Mr Hossack’s PE classes begin the year in the Pool.  We will be having fun and learning this life long skill under the watchful eye of Coach George and his expert swim instructors. It should be fun.

Here is the information that was given to each kid.

SAS Elementary School Swimming Unit

BATHING SUITS:

Girls should wear a one-piece bathing suit.  Boys may wear Speedos, trunks or knee length Lycra suits; however, they should not wear bathing suits that are below their knees.  Please make sure the condition of your suit is suitable. To ensure that the children do not forget their bathing suits, all students can leave their suits hanging in a designated place at the pool.  When they arrive for their next lesson, the suits will be there, dry and waiting for them. Please clearly write your name on your bathing suit.

GOGGLES & CAPS:

Some students prefer to swim with goggles and some not. You can make do with basic, inexpensive goggles that are comfortable. Swimming caps should be worn by all students with long hair as it makes swimming comfortable and is much more practical. At the very least, long hair should be tied back. Again, the students will leave their goggles here at the pool until the swimming unit is complete. Please clearly write your name on the cap and goggles.

TOWELS:

Each class a clean towel is provided for all students participating in swimming.

SICKNESS:

It is our policy in the PE department that if a child is attending school, then they must participate in physical activity.  If you are well enough to be at school, then you are expected to participate in swimming.

This is a great opportunity for your child to receive professional and high quality instruction from a qualified and experienced aquatic staff, who will endeavor to provide a safe and friendly learning environment.  Swimming is a life skill!!

Some Photos

On June 4th the elementary school will have its Summer Sizzler (field day).  This is an exciting event where students will participate in many fun games and activities.  There will be a mix of team relays, individual track and field events, and fun activities that might involve water.    If  you want to come along as a parent and watch and cheer you welcome to join us.  The Lower Elementary (grades pre k to 2) will be starting at 8:30 on the elementary playground and the Upper Elementary (grades 3 to 5) will start at 12:35 on the field beside the track.

Students need to bring

• their house shirts

• a change of clothes and towel (they may get wet)

• a hat, sun screen

• a fun and positive attitude

Here is a tentative schedule of the days events.

SUMMER SIZZLER SCHEDULE

8:15 to 8:30   Gather on ES playground for starting instructions

8:30 to 10:30 Pre K, K, Grades 1, and Grades 2 move around from event to event.  There will be 10 events and all classes will move through each one.  Teachers will stay with their class as they move from event to event.

10:30 to 10:45  Clean up and gather for the whole school Tug-o-War.  If the Upper Elementary school is finished their celebration of learning then they can come out and watch the lower elementary Tug-o-war

10:45 to 11:00  Pre k and K Tug-o-War

11:00 to 11:15 Grade 1 and 2 Tug-o-War

11:15 to 11:30 Grade 3 Tug-O-war

11:30 to 11:45 Grade 4 Tug-o-War

11:45 to 12:00 Grade 5 Tug-o-War

12:00  to 12:30 Grade 5 Lunch

When the Lower Elementary classes are finished lunch they return to their classrooms to silent room or get ready for their Celebration of Learning.

The Upper Elementary will have to eat quickly and then be ready to start at their session 1 area

12:35 to 2:35 Grade 3’s, 4’s and 5’s will rotate around the twelve stations set up on the track and elementary school fields.

2:35 to 2:45 Clean up and go back to classes

The Elementary school has started their swim program.  Mr Hossack’s PE classes have been visiting the fantastic pool facility that was opened earlier in the year.  Each class is put through the Red Cross Swim Program under the watchful eye and highly skilled instructors.  Coach George, Coach Johnny, Coach Pat and Coach Suann have been instructing and getting the students to practice free style, breast stroke, rhythmic breathing, treading water, entries (including diving), water safety and proper use of the lifejacket.  The students have been fantastic and really improved over the three lessons.  I am positive that the last couple lessons will also bring many more new, exciting and fun learning experiences for the students.

Some interesting facts about the first round of swimming in the Elementary School

Only 4 students have not been able to participate for medical reasons.  I teach about 180 students.

