MEDIA REVIEW

Traversing Walls

This book defines what a student should know and be able to do as result of a quality physical education program. The book consists of two sections: section one focuses on "Exploring the National Standards and Grade-Level Outcomes" while section two address the challenge of "Implementing the Outcomes." Each of the two sections is split into separate chapters. Section one has 5 chapters and section two 4 chapters. The main purpose of this book is to present the newly updated national PE standards and then help teachers understand what these standards might look like in terms of grade-level expectations.

The book begins by presenting the new National Physical Education Standards and the rationale for this new update. A key change is the introduction of the term "physical literacy" into each of the standards.

Additionally, there are now five standards replacing the six previous standards.  Chapter 1 begins by describing and examining each of the standards. The chapter is brief and straight to the point, which makes it easy to understand. Chapter 2 presents the National Standards in a simple chart. Summarized, the standards focus on the following: (1) developing motor skills and movement competencies, (2) applying knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies, and tactics, (3) demonstrating the knowledge and skills needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle (4) exhibiting responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others, and (5) recognizing the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or social interaction. Chapter 3 details sample elementary outcomes, chapter 4 goes through the middle school outcomes, and chapter 5 describes the high school outcomes. Each chapter includes a table of outcomes with two different levels.

Section two of the book begins by using charts to illustrate the skills that should be achieved by each grade level and at what level of competency. Three different competency levels are identified: emerging, maturing, and applying. Emerging is described as "Students participate in deliberate practice tasks that will lead to skill and knowledge acquisition." Maturing is described as "Students can demonstrate the critical elements of the motor skills and knowledge components of the grade-level outcomes, which will continue to be refined with practice." And applying is described as "Students can demonstrate the critical elements of the motor skills and knowledge components of the grade-level outcomes in a variety of physical activity environments." Chapter 7 explains how to teach the content that will help students successfully achieve the standards. The last two chapters wrap up the book by summarizing how to identify that students are learning together with outside resources that physical educators can use to enhance their instruction.

Overall, this newly updated national standards book is well organized, has understandable charts that make it easier to implement the standards, and has summaries after each chapter that go over the most important parts. The book also includes a glossary at the end that goes through the terminology that is used through out the book. The book concludes with information about becoming a SHAPE America member and how it can benefit physical educators.If you are working with beginner to intermediate climbers, this is a great kid-tested resource with ideas and explanations that are quick and easy to digest and use in a matter of minutes with plenty of room to modify and alter to suit your students and equipment needs.  Proper terminology and useful vocabulary for educators who are non-climbers are explained in the first chapter. 

Chapter 2 covers lead-up activities using no climbing walls and simple dome cones.  These activities are great cooperative team challenges and can be used outside of a climbing unit as well.

Chapter 3 takes common childhood games (e.g. Connect the Dots, HORSE, Memory, Go-Fish and many more) and takes them to the wall.  These can be stimulating cognitive challenges for your students. 

Chapters 4 and 5 introduce interdisciplinary concepts using math/numbers and words/letters. The games are slanted towards academics but can easily be modified to incorporate more physical literacy and math and made more applicable for physical education.  If you are into helping out your classroom teachers by reinforcing what's taught in class, you'll probably love these lessons just the way they are.

Chapter 6 mainly focuses on activities that simulate traveling to destinations and once again use an interdisciplinary approach with social studies teaching and reinforcing knowledge of States and Capitals.

And lastly, Chapter 7 reinforces science and health concepts (overall wellness, nutrition, and the human body including muscles, bones and body systems).

Fitness concepts (flexibility, upper and lower body strength & endurance, & balance) as well as brain-body connections with "depth of knowledge" vocabulary such as sequencing, recalling, strategic thinking, recognizing, cause/effect and so much more are very apparent throughout the book making this a wonderful resource for thorough and highly effective lesson planning.  For those looking to hit all those key buzz words for a lesson observation, your students will be cognitively engaged using a constructivist learning approach (do I hear APPR!?)! 

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