"A daily hit of athletic-induced endorphins gives you the power to make better decisions, helps you be at peace with yourself, and offsets stress."

Posted by: Meagan Harrington

Incorporating DANCE In A Cross Curricular Way!

Hello fellow teachers!
Have you ever wrestled with the idea of how to teach DANCE in a cross curricular way? Are you interested in linking dance to math, social studies and science activities? Well, fear no more, here are some AMAZING Video clips that demonstrate just how to do that!!!
“Music is the arithmetic of the soul, which counts without being aware of it” Leibnitz

Social Studies: The Suitcase Dance

This Video shows students using dance to express their interpretation of the emotions and feelings immigrants/refugees feel as they leave their own country to come to a new one.

Science: Moving like Magnets

This Video demonstrates students imitating the dynamics of Magnets through dance. This topic is explored in Grade 3 science.  

Math: Four body Shapes

This Video demonstrates students taking basic shapes and forms found in Math/geometry and composing a dance based on those specific shapes.

All videos courtesy of TeachersTV : http://www.teachers.tv

Posted by: Charlotte Blahut

Kicks For Kids!

Teachers! Finished math 15 minutes early? Need to get some students caught up on work while others have free time? Can’t get any gym time today? Indoor recess and you don’t know what to do with the kids? DPA is the way! It’s as simple and easy as popping in a DVD! No, it’s not time to pop some pop corn and turn out the lights; it’s time to get fit, burn calories and sweat with Billy Blanks Tae Bo Kicks for kids! You can do this with your students to model a healthy lifestyle that involves vigorous physical activity. In this video Billy Blanks shows kids easy moves that they can do, while the music is pumping in the background. The best part? All of this can be done behind their desks! Just make sure chairs are pushed in and the kids are spread out enough that they can lie down without other kids touching them. Maybe have a few kids move to different areas of the classroom, but a large space is not required for this activity. This video works every inch of your body, you AND your students will be sweating by the time you’ve finished a ten or fifteen minute session. That’s the best part; you can stop and start at any time during the video. Do as much or as little as you’d like.

Parents! Instead of having the kids play Nintendo when they get home, pop on Billy Blanks Tae Bo Kicks when the kids come home for school for 15-20 minutes, by then they should be good and ready for a healthy snack, and they will have gotten the wiggles out so they can get some of their homework done before turning on the video games. Just these 15-20 minutes can make a huge difference in their health and physical activity. And the best part is, it can ALL be done right in your living room, it doesn’t matter if it’s -40 or +40 outside, they can be in the comfort of their own home and work out using just their own bodies, no weights or extra equipment required!

The video sells for anywhere between $15.00 - $25.00, check out sites like amazon.ca or your local video store for copies. You will see that every penny is worth it when you see your kids burning calories and enjoying themselves with Billy Blanks fun and instructional videos. He teaches kids how to work out properly while making it fun and keeping them engaged!

In the words of Billy himself - “The body only profits a little from exercising but the spirit profits a lot.” – So get your child’s mind and body healthy by working out with this great video!

Blog by: Jennifer Thomas

Random Acts of DPA!

Surprise your students and randomly incorporate some physical activity into the school day! Be sure to participate in the activities along with the students to model the performance you would like to see from them.


1. Have a CD player prepared beforehand with fun song that students will likely know the dance moves to. Over the course of the day find a perfect moment to flick the switch and allow your students to dance away! You could also teach students simple dance moves to different songs as part of gym class and then have them use the moves when you put on the song at any point in a day. Lastly, you could just put on music and let the kids let loose dance for 1-2 minutes.

Examples: “The Chicken Dance”, “Hokey Pokey”, “The Macarena”, “Cha Cha Slide”, “Twist and Shout”, “YMCA”, “Walking on Sunshine”, “Monster Mash”, “Hot, hot, hot”

Check out how these students are staying active at school!

