Content Area: Health and Physical Education

 

Index: 2.5B Grade 2 CPI 2

 

Standard: 2.5 - Motor Skills

 

Strand: B -   Movement Concepts 

 

Cumulative Progress Indicator: 2 -  The student will explain how changes in direction, pathways and levels can alter movement.

 

Grade: 2

 

Sample Activities:

 

·        WINDMILLS - Ask students questions about the weather such as: “What does it feel like on a cold, windy day? a warm, breezy one?” Lead students to a discussion of the wind. After a brief discussion, ask if anyone knows what a windmill does. Show pictures or video of windmills. Direct students to find personal space in the play area, at least a full arms length from a classmate. Students sit and listen as you read a poem about windmills. Tell the students: “I want you to imagine that you are a windmill, just like in the poem.” Students interpret the poem, using movements at different levels and speeds. Read the following poem by Eunice Close:

 

 

     Variation: Students create a pinwheel. On a breezy day, students take the pinwheels outside, observe their action in the wind, and imitate the actions of their pinwheel. Return on a still day and have students make the same observations.

Variation: Explore the concepts of speed and level using kites instead of windmills. Students imitate the actions of a kite on a very breezy day and then on a quiet, still day. Share poems and stories about kites and have students act out the narratives.

 

·        ORIGINAL PARTNER DANCE - Using a 4/4 beat (drum, tambourine), each student creates an eight-count movement pattern. When the student can perform the eight-count pattern to the beat or music, create triads or pairs. Each member of the group teaches his/her movement pattern to the others. The result is a short dance pattern, consisting of two or three patterns. Students perform their dance creation.

 

      Variation: Combine groups to create a dance with four or six movement patterns. Allow students to select music, create costumes, and perform for their classmates.

 

      Variation: Require that each original dance pattern be performed in a circle or square formation and that partners must perform simultaneous movement.

 

·        STORY OBSTACLE COURSE - Create an obstacle course based on a familiar child’s story. Students act out the story using the obstacle course to experience changes in levels, directions, and pathways. The course assists students to establish physical and mental connections, understanding terms such as over, under, behind, in front of, near, and far. Use a story like “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” or any Winnie the Pooh story. Read the story aloud and discuss the actions of the characters. Then allow students to act out the story (e.g., crawling through a log, climbing or jumping a stream) using the simulated “forest and field” obstacle course. Focus on the changes in locomotor and nonlocomotor movements need-ed to navigate the course.

Variation: Create a circus obstacle course and have students portray the various circus characters and animal roles.

 

      Variation: Design an obstacle course that focuses on acquiring language skills, describing directions, levels, and pathways. Vary the elements of the course as well as the locomotor movements that provide transition from obstacle to obstacle. For example, students crawl low through a tunnel, walk
backwards on a balance beam, roll on mats, and climb cargo nets or climbing walls. Students perform designated locomotor movements such as skipping, hopping, or jogging between obstacles. Create large vocabulary cards and place them next to each obstacle to reinforce concepts such as
over, under, beside, and behind.

Variation: Design an obstacle course that allows students multiple opportunities to land and stick. Provide target areas for the landing and emphasize the need to flex the knees and hips as a means to absorb the force of the jump.