Strawberry Point

Curriculum

Dynamic Physical Education for Elementary School Children  by Dr. Robert Pangrazi, whose work has transformed physical education programs throughout the country.  His textbook provides comprehensive instruction for 36 week, 30-minute lesson blocks and is aligned with the California State Physical Education Standards.

 

SPARK Physical Education Program.

SPARK PE was designed to be more inclusive, active, and fun than traditional PE classes, and SPARK has been proven to work with both physical education specialists and classroom teachers. Today, after lessons learned from more than 20 years of ongoing research and field testing nationwide, SPARK PE is one of the best physical education programs in the world – a true solution to our growing problem of overweight and obese children.

SPARK's Positive Effects: Tested and Proven

Today, over 45 publications have documented the positive effects of SPARK PE -- such as:

• Academic Achievement
• Increased moderate to vigorous physical activity in students (to over 50% of class time)
• Fitness achievement (as measured by the Fitnessgram test)
• Sport skills development (throw, catch, kick)
• Enjoyment of PE
• Improved teacher instruction (quantity and quality)
• SPARK effects are lasting (sustainability)

Clothing should be comfortable, practical, and appropriate for the weather. At Strawberry Point, PE teachers model wearing clothing that invites being active. If students wear dresses or skirts, we recommend wearing shorts, tights, or leggings underneath. The safest, best choice for footwear is sneakers. Sandals and crocks are adequate as long as they have a strap around the ankle. Not recommended: flip flops, clogs, or shoes with higher heels.

We instruct students to place their coats and jackets on the benches by the lost and found. This prevents students from tripping on outerwear left all over the playground.  The benches by lost and found are easily accessible and keep clothes dry overnight if students forget their belongings.

The Lap

Every PE class begins with students running/jogging ¼ of a mile in 4 minutes. There are many benefits to this routine:
•    It helps students transition from the classroom or library, which are right-brained environments, to the left-brained sphere of physical activity.
•    It readies all students for the day’s program, no matter which class they are arriving from, and it gives teachers time to break down and set up for a change in grade levels.
•    A sprint gives students a chance to release pent-up energy and be prepared to focus. The quick spike in heart rate helps reduce the effects of stress, which is important for students to develop physically, intellectually, and socially. Finally, a quick run improves classroom performance by stimulating the brain and increasing the ability to concentrate. For more information please see: http://www.davidkatzmd.com/docs/ABCManual.pdf

If Your Child Has a Medical Condition or Is Injured

Your student should carry a note to his/her PE class. Once the rest of the class has begun their lap, we will work with your student to make the best accommodation in a one-on-one environment.
Students with serious injuries go immediately to the office. For minor injuries, we keep Band-Aids in the shopping cart, which is on the playground during school hours and for use at recess too. Before going to the office, students should always check in with the P.E. teacher first, so that we are aware of the situation.

Restroom and Drinks

Students may use the restroom or get a drink at the beginning and end of class. Once the class is underway, students may use the restroom or get water without asking permission. We call the activity phase of class “during the doing.” We discourage students from using the restroom and getting drinks with friends because of time constraints. Students who bring water bottles should leave them on the office benches and use the same protocol.

Student Grouping and Multiple Classes

We change the seating order yearly and change the way we organize teams daily so that every student has a chance to collaborate with as many other students as possible. In this way, we foster social continuity, flexibility, tolerance, and respect.
Combining classes enables us to group students by interest and ability levels more easily. It helps with continuity on the playground at recess and gives classroom teachers time to do grade-level planning.

If You Have Questions

Please let us know if you have specific questions or concerns. We value communication with parents!