2.  Make physical activity a typical routine in your classroom! Post a chart with various movements students must do before completing a task.

·      Do 3 jumping jacks before handing in a test

·      Do 2 “burpies” when you enter the classroom after going to the washroom

·      Run on the spot for 10 seconds when you finish reading a book

   3. During morning announcements, have the students do a stretching routine. Each stretch should last for 10 seconds. Try to stretch 5 different parts of the body each day working down from head to toe. Create a routine as a class for each day of the week or have a different student lead the stretch each day. 
   
4. When students are lined up outside after recess, have them engage in one last bout of physical activity before leading them back inside.
Examples:

·      10 jumping jacks

·      Run on the spot for 10 seconds

·      Run to the playground and back

·      Jump rope for 1 minute

   5. Practice directionality with your students by getting them to actively move in the direction you have called out.

Examples:

·      Jump to the east

·      March to the west

·      Swim to the north

·      Walk backwards to the west

Posted by Alison McIntyre

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Happy Valentine's Day

from your DPA blogging friends!

Valentine's Day is all about love, hugs, and poems... so here's one for you!

V – Volleyball
A – Abdominal Exercises
L – Loads of resources (see blogs - Feb. 6 & 12)
E – Exercise balls (see Feb. 7th blog)
N – Necessary
T – Toe taps
I – Involvement (see Feb. 9th blog and get involved in Jump Rope for Heart!)
N – No time like the present
E – Energy
S – Safety (see Feb. 3rd blog)

D – Daily Physical Activity!!! (For more info scroll down to our very first blog!)
A – Athletic (see Feb. 2nd blog)
Y – Yoga (see blogs - Feb. 1 & 2)

We hope your day is wonderful ♥ 

THANK YOU SECTIONS B and PC!!!

We asked our fellow peers if they wouldn't mind contributing some ideas for our blog - they provided us with some amazing ideas, thoughts, and suggestions for DPA, and we are so happy to now pass them on to you!

The kids usually enjoy warm up games in the gym... also can be done with music. - Jordan

Give children body breaks (i.e., with your left hand, walk around the room and touch 10 black things; find 10 square shapes and touch them with your elbow) every 15-20 minutes. - Olha

Sam the Button Man - a great active song, includes action and lyrics, it takes about 5 minutes and tires them out!

In my practicum students were required to run the exercises during gym.. This gives students control over their own fitness. - Katie

In the middle of a lesson, randomly stop and play music and tell students to do jumping jacks. - Meagan

The kids loved activity stations to practice math concepts with manipulativees and other tools that helped them understand. - Stephanie M.

Kids love to dance! Try the cha-cha-slide! The song lyrics tell you how to dance to the music. - Daniela

 

The kids in my practicum kindergarten class loved to play 'freeze dance'. They also enjoyed making motions and hand gestures during read alouds, nursery rhymes, etc. - Anastaia

DPA gave students the opportunity to be active and have fun in my grade 4/5 class. After this activity they were more engaged in the class. They loved gym! - Francesca

During my practicum, the school participated in a 'community walk' where for 10 mins each morning they walked around the school park.  The kids loved it! - Krissy

I tried to incorporate daily physical activity in to as many of my lesson plans.  Whether it was getting students to do some jumping jacks before a lesson I found that students were more eager to learn if they were involved in DPA. - Mike D.

During Tribes training we learned a neat DPA idea - throw on a song and make dance moves to the lyrics. The kids love it. Try "Accidentally in Love" by Countig Crows! It's so upbeat - the kids are instantly engaged. - Claudia

In practicum my teacher used songs/dance for transitions or even if she wanted them to shift from one spot on the carpet to another. (ex. B-I-N-G-O). Stretching is also a good way to wake up the kids. - Jessica

In Tribes we used energizers as a means for DPA. For example, have the students "mill-to-music" for a few songs, interacting when the music stops! Fun and successful! - Kristen

One minute free style dance parties!

