Beginnings and Endings! Warm-ups and Cool-downs for Elementary Physical Education North Park Physical Education Margaret E. Robelee Beginnings Entry Message Marching Warm-up Poly spots with numbers ipad app - EDUCreations Music: Marching music Organization: Numbers are placed randomly on the floor. Students are met at the door to the gymnasium with an entry message using EDUCreations. The message reads: March around the numbers. Description: Students enter the gymnasium and march around the numbers to the music. When the music stops, students stop near the closest number. An exercise is chosen and students perform the exercise using the number on the poly spot. When the music starts, students continue to march. Locomotor movements can be changed. Entry messages can be changed to reflect other instant activities. Move and Freeze CD Brain Boogie Boosters by The Learning Station Music: Move and Freeze Organization: Students begin in a personal space in the gymnasium. Description: Students move when the music begins. Follow directions regarding moving and then freezing when the music stops.
Deck Workout ipad App Grade Level: 2-5 Deck Workout App ipad mini 3 Bucket to place ipad mini on top of. Music: Any upbeat music. Organization: Students begin in a circle in three different groups. Set up each ipad mini on a bucket in the middle of the group. Description: Students take turns going to the buckets in the center of the circle and swipe across to deal the next card. Students perform the exercise indicated on the card and then the next person swipes to deal the next card. Use one ipad and project the image on the wall using and LCD projector. Memory Match Memory Match Cards shapes and colors. Cards used in this presentation were purchased at Staples 6 color cones 6 buckets or hoops Music: Any upbeat music Organization: Students begin in 6 color group lines. Cards are scattered face down on the floor in the middle of the gym. Description: Each color line is assigned one shape to find as quickly as possible. Students take turns in their color group lines to move to the center of the gym and choose one memory match card. If the card matches the shape that they are assigned, they keep the card and place it in their bucket or hoop. If the card does not match, it is returned face down to the pile. Students are allowed to touch only one card per turn. When a teammate returns to the line, the next student goes to the center to choose another card. When all cards are found (number is dependent on the number of decks used) the group sits down. While this is not identified as a race, students are encouraged to complete the task quickly. After the first round teams move to the next shape in order and the next round begins.
Locomotor movements can be changed and students can be assigned a color to find rather than a shape. Barnyard Toss (adapted from Chicken Soup game) 6 color cones with matching laminated card attached to the top of the cone 6 color animals pigs, chickens, frogs, etc. Music: Any upbeat music Organization: Students begin in 6 color group circles near the center of the gymnasium. Matching color cones are placed diagonally away from the group near the edges of the gymnasium. Description: Each group is assigned one animal to toss. When the music begins students toss the animal underhand to the next person in the circle. When the music stops briefly, the student holding the animal must give it up and run to the matching color cone, touch the card, and return to the group. When the music begins again, students begin tossing. If a student is left alone, he/she tosses the animal to himself/herself until the group returns. Locomotor movements can be changed. Animals can be varied. Students can be paired. Animal Plate / Sport Plate Warm-Up Animal Paper Plates/Sport Plates made by Hefty Rainbow Track 6 Color buckets placed upside down. Music: Station to Station Music Organization: Students begin in 6 color group lines and stand outside of the rainbow track in a personal space facing counter-clockwise. One bucket is placed on each color line. 6 different Animal plates/sport Plates are placed on top of the buckets. Description: Students move around the rainbow when the music starts. When the music stops students move like the animal/sport that is closest. For example, if a student stops anywhere near the red color line, he/she moves like the animal/sport on top of the red bucket. Students must stay near the color line when completing the animal/sport movement.
Locomotor movements can be changed. Change the animal plates. Use sport plates instead. Students pretend to play the sport when the music stops. Animal Tracks 25-30 Laminated animal track cards placed in 6-8 buckets 12-14 Animal picture cards placed in cone pockets Music: Any upbeat music with animal themes. Organization: Students begin in 6 color group lines on the outer edges of the gymnasium. Buckets are placed spread out in the center of the gymnasium with animal track cards randomly placed in the buckets. Animal picture cards are placed on the outer edges of the gymnasium. Description: Students take turns going to the buckets in the center of the gymnasium to choose an animal track card. This card has a large picture of a track that an animal might make and a smaller picture identifying the animal. After choosing a card, students must find the animal picture card that matches the animal track card and then move like that animal to the animal picture card cone and then back to their starting place. Students return the card to the bucket before beginning their animal movement. Allow students to work in pairs. Use different animal picture cards Place the picture cards in different locations when repeating the warm-up. Card Suit Aerobics adapted from PE Central Lesson Ideas Laminated charts with card suits and associated locomotor movements using words and pictures 6 color cones with shoulder folder pockets 6 hoops 3 decks of playing cards Music: Any upbeat music Organization: Students begin in 6 color group lines behind the matching color cone with the laminated card charts facing out toward the rainbow track. Playing cards are placed in a pile in the hoop.