Students have 4 fantastic swim instructors plus their PE teacher on deck.  Some of these instructors are Olympic caliber swimmers and have competed for their countries

An average lesson in the pool involves students  in the water for about 28 to 35 minutes depending how quickly the students get changed.

During their swim lessons student only need to bring their bathing suits the first lesson and then can leave them hanging to dry at the pool.  They also do not need to bring towels because they are provided by the pool.

Physical Education Online Work

Most states recommend that children should be getting 40 t0 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a day.  There is also a lot of research that shows being active at a high rate will help develop student’s ability to learn, prevent mental issues and even help with learning disabilities.

We must really think about this statement and work hard to remain active here at SAS.

Since you are currently at home on Holiday there is not a lot of work we can do to prepare for Soccer Day, but you can start to figure out what you like to do to remain active.

I want you to record any physical activity or exercise you do over the holiday.  Record what it is.  Record how long you did the activity. Record the intensity(how hard you were working) level of the activity.

Use a code of 1 to 10, with 1 being a slow walk—no sweating, heartbeat basically normal, a 5 being a little sweat, heartbeat beating fast but you can still talk.  A 10 would be full out sweating, panting and heartbeat racing

Do not worry too much about your ranking we will talk about this when we get back.

The main task is that you do some activity for at least 40 minutes each day!!!

We are finally able to use the great new facility that was completed in February.  My classes during their PE times will travel to the pool, get changed and put put through a fantastic Red Cross swimming program by the capable swim instructors.  Each class gets 5 sessions over the next two weeks.  It should be a fun, learning experience.  Here is the letter that was sent out to each student.

SAS-Pudong Elementary School Swimming Unit

Mr. Hossack’s Elementary School Students will be starting their swimming program on Thursday, May 6th during their PE lessons. This program will end on Wednesday, May 19th. This is a great opportunity for students to improve their swimming and water safety skills, while having a safe and enjoyable experience. Please read the following guidelines below so as to make sure you are ready to begin the swimming program:
BATHING SUITS:
Girls should wear a one-piece bathing suit.  Boys may wear Speedos, trunks or knee length Lycra suits; however, they should not wear bathing suits that are below their knees.  Please make sure the condition of your suit is suitable. T-Shirts are not allowed. To ensure that the children do not forget their bathing suits, all students can leave their suits hanging in a designated place at the pool.  When they arrive for their next lesson, the suits will be there, dry and waiting for them. Please clearly write your name on your bathing suit.

GOGGLES & CAPS:
Some students prefer to swim with goggles and some not. You can make do with basic, inexpensive goggles that are comfortable. Swimming Caps should be worn by all students with long hair as it makes swimming comfortable and is much more practical. At the very least, long hair should be tied back. Again, the students will leave their goggles here at the pool until the swimming unit is complete. Please clearly write your name on the cap and goggles.

TOWELS:
We are very fortunate on having clean towels for all our students.  Students do not need to bring their towels.  Towels are provided!

SICKNESS:
It is our policy in the PE department that if a child is attending school, then they must participate in physical activity.  If you are well enough to be at school, then you are expected to participate in swimming.

This is a great opportunity for your child to receive professional and high quality instruction from a qualified and experienced aquatic staff, who will endeavor to provide a safe and friendly learning environment.  Swimming is a life skill!!

For inquiries regarding this unit, feel free to contact the   Aquatic Director, George Carpouzis, or your PE Teacher.

George Carpouzis
Tel:  x3572
Email: george.carpouzis@saschina.org

IMPORTANT REMINDER FROM MR HOSSACK

With the small amount of time available during PE classes it will be important that students get to the meeting point (ES picnic tables) to walk over to the pool quickly from their last class.

