Orientation Lessons

This skill development section focuses on PE classroom protocols, team building, and safe moving.

Prepare:

• Remind students that playing is a part of PE, but that when we play in PE, we are doing it with a purpose (goal). Ask them if they remember what one of our main goals is when we are playing in PE (to learn to move in new and challenging ways to become more confident with our moving skills).
• Explain that when we play today, we will be practicing our teamwork. Ask students if they recall being in teams and practicing teamwork last year during PE. Remind them that being in teams helps us to stay organized and gives us the chance to work together in PE.

Explain/Demonstrate:

• Explain to students that you will be positioning them into their teams.
• Explain that after being placed into teams, they will all play a game to help them recall their new team name and the names of their teammates so they can better work together.
• Explain that they will also be using the safe moving skills that they have practiced with you.

Practice:

• Show students where the team positions are located.
• Point out how their team position will give them their own personal space where they will begin PE class.
• Review strong/self-controlled Stand and Freeze and Sit and Freeze that they practiced during last PE time.
• Tell them that when they get into their team spot they should show you a Stand and Freeze or Sit and Freeze with self-control.
• Remind them how they can show you they are ready to listen and learn.
• Call aloud each student’s team position. Show and direct them to their position.
• Practice having them move safely to a sideline and back to their position three times so that they become accustomed to their new spot.

Review:

• Ask students what they will do differently if they are holding equipment when a freeze is called out (put equipment down first, then freeze). Call on a few students to share.
• Reinforce that these are their special positions that they will go to at the start of each PE class to show they are ready to listen and learn.

Transition:

Call aloud for each team to move to one of the gym sidelines and show a standing position.

Sideline to Sideline Safe Moving Tag

This activity combines using common age-appropriate locomotor skills with familiarizing students to the various areas of the activity space (e.g., the gym) while reviewing Body Control as a safe way they are expected to move in PE.

• Explain to students that this activity called Sideline to Sideline Safe Moving Tag, will help them remember their team name and practice using safe moving skills and teamwork.
• Remind them that Body Control is standing strong, being in control of their body, and not bumping or banging into things or other people.

Procedure:

1. Direct students to line up on either sideline and stand an arm’s length apart from the next person.
2. Explain that when their team name is called, they will try to move safely from one sideline to the other without being tagged. If they are tagged, students must Stand and Freeze with one hand up in a “high five” position. They may return to the game when another team member gives them a “high five.”
3. Model how to freeze in position when tagged and how to “high five” someone to unfreeze them.
4. Choose two students to volunteer as “taggers.” Instruct them to stand in the center of the activity space. Explain that they will each be given a foam stick or a vest/pinnie to identify them as taggers.
5. Demonstrate safe tagging with volunteers by using the foam stick or your hands to lightly tap them on the arm or leg. Have volunteers practice with each other.
6. Explain to students that they will need to Stand and Freeze in place until you say, go, (team name), then move quickly with Body Control to the opposite side without being tagged.
7. Start music and begin activity by calling out, go, (team name). Students on the team called should attempt to move quickly from one sideline to the other.
8. Continue playing for 3-5 minutes, calling each team name to give students many opportunities to practice safe moving skills and team name recognition. Students may need encouragement and reminders to run when their team name is called since this may be their first exposure to this type of game.
9. Verbally remind students to show off their teamwork skills by helping their team members who have been tagged and high fiving them to unfreeze them.

Transition:

Instruct students to move safely to their team area and stand in a Stand and Freeze position.

Stretch and Breathe

Procedure:

1. Instruct students to stand tall and strong on the center circle and take two big steps back.
2. Show them how to reach their arms high to the sky like branches of a tree.
3. Have students stretch high and wide with you. Hold each stretch for 20 counts.
4. Instruct students to breathe in slowly and deeply and then breathe all their air out slowly while they stretch down low toward their toes.
5. Hold this position for 20 counts. Count out loud together.
6. Add instruction for students to breathe in slowly through their nose and then out slowly through their mouth.
7. Have students repeat Up High to the Sky then Down Low to the Ground on their own. Hold each for 20 counts.

Transition:

Remind students where to line up to leave. Instruct them to use Body Control to move to the line when you call out their team name. Call each team name and allow students time to move from their team area to the exit.

When students are lined up, quiet, and showing body control:

Check for Understanding:

• Ask students what the long name for this class is called (Physical Education). Have all repeat it.
• Ask what the short name of this class is called (PE). Have all repeat it.
• Ask them to share some of the reasons being active during the school day and while not in school is good for us (builds heart power, makes our bodies and brains stronger, helps us feel confident). Call on a few students to answer.

Celebratory Closure:

• Call out in a celebratory voice and have students repeat after each line.

Say: Repeat after me.

Teamwork, teamwork [repeat]

Let’s try to use teamwork! [repeat]

Homework:

Ask students if any of them asked an adult at home what their favorite way to move was when they were in PE. Call on a few students to share some of their answers. Encourage students to try to use teamwork in some way in the classroom or at home today.