Literature & Physical Education Inspiration + Perspiration

Diane Baker & Linda Genis, Santa Ana Unified School District
dbakerpe@mindspring.com, lagteacher@yahoo.com

Why use literature in physical education?

Stories capture the heart.

Emotional involvement motivates/inspires performance. Kinesthetic response increases retention. (Reported by Dr. John Ratey on "The Infinite Mind: Exercise and the Mind," October 24, 2001, http://www.theinfinitemind.com/mind189.htm.)

• Increased circulation to brain.
• Increased connections between neurons in brain.
• Increased release of neurotransmitters.
• Increased release of neurotrophic factors. (BDNF)

Taking time for physical education, art and music does not detract from academic achievement.

"...an education without art, music and physical education is an impoverished education leading to an impoverished society. (They) are time honored ways of learning, knowing and expressing." (Winner, E. & Hetland, L. 2001 "The arts and academic improvement: What the evidence shows" referenced in "The Effects of High-Stakes Testing on Elementary School Art, Music, and Physical Education" by George Graham, et. al, JOHPERD Vol. 73 No. 8, October 2002.)

Movement activities

*Warm ups- perform actions related to story in general space and incorporate movement concepts of pathway, speed, level, direction & force

S.H.O.E.S (See How Our Energy Shows) music & lyrics by Lee Campbell-Towell, a SPARK starter, p. 24

Individuals scattered in play area facing teacher

Do locomotor movements as cued within boundaries and move in random pathways.

How Can You Dance?

Individuals gathered close to teacher for looking and listening, then scattered in play area for movement

"How can you dance when one foot is sore?
Dance with the other foot on the floor!"

Children look & listen as the teacher reads, then hop in general space until stop signal. Continue through each page of the book. Sway, crab walk, etc.

Writing prompts:

K - Draw your shoe. Finish the sentence: I can ________ in my shoes.
1 - Look at your shoes. Write about getting new shoes. Where did you get them? Who took you shopping? How many pairs did you try on?
2 - Write a description of your shoes. Include details about the color and style. (After writing, students remove a shoe, exchange papers, and then try to match the paragraph to the shoe.)
Any grade - Draw or write about the P.E. activity in sequence.

*Creative Dramatics - act out a scene, a dilemma or entire story

I See I See (phrases from books as prompts) a SPARK starter, p. 2
Individuals scattered within play area

The teacher, or child who selects picture, says, "I see, I see..."
Everyone inquires, "What do you see?"
Player with the card reads the prompt and shows the picture. Children move as prompted until stop signal.

Writing Prompts
K - Draw a picture of an animal. Write the color and name of the animal.
1 - Draw a picture of an animal. Write what it looks like, when and where you saw it, and what it can do.
2 - Choose an animal from the story to research. Find out what the animal eats, where it lives, and describe it in detail.

*Ball games or skill practices with other manipulative object

• bean bag object pass
• hat (frisbee or plate) pass
• soccer partner practice (for inservice use sock balls)
• create new game from basic skill drill

Pass the Fritters, Critters, a SPARK beanbag game

Students in circles of 4-5 players pass one or more beanbags quickly around the circle. When the music stops switch direction. Precede group game with opportunity for children to explore catching beanbags individually and with a partner.
Can you...
toss and catch beanbag from hand to hand, foot to hand?
put a beanbag on your head or between feet then jump and catch it?
toss the beanbag, then clap or spin before catching?

Writing Prompt - Continue the rhyming pattern with other animals.

Got a Hat Hat, by Bob Schneider on the CD Country Kiddie Boogie.

Students scattered in general space, each with a paper plate (indoors) or frisbee. In response to music cues move plate up & down, side to side, around on head and trade with other student. Provide opportunity to throw frisbees or manipulate plates.

Writing Prompt:
K - Draw a picture of a hat you would like. Write words that tell what it looks like.
1 - Draw a fancy hat. Describe it and tell why you chose to make it the way it looks.
2 - Write a letter to the Queen telling her why you think you should be able to wear your chicken hat.

Soccer pass & dribble 2 players continuously kick & trap until player with ball commands " rumble rumble run away" and gives chase while dribbling.

Pass and Pass Back Players divided into groups of 4-5 students, each group with one ball. One player standing in front of group, passes to each player in turn and each passes back. Change leaders after all have caught pass. After performing basic skill drill, each group changes one or more element to create a unique game. Change:
formation, equipment, boundaries, action, relationship of players.

Writing prompts:

The Big Orange Splot Have students draw a picture of a house following your explicit directions. Students turn the paper over and draw their dream house, then write about their picture. (Modify for grade level)

The Chicken Sisters
K - Draw your favorite character. Label your picture.
1 - Write about your favorite character. Tell what they looked like and what they could do. Why did you like them?
2 - Write a letter to one of the sisters. Tell why you would like to be her friend.

