, 2023

What a great week it has been despite the cold weather! We wrapped up our volleyball unit this week, and I have to say the improvement I have seen across all grades is amazing!!

Div 2 students have really been working on their underhand serving. They recognized that the time we spent in the fall refining our underhand throwing technique translates to this volleyball skill. We tried a quick serving warm up game called “Holes”, where they had to serve the ball into a hula hoop (hole). They were working on serving for accuracy. We then put all the skills we have learned (bump, volley, and serve) together and played some introductory games. Students learned how to properly rotate on the court and tried their best to get 3 hits before sending it back over.

We are fortunate at Woodbine School to have some softer bouncy volleyballs, so the K/1 students got to try some introductory skills to volleyball as well. They were fascinated with the volleyball nets being up, so of course we had to use them to throw balls over in a game called “Holes”. They also learned some basic steps on how to bump and volley the ball and had time to explore individually and with a partner.

The ⅔ students also used the softer volleyballs and learned how to bump, volley and also tried to underhand serve the ball over the net. There was a lot of progress made and students were really getting the hang of it.

Next week we are starting gymnastics! There should have been a SchoolMessenger notice that you received yesterday regarding some safety precautions and information. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out. My email is clbignell@cbe.ab.ca

February 10, 2023

Here are some highlights from the week:

We started our volleyball unit in Div 2. Students were introduced to the forearm pass (bump)
Div 2 students learned a new tag game called “Cat and Mouse Tag”
Div 1 students learned a game called “Luck of the Roll” where they moved around the gym performing a certain locomotor movement. They then had to choose a number to stand at and whatever number the dice landed on, those students would become the taggers!
Some div 1 students tried “Bean Bag Frenzy”

February 3, 2023

Here are some highlights from this week:

- K-3 students tried "6 Goal Hockey" where they worked together with their team to get the most amount of pucks and balls in their net

- Grade 6 students worked on their shooting accuracy with different targets set up around the gym

- Most classes played "Team Pin Knockover" where they tried to use the balls and pucks to knock over the other teams' pylons

- We divided the gym into 3 playing areas and classes participated in hockey games

- The remaining classes participated in our Wheelchair Basketball residency with Dr. David Legg

On February 1, 2023 we encourage everyone to get outside and active for at least 15 minutes in celebration of Winter Walk day!

Jan 27, 2023

In Phys-Ed this week, we were introduced to some Traditional Games played by the First Nations, Metis and Inuit People. Many classes participated in “Tatanka, Tatanka”, a chasing and fleeing game played to improve skills. We also participated in a variety of stations like the “One Foot High Kick”, “Kneel Jump”, “Sling Ball”, “The Bone Game”, among others. Students were able to read why the games were played and the skills they helped improve. For example, the “Bone Game” helped Blackfoot children learn to add and count.

On Wednesday, some students were introduced to sports for people experiencing disabilities. Dr. David Legg from MRU brought 6 wheelchairs for students to use, in addition to introducing them to the sport of “Goalball”. This is a sport for people who are visually impaired, as the ball has bells in it. We thank Dr. Legg for coming in and we look forward to having him back on Wednesday so the remaining classes will get a chance to participate.

January 20, 2023

This week we started our floor hockey unit. The K-3 students learned how to hold a hockey stick and practiced their stick handling in a stop and go activity. They then practiced “Stick Handling Through Traffic”, where students started at opposite ends of the gym and moved towards each other. This activity encouraged them to keep their heads up. Some groups tried “Gates”, where pylons were set up around the gym and they had to pass their puck through the “gate” with control. We then moved on to using the larger dodgeballs to practice this.

The 4-6 students practiced their stick handling as well. They moved into a game called “Wall to Wall”, we played both 1v1 and 2v2. Students had to trap their puck against the wall for 6 seconds for it to be counted as a point. We started some passing activities and will be working more on this in 2 weeks time. Some groups also tried “Knockout”, a game where they had to protect their puck and try to get someone else’s out of bounds.

January 13, 2023

Happy New Year everyone! We started the week off with introducing our Loose Parts Play program to all grade levels. We brought out the materials/equipment to the field and had the students use their creativity and imagination to build and play. We had things like suitcases, pots, pans, tires, rope, tarps, and much more for them to use. It was incredible to see what each class would come up with. Starting very soon, students will have the choice to participate in this program during their recess times. The equipment will be out for them to use their imagination to create their own type of playground, whether it be by themselves or with others.

Some other games we got to play this week included “Castaways” . Where students could not leave their island (mat) unless they were on a raft (scooter board). The object of the game was to knock down other teams’ pylons, while protecting theirs. This game was a lot of fun and encouraged everyone to participate in a variety of different roles. Some groups also played “Ice Age”, a tag type game where the only way they can be saved is if someone who is also frozen passes a ball. They were not allowed to move with a ball and in round 3, if they were tagged again while they had the ball, then that ball was out. Until there were no more balls and everyone became frozen.

