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Skeleton Shakedown Teaching students about the skeleton? If so, encourage them to visit this web site where they'll be challenged to put the major bones together to create a skeleton. To make it more challenging, perhaps suggest they time themselves to see how fast they can complete the challenge. Digestive System What do the small intestine, large intestine, mouth, esophagus, stomach, and rectum all have in common? They're all parts of the digestive system of course. Similar to the "Skeleton Shakedown," your students can try to put the parts in the proper places, and learn how the spell the words. Perhaps the ability of your students to spell these words could be a classroom test?

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If you have ideas, comments, letters to share, or questions about particular topics, please email one of the following Interdisciplinary PE Section Editors:

	Cindy Kuhrasch
	Shaunna McGhie
	Laurie Morley

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Odds and Evens - Grades: K-3 Equipment Needed: 2 foam die. Directions: Have students pair up and face each other across a line. The effect is that you have two teams lined up facing each other. Create (with cones, or use a fixed line such as a tennis court service line) a home base line about 10 yards behind each team. Name one team the "evens," and the other the "odds." Leave about a 6 foot space between lines. Teacher rolls the dice between the lines. Students must add up the two numbers rolled. If the numbers added together make an even, the members of the even team chase their opposite partner and try to tag her/him before s/he get past the home base line. If numbers added together make odd, the opposite team chases. Score one point for an appropriate "tag" before partner reaches home base. Variations: Require multiplication, add another dice. Roll one dice first, then roll second and have them subtract. Roll one dice, then tell them a number to add, roll second dice and add or subtract this. This technique can involve quite complex math, and much higher grades. Safety Concerns: Teach appropriate upper arm tags. Make sure home base line is not close to a wall.

Not In My Backyard! - for grades K-2 (integrate counting & throwing) A large area without obstacles is preferred for this activity. Lots (try for 2 per child) of soft objects should be scattered on both sides of a center line (i.e., foam balls, paper balls, yarn balls). The objective of this game is to throw all of the balls on your side, one at a time, to the other team's side. On signal, children stop throwing and count the number of objects on their side of the line. Do not focus on a winner, but on correct counting. Older students may also use different mathematical functions. Source: Varied from an assignment handed in by Denise Nordin, preservice teacher at Southeast Missouri State University.

"As the soil, however rich it may be, cannot be productive without cultivation, so the mind without culture can never produce good fruit."   -Seneca- (365 A.D.)

Hot Ideas from PE Central

Grocery Shopping Purpose of Activity: To improve addition skills by using money, and to improve the skill of throwing. Suggested Grade Level: 1-2 Number Jump Purpose of Activity: Students will practice addition and subtraction skills, while practicing jumping rope. Suggested Grade Level: 2-3 Fitness & Math Challenge Purpose of Activity: To reinforce math concepts, while at the same time having the students increase their heart rates and learn about fitness concepts. Suggested Grade Level: 4-6

Kids 'N Fitness Project Get ready.. Get set.. Go! Join students across the country as they get in shape during this nationwide free online event! This spring event promises to get kids exercising their minds and bodies with two online, and 11 offline projects. The project is multidisciplinary, meeting health, physical education, math, science, and language arts standards. In one online event, students track their level of exercise for one week, April 25 - May 2, and enter the class's average amount of exercise, as well as the physical activities in which they choose to participate. They then compare their level and type of exercise with students from classrooms across the country. Participate to win a Grant Hill autographed basketball or jersey, FILA merchandise, and Kids ‘N Fitness sports gear. C.A.S.P.E.R. Concerned Adults & Students for Physical Education Reform is committed to the use of developmentally appropriate practices in physical education. Inappropriate practices include: "Captains" picking teams Exercise as punishment Elimination games Testing "in the spotlight" Alternative, appropriate practices are explained through their links.

Alphabet Game - Grades: K-5 Equipment Needed: Letters on cards spread out face down in center of room (gym). At least 10 of each letter are needed, and more of the vowels. Directions: Small sided teams (about 3). Number each person in the team. Each team is given a word they need to spell. Use words from their weekly spelling list in the classroom. Teams can have different words, but the words should be the same length. On "go," player 1 runs to the center and turns over one card. If it is a letter, s/he need to take it back and place it on the floor in front of their team. If it is not a letter, s/he can turn it back down and run back to their team. Player 1 must tag the hand of player 2, who can then run to the center and choose another card to turn. Player 2 either brings the card home, or turns it back down and returns to tag the hand of player 3. Teams must try to be the first to spell their word. Each team can score points. Variations: The first team to complete the word can score 2 points for their team, then one person from each of the other teams can be randomly chosen. If the randomly selected person can spell the word without looking at it, they score 1 point for their team.