The students in my practicum loved playing volleyball. Also in my practicum, students were given a small party where they had champagnes glasses with juice. This was done as a celebration of work well done! - Candacy

A great way to incorporate DPA is to perform it with all classes (whole school) outside at the same time. - Sacha

*~Thank you!~*

Also - special thanks to Laurie for providing us with the following information about an educational challege called: Everyone Jump!

Students are encouraged to create entries which display their knowledge and awareness of diabetes and type 2 diabetes prevention by submitting the following: a poster, a dance or circuit or mission to accompany one of the Everyone Jump songs, an educational pamphlet, a commercial, a physical activity to accompany one of the Everyone Jump songs.

All participants receive a physical activity resources and there are great prizes to be won!

If you have any questions, or for more information, please contact
everyonejump@ophea.net

***Please note that this year's deadline has been extended to Feb. 14th, which is just around the corner - but the Everyone Jump contest happens annually, so it is something to start thinking about for the next school year :)

What is Everyone Jump?  "Everyone Jump is a resource, music CD and Educational Challenge that raises awareness of the importance of regular physical activity and healthy eating in preventing type 2 diabetes. Everyone Jump 2010/2011 is available to all public and Catholic schools in British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Ontario, Saskatchewan and now in Manitoba!" Please click here to see the Everyone Jump flyer!

Posted by: Mollie Halverson

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POSTS" in the bottom right hand corner to read more posts for the   
blog!!!!***   

More Teacher Resources....Get A Move On!

Are you looking for more curriculum friendly DPA activities and resources? Well you have come to the right place! Here is a list of some great books, kits, and online resources for teachers. The Haliburton school board offers to lend these resources to school boards in Ontario for FREE! For more information on how to borrow these books and resources, contact 1- 866-888-4577 or e-mail schoolinfo@hkpr.on.ca  Here are a few of the helpful resources that I found on their site.

BOOKS
"Exercise in Disguise for Elementary Teachers"
This book is filled with DPA activities that not only take up minimal space, but have numerous curriculum connections to subjects such as math and science.

"No Room In the Timetable" For Teachers K-8
This book acknowledges that teachers are very busy and provides sample schedules for teachers which incorporates DPA into their instructional time. It also includes DPA ideas and sample lesson plans.

KITS
Healthy Strides: A Get-Moving Program for Elementary Teachers
This kit provides math, science and language lessons that all incorporate DPA into the lesson plan.

PROPS: Peers Running Organized Play Stations (Elementary Schools)
I witnessed this being used during my practicum and it is FANTASTIC. PROPS is a student recess program which encourages children to use DPA activities out on the play ground. This program promotes leadership amongst students and reduces undesirable behavior during recess. All students of all ages and abilities can get involved!!!

ONLINE RESOURCES
Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (www.ophea.net)
Canada's Physical Activity Guide (www.paguide.com)
Activ8 (www.activ8.org)
Canadian Health and Physical Education (www.cahperd.ca)
Schools Come Alive (www.schoolscomealive.org)

Information provided by the Haliburton Health Unit

Posted by Meagan Harrington

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Jump Rope For Heart

Teachers help your students learn about heart health while getting them active! Implementing the Jump Rope for Heart fundraiser at your school is only a click away. Visit http://www.jumpropeforheart.ca/Teachers-Register.asp and click “Register your school”. Students can practice jumping at recess, during gym class and during transition time. While participating in the program, students can raise money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. They are getting themselves healthy while helping a worthy cause and they have the chance to win prizes on Jump Day! Teachers, visit the website and click on “Classroom Resources” where you will find a number of ways to incorporate skipping into your day, also this link offers curriculum links so you can incorporate heart health and jumping into your language, math, social studies and science classes!

Parents and kids can visit this website for a plethora of resources as well!