December 16, 2022

This week we got into the festive spirit during Phys-Ed class. We finished day 8 of our “12 Days of Fitness”. The K-5 students learned a fun cooperative game called “Home Alone”. The K-3 students also tried out a game called the “Elf Switch”, where they had to make it to a hoop without it being taken. They were working hard and playing cooperatively.

Grades 4-6 students spent the week working on teamwork and cooperative holiday games. “Gingerbread House Throwdown” had them building “gingerbread house” out of hula hoops. They worked to communicate and take on different roles during this activity. It was a success. They also tried a fun cooperative game called “Polar Express” which had them moving around the gym in a group of 4 using hoops. Build 2, had them collecting toys and Build 3 had them delivering those toys to different “chimneys”. It was a great collaborative activity with an appropriate level of competitiveness!

December 9, 2022

This week the grade 4/5/6 students played 5v5 games in a round robin style tournament. They worked on putting all the skills we have learned the past 3 weeks into gameplay. There was lots of great passing, good communication and teamwork skills throughout the two days of game play.

The K/1’s got to try a game called “Helicopters”, where they ran from different coloured corners on command without getting tagged. They were working on staying on their feet, being aware of their surroundings, and being ready to move.

The ⅔ students tried a take on the “6 Wins Wins” shooting game. They were aiming for the hula hoop, backboard or net to score a point. Then, they got to try “Bucket Ball”, where we had 3v3 teams, trying to score on a bucket- it was a great way to get everyone playing at the same time and incorporating the skills we have been learning.

We also started the “12 Days of Fitness Challenge”, where everyday I put a new movement on the board and we are going to go all the way up to twelve!

December 2, 2022

This week we moved into learning how to shoot a basketball. Grade 4/5/6 students learned the BEEF acronym (Balance, Eyes, Elbow, Follow Through). We tried a shooting game called 6 Wins Wins. We then put everything we have learned together and tried some quick 3v3 and 4v4 games. We discussed what offensive and defensive strategies involve and they then were able to put that into practice. There was lots of good communication and passing going on!

The K/1’s were introduced to “Pizza” and “Cookie Jar”. For shooting, we used smaller and lighter balls so that they were able to have more success. We practiced shooting into buckets, and played a game called “Spot Shot Relay”, where they took turns with their partner and dribbled to a spot and took a shot into a bucket from that spot.

The ⅔’s were introduced to BEEF briefly, and know what “Pizza” and “Cookie Jar” means now. I put hula hoops over the basket, so that students could aim to shoot into a hula hoop instead of the high basket. The ⅔’s got to try “Spot Shot Relay”, but they had a choice of shooting into buckets, the net, or the hula hoop.

With only a few days of practice, the shooting technique of all grades has improved!

November 25, 2022

There has been so much improvement this week!

Grade 4/5/6 students learned the proper cues for both a chest and bounce pass. They practiced these by playing an activity called “Card Shark Passing” and by trying out the “Pass and Move Drill”. Some groups attempted the “3 Man Weave”, while others practiced passing and moving up the court. The grade ⅘’s also played an activity called “Dribbling Antics” which helped reinforce keeping their head up while dribbling and moving around.

The K/1’s tried a fun game called “Dribbling for Treasure”. They practiced taking turns, while attempting to dribble with one hand down to the treasure chest to collect their treasure. At the end, we practiced counting different coloured treasure items to tie in some math in the gym!

The ⅔’s and k/1’s got to try out “Inside, Outside, Around”, where they practiced dribbling with control using a hula hoop. They also attempted “101 Dalmatians”, where they used polyspots to dribble. The improvement in their dribbling compared to last week is amazing! The ⅔’s were also introduced to the cues for a chest and bounce pass!

November 18th, 2022

This week we started our basketball unit! Grade 4-6 students got the chance to work on their ball handling, and dribbling skills through follow the leader type activities, partner lap dribbling, dribbling with directions, and some got to try “Builders and Bulldozers” without losing control of their ball. We learned what it takes to make a controlled dribble:

Keeping your head, eyes and chest up
Keeping the ball at waist height
Using your fingerpads to make contact with the ball
Having a slight bend in the knees

Students in K/1 were practicing getting familiar with different types of balls. They were working on keeping their ball in control by bouncing and catching with 2 hands and 1 hand. They got to try “Red Light, Green Light” while moving and controlling their ball.

The ⅔ students also got the opportunity to work on their ball handling and start on their dribbling skills through follow the leader type activities. They tried partner lap dribbling and red light green light as well.

With just a couple days of practice, I have already seen so much improvement! Students are looking forward to moving into some passing and shooting work in the coming weeks!

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Ms. Bignell | Physical Education