Hockey Hype at Linn!

     We are in our second week of hockey at Linn!  What fun we are having.  Each year when I plan this unit, I remind myself of the "chaos" that sometimes comes with it.  Especially for my little's.  Just when I start to consider planning a different unit for the K-1st graders, I am reminded that they actually do learn from it!  Who knows, maybe that first grader will someday remember that they played hockey and decided to play it as part of a healthy lifestyle!  Adapt, adapt adapt, that's how hockey works for K-1st!  Every lesson is adapted to suit their needs/abilities (also my sanity).  As you read through my plans below, remember "adapt to meet your students needs."  (I will also try to explain my adaptations)!
     The weekend before beginning my unit, I decided to hop on the internet and search for some additional lead up activities for my hockey unit.  I seriously spent less than an hour researching and came up with TONS of new ideas!  I was quite excited.  So, excited that I created a "note" on my phone just for Hockey! 
     Our unit kicked off by focusing on safety.  Definitily a requirement for hockey!  We discussed proper hand placement, keeping the blade down, etc.  Then I put out a lot of different sized cones, and challenged the students to move their sticks safely around the cones.  Eventually we added yarn balls (no plastic pucks for a long time).  I increased the challenge for my older students (Thank you PE Central) by giving all of them 5 points to start.  If any part of their body or stick touched a cone, or a person, they took a point away.  After a few minutes, I quizzed on how many points everyone had.  It was a great lesson!

     After a couple of days of activities centered around the safety concept, we did a little class quiz to start the day.  I found a worksheet on PE central that was about how to hold the hockey stick.  I saved the link and opened it on my ipad using the EDUCREATIONS app.  This allowed me to draw on the worksheet. So, I put it up on the projector (using air server to make my ipad "talk" to my laptop).   Suddenly, I had engaged students who couldn't wait to tell me which person was gripping their hockey stick correctly.  I did this for ALL grades!  We spent less than five minutes on this, before moving on to shooting goals! 

    I wanted the kids to be moving.  I set up several buckets around the gym.  I should say, I laid several buckets on their sides against the wall.  I instantly had 20+ goals around the gym.  The music played....they dribbled.  Music shut off, then shot goals!  What I quickly discovered, is we didn't talk about accuracy.....the definition....how important it is......you get the back!  Brakes on, time to back track!
   So I got out my cup stacking cups....don't shreak....no harm was done to them!  I put them out all over the floor.  Simple lesson, accuracy.  The students were instructed to aim for a cup and attempt to move it with their "puck" (ball).  I also encouraged my students to "chat" with their shoulder buddies about what is more important in accuracy, speed or aim?  (I will do another blog post about getting your kids talking.....scary sounding, I know). 

    After several days, I created a SOCRATIVE quiz for all grades.  K-1st grade did not bring theiripads to take the quiz, instead I read the questions (projected on the wall, using airserver) and we voted as a class for the correct answer.  2nd-5th grade took the quiz on their own.  It was a short quiz, the final question was open-ended.  What does the work teamwork mean in hockey?  I was impressed by their answers.  Additionally, TEAMWORK is one of our key Vocabulary words!

 



   At this point we were ready to combine some elements for a lesson.  Insert Hockey "Mad ball."  All the yarn balls scattered in the middle of the gym.  Two teams.  Music starts, you are trying to get as many pucks (yarn balls) into the goal before the music shuts off.  Again, K-1st did this, but I left out "as many goals as you can," instead I inserted "shoot goals."  Works.  Today we did the same thing, just added the role of a "goalie."  Awesomeness.  Kids leave the gym dripping sweat.  More importantly, they may have found something to keep them active and healthy.  Check! :)
   One Wed. a month (maybe more, I'm not exactly sure), we have late starts.  Which means I only get the kids for 20 minutes instead of 25. Which really means I only get them for 15 minutes once we get in/out and settled.  So, perfect day for a ipad assignment.  I found a student friendly ice hockey highlight video on YouTube.  I made it in to a QR code, because there is no better way to get info. on the students ipads quickly than by using QRAFTER!  I also made a GOOGLE DOC with simple instructions, (made this into a QR code as well) watch the video, get with your team, and use whatever app you want to tell me (typing, speaking, acting) two things you saw in the video that looked familier to what we are doing in hockey!  I was impressed by the variety of apps that students used to CREATE!!!  YEAH!!!  When using the ipads, creating is one of the BEST things you can have your students do!  Allow them to be CREATIVE!!!

 

 

 

 

     I also had a student use ADOBE VOICE!  Awesome, still pretty new to me, new enough that I was not able to figure out how to get a link of his video!  I'll learn though and share soon!

