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Co-curricular Programs - Physical Education |
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The Physical Education program at High Meadows School is designed to introduce movement, fitness, and team sports skills to students in preschool through eighth grade. We use many types of activities and equipment to teach these skills and sports in P.E. The children are exposed to large group games, centers, partner and individual practice. Our P.E. program follows the state standards. While using these standards, and teaching movement, gross motor skills, and introducing several sports to the students, we also have multiple opportunities for character education. Teamwork and good sportsmanship are very important aspects of the High Meadows’ P.E. program. At the preschool level, children are engaged with many different activities during their weekly thirty-minute classes. They work on loco motor movements like walking, running, galloping, skipping, hopping, jumping, and leaping. They discover and practice gross motor skills like twisting, swaying, bending, curling, and stretching. Gross and loco motor skills are practiced through many types of games and activities such as an obstacle course. An abundance of safe objects are used to explore throwing, catching, aiming, and striking. A variety of balls and beanbags are used to explore throwing and catching. Students attempt to strike or kick both stationary and moving targets like balls of various sizes. As Preschool students exert themselves, they begin to realize that their heart is pumping harder and their breathing is faster. They learn that exercise helps them become healthier, and the heart gets stronger as a result of exercise. Along with practicing and exploring motor skills, preschool students are introduced to good sportsmanship. As the students move into primary grades, they continue to work on loco motor movements and gross motor skills through various large and small group activities. These students have P.E. twice weekly. They also begin to learn some basic skills and rules for sports such as basketball, flag football, and hockey. Teamwork and good sportsmanship are very important concepts practiced and reinforced at this level.
Elementary students have P.E. for forty-five minutes twice
weekly with their whole class. Students at this level have
mastered most
of the loco motor and gross movement skills. They are taught in
depth about the rules of certain sports, such as basketball,
flag football,
and hockey. In learning these rules, they begin to understand why
strategies or game plans are used to help teams work together to
win games. Simple tournaments are played, so they can demonstrate
their skills in each sport involving teamwork and leadership. Fitness
and a healthy lifestyle are also content areas that are introduced
and emphasized. | |
