Some Equipment Ideas

If you're like me, you get dozens of equipment catalogs every year.  Those PE catalogs are full of things that look and sound good but in reality aren't.  Some of it is poorly made, of limited utility, or simply doesn't work very well for the purpose for which is was designed.  Other stuff turns out better than expected.  The question is, how do you figure out which is which?

One way is to simply buy it and try it.  However, in these days of limited budgets, this is probably not very cost effective, especially if you buy a piece of equipment that lasts a week. So, in hopes of saving you time and money, here are a few equipment suggestions that you may not have considered but which I've found to be particularly valuable for my PE program.   The items on the list have proven to be some combination of the following:

• Durable
• Help students succeed
• Economical
• Usable in multiple activities

1.  The Sportimemax Soccer Ball
 These are the best balls I know of for playing soccer on asphalt.  They have a cellular rubber (rubber with air pockets in it) skin, which simulates a padded sewn on skin.  The result is a ball which is much softer than a rubber ball.  It feels similar to a sewn ball but without seams that rip.  Very durable; I have some that are 6 years old.

Available from Sportime, http://store.schoolspecialtyonline.net, in sets of 6 balls (size 4, $52.99), (size 5, 59.99). 

2.  Size 1 or Mini Soccer Balls
These are great for throwing games because they are big enough to catch easily, not too big to throw and have a soft feel.  I use them for Speedball (a great lead up game I'll write about in another post), Team Handball and Capture the Flag.  As an added bonus, these are available in the national colors of most World Cup participants.  Balls by Nike are available locally at Sports Authority or Nike outlets.  World Cup balls like the Brazil ball pictured here are available from World Soccer Shop, www.worldsoccershop.com.

All varieties are $9.99 each

3. Lightweight Volleyballs.
These weigh 30% less than a regular volleyball, making them well suited to elementary school aged kids.  The ball pictured here is from S&S Worldwide, but similar products can be found from other vendors.  This one features a foam rubber outer layer to reduce the sting that comes from making the forearm pass.

$9.49 from S&S

4.  Deluxe Beaded Jump Ropes
Vinyl jump ropes get stiff in cold weather and are too light for double dutch.  Segmented jump ropes aren't durable because the plastic segments break.  This rope is a nice solution.  It has a piece of surgical tubing in the middle, right where the rope contacts the ground so the plastic segments don't.  Great for double dutch.

From Gym Closet. 7' rope, $4.75, 8', $5.50, 9'', $5.95, 16', $8.75.  Discounts available if you buy 12 or more.

5.  Aerobie Super Disc
These are great confidence builders because they are easy to throw long and straight.  They also have soft edges that make them easy to catch and don't chafe hands from repeated throwing.  I use them for Ultimate Disc and Disc Golf.  Btw:  If you don't already do so, I encourage you to teach an Ultimate Disc unit.  This sport neutralizes the experience advantage some kids have over others in such sports as soccer and baseball because this sport has no organized youth leagues.  Everyone starts at the same level.  Results can be surprising.  Kids who don't shine in other units are stars in this one.

$9.99 ea from various locations

6.  The Voit Enduro CS3 Kickball

These balls are more expensive than a regular playground ball, but they aren't called "Enduro" for nothing.  I have 2 of them and they've lasted all year.   Regular rubber playground balls puncture or go out of round in weeks.  These will last until the cover wears out.

$9.49 ea / various locations

7.  Hockey Stick Replacement Blades
Do your Cosom hockey sticks look more like scythes?  Well, here's a cheap way to make those sticks work like new.  Available in Red, Yellow and Blue.

$3.40 ea from S&S, Inasco or Gopher

8. Propuck Roller Hockey Pucks
Best puck I've found for pivot puck.  Heavier than most puck with "glide pegs" for stability.  Slide smoothly over rough surfaces without tipping up onto their sides.  Available in 5 colors.

$5.95 ea from www.inlinewarehouse.com

9.  The Sony Explod CFDG505BLA Boombox

If you can't afford a monster PA system like Bain's, this is a reasonable alternative.  Good clean loud sound with two level subwoofer. Plays cd's, cassettes (anyone still use those?) and MP3 players through an Aux jack.

$109.99 from various locations.

If any of you have a favorite piece of equipment, be sure to let us know.

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Stories 'n stuff with Mr T: Fit or Fat?

Stories 'n stuff with Mr T: Fit or Fat?

Mill Valley Middle School 7th Grade Girls Basketball

This is one of the things I did last winter.....

Stories 'n stuff with Mr T: Basic Team Offense

Stories 'n stuff with Mr T: Basic Team Offense

thanks this will really be great.

Andrew :-)

How Full is Your Bucket? a followup

At our first staff meeting this year, I talked about concept of the bucket, how the kids took to it and the positive effect it had on my students. The question in my mind at that time was, will this have a lasting effect?

Six months later, I can tell you that the bucket concept is one that, as they say in show business, has legs.