  

  Okay, still have a few more hockey lessons to share, but the bell is about to ring and it's FRIDAY!!!!!  Have an awesome weekend!  Move, learn, create!  GET CONNECTED, it's the most convenient professional development EVER!!!


AB :)

My world is so rewarding!

     Last year as part of our Tiered Instruction (district Wide) I worked with Mrs. B's 5th grade classroom.  She and I worked together to come up with ipad projects for my group to do.  This summer I attended a Project Based Learning workshop.  So, fast forward to this year, and I am back working with Mrs. B.'s 5th graders during tiered instruction.  Basically, this means I spend about 30-45 minutes a few days a week, enriching these students minds.  What a privilege, right?  I think so.  Last year I started what I hope to be a tradition at Linn Elementary.  I do a hockey unit in the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas break (usually about 3 weeks).  As most educators know, this time of the year is rough....for everyone, kids and teachers!  The teachers just got a tease of a break and cannot wait for the next one, and the kids have to be peeled off the ceiling each day, or awaken from their deep sleep!  So, I decided to have a staff hockey game, where the student can watch (and correct) the skills they have been working on.  In addition, they also can earn VIP seats for this game, by meeting a certain criteria.  Insert, my 5th Grade Tiered Instruction kids.  I wanted to challenge them, make them learn from "doing."  I served as the guide, asked them meaningful questions, otherwise they "drove the car."
      Their task?  Figure out the criteria for VIP's, figure out how they want to market it to students and teachers, and how they would distribute it.  We worked on this for about 6-8 days.  It was amazing to watch leaders emerge, strategies to form, and behaviors rise up.  They not only did well, they excelled!  They made an iMovie (figuring out who would play what part, where they would record it) about the three behaviors they felt were deserving of the title of VIP.  They then realized they needed a way to get this out to the teachers.  Offering a little guidance, we came up with using QR codes!  So, with a little of my help, (logging into a secure Youtube account) they made their imovie a QR code.   Then they decided each teacher would need a flyer, and each "pod" would need a poster.  Awesome.  Rewarding.  Great kids!

Sorry, no PE today, just awesome students, doing awesome things!
Stay tuned for a massive Hockey post....it's coming! After 5 days of hockey, we did a quick "knowledge/vocab" quiz today, using an app called Socrative.  WONDERFUL!

Have a great weekend!  ROCK CHALK!
AB

Fun Frisbee world!

   I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  The Baugh's certainly did!  It was a fantastic little break, I loved spending time with my little family, as well as both of our extended families!
   Before we went to break, we continued with our Throw/Catch unit.  We added in the use of Frisbee's!  It was awesome!  We did this for three days, next year (or maybe even this Spring) we are going to do a full unit....maybe two weeks!  I love it when a unit works across all age levels, and this one did for sure!  I quickly discovered that  few of my Kinder students could throw the Frisbee as well (or maybe even better) than some of the older students!

   The pictures will give you a better idea of this all worked.  The first two days, I set up 15-16 targets for the students.  They were then divided into groups of three (a couple groups of 4).  There were three different targets, and we used my handy dandy red line as our throwing point!  I pulled out Large cones and set a ball on the top, with the idea of the Frisbee throw knocking the ball off the cone.  Another station was a hula hoop, simply attempting to throw the Frisbee and have it land in the hula hoop.  The last one (and my favorite) was the big blue buckets. (I buy them at Walmart, they are the best equipment storage/multi use containers I have).  The goal was to throw the Frisbee, have it bounce off the wall and into the bucket.  I then played music, and had the students rotate about every two minutes.  The kids loved it!  We talked about "fitness" (one of our key vocab words) and how you can be active and fit by doing a variety of things.  I helped them realize that although it seemed like they were just "having fun," they were also quite active! :) 

 

 

   The assessment part of this lesson came on day two.  We eliminated the cone and hula hoops.  Now, we were just using the blue buckets.  I had each class bring in two ipads (we have 8 teams, so two teams per ipad).  Now we had a contest (also a show of skills, but they didn't realize that).  Each team was attempting to score points by 1. hitting the bucket with the Frisbee, 2. bouncing it off the wall into the bucket, 3. just making it directly into the bucket.  I used an app call COUNTER UP (very simple, and of course free) as a scoreboard.  Each student was in charge of putting in their own score.  As long as AIRSERVER allowed, I had all ipads on the wall using the projector.  The competition level was HIGH!  This allowed me to walk around and take notice of who was throwing the right way, who was working as a team, and who was being honest when recording their scores!  It was great!!


   Sorry for the short blog today! I am finishing up my ESL work for my night class!  We started hockey this week, I have lots of plans and lots of use of technology!  I promise I will share soon!!

Get connected!
AB