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SUMMER PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS

written by Gerry Cernicky

As the school year ends and the students take in a myriad of experiences, it should also be a time for teachers to reflect what has transpired during the school year. It is a time to envision what worked and what didn't. And it's a time to find ways to change or make adjustments to the curriculum that will align to the national standards.

With the summer holidays approaching, it is prudent to recollect what the students achieved, and also to find ways to continue with activities to keep them healthy over the summer. This is a time for teachers to not only relax, but also to work on professional development to keep abreast of the latest trends and advocacy for our craft.

Depending on the grade level, it would be exemplary to have a carry over from the regular physical education right into the summer activities. That is, make sure to inform the students about water and bike safety, and to alert them of emergency situations. In each case, there should be information about the dangers of sun damage, insect bites, and first aid/prevention. This can be highlighted with the end of school year field days, which is a good time to warn students of those potential dangers that may occur over summer vacation.

Possibly, many of the students will be involved in YMCA or camping activities. All students should be encouraged to remain active whether it be at their home and neighborhood, or in parks for recreational activities. For home activity, promote activity using makeshift equipment, or make up games or activities that parrallel activity of the regular PE class using equipment that is free or mostly inexpensive.

For example, the students can make use of skills from a fitness calendar and track their activity just like the ones they performed during PE class. These homemade ideas encourage creativity and fitness, and promote an understanding of what was done at school; what was learned at school integrated into activity at home. Hopefully, this will prove that we are educating the whole child.

Of course, these activities will have modifications for each grade level to meet their skills and needs. The middle and high school students can be involved in activities that are related to arcade activities, such as DDR and exercise walls or makeshift ones that can be accessed at Fun Fitness Resources. With some creativity and imagination, they can find something to do each day that will promote activity.

During the summer vacation, there are opportunities in parks and recreational areas for games of Ultimate Frisbee, hiking, biking, walking, rock climbing, water sports, such as kayaking, canoeing, swimming, and white water rafting. Joining agencies like Venture Outdoors are beneficial for a healthy lifestyle that incorporates the entire family. This includes geocaching, orienteering, dog walks, environmental programs, photography, historical sites, and wilderness survival. This would be a great time to participate in local charity walks like the ones for MS, Diabetes, Heart, and Breast Cancer.

The summer offers many sports activities, other than specialty camps. Students can participate in miniature golf or on regulation courses; tennis, racquetball, platform tennis, or take lessons in something that is available in local or state parks. The summer brings attention to organized sports and activities such a baseball/softball, and there are many opportunities for involvement helping with community events from organization to participation.

Many hospitals and health agencies need volunteers for occupational programs and camps for special needs students. Working in the community is a chance to gain knowledge and skills by working with people in many areas of education and business. The older students can work as a camp counselor on summer break, too. There are job opportunities and activities that are fun and great ways to meet new friends, and to be active and healthy.

One of the missing pieces of the puzzle over the years is what students do during non-school hours, not only during the summer but during the school year. Gone are the days when children made up their own games, used makeshift equipment (rag /socked balls, clothespins, tin cans, and taped wiffle balls), which are now being replaced by video games or handheld devices. It seemed there was always a pickup game on the streets and alleys, and constant playing from morning to night. There wasn’t much space needed, and the playground was a perfect solution when an area for more advanced activity was needed.

PE teachers can help bridge the gap between school and summer vacation through fitness calendars, field days, appropriate playground and recess activities, first aid, safety, and injury protection, water and biking activities, and providing information for camping at local and state parks. This includes being a role model and actually participating in charity walks, races, and volunteering in the community as a recreational director or board member.

Teachers can establish a working relationship with hardware stores and make a fitness trail or skateboard park. This will give students a chance to perform activities and skills they enjoy along with keeping them active. The older students can use their swimming skills for jobs as a lifeguard. This carry over is conducive for preparing the students to be healthy and active with a lifetime of fitness.

Another way to add interest to summer activities is to include activities that integrate the intermediate elementary to high school grades. Include resources for students to see how skills are learned through scientific exploration. For example, there is a skate board science demonstration to learn the principles of skateboarding. There are articles to demonstrate various moves/tricks and a detailed explanation through videos and photos. This web site offers a plethora of ideas for PE classes, and one that can be used deals with the human body series, which is noted at Exploratorium from the start page.

All grade levels will find this interesting, which gives them ideas on how the body works. This will give them a better understanding of the skills, whether it is in a regulation PE class or at home during the summer. The end result will be a better grasp of the learning process, and at the same time will have the students prepared to restart school with a better attitude, which will make them instantly ready to learn new and exciting activities. All of this can be accomplished by keeping a blog, fitness calendar, or notebook to track what was done each day.

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