Physical Education,
Common Core
and You
Presented By:
SPARK Trainer
Laura Matney
SPACE SAVER
Partner Challenges
Ready
• 1 fluffball or wadded up paper per pair (optional)
Set
• Pair students; then scatter pairs within area.
1. This activity is called Partner Challenges.
2. The object is to complete each challenge with
your partner.
3. Slap Hands
• Partner 1 holds hands out with palms up.
• Partner 2 places hands on top of 1’s hands (palms to palms).
• Partner 1 attempts to slap the top of 2’s hands.
• If Partner 2 is successful, or after 3 tries, switch positions.
4. Knee Tag
Face your partner. On my signal, try to tag each other’s knees with your hands.
5. Partner Pull-Up
Sit facing your partner with your knees slightly bent, and your toes touching. Hold
hands, and try to stand up together.
6. Back-to-Back
Sit with your back to your partner’s back. Hook your elbows, and try to stand up
together.
7. Partner Leg Kicks
Face your partner, and put your hands on each other’s shoulders.
• Partner 1 does the following sequence: Straddle, Together, Kick, Together.
• Partner 2 does: Kick, Together, Straddle, Together.
• Try to alternate your kicks R and L.
• The object is to continue the sequence opposite of your partner. While 1 is kicking,
the other is straddling.
8. (Every 3-4 rounds, switch to new partners, and repeat with the same or different
body parts.)
3
Limited space
GRADES K-2
GO!
4
Partner Body Parts
Touch the body part I call to that of your partner’s. Start back-to-back. I will call 2 body
parts. You and your partner decide who is going to use which body part, then touch them
together. Keep your balance!
Sample challenges –
• Elbow to knee
• Knee to hip
• Foot to hand
• Hand to shoulder
• Head to knee
• Back to elbow
• Foot to shoulder
Partner Body Part Pick-up
(Need fluffballs or wadded-up paper. Scatter all over the floor.) I will call a body part,
and you and your partner pick up the ball using only those body parts. Work together!
(Challenge examples include elbows, wrists, knee/elbow, forearm/elbow, feet, and
hand/foot.)
GROUP ACTIVITY
Ready
•
•
•
•
4 cones (for boundaries)
1 cone or spot marker per group (for home base)
1-4 hoops, boxes or bags (to make grab bags)
Academic Grab Bag Cards
Set
• Prior to teaching select, print and cut gradeappropriate Grab Bag Cards, or use the CYO Cards
to create your own.
• Create a large (40X40 paces) activity area.
• Place 1 spot marker per group along the perimeter to create a home base for each group.
• Place Grab Bag Cards face down in a grab bag (hoop) in the center of the area.
• Students in groups of 2-4; start at home base.
GO!
1. The object of this Grab Bag activity is for your group to complete as many grab bag
challenges as possible.
2. On the start signal, send 1 group member to the Grab Bag. Select a card, bring it back and
read it as a group. Work together to answer the question and complete the challenge, then
send a new group member to return the card and collect a new one.
3. If you select a challenge that you've already done, repeat it or choose another.
4. Continue with the next group member and repeat until the signal.
5. Challenge
• How many Grab Bag Cards can your group complete before the signal?
• Can you move to the Grab Bag using different locomotor skills?
• Change locomotor skills when you hear the change signal.
GRADES K-6
Academic grab bag
AcAdemic grAb bAg
G.Y.M. CONNECTION
Rewind
OnestudentchoosesaGrabBagCardforthe
entireclasstocompletetogether.Studentsare
scatteredinopenspacewithenoughroomto
movesafely.
FFwd 1
Giveeachgroupapieceofequipment(e.g.,
abasketballorsoccerball).Studentstravelto
andfromtheGrabBagwhilecontrollingthe
equipment.
Exercise reduces stress –Physical
activityplaysanimportantrolein
naturallyflushingstresshormones
fromoursystem.Regularphysical
activitycannaturallyreducestressand
anxiety.
FFwd 2
AllowstudentstocreatetheirownGrabBag
Cards.Saveandfilethemawaytousein
futureclasses.
STANDARDS
ADDRESSED
National PE Standards
Movement/Skills:
Combineslocomotorskillsingeneral
space
Fitness:
Activelyparticipatesinphysical
educationclass
Personal/Social:
Exhibitsresponsiblebehaviorin
independentgroupsituations
Academic:
Readswithaccuracytosupport
comprehension
Your State (Writeinhere)
TEACHING TIPS
• Promptstudentstomovecarefully
withtheirheadsuptoavoid
collisions.
• Besuretoincludeatleast1strong
readerineachgroup.
NOTES
STEM FITNESS GRAB BAG CARDS
Cut dotted lines, then fold on solid lines to create front/back cards.
3 + 8 = 11
Do 11
Jumping Jacks
5 + 9 = 14
Take 14
Giant Steps
8 + 6 = 14
Balance on
1 foot for
14 seconds
7 + 5 = 12
Skip
12 times
8 + 9 = 17
Make a muscle
pose and hold
for 17 seconds
9 + 1 = 10
Do 10
Wall Push-ups
STEM FITNESS GRAB BAG CARDS
Cut dotted lines, then fold on solid lines to create front/back cards.
