Content Area: Health and Physical Education

 

Index: 2.5E Grade 4 CPI 1

 

Standard: 2.5 - Motor Skills

 

Strand: E -  Sports Psychology

 

Cumulative Progress Indicator: 1 - The student will describe a variety of mental strategies used to prepare for physical activity.

 

Grade: 4

 

Sample Activities:

 

·        THINK POSITIVE - Ask students to recall a time when they did not perform well (perhaps it was a spelling bee in third grade, a baseball game at age 11 or a dance recital at age 13). Each student describes, in writing, the situation and how he/she felt at the time. Students close their eyes and try to imagine the same event. This time, provide encouragement and promote positive self-talk while imaging the event. Ask: “Did the images become more positive? Why?” Discuss the merits of positive self-talk, refocusing, and visualization in achieving positive performance outcomes. Students describe several examples of each.

 

      Variation: Provide students with examples of situations where mental training techniques might enhance performance. Students discuss the situations, determine the appropriate strategies to prepare for the activity, and report to the class.