*Tag games
adapt games that teach grade level standards

Remember to : share space, tag gently, follow rules, accelerate toward safe line/zig zag to avoid tagger, elude tagger in pursuit of goal

Third Bird Tag game invented by students in Frank Jones' class.
Several students are scattered in general space and standing on a poly spot with arms outstretched to form branches of trees. Remaining students are "birds" who fly around and sometimes flock into a tree. Two birds may perch in a tree, but when the 3rd bird arrives the first 2 must leave. The "hawks" attempt to tag "birds" that are not in a tree.

Blob Tag OC Daily Physical Education lesson plans, 1st grade, unit 6 # 18
Children are scattered within boundaries. Two people, the blob, join elbows or hands. The blob tries to tag other students. When tagged, the student hooks on to the blob. When there are four people hooked together, the blob splits in half and now there are two blobs to tag. Game continues until all students are blobs.

Writing prompt: Fold a paper in half like a book. On the front, write, "The Hungry Thing wanted ________." Inside, draw a picture of what he really wanted.

"It's Dinnertime,"

One student is the wolf who stands 50' from starting line with several little wolves. Remaining players, the "chickens," line up double arms' distance apart on opposite end of playing area. The chickens ask: "What time is it Grandma Wolf?" If grandma replies: "Two o'clock," the chickens take 2 steps toward wolves and repeat question. Grandma responds with a different time. When grandma responds, "Dinnertime" chickens turn and run back to starting line. Wolf and family give chase and attempt to tag chickens. Compare how many chickens are caught, how many are safe. Which is more? Repeat game with new wolves. Variation: Play in groups of four--3 chickens & a wolf. Each group has 2 cones to make safe line.

Writing prompt: (adjust for grade level) Think about what you do at school each day. Write about what you do at four different times. Use words like first, next, then, and later. Write which activity you like best and tell why.

Fox & Chicken Egg Tag

Choose 2-8 players to be taggers (chickens) who wear pinnies. Scatter 30 - 50 fluff balls (eggs) in playing area. Remaining players (foxes) begin outside boundaries. Foxes run onto field to pick up 1-2 eggs and carry (not throw) them back to foxes¹ den. When tagged. player must drop eggs and return to boundary before picking up more eggs.

Writing prompt: Write a report about chickens. Include how they look, what they eat, and how the mother hen cares for her chicks.

Thanksgiving Dinner without Turkey Divide class into 2 teams. One team, who will guess and chase, lines up on one end line. The other team, who will flee, makes a huddle and agrees on one food. They then face chasing team about 3' distant and chant, "The turkey ran away, what will you eat on thanksgiving day?" The chasers call out foods in a loud voice. When the fleers hear the food they chose, they all attempt to run safety at the opposite end of the field. Players who get tagged join the other team. Switch roles & continue play.

Writing prompts:
K - Draw and write about the game you played.
1 - Write about the game (or story) in sequence. Tell what happened first, next, then, later, and last. (Students and fold paper and draw sequence before writing.)
2 - Think about a time someone chased you. Why were they chasing you? How did you feel? How did you get away? What will you do next time?

*Parachute games & routines

incorporate imagery suggested by story into traditional activities
increase group cooperation and/or build fitness

Crocodile Snap
Children standing around edge of parachute. Assign each color group to be one of the animals (ducks elephants monkeys birds bears snakes). On signal all players grasp edge and lift parachute overhead. The teacher cues one group to let go and move underneath by reading their page. ("...the bears are clapping and dancing around..." As the parachute descends that group returns to their places and remaining students bring parachute down to waist. Repeat inflating chute for each animal group then add excitement: Choose 2-3 players to be the crocodile and one to be the lion. Crocodiles sit underneath chute in the center. Players lift chute on signal, one group lets go and skips around under chute. When the lion calls "Snap" the crocodiles attempt to tag animals before they return to places.

Bear & Chipmunks Before players inflate the chute the teacher picks one or more players to be the "bears." Players inflate chute and teacher signals several "chipmunks" to go under chute by calling a color group. On "Down" players bring chute to ground, chipmunks attempt to get out to their own places and bears crawl carefully on top of chute to catch a chipmunk under the chute.

*Dance & rhythmic movement
abstract ideas from stories
develop with attention to movement qualities
express in dance sequences

Movement with Streamers (pathways, speed, flow, level) Ribbon Dance
Explore moving streamer at various levels while stationary & traveling through general space at various speeds. Teacher guides exploration by selecting contrasting music segments. (brisk, slow, bumpy, flowing, accented, smooth, etc.) Posters of spatial designs also focus exploration.

Create a simple, group authored routine to interpret a story, event, celebration, gamut of feelings, etc. Students suggest shapes to make with streamers. Teacher assembles routine and designates how many times to repeat each move. Select music consistent with theme.