It is again quickly coming to the time when SAS students from Grade 3 to 5 will run out onto the fields to engage other schools in the 2nd Soccer Day of the year.  Please feel free to come out and support your child’s class. It should be a lot of fun. For a reminder and some pictures of the last day in the fall please revisit this post

http://teachers.saschina.org/shossack/2009/09/28/soccer-day-3/

Here is the 4th Grades Schedule which will take place on May 11th from 9:45  to 1:30

4th Grade Elementary Soccer Days May 11th 2010

Here is the 5th Grade Schedule which will take place on May 12 from 9:45 to 1:30

5th Grade Elementary Soccer Days May12th

Here is the 3rd Grade Schedule which will take place on May 13th from 9:45 to 1:30

3rd Grade Elementary Soccer Days May 13th 2010

For all the Football/Gridiron fans or even for those people that just want to give it a go, there is a Punt, Pass and Kick competition at Concordia International Shanghai on Sunday April 11th.  There are a heap of age groups, even one for adults.

If you are interested please see the  details below:

Punt, Pass, and Kick Competition
Sponsored by
Shanghai American Football League

Sunday April 11th
Concordia International Shanghai
999 Mingyue Road, Jinqiao, Pudong

Age Group    Birth Date    Registration Time    Start Time
9 & Under    2001 & after    12:30    1:00
10/11    1999, 2000    12:30    1:00
12/13    1998, 1997    12:30    1:00
14/15    1996, 1995    1:30    2:00
16/17/18    1994-1992    1:30    2:00
Adult    1992 & before    1:30    2:00

Boys, girls, and adults compete in separate divisions.
Scores are based on distance and accuracy in Punting, Passing, and Kicking.
Cost: 50 rmb per child; 100 rmb per adult
Awards given to first place finishers in each group

E-mail safl2009hits@gmail.com with any inquiries

Every so often for our staff meetings we have a Teachers Teaching Teachers session.  The PE department thought it would be a good idea to show the teachers what it is like to be in a Elementary PE classroom.    Two weeks ago about 15 teachers attended a PE lesson after school where the participated in Parkour.  This is a new unit that we have tried this year.  It is called Urban Free Running and the basic principle is to move efficiently and creatively through your environment.  The students are on their second round of building their Parkour skills in the mat room.

Some of the basic skills in Parkour are rolling, balancing, jumping, landing, falling, tic-tacs and cat leaping.  It is a great sport because it builds endurance, strength, power, agility and flexibility.  Also it can be done anywhere and  cost veryt little.

Here is a video of the teachers doing the same course that grade 3’s to 5’s had done in the day.  Hope you enjoy it.

You are to design a Parkour course that will challenge you to use all the basic Parkour skills (Jumping, Landing, Rolling, Vaulting and Balancing).  It must have at least 4 sections to the course.  It also should get the user to link skills together and flow from one area of the course to the next.

Assignment:  Draw a map or diagram with captions to explain what is expected of people who do the course.  Remember to think that safety is an issue and explain the skill if you need to.  Very precise instructions and a list of equipment will help if we are to build your Parkour course.  If you need paper then come see me or get some from the scrap paper box in your classroom.  The diagram or map does not have to be perfect but you should be able to explain it.

You may use any of the equipment we have used over the two time in the mat room.  If you need more mats or wedges or think of something we don’t have put it in and we will try to workout how to build it.  Be creative and have some fun.  Remember to think about how we can make this safe for the users of your course.

List of Equipment

Mats

Hula Hoops

Trampoline

Wedge

Stairs

Balance beam small

Balance beam large

Ladder

Rope ladder

Bar

A frame ladders small (2)

A frame ladders Big (2)

Box horses (2)

Spring boards

foam balance beams

large land mats

Ropes

elastic cords

cones

and a lot more.  Be creative

Are you tired of the winter?  Is lunch recess getting you down?  Is House team in need of some points?

If any of these questions are answered with a yes then please JOIN in the fun.

Next week (March 15 to 19) at lunch recess(11:35 to 12:40) the elementary school will have the opportunity to participate in the WINTER WALK ABOUT.  Students will walk around a set course.  Each time they complete a lap the collect a stick which can then be put in to the house boxes.  These will be counted and totally to see which house walks the furthest. I hope all students get involved and make this a great house event.

Mr Hossack and the Grade 5 Leadership Team