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Stay Positive at all Costs

“I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

What's your excuse for not moving today?

No EXCUSES! Click for today's motivation.

Follow Through

Today our kindergarteners got to take a swing at some 3 pin bowling. There was a lot of explaining to do, but after I got through how to hold the ball and our I CAN statement they were off and away.

Our next steps are to work on keeping their arm straight to increase accuracy, the concept of aiming and for me to get them lighter bowling balls (although the fingers holes were ok, the weight of the ball interrupted their swing). With a few 2 handed between the legs shots, some strikes and a whole lot of teamwork, all in all today was an outstanding day!

Will it make it?

Brooklyn Bowling

Hole in One!

"One advantage of bowling over golf is that you never lose a bowling ball." Ernie "Coach" Pantusso on Cheers

To catch you up, so far we have worked briefly on our approach, near mastered our free pendulum swing, have a good idea of what to do with our follow through and now are learning the ways of the lane. After our awesome "High Five Highway" instant activity we moved to our rug bowling lanes, that Maples Lane Bowling Center was kind enough to let us borrow. The students learned the purpose of each different marking on the lane, as well as the job rotation and proper technique to holding the bowling ball. With this knowledge they will move into practicing their bowling swing for next class, which will lead to 5 frame games where the students will practice scoring their own games without a machine. Grades 2-4 have really picked up our rotation quickly and have been making great strides from their swing to a 4 step approach. Rotations follow this order: Bowler moves to Bumper 1 moves to Bumper 2 moves to Pin Setter 1 moves to Pin Setter 2 moves to Ball Retriever who moves to the back of the line. The Bumpers keep the ball on the lane, the Pin Setters set the pins for the next bowler or frame, the Ball Retriever brings the ball back, holding it in 2 hands to the first person in line. More exciting pictures to come!

How bad do you want GREATNESS?

"Great moments are born from great opportunity...and that's what you have here, that's what you have earned here"

Instant Positive Movement = Instant Positive Change!

Today I went in with a new and needed approach: stern, but kind. My students need to know that I care about them and their ideas, but respect is paramount during Physical Education. Instead of coming in, shaking hands and me talking about our objectives to start the day, I want to start each lesson with instant movement. This new approach was brought on by restlessness in the beginning of class, some great college lectures and a refreshing and reflective talk with my brother. Alas, it worked! We used an adapted idea from PE guru Ben K called "High Five High Way", which is depicted above. As the students walk in they are assigned a partner to stand with or behind on a polyspot. A cone track has already been set out and their job is to run around this track, high five their partner and then stand, rest and wait on their polyspot, then repeat. They love it! Additionally, you can give them certain amounts of laps to do, set times, or different locomotor movements. Overall a great activity to get them moving and a great new start to our class. More on our new bowling lesson coming soon!

Aim, Swing and Bowl

This week we continue our bowling unit! After working on our free pendulum swing, we focused on accuracy with our "long distance" follow through. We warmed up with Go Food Wow Food Tag and moved to the next progression of 4 Square Bowling. Instead of 1 pin, we now attempted to knock over 3. The name "4 square" just eludes to the 4 tiles between their line cone and the pins. Several students have been astute enough already to suggest the idea of using the floor tiles as a means of guidance to aim with when attempting to knock down the pins. This will be our second full week of bowling. Our kindergarteners have been really successful with the rotation of the activity from line to bowler to helper back to the line. Our first graders have so much energy, I need to continually keep them moving and aim to add more fitness aspects to their bowling lesson. Our second graders are definitely ready for the holed bowling ball, as their movement with the gopher balls has hit its peak. Our 3rd and 4th graders are really looking forward to their Bowling Center Field trip later this month and will learn scoring and alley play next week! More to come on this exciting adventure! Always with passion and purpose :-)