Description: Students take turns picking a card from the pile and matching the suit of the card to the action on the chart. Students then move around the rainbow track using the correct action for one lap. For example, a student picking a club of any kind would gallop around the rainbow track for one lap and then wait for his/her next turn. Wild cards can be included using the jokers. Students are encouraged to help each other determine the correct action using the chart. Uno Fitness Uno Cards (2 decks) Fitness Card identifying Uno color and corresponding exercise Wall pockets with six colors or buckets in six colors. Music: Any upbeat music Organization: Students begin in their designated color group area. Description: Students take turns choosing one Uno card and then match the color to the designated exercise on the Fitness Chart. After the exercise is completed, the card is placed in a discard pile and the next student chooses a card. Continue for approximately 3-5 minutes. Exercises can be changed. Choose one card at a time for kindergarten students and read the card for students. Alphabet Soup Alphabet letter tiles or cards with all letters of the alphabet represented Music: ABC by Michael Jackson Organization: Students begin in a personal space in the gymnasium. Letters are placed randomly on the floor. Description: Students move when the music begins to find letters by touching the letter with their hand. Students can spell their first and last names, spelling words, or PE words depending on the age level. Kindergarten students are often given a choice to find either random letters that they know or letters in their first name. Students can also be asked to make the letter sounds if they know them. Locomotor movements can be changed.
Rainbow Track Run Rainbow Track identified by floor tape and cones 6 cones with cone topper exercises Music: Station to Station Music available from mystationpe.com. This music includes various tracks of music alternating between time periods of music and silence. I use the 30 sec. music/15 sec. silence for this activity. Organization: Students partner up and choose a color line to sit behind. Students designate one partner to begin jogging and the other to begin stretching. Description: Students designated as the jogger begin jogging when the music starts. When the music stops, these students complete the cone topper exercise that is closest to them until the music begins again. For example, if a student is near the orange line when the music stops, he/she completes the exercise on the orange cone topper. At the same time, the other partner chooses a stretch to complete safely. After two laps around the rainbow, students switch places. Students must begin and end at their chosen color line without sliding. Locomotor movements can be changed. Students outside the rainbow track jog while students inside the rainbow complete a cone topper exercise. Use a different music track with different time designations. Locomotor Go Fish Laminated Signs with Locomotor movement names 6 color cones 6 hoops Letter cards with enough letters to spell exactly all six locomotor movements. Music: Any upbeat music Organization: Students begin in 6 color group lines. Each color cone contains one sign with a locomotor movement identified. Letter cards are scattered face down on the floor in the middle of the gym. Description: Students take turns to move to the center of the gymnasium and choose a letter card. Students move according to their locomotor movement sign. For example, the students behind the SKIP sign must skip to the center, students behind the GALLOP sign must gallop to the center, and so on. Students choose one letter when they reach the center. If the letter
matches a letter in their sign, they keep it and bring it back to the hoop in front of their cone. Students are encouraged to cooperate and help each other identify correct letters and place them on the floor in the correct order. If the letter does not match, it is placed face down in the center. Students may only choose one letter per turn. Students again use the correct locomotor movement to return to their group. The activity continues until all the letters are claimed and the words are spelled correctly. After one round is complete, students move to another movement and begin again. Students can be paired to help other students. Alphabet Stretch Adapted from Physical Best Activities Animal Letter tiles Rainbow Track 6 Color buckets placed upside down. Music: Station to Station Music Organization: Students begin in 6 color group lines and stand outside of the rainbow track in a personal space facing counter-clockwise. One bucket is placed on each color line. 6 different Alphabet tiles are placed on top of the buckets. Description: Students move around the rainbow when the music starts. When the music stops students make a body shape to look like the letter that is closest. For example, if a student stops anywhere near the red color line he/she makes a body shape like the letter on top of the red bucket. Students remain in the body shape until the music begins again. Locomotor movements can be changed. Change the alphabet tiles. Show Me How Hard You Worked Adapted from Physical Best none Organization: Students remain in the space where the warm-up has finished. Description: Students are asked to Show me how hard you worked by placing one hand on their heart and the other hand in the air which pumps open and closed based on the speed of his/her beating heart. If a student worked hard, his/her hand would be pumping quickly to show a fast beating heart.