Teaching kids about their buckets and how to keep it and those of others full is not a panacea. I'm not going to tell you that everybody gets along, for they don't, or that we never have disagreements on the playground or in P.E., for we do.

But, I can tell you that the number of conflicts that we have is reduced, those that we have are resolved quickly and don't have the long term repercussions they might have had in the past. The bucket concept has something, maybe a lot, to do with this.

I believe that this is because the bucket concept does two things for the kids.

1. it gives them a common vocabulary. The bucket is a way to objectify feelings.  Now, when one child tells another that s/he is "emptying my bucket", the other kid can consider her/his actions without taking the comment personally and hopefully, without getting defensive.


2. it teaches children to see things from the other person's perspective. Children are, by nature self-absorbed and egocentric, seeing the world only in terms of how it affects them. Most people don't develop a true sense of empathy or compassion until they are in their late teens/early 20's. The bucket concept accelerates this.

The caveat: Just as with any other lesson we try to teach, the bucket concept needs to be revisited and repeated and practiced many times before it becomes ingrained. If we just talk about it once or twice, the kids will take to the idea and practice it for a week or two then go back to their old ways. If, on the other hand, we repeat the lesson throughout the year, then expand it by tying it into other social skills we teach ("respect is a good way to keep buckets full"), positive social behavior starts to become second nature.

The bucket filling concept serves as a starting point to more specific character ed lessons.

Whenever I start to see behavior degrade on the playground or in P.E., I revisit the bucket concept. I do this by asking a couple of questions or telling a story or sometimes, by reading a book. I don't talk about buckets specifically, but use the moment to talk about more specific social skills like honesty or responsibility. I always conclude these sessions with a question and answer period. When I talk about specific social skills, like encouragement, someone will blurt out something like, "that's a good way to fill buckets!"

We recently concluded our annual hockey tournament.  For this unit, each class had its own tournament during P.E.. After the class's team standings were determined, 5th grade classes played an inter-class tournament at lunch with opponents determined by class standing (1st place in class A played 4th place in class B, etc.). This was a highly competitive situation that went on for almost 2 months.

Historically, when kids play one sport on the same team against the same opponents for such a long time, tolerance and tempers grow short and the competition deteriorates into a series of arguments. This year's 5th grade hockey session was the longest I ever ran.  As the number postponements due to weather and replays due to tie games mounted, I braced myself for increased levels of unruly behavior.  It never happened.   In fact, throughout the course of the entire tournament, we didn't have a single argument.

Instead, what I saw were hockey teams whose prowess grew steadily throughout the tournament.  With only a couple of minor exceptions, teammates were very supportive of one another.  This allowed kids to play freely and without fear of insult or ridicule.  This resulted in extremely cohesive teams and a very high level of unselfish play. 

In the classroom, 5th graders are currently in the midst of presenting "how to" speeches to their classmates. Students choose their own subject, then present it to their class. This can be pretty traumatic for shy students. The behavior of listening classmates can make this experience more or less difficult for the speaker.

This year, I'm told, the behavior of the listeners has been very supportive, particularly towards those speakers who seem hesitant or less confident.

It appears that the bucket idea is being taken to heart.

Broomball and Bananagrams - 2 More Rainy Day Activities

Looks like we're in for a true wet El Nino winter. In case you run out of things to do, here are two ideas.

Broomball

This is hockey with brooms. I use 40" long lobby brooms, cones as goal markers and Gator Skin or equivalent balls. The brooms come from Home Depot Supply. They cost $8.99 for a 2 pack.



I divide small classes into two teams, large classes into four. For two team games, one ball is used and the field is divided into thirds. Players are assigned numbers (1-3) and numbers are assigned positions. At the beginning of a game, for examples, 1's are forwards, 2's are midfielders and 3's are defenders. Each position is confined to its 1/3 of the field in order to reduce congestion and increase striking opportunities. After a certain period of time, everyone rotates to a new position.

In a four team game, each team has its own goal to defend and a uniquely colored ball. A team may only score with its own ball, but must defend against all other balls.

Bananagrams is a word game that uses letter tiles but no board. Player work independently of one another. Instead of a common word grid, each player constructs his/her own crossword grid. As in Scrabble, every letter placed must connect with another and each vertical and horizontal row must spell a word.



I divide the class into four groups, each with their own Bananagram game. We then play it one of two ways; every player for her/himself or with pairs playing against other pairs. You'll be surprised at some of the words the kids come up with.

Two Rainy Day Activities - The Paper Chain and Skittles Challenges

Here are two team building activities that can be done when your classes are confined to their rooms on a rainy day:

1. The Paper Chain Challenge

• Divide class into 4 teams
• Provide each team with the following:
• 10 sheets of writing paper (I usually get this out of recycling), a sheet of mailing labels (a 100 sheet box costs about $13 at Staples) and a pair of scissors
• The Challenge:
• To build the longest paper chain in 10 minutes
• Teams have 2 minutes to plan, 10 minutes to build.  Teams must start each and finish each segment together
• The Catch:  
• Students may only use one arm.
• Rules violations result in time penalties.
  

