The winter months have taken most of you indoors for a few lessons. Why not make the most of it? I know it's a drag, but this time comes every year, so we might as well do everything we can to ensure our students get the most out of their time spent in class.

This month we take a look at how to use literature in our physical education classes. Also, check out the game submitted by Howie Weiss, called Scrabble Fitness, this one should challenge your students.

And it's that time of year where we make promises to ourselves that we are really never going to keep. Have you figured out why our New Year's Resolutions only last three weeks in to the New Year and then it's back to our old routines? Well not this year! Right? Take a look at just how easy it is to keep your promises and resolutions to yourself. This year, you're going to make it happen!

Have a great January!!!

Lloyd Gage
Interdisciplinary Section Editor

Susan J. Jones -Grow Brains

Playing with a Purpose

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Gym Marketing for Dummies

Determined that this year you'll keep those New Year's Resolutions? Here are a few goal setting tips to get you started!

Don't Try Everything at Once! There's a temptation, with the New Year, to run off a list of everything we've ever wanted to change. Don't fall for it! You'll have better luck fulfilling one or two goals than you will with a list of fifty. You can always add new resolutions to your list later. Take one thing at a time.

Word it Carefully. Let's say your resolution is to relax more in the coming year. Word this carefully. Try not to think of it as "This year I am going to relax." That's a stress-inducer waiting to happen. It forces you into thinking of the resolution as something you must do, not something you want to do. Try to make it sound a little gentler: "This year I'm going to explore different ways of relaxing." It also suggests more of a plan—you'll fulfill the resolution by experimenting with relaxation techniques. The first resolution sounds as if you're going to force yourself to relax by sheer willpower.

Make a Plan. Once you know what your resolution is, try to break it down. Nobody accomplishes anything of significance by trying to do it all at once. This doesn't have to be a complicated plan; just brainstorm enough to give you a place to start.

For relaxing, you might devise a plan like this:
1) Surf the Internet to find different relaxation techniques.
2) Make a list of all the techniques that interest you.
3) Pick one of these techniques—meditation, progressive relaxation or self-hypnosis, for instance—and try one for a month.
4) Try a different technique every month until you find one you like.

Write it Down. Write down your resolution and your plan of action. Stick it up on the fridge, in your locker, wherever you know you'll see it. That way you'll have a constant reminder of the resolution. You may want to change the wording as time passes and your goal changes.

Click Here to see more info regarding new years resolutions

Scrabble Fitness

Equipment: 75 or more index cards, cardboard squares, or tennis balls with individual letters written on each; one hoop for each team.

The game:

• Scatter the index cards face down in the center circle of the gymnasium.
• Divide the class into teams of three, four, or five.
• Give each team one hoop.
• Place the hoops around the center circle 15 to 20 feet away from the middle.
• The teams establish an order of running.
• On the go signal, the first person from each team runs to the center circle, picks one card without looking at the letter, runs back, hands the card to the next runner. This runner must place the card inside the hoop before he/she can run and get the next card.
• The rest of the team can take the card out of the hoop and begin to try to form words.
• The words can be formed as in Scrabble by using the letters both up and down.
• When all the letters are gone from the center, give each team one-minute to complete their words.
• The team with the most words is the winner of that round.

Variations:

1. Place point values on letters as in Scrabble. Add up the points.
2. Give more points for longer words. For example, one point for each letter used in a word. Therefore, a five-letter word gets five points.
3. Scatter tennis balls with letters written on them all over the gymnasium or play area. All players may move at the same time. Each player can only pick up one letter at a time. He/she must place that ball inside his/her team's hoop before searching for a new letter. When all the tennis balls are in the hoops, players are given three to five minutes to make as many words as possible. Repeat round.
4. Instead of letters, place facts or statements on the cards. Players find designated facts and place them in order. If the team does not need the card, the player leaves it face down, does one jumping jack, and returns to tag the next team member.
5. Give out paragraphs with missing words. Players find the missing words.

This Game Came From Howie Weiss