12 - 3 = 9
Gallop
9 times
8-4= 4
Touch
4 walls
11 - 5 = 6
Give high-5's
to 6 different
people
11 - 7 = 4
Jump as high
as you can
4 times
9-4= 5
Name 5 fruits
and vegetables
11 - 2 = 9
Side-slide
9 times
STEM FITNESS GRAB BAG CARDS
Cut dotted lines, then fold on solid lines to create front/back cards.
3 x 4 = 12
March with
high knees
12 times
4 x 4 = 16
Do 16
Curl-ups
7 x 3 = 21
Hop
21 times
5 x 5 = 25
Count to 25
by 5's
11 x 3 = 33
Do 33
Jumping Jacks
6 x 3 = 18
Hold plank
position for
18 seconds
READING COMPREHENSION
GRAB BAG CARDS
Cut dotted lines, then fold on solid lines to create front/back cards.
FUN ANIMAL FACT:
Hummingbirds are so agile that
they can fly backwards.
FUN ANIMAL FACT:
Unlike humans, sheep have 4
stomachs; each one helps them
digest the food they eat.
FUN ANIMAL FACT:
Giant Arctic jellyfish have
tentacles that can reach
over 36 meters in length.
FUN ANIMAL FACT:
Cockatoos are parrots. There are 21
different species of cockatoo.
FUN ANIMAL FACT:
Little Blue Penguins are the smallest
type of penguin, averaging around
13 inches in height.
FUN ANIMAL FACT:
A baby kangaroo is called a ‘joey’.
Joeys live in their mother’s pouch
for 6 months.
Take 5 giant steps in the direction that
a hummingbird can fly.
How many stomachs do sheep have?
Do that many push-ups.
How many meters can Giant Artic
jellyfish tentacles reach?
Do that many jumping jacks.
There are how many different species
of cockatoo?
Do that many twist jumps.
How tall is an average Little Blue
Penguin?
Do that many arm curls.
How many months does a joey live in
his mother’s pouch?
Do that many wall push-ups.
READING COMPREHENSION
GRAB BAG CARDS
Cut dotted lines, then fold on solid lines to create front/back cards.
12 - 3 =
How tall was the average Stegosaurus?
Do that many arm curls.
8-4=
How many tons could a
Tyrannosaurus Rex weigh?
Do that many wall push-ups.
Gallop FACT:
FUN DINOSAUR
The average height
of a Stegosaurus
9 times
was 14 feet.
FUN DINOSAUR FACT:
The Tyrannosaurus Rex could
weigh up to 7 tons!
11 - 5 =
FUN DINOSAUR FACT:
The Velociraptor could grow up to
over 6 feet in length.
How long could a Velociraptor grow?
Do that many twist jumps.
11 - 7 =
How many tons could a
Brontosaurus weigh?
Do that many jumping jacks.
9-4=
How many vertebrae were in the tail
of a Diplodocus? Take that many steps
around the playing area.
11 - 2 =
How many spikes did the Stegosaurus
have on its tail? Balance on 1 foot that
many seconds.
FUN DINOSAUR FACT:
The Brontosaurus was 1 of the
largest animals to have ever walked
the earth, weighing over 23 tons!
FUN DINOSAUR FACT:
Diplodocus had a long tail, which
contained around 80 vertebrae.
FUN DINOSAUR FACT:
The Stegosaurus had 4 tail spikes,
which were used to combat
carnivores (meat eating) dinosaurs.
READING COMPREHENSION
GRAB BAG CARDS
Cut dotted lines, then fold on solid lines to create front/back cards.
FUN SPACE FACT:
Did you know Jupiter has rings?
There are 3 rings in all. They are
named Gossamer, Main, and Halo.
FUN SPACE FACT:
How many rings does Jupiter have?
Do that many push-ups.
Neptune has 13 moons that we
know of. The first moon to be
discovered was named Triton.
How many moons does Neptune
have? Do that many arm curls.
FUN SPACE FACT:
How many pounds would you
weigh on Mercury if you
weighed 70 pounds on Earth?
Do that many jumping jacks.
FUN SPACE FACT:
100 Earth days equals how many
day(s) on Venus?
Walk that many times around
the playing area.
If you moved to Mercury you would not weigh as
much as you do on Earth. Mercury is smaller, so it has
less gravity. If you weigh 70 pounds on Earth, you
would weigh only about 27 pounds on Mercury.
Venus rotates very slowly, so that a
day on Venus lasts more than
100 Earth days.
FUN SPACE FACT:
Uranus has 27 moons. Five are
large, and the rest are smaller.
FUN SPACE FACT:
Saturn is most well known for its
rings, which total 7 in all.
How many moons does Uranus have?
Do that many arm circles.
How many rings does Saturn have?
Stand on 1 foot that many seconds.
