Here you will find activities that go along with the Education Gymnastics unit I have prepared for students to participate in from the comfort of home.
1.) Copy Cats
Here are a few balance moves to try at home! I recommend using a yoga mat, gymnastics mat, or a soft carpeted surface to test these out. Always be aware of your surroundings and try to stay away from breakable items! If you are able to successful hold each of these poses for 5 seconds, why not challenge yourself to make it 10 seconds? If you've finished that you are encouraged to come up with some simple balances of your own and try to teach them to your parent/guardian or siblings!
Task cards are from the App "Balance It".
2.) Crabs and Crickets
-Students have a partner(s) and participate in a non-elimination game of Crabs (hands and feet on ground belly facing up) and Crickets (hands and feet on ground and belly facing down) where all crickets are it. -If a cricket tags a crab, then they each change roles. (crabs become crickets and vice versa) -Physical educators use formative assessment to determine appropriate skill specific feedback. -Depending on the group teacher should decide who the partners are, partners can be changed after a few minutes of game play. -Students are reminded that this is a tag game so there should be fast movements -Remind students to watch out so they don’t step on anyone’s fingers and so that their fingers do not get stepped on.
3. Let's Roll
Rolls should be done on a soft surface like a yoga mat, or a carpeted surface. All rolls should be done without spotting. Students should be supervised at all times and the importance of protecting their head and neck needs to be clear.
-Teacher sets the stage by asking students if they can think of 5 different ways to roll their bodies, allow a few minutes to chat with a partner, then ask a few to share. -Teacher then explains that there are many ways to roll our bodies but for this class we are just going to focus on a few. - Students listen to explanations and watch teacher demonstrate how to complete the following rolls: pencil/log roll, egg/tuck roll, dish/arched back roll, straddle/teddy bear roll, and bonus James Bond/Shoulder roll. -Students all attempt rolls for teacher to supervise. (ideally one at a time with small class sizes) -Students then break up into smaller groups to practice the new rolls and get more repetitions -Task cards available with picture cues to remind students what to do, and teacher is circulating to be sure students are following directions and safety procedures. -Bonus rolls can be done at home with discretion of parents but explain that we are not doing them in PE
4.) Balance Challenge Cards - Yoga
-Various yoga poses/balance poses are posted around the gym for students to circle through like stations. -12 poses put up around the gym, students will travel to each pose with a partner and attempt to teach each other how to hold that pose. -There are 12 poses, students should spend approximately 1 minute at each station teaching each other how to do the pose and helping to correct form. -Teacher circulates to see how students are doing. -instead of a timer, teacher will play music and pause it every 60 seconds, so students know to change stations. -buy the end of 15 minutes students should have visited each station and at least tried each pose.
5.) Partner Balances
-Students are shown partner balance task cards -Students partner up with someone that is about the same height as they are -In pairs students are asked to try the partner balances -Students are asked to try all of the balances they are comfortable with, but only while standing or sitting on the blue mats. (yoga mats from home) -When all cards have been attempted students are asked to take what they’ve practices and create a mini balance routine -Balance routines should be at least 5 different balances, either 1 person, yoga poses, or partner balances -Students can choose a song to perform their routine to -Routines may include choreography like arm movements, high fives, etc. -Students will be asked to perform their routines in front of the rest of the class -Students shouldn’t need much time to do this as all of the poses done so far are up on the walls to reference and it is only 5 poses.
6.) Balance Bingo
-Students will be split into groups of 4. Each group will be given one of the “balance bingo cards” (see attached) -In order to claim a space on the bingo card all group members must participate in the balance that is indicated on that space and hold for the count of 10 -Ex. To claim the middle space each group member must hold their favorite balance for 10 seconds!) -Goal is to get a full card in the given amount of time -If students are caught speeding through and not holding for 10 seconds they get a penalty and the whole team must run a lap before they can start again.
7.)How many ways across the mat (Challenge)
-Students are split into small groups and each group is given a blue mat. -Show the students one way to cross the mat (ex. Crawling) -Pose a challenge to students to see which group can come up with the most different ways to cross the mat. -Each group member will take turns coming up with a way to cross the mat. Each group member must take part. -When time is up each student will get to show their favorite way to cross the mat with the rest of the class.
8.) Cosmic Kids Yoga
-Students will spread out on yoga mats and follow along with the yoga instruction on the screen. -Teacher is not leading the yoga, therefore the teacher is able to float around and assess student’s participation and help to correct poses/or moves that are not being done correctly. (As is done by teacher in every class, with more opportunity to observe freed up by not leading the yoga) -Students are encouraged to try their best, students should not be corrected unless they are doing things in a way that is potentially harmful to them or others. -if there is a pose that many students are struggling with, pause the video and re-teach, explain, demonstrate, or advise students to skip that one. Use judgement, videos are intended for young children but still may be too difficult.