Movement with Lummi Sticks (rhythm patterns, directions )
Explore rhythm patterns suggested by stories. One partner plays a repeatable pattern. The 2nd partner repeats the pattern with non locomotor movements. Create marching routine in which children move in unison forward, backward, etc. and in place while striking lummi sticks.

Max Found Two Sticks Pinkney, Brian
17 Kings and 42 Elephants Mahy, Margaret

Object pass in rhythmical patterns---Traditional Children's Games
Children in Ghana strike stones on the ground and pass around the circle. Swedish children passed their shoes as they sang "I will pass my shoe from you to you, to you. I will pass my shoe and this is what I do." We will pass a shoe and add an element of fitness development. (OC Physical Education Daily Lesson Plans 1st grade unit 7 lesson #8. )

Children seated on carpet squares or clean, dry grass in one large circle and each holding a shoe in their right hand. Lie back on ground and tap shoe on ground behind. Chant, "one." Sit up and chant, "two." Pass shoe to the left under both legs to neighbor and chant, "Pass the shoe." Grasp new shoe in right hand, tap 2 times quickly and chant "Thank you!"

Many children's books invite interpretation in movement. Use basic locomotor and non locomotor patterns, enhanced by variations in levels, pathways, direction, force, flow and relationships between dancers to interpret ideas.

*Great games
apply movement skills in cooperative games that provide opportunity for children to learn strategies and tactics

The Collector, a SPARK bean bag game. Ask each student to bring one or more pairs of shoes (clean, with name written on the sole) to school for a special "shoe" day. Scatter the shoes in half the play area. Place hoops (one/3 players) on the end line opposite the shoes. On the start signal the first player on each team picks up one shoe, brings it back to team's hoop and tags next player in line. Continue until all shoes are collected. Each team determines how many pairs of shoes they collected. Scatter shoes to play again. Before starting each team predicts how many pairs they will collect this time. Play and compare actual score with prediction.

The Borrower Arrange hoops evenly spaced around a large circle. Divide shoes evenly among hoops and assign team of three players to each hoop. On the start signal each player goes to "borrow" a shoe from a neighbor's hoop and may only take one shoe at a time. On the stop signal, all freeze, drop any shoes they are holding on the ground, place hands on shoulders and return to their home hoops to listen to the sorting rule. Example: place shoes with white laces in the hoop/shoes with no laces or laces of another color out of hoop. Which is more? How many more? Other shoe sorting attributes: buckles, velcro, stripes, any black, slip ons, etc.

Shoes Galore--Indoors All children take off their shoes and place them in a pile in the center of the playing space. Assign each player to one corner. On start signal the teacher starts a stop watch and the first player on each team goes to pile, picks up one shoe (their own), returns to corner and tags next player in line. Continue until all the shoes are collected. When all players on a team have put their shoes on (including tying the laces) they clap in unison. As the teacher hears the claps she writes down that team's time on the stop watch. Take off shoes and mix them up in the middle to play again. Before playing each team predicts their finish time and compares results with prediction.

*Fitness
learn fitness concepts such as "pacing" while participating in vigorous activities

Lizard & Snake Form oval with cones and scatter poly spots inside. Divide into pairs. One partner has 2 scraps of paper or objects, (one black and one white). That player occupies a poly spot, and exercises in place. The other partner jogs perimeter of oval. On stop signal runner goes to any player on a spot and guesses which hand has the black object. If correct, that player gets to occupy the spot.

Other books to promote healthy eating and exercise are:

*Strategies & tips for Designing your own activities
Start from either end - have book, create or select appropriate movement activity or, have P.E. lesson, select relevant story.

• Pre read story one or more times
• Identify key words, meanings, sounds, rhythm, synonyms, links to known vocab.
• choose movement activity
  • in which everyone will be active most of the time developmentally appropriate for children's movement skills, responsibility level of class, social skills for which you have sufficient equipment (buy, beg or make it)

*Provide writing prompt for reflection, closure
The writing prompt should be specific enough so students know what end result should be. Share rubric before writing, not after.

• Begin with shared experience, book, pictures, etc.
• Provide time for oral language before proceeding to written language
• Provide time for pre-writing (create word bank, web, draw, outline)
• Provide assistance during writing time
• Allow students to share what they have written

Standards
Physical Education

Understands that physical activity provides opportunities for enjoyment, challenge, self-_expression, and social interaction. (NASPE #7)

The student will exhibit a physically active lifestyle and will understand that physical activity provides opportunities for enjoyment, challenge and self expression. (State Challenge Standards #4)

Students interpret language arts, science, or social science concepts through movement activities. (Region 9 content standard #9)

+ standards for specific movement skill themes

Reading-Language Arts (Reading/Language Arts Framework for CA Public Schools)
By grade four, students read one half million words annually, including a good representation of grade-level-appropriate narrative and expository text.
+standards for specific writing skills by grade level