The longest chain I've seen constructed was 24' long.

2.  The Skittles Challenge

• Divide the class into four teams
• Provide each team with the following:
• A bowl, or some other wide mouthed container, a blindfold, 5 different colored sheet of construction paper (I use foam pads from Michael's) and approximately 2 oz. of Skittles (32 oz bag of Skittles, $6, 2 oz scoop)
• Set the bowl containing the Skittles at one end of the challenge course and the construction paper at the opposite end.
  
• The Challenge:
• To sort the skittles by transporting them, one at a time, from the bowl to the appropriate colored sheet of paper
• The sorter is blindfolded.  Other teammates serve as guides
• Teams have 2 minutes to plan, 10 minutes to sort.
  
• The Catch:
• Guides may not use any form of oral communication
• Guides may not touch the sorter.
• Touching the sorter or use of oral communication results in time penalties
• Peeking from the blindfold results in disqualification.
  
• Scoring:
• Teams are awarded 5 points for every correctly sorted Skittle, but lose 5 points for every incorrectly sorted skittle.
• Bonus:  
• Kids divvy up, then eat the Skittles at the end of the challenge

Enjoy!

"Survivor" Team Challenges

Twice each school year, my classes do a week of team challenges. I call them “Survivor” weeks after the TV show. We do this on the first full week of school and on the first week after winter recess.

I’ve been doing this for about 8 years now. I’ve found it to be a really valuable way for me to establish, without a lot of lecturing, my standards for class behavior and serves as an introduction to character education.

Teaching the kids the value of teamwork is the obvious intent of this unit, but the actual benefits of it go much further than this. In a normal team game setting, the best athletes usually control the action. In Survivor, every child gets a chance to make a valuable contribution. This can give kids a great boost to their self-esteem and to their social standing.

For example, I once had one 3rd grade student who visibly flinched every time I called her name. She hated attention, always thought she was in trouble when I called on her and was the victim of bullying classmates.

By 5th grade her self-confidence had soared and she’d become an undisputed class leader. Her survivor experience wasn’t the sole reason for this, but it undoubtedly helped, for it seemed that she was always on the most successful team. Her ability to find creative, innovative solutions to challenges, and her willingness to share credit and accept fault was so pronounced that her teammates developed complete faith in her judgment.

Survivor works best with teams of 5 – 7 students. That usually translates into 3 teams for 3rd grade classes and 4 teams for 4th and 5th grade classes.

3rd grade students first experience Survivor with fairly simple to understand challenges like Pipeline or the Maze. I present the class with several challenges at once and let the teams complete them in any order.

See this slideshow for more details (click on pictures to enlarge):



4th and 5th grade classes are given one challenge per day. These are usually multiple part challenges. The first part is usually a physical challenge while the second part is a mental challenge. All four teams race to complete the challenge first. All challenges require teams to plan, communicate and cooperate for successful completion.

Here are some samples (see photo captions for challenge instructions):

A Knot Tying / Puzzle Challenge



Multiple Team Island Hopping



A Scooter Relay / Puzzle Challenge



A Maze / Tangram Challenge



Launcher Challenges



Travel Log Obstacle Course



Hope you can use some of these or that they inspire you to create your own.  They can take time to set up, but are well worth the time and effort.

The Tower Challenge

If my PE classes are confined to their classrooms, I will often give them a team challenge. I’ve used these challenges for grades 3 thru 5 with great success, because they encourage cooperation, collaboration and creative thinking. Each challenge must be completed within a specific time frame. This adds an element of urgency and a sense of competition to the challenges.

I use each challenge only once per year, but repeat them from year to year. This allows kids to learn from their previous experience with the challenges, which often results in new solutions.

The first challenge I use each year is what I call the Tower Challenge. Here’s how it works:

1. Divide the class into 4 teams.
2. Provide each team with one newspaper (my school gets the Marin I.J. everyday. Hardly anyone reads it, so I keep them) and one roll of masking tape.
3. Describe the challenge:
• Using only the newspaper and the tape, build the tallest structure you can.
• Teams will have 2 minutes to plan and 10 minutes to build
• At the end of the period, the team which builds the tallest structure that can stand on its own for 30 seconds will win.
• The tape may be used only to hold the structure together. It may not be uses to attach the structure to anything. In fact, the structure cannot be attached to the surface on which it is built, overhead wires or anything else. Teams may not build their structures around anything, such as a pencil box, in an effort to make it stronger.
4. Do not allow the teams to touch any of their equipment until the building period begins.
5. Teams which break rules will receive a time penalty in which they will be forced to stop building for a specified period of time.
6. Once everyone understands the rules begin the challenge.
7. At the end of the building period, have everyone step away from their structures.
8. Measure the structures, announce the height of the winning structure (the tallest I’ve seen was 52 inches, but I’ve had winners as short as 18 inches.
9. Debrief – have the kids share their successful ideas.

Click on image to enlarge.