Use small rubber hearts for students to squeeze Use this at the end of a stretching activity to show a slower heart beat when cooling down. Share-Count Stretching Endings 6 laminated stretching cards (Physical Best) Organization: Students begin in 6 color groups with one laminated card per group (Physical Best) Description: One student at a time is called upon to choose a stretch for the class to complete using the choices on the laminated stretching card. Students are shown how to do the stretch and then must Share-Count with the teacher. Share-Counting means that the teacher begins by counting One and students respond with Two, and this pattern is repeated until reaching Ten. If the teacher counts loudly the students respond loudly, if the teacher whispers, then the students whisper in response. When the stretch is completed, another student is chosen to choose a different stretch. Teach students to Share-Count in different languages Spanish, French, etc. Allow students to work in small groups and Share-Count with students as leaders. Allow students to teach the class to count in different languages. Many students that attend karate class know how to count in Korean. Clipboard Assessments 1 clipboard per color group 1 Laminated assessment per clipboard 1 washable marker per clipboard Organization: Students return to their color group lines and the Materials Manager is asked to get the necessary equipment for his/her group. Description: A review of the lesson is conducted. Students are then asked to complete the assessment on the clipboard as a group. Students take turns using the marker to indicate answers either in writing or by circling the correct answer. A group discussion is then held
regarding correct answers. Each Materials Manager is then asked to clean the assessment using a wet wipe or paper towel. Assessment Examples: Fitness Components o After completing a fitness circuit, students are asked to identify the fitness component that each station emphasized. Pathways o Students are asked to circle pictures that identify straight, curved, and zigzag pathways. Locomotor and other movements (Physical Best) o Students are asked to identify pictures that show a particular locomotor movement or movement quality. Balance o Students are asked to circle the pictures that show good balance o Students are asked to complete a face with a smile or frown based on answers to questions about their own ability to balance or teach others to balance. Allow younger students to identify correct answers by pointing to them. Use a fill in the blank assessment to answer questions about a particular skill or unit. Exit Slips Grade Level: 2-5 Small pieces of paper (quarter sheet) with a question and blank spaces for answers. Organization: Students return to color group area. Description: Choose one student to hand out pencils and paper to each member of the group. Read the question on the exit slip and ask students to write down their answer and turn it in. Use generic questions not specific to a particular unit and laminate the cards for reuse. Have students work in pairs to answer the questions verbally. For example Tell a friend one thing that you learned today. Assessment Boards using Post-it notes Grade Level: 2-5 1 laminated poster board per class Post-it sticky notes Pencils for students
Organization: Students return to their color group lines and the Materials Manager is asked to get the necessary equipment for his/her group. Description: Ask an assessment question related to the lesson by reading and posting the question(s). Ask students to answer the question(s) by writing down their answer on the laminated class poster board as they line up to exit the gymnasium. When all answers are posted, review the correct answers before students leave the gymnasium. Choose Your Face Self Reflection Hanging Wall Pocket with 4 pockets placed by the exit door 3 laminated faces Smiling or happy, thinking, sad 1 question at the top of the pocket Organization: Students are lined up to exit the gymnasium. Description: Students are reminded at the beginning and at the end of class about the Question in the Pocket. This question is based on either the school character education trait of the month, the focus of the lesson, or a particular need for improvement in behavior or learning. Upon exiting the gymnasium, students Choose their Face to self-assess their answer to the Question in the Pocket. Questions are changed periodically to reflect changes in activities. Question Examples: Did you TAKE TURNS in PE today? Did you COOPERATE in PE today? Were you HONEST in PE today? Did you SHOW RESPECT by using kind words and actions in PE today? Did you DO YOUR BEST in PE today? Did you DO THE RIGHT THING even when no one was watching in PE today? Did you MOVE SAFELY in PE today? Did you PLAY FAIR in PE today? Resources: Ipad apps EDUCreations, Deck Workout, Team Shake, Comic Life Physical Best PE Central The Learning Station SPARK/Sportime