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Physical Education
Candidates know, understand, and use the major concepts in the subject matter of health
education to create opportunities for student development and practice of skills that contribute to
good health.
For the last eight years I have had the great fortune to work for the Aleutian Region
School District in Adak, Alaska. I am the Elementary Teacher, responsible for grades K-5 at
Adak School. The population of Adak has fluctuated somewhat in the time I’ve been here and
has resulted in my class size changing considerably from year to year. I have had as many as 15
students and as few as 7. Teaching in a multi-grade classroom has given me a very unique
perspective on development and the role teachers have in providing the best learning
opportunities for students at different stages. In an effort to always have our best numbers for a
student population and the fact we do not have a preschool program in Adak, most students
begin school at 4 or 5 years old. This means in one classroom for at least four hours a day, I
have students that could be as young as 4 years old and as old as eleven. Any classroom in
America could make a case for being a multi-grade classroom, as students naturally vary in
ability in all subjects. A fourth grade teacher could convincingly assert that in her reading
instruction she must engage a student that reads at the equivalent of a second grader and their
peer that reads at the level of a sixth grader. I do not think modifying assignments or
classroom presents so many unique obstacles, but none more so, in my opinion, than PE. “A
typical classroom is filled with many different learning styles, ability levels, interest levels, and
aspirations; you must take all those differences into account when you prepare your lessons.”
(Kafele, 2016)
PE lessons in a multi-grade classroom tend to be primarily as individualized as their math
curriculum, but over the years I’ve found that cooperative learning based lesson plans can be
students how to cooperate with others by working together to solve a common problem or reach
a common goal. (Johnson, Johnson, Scott, & Ramolae, 2009) The lesson plan I created for my
students involved a parachute which meant immediate interest to participate, but all students had
to follow directions and work together to reach the overall goal. The goal in this lesson was that
students participate in motor and movement skills needed to use the parachute. This required
following one-step directions and older students modeling appropriate motor skills. The
parachute lesson has proven over the last eight years to put students of varying developmental
skill sets on a relatively equal footing and created a team environment that had them banding
together to meet the goal. It has also proven to be effective with students with physical or mental
challenges. In a small school with a multi-grade classroom inclusion isn’t an option, it’s simply
the reality. Cooperative learning has been shown to promote positive interaction between
students with learning disabilities and their general classroom peers. (Gillies & Ashman, 2000)
It has been my overall experience that introducing cooperative learning lesson plans for
PE has leveled the playing field for my students of varying motor skill levels and provided them
References
Gillies, R., & Ashman, A. (2000). The Effects of Cooperative Learning on Students with
Learning Difficulties in the Lower Elementary School. Journal of Special Education, 19-
27.
Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R., Scott, L., & Ramolae, B. (2009). An Educational Psychology
Success Story: Social Interdependence Theory and Cooperative Learning. Educational
Researcher, 365-379.
Kafele, B. K. (2016). The Teacher 50: Critical Questions for Inspiring Classroom Excellence.
Alexandria: ASCD.
Lourenco, O. (2016). Developmental stages, Piagetian stages in particular: A critical review.
New Ideas in Psychology, 123-137.
Standard: Standard A
Demonstrate competency in motor and movement skills needed to perform
a variety of physical activities.
Standard C
Participate regularly in physical activity.
Methodology: Direct Instruction and Social Instruction
Learning Constructivist
Theory
Students are lined up and then asked to walk Students are again placed next to positive role
over and stand in front of a specific color of models and adults. The placement is based on
the parachute. Without picking up the age and developmental level.
parachute, we discuss proper technique and
expectations when holding the parachute Instructions are given verbally and
handle. demonstrations are made to ensure student
understanding.
Begin by picking up the parachute and with Demonstrations, clear instruction, and verbal
one hand marching clock-wise, switching cues are provided to help ensure student
hands and marching counter clock-wise. understanding.
Students then receive instruction on how to
raise it over their head and allow for the
greatest amount of time of the parachute
being in the air.
Students then take turns switching places The students chosen to partner up are again
with a peer under the parachute as the class strategic and based on pairing a younger
raises it above their heads. student with an older, positive role model.
A beach ball is place at the center of the Verbal cues and assistance provided to
parachute and students must work together to students who may need hand-over-hand
get it to land in front of a named peer. instruction.
Cool down is one lap around the gym in the
opposite direction of the warm-up laps and
lining up to head back to the classroom.
Closure
Once back in the classroom students are asked to comment on their favorite parts of the
PE lesson, and if they were in charge what activity would they like to try with the parachute.
How is this lesson sensitive to cultural and language issues?
Many cultures learn by modeling and this lesson provides instruction in this way.
Directions are given both verbally and modeled for students to engage them in the lesson and
allow them maximum opportunity to understand what is expected.
Attachments: 3 artifacts of student work