Here is an Activity you can try with young students to incorporate DPA into a language class:

For this activity, each student will be given a skipping rope and the desks will need to be moved to the side of the room. The teacher stands at the front of the room and calls out a letter, the students quickly form their skipping rope the shape of the letter on the ground, they then hop back and forth over the letter until the teacher calls out the next letter. By doing this activity, students get to practice letter formation while incorporating daily physical activity into their day!

Get Jumping!

Looking for music to jump to? Try these great, kid friendly, popular CD’s found at your local music store:

FAMILY PLAYLIST by FILM THEMES

DANCE ALONG by DISNEY

PLAYHOUSE DISNEY/ LETS DANCE by various artists

Kid's Dance Express - Kids' Dance Party CD

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL CD1 or CD2

This blog was created by: Jennifer Thomas


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"Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states."  

~Carol Welch

Posted by Meagan Harrington


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NO MORE CLASSROOM CHAIRS!!!

Large, colorful exercise balls are typically seen at the gym....however they are increasingly being spotted in the classroom! Many teachers are replacing traditional chairs in the classroom with exercise balls in order to promote students health and fitness. Not only do students love sitting on the exercise balls, but it also improves their concentration, their posture, they burn off excess energy, and there is less noise in the classroom! So go ahead and embrace this ergonomic strategy in your classroom!

 Are you wondering how to use the exercise balls in the classroom? How to store them? What rules you should have? Check out how this fourth grade classroom uses exercise balls to keep fit while learning!!

 

Posted by Meagan Harrington

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RESOURCES!!! RESOURCES!!! RESOURCES!!!

After only one practicum experience I was lucky enough to learn about all sorts of DPA resources that are out there for teachers (thanks Kim!). I researched a few more that are also available for puchase in Ontario. To find out more, click on the titles and you will be re-directed to the resource websites!

Fun With Composers

This book and CD resource will bring fun and learning to any class! I've seen firsthand how primary students dance, sing, and role-play to the classical music and lesson plans provided. What a great way to integrate the Arts with DPA! There are also resources aimed at junior grades.  

Kids into Action

Can you tell your students need a little wind-down or wind-up? Have ten minutes to spare? Ask them to stand up, find a spot in the room and pop on a Kids into Action CD. The voice on the CD leads the exercises and you can follow along with your students!  They are simple to follow and fun to do. This is a necessity in any class!!

Everybody Move

Easy to follow – the book, CD and DVD have you covered!! The DVD demonstrates the moves, the CD plays the music and the book will guide you every step of the way. 

Ophea Resources

This non-for-profit organization in Ontario provides all sorts of DPA resources! Check out the CD’s and DVD’s that are available for purchase.

Tried them? Tell us what you think!

Know of others? SHARE!

Come back to this blog to check out the updates!

Posted by: Mollie Halverson



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DPA and The Walking School Bus!

Okay everyone, this one’s for parents! Have you been wondering how you can motivate your child and set a positive example when it comes to physical activity? Implementing a Walking School Bus is a creative solution which incorporates daily physical activity into your child’s day. Not only is this a fun, and environmentally friendly way for students to get to school, but it is safe! 

What is a Walking School Bus you ask? Well it is just that- it is a group of children in the community that walk to school together with one or two adults. It is like a car pool, but without the car! It can be as easy as two families taking turns walking the children to school, or you can even request the assistance of older siblings, friends of the family etc to take turns walking the children. And of course it doesn’t just have to be walking! In the spring and summer months children can ride their bikes, their roller blades or their skateboards to school, just ensure that they are all wearing helmets and that you can keep up!

Your Walking Bus can start off small and grow as more and more parents hear about it and become interested. Discuss all of the logistics, such as ensuring that all parents know what time the buses arrive at, how often you would like the Walking Bus to operate, and whether or not it will take place before and after school.

So if you want your child to become more physically active, raise concern about the environment, as well as share valuable time with your child and neighbors in the morning, then go ahead and implement a Walking Bus in your community. What’s stopping you? Your children and your dogs will love you for it! 

