Curriculum

The Schuylerville Elementary Physical Education Program will provide each student:

• Physical fitness activities that promote strength, endurance and coordination necessary for optimum health, now and throughout life.

• An opportunity to learn basic sports skills;

• Ample opportunity to acquire skills necessary for lifetime sports;

• An opportunity to learn and appreciate the enjoyment derived through physical activity;

• The necessary environment where positive attitudes toward health and safety can be learned through physical activity;

• Experiences that permit the student to develop social skills adaptable to individual and group interaction;

• Experiences that permit students to assume responsibilities as both a leader and a follower;

• A wholesome atmosphere where the student will feel free to participate without ridicule or embarrassment from his/her own peer group;

• Experiences that enhance the understanding and appreciation of excellence through participation and appreciation of sport;

• Opportunities to be involved in making decisions and assuming the responsibilities of these decisions;

• An atmosphere suitable for student appreciation for the rights and privileges of others;

• An environment that enhances the importance of individual and group discipline.   [top]

Lessons
Each lesson shall consist of a warm-up, lesson focus and lesson closure. Lessons should include a safety statement along with the three domains (psychomotor, cognitive and affective). Physical Education is a class where students are able to build character and learn in a multi-disciplinary environment (e.g., math, science and social studies).


Curriculum Areas
A. Physical Fitness and a Desire to Maintain Fitness
Physical Education contributes to the broad goals of education through the development of personal living skills. Personal living skills are those skills that contribute to an individual becoming a fully functioning, productive and concerned citizen. They are necessary catalysts for effective implementation of a lifelong pattern of participation in healthy physical and social activity. The physical education program should seek to develop each student’s personal living skills by:

• Developing physical fitness (cardiovascular, flexibility and musculoskeletal strength and endurance);

• Fostering communication;

• Promoting cooperation;

• Promoting risk-taking;

• Encouraging safety;

• Developing initiative;

• Engendering leadership/camaraderie;

• Nurturing trust;

• Promoting respect;

• Promoting career opportunities.   [top]

Measuring/Maintaining Fitness

• Presidential Fitness Test for grades K-6 once a year in the spring;

• Fitnessgram physical fitness test for grades 4-6 once a year in the fall.

Health and Physical Activities

• Basketball

• Soccer

• Softball

• Track

• Football

• Kidnastics

• Net Activities

• Rock Climbing

• Striking

• Heart Obstacle Course

• Ball Skills Floor Hockey

• Hockey

• Rhythm/Dance

• Cooperative Games

• Bowling

• Project Adventure

• Fundamental Motor Movements

• Scooters

• Throwing

• Tracking

• Catching

• Kicking Skills

• Volleyball.   [top]

B. Body Management and Physical Skills

• All activities in grades K-6.

C. Safety Practices in Physical Education Activities

• Requiring proper clothing and sneakers (grades 5-6);

• Sneakers (all grades);

• Sneaker Bonus (grades K-3);

• No excessive jewelry;

• Use of mats and spotters (when necessary);

• Pairing students according to size, skill and ability in partner activities.

D. Expression and Communication

• Dance;

• Problem-solving approach;

• Project Adventure (collaborative games);

• Basic anatomy, some physiology;

• Lesson reflections/questions.

E. Individual and Group Understanding

• Breakdown of skills;

• Game strategy;

• Playing of positions in team sports;

• Cooperative games;

• Basic human anatomy; some physiology;

• Lesson reflections/questions;

• Sneaker bonus (grades K-3);

• Physical education vocabulary sheet.   [top]

F. Knowledge and Appreciation of Physical Education Activities

• Heart rate monitors;

• Physical fitness testing;

• Intramural/extracurricular activities;

• Group discussion;

• Use of facilities by community groups;

• Lesson reflections/questions;

• Physical education vocabulary sheet.
   

G. Awareness of the Effects of Physical Activity on the Body

• Heart rate monitors;

• All activities;

• Balance;

• Spatial awareness;

• Nutrition awareness;

• Lesson reflections/questions;

• Coordination.

H. Opportunities for Pupil Initiative, Leadership and Responsibility

• Cooperative games (Project Adventure);

• Problem-solving;

• Rock wall climbing/belaying;

• Team captains;

• Lesson demonstrator (e.g., climbing, belaying);

• Squad leaders.   [top]

I. The Date of the Most Current Curriculum Review

The individual staff members review the curriculum (program) every year. The basic core curriculum is constant and our main thrust is to teach children. Therefore, our primary function is to find some way to reach every child within Schuylerville Elementary School.


Required Instruction             (Grades K-6)

• 40 minutes/day

• 2 days/week

• 72 days/year

• Physical Fitness Tests, including the Presidential Fitness Test and the Fitnessgram Physical Fitness Test.

School Attendance Procedures

A. All students are expected to participate on a daily basis.

• Students in grades 5 and 6 who fail to display proper attire and footwear will be asked to sit out of recess. After the third or reoccurring instances, a letter will be sent home to his/her parent/guardian.

B. Adapted Program

• Medical limitations;

• Form used.

Administrative Procedures

A. Tests and Examinations

• President’s Council Physical Fitness Test;

• Fitnessgram Physical Fitness Test;

• Climbing and Belaying Test;

• Motor Perception Test.

B. Class Size and Special Grouping

• Elementary: average 22-29;

• Extra or additional clinics;

• Intramurals: attendance based on interest and needs of the students.

C.  Use of Non-School Owned Facilities

• Field trips and Louis Bowling Alley are used as non-school facilities.

D. Use of Student Leaders and Student Teachers

• Student Leader: Team Captain/Squad Leader,
  Lesson Demonstrator (e.g., climbing, belaying);

• Student teachers assigned to the Elementary School through the Physical Education Office at SUNY Cortland;

• High School Mentor Program.

E. Visiting Lectures

• Visiting lecturers used for various clinics, for in-service courses and as line/swing/square dance callers.   [top]

F. Summer Programs

• Rock climbing and belaying;

• Swimming lessons;

• Additional sports camps.

G. Activities Beyond the Classroom

• Intramurals: Wednesdays and Thursdays before school (50 minutes/day). Depending on the children’s interest, the following activities may be part of the Intramural Program:

        Cross-Country Running
        Basketball
        Football
        Soccer
        Floor Hockey
        Kidnastics
        Rock Wall Climbing/Belaying
        Track & Field
        Softball

• Special Events/Programs:

        Homespun Dancing
        Hoops for Heart
        Jump Rope for Heart
        Junior Olympics Track & Field
        Rock Climbing
        Youth Basketball

H. Activities Beyond the Classroom
All other administrative procedures, such as teachers’ contracts, Board of Education policies and administrative policies are on file in the District Office.   [top]