ACTIVITY
PASS THE HAT
Ready...
• 4 cones (for boundaries)
• 1 tossable per group of 4-5
Set...
• Create large (30X30 paces) activity area.
• Form groups of 4-5 in file lines along
perimeter. Each group with a tossable in their
Leader’s hands.
WALK/JOG/RUN
GO!
1. The object is to cooperate in groups to move the “hat”
(tossable) around the perimeter.
2. On signal, your Leader passes the hat overhead to the
person behind them. Continue until the hat is at the
end of your line.
3. When the last in line has the hat, they run forward to
become the new Leader, and begin passing the hat
back again.
4. (Repeat until all have had a chance being Leader.)
5. Now, Leaders walk and lead your line around the
perimeter. Continue passing the hat as your group
moves around.
CHALLENGES
How many times can your
original Leader return to
the front in 1 lap around
the perimeter?
How many times can your
group go around the
perimeter in 3 minutes?
6. When your group is ready, try it jogging.
GRADES 3-6
7. (Continue for specific time; e.g., 5 minutes.)
CUES
Stay together.
Run to front on the outside.
Pass other groups on the
outside only.
9
Movin’ On Up
When the last person in line moves to the front,
all in line call out “2-4-6-8 (name of last person)
is looking great… so move on up!”
Weave
When you are moving from the back to the front
of the line, weave in and out of your line.
Toss the Hat
Instead of handing the “hat,” toss it up in the air
for the next in line to catch. Continue until it
reaches the last person, and they run it to the
front.
STANDARDS ADDRESSED
NASPE
#1, 2 Throwing, catching
#3, 4 Cardiovascular fitness
#5, 6 Cooperation, accepting
challenges
Your State (Write in here)
10
Keep it under your hat! My
hat’s off to you! That’s old
hat. I’ll eat my hat. Throw
your hat into the ring!
Where did these sayings
come from? Look at photos
of men taken before 1960,
and chances are they are
wearing a hat. Back then,
hats were as essential as
shoes and underwear. Men
would not leave the house
without their slouch,
homburg, fedora, boater, or
porkpie. (No, they didn’t put
a pig on their head!)
PAULA’S POINTERS
• Start with groups spread evenly
around perimeter. Similar-paced
students should group together.
• Allow groups to pass each other,
but only on the outside.
• Motivate with music.
NOTES
CALIFORNIA STRUT
LINE DANCE
Ready...
Regular
• Music: “Hot, Hot, Hot” (SPARK 3-6 Music CD, #4)
• California Strut Prompt Page (SPARKfamily.org)
• Music player
Set...
• Create a large activity area.
• Scatter students in area.
GO!
1. The object is to perform the line dance California Strut. In line
dances you all face the same direction, and do the same steps
together.
Partners
3. California Strut
• Begin at “home,” with feet together.
• Walk forward 4: R, L, R, tap L (4 counts).
• Walk backward 4 back to “home:” L, R, L, tap R
(4 counts).
• Step R, touch L. Step L, touch R (4 counts).
• 3-step turn to the R: R, L, R, touch L (4 counts).
• 3-step turn to the L back to “home:” L, R, L, touch R
(4 counts).
• Repeat.
Double Circle
CUES
Move with the beat.
Just touch with foot before
changing directions. Don’t
put weight on foot.
If you misstep, that’s OK;
keep moving, and catch up
when you can.
11
DANCE
GRADES 3-6
2. We’ll learn and practice 1 step at a time without the music
first. Then we’ll put it all together with the music. (First, teach
each step or sequence, then cue students to get ready to
practice together by saying “5, 6, 7, 8.”)
Partners
(Students in pairs, in face-off formation.) On the
first move, partners walk forward 4 steps toward
each other, and give a high-ten.
Double Circle Mixer
(Students in 2 circles; an inner and outer.) Partners;
1 in inner circle, 1 in outer and face each other.
Inner circle dancers do same dance. Outer circle
dancers turn to their R, and move to a new
partner on their R each round.
Add Your Thing
(To any of the above variations.) Add your own
twist to the dance when you change directions.
STANDARDS ADDRESSED
DANCE
#1, 2 Perform line dance
#6 Cardiovascular fitness
#3, 4, 6 Participates,
appreciates, enjoys rhythmic
movements
Your State (Write in here)
California is where almost
90,000 people migrated in
1849 in search of gold. John
Marshall discovered gold in
1838, and by 1854, almost
300,000 “49ers” had
migrated to California. This
was about 1 out of every 90
people that were living in
the United States! Ask a
parent to help you research
the 49ers, then create a
“Gold Rush Dance.” Make
up moves for migration,
wading in the water, and
panning for gold.
TONY’S TIPS
• If facing students, mirror their
moves. For example, move
backward when they move forward;
move R when they move L.
• Point to show which direction
students will move next.
• Cue students 1-2 beats before each
move.
• Make copies of the California Strut
Prompt Page, and allow students to
work independently with the
directions in hand.
NOTES
12