Check out the following clip for more tips and safety information!

 

Posted By Meagan Harrington

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Prepping your classroom for DPA!

It is extremely important to make sure that the classroom environment is suitable for DPA to take place.

Here are some safety tips!

#1. Have an area of the classroom (perhaps a corner or middle of classroom) that is free of tables, chairs and desks. You could place a large carpet or rubber or foam puzzle mats in this area. Tape down the edges of a carpet to remove a tripping hazard. This will provide a safe, clutter-free space for students to participate in physical activity exercises. Invite students to this area when you are engaging in DPA but be sure that there is enough room for all students to have enough 'personal space'. Bringing all students together will keep them focused and provide modeling for students who are having difficulty grasping the activity. 

#2. Get your students in the habit of always tucking in their chairs every time they get up from their desks. This will not only provide more space for DPA in the classroom but also reduce the chances of students tripping on chairs that are in the way. With their chairs tucked in, students will have a safe place to do DPA right at their desks!

#3. If possible (which it very well may not be!) try to arrange desks either in rows of 4+ desks or in groups of 4-6 desks rather than individually. Again, this strategy will increase the amount of space available as well as reduce opportunities for tripping.

#4. This one is not so ‘safety’ related but it is very important! Ask students to bring a leak-proof water bottle to class. Label them with each student’s name and have a large container (Tupperware, basket, etc.) at the back of the classroom to store them. When students are engaging in physical activity they will likely need a drink afterward! Encourage students to grab a drink at any time throughout the school day. They can fill them up during breaks or recess. This strategy gives students responsibility, reduces interruptions during class time, keeps students in the classroom rather than wandering through the halls and most importantly keeps them hydrated!

Have fun!

Posted by Alison McIntyre

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Hey Teachers! Still nervous about yoga in the classroom? Get some cool tips from this class!

 

Posted by Meagan Harrington

SPOTLIGHT STUDENT ATHLETE

Introducing…

 

Our first  

 SPOTLIGHT 

              STUDENT 

                           ATHLETE...

LILY!!!

Okay, I’ll admit that my choice for our first Spotlight Student may have been a bit biased. She’s my cousin! But she’s smart, out-going, adorable, and there’s no doubt that this star gymnast deserves some recognition! I told Lil all about our blog and asked if she wouldn’t mind sitting down with me for an interview - her dedication to her sport is sure to amaze you!

I recorded our conversation and will scribe it for you know… mind you, I’ll be omitting lots and lots of giggles heard from both her and I throughout our talk! Since I had the advantage of knowing Lily’s background prior to the interview, I’ll provide you some of that info now! She’s a grade 5 student in Ottawa, Ontario and is a competitive gymnast. She’s been training since she was only two years old! Lily is a fantastic student and excels in gymnastics competitions at both city-wide and provincial levels.

(Me/Mollie, Lily)

What kind of daily physical activity did you do today?

I went skating twice with my class, and I ran outside at recess.. a lot!

So how much time would that be?

Well we went skating for two whole blocks, which are about an hour and fifteen minutes each, so about 2.5 hours, plus the running around at recess…

 

Is that a typical amount of exercise for you in a day?

Yeah because of all my gymnastics, I do four hours of it almost everyday.

How many days?

Four times a week after school, and then once on the weekend. So 20 hours a week total!

Wow! How do you find time to fit in your school work?

Well I do some when I get back from gymnastics, and then sometimes in the mornings before school, and then I have Thursday nights free and a little bit of time on Saturday and Sundays.

Do you find that being a gymnast helps you be a better student?

I think it does, just like… kind of like learning about physical education and commitment… so yeah!

Are you training for anything in particular?

Normally I train for competitions; I have about 4 to 5 a year. I do a lot of routines.

What’s your favourite event?

The floor.

What achievement are you most proud of?

I do well in competitions, and I’m proud that I’m doing all new moves that I couldn’t do when I was younger. 

What level are you at and how to do the levels work?

You have to be at level 5 to compete, and I’m at level 7. There are 12 levels – 12 would be Olympics, 9 would be Nationals… 

Is being in the Olympics a goal for you?

Ummmm.. MMMmmm…Maybeeee. Not too sure. 

Tell me about your best moves.

On bars it’s giant – do a hand stand and circle around the bar in a straight body. On floor it is a layout full twist, which is a straight body flip with a full twist, and on beam it is tic toc back hand spring.

Can you describe that one for us, please?

You go into bridge and touch your foot then kick back then do a back handspring, you like jump back on to your hands and then step down. Oh and the vault! Vault is front hand spring half, you jump on the beat board – the bouncy thing, and then your hands go on the vault and then you pop off and then you just do a half twist. 

What kind of training do you do during the four hours of practice?

We do conditioning every practice, which is push ups, sit ups, you hang on the wall bar, climb the rope, hand stand walk and more for about 45 minutes. Then we do events the rest of time. We have breaks and snack time too!

Any advice for our readers?

Always go for your dreams!

Teachers – keep an eye out for a Spotlight Student in your class! Why? Allowing student athletes to lead exercise lessons using their expertise is not only a great way to incorporate various DPA styles into the classroom, but gives students the opportunity to learn more about their classmates, show off their talents and discover new activities that they may like to get involved in.

Already thinking of one? Let us know! We encourage you to nominate Spotlight Students via email: dpablog@hotmail.ca - they might be the next star of our blog!!

Parents - Check this out! If your child is involved in an extra-curricular activity, you may be eligible for a tax credit! The following link will provide you with more info: 

Tax Credit Info

I’ll end with a quote from Lily’s dad/ my uncle/ former teacher/ former principal/ current guidance counsellor:

“I think that for kids who have some kind of outside activity, it doesn’t have to be 20 hours, more than anything it builds their self-esteem. I think that’s the biggest value that comes from extra-curricular activities… Every kid should have ‘something’…”

Posted by: Mollie Halverson 

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Welcome to the Joys of Yoga!

Hello teachers! Have you ever considered using yoga in your classroom? Well you should! Not only is yoga a wonderful way to incorporate DPA into your students day, but it also integrates multiple intelligences simultaneously. All your students need is a yoga mat (they can be found at the Dollarama for two dollars) and a water bottle. Don’t be scared teachers- even if you do not practice yoga, there are still lots of resources available to you! In Ontario, Yoga Unlimited works with teachers, offering them specialized courses on how to incorporate yoga into their classroom and school. Since yoga is one of my passions, here are some great yoga moves to get you and your students started. Enjoy!!

Step 1: Roll out the mat 

Roll out the yoga mat and don’t forget a water bottle! It is important to always stay hydrated while doing physical activity.

Step 2: Breathe

It is important to start yoga with breathing. Taking deep, and controlled breaths allows the body and muscles to warm up for some serious stretching to come. Breathe deeply in and out for five deep breaths.

Step 3: Strike a Pose

The Tree: Stand on one foot while the other is folded in like a triangle, resting on the standing calf. Have your hands on your hips or straight up. Don’t forget to breathe!

Step 4: The Chair

Sit back like you are sitting in a chair. You can have your arms up or straight out.

Step 5: The Plank

This is just like a push up. The only difference is keeping your arms tucked in by your side. Lower your body down to a hover a few inches off the ground. Hold for three to five seconds and release.

FINALE:

Lay on the mat either on your back or stomach and just breathe. This is the time to meditate and reflect on your yoga practice.

PLEASE NOTE: I am NOT a certified Yoga teacher. All the moves I have described here, I have simplified into my own words. If you need more instruction please feel free to consult these resources.

http://www.yoga4kids.org/

http://www.yogajournal.com

http://yogakids.com/

http://www.karmakidsyoga.com/

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Blogged by: Charlotte Blahut