Edison

Welcome to the Gym

Students are assigned "gym homes" the first day of gym class. These are specific areas on a grid that allow students to warmup or cool down in their own personal space. We have four color teams that usually have from six to eight students on each. The teams are designated red, blue, yellow, and green. Each of the walls in the gym is painted to match the color teams (Red Blue, Yellow, Green). Numbers 1 through 8 are posted on the wall to help students with spacing.

Note: This grid is set up so that teachers can look at the class from the front of the gym and have a quick way to identify students.
  • Choose one team to start at their color team wall with one hand on it while waiting for teacher signal.
  • On teacher's signal run to the remaining three walls and touch them in the station rotation (clockwise) order.
  • Return to gym homes and sit in teacher designated fashion (see below)
  • After each color team has practiced this, each team line up at the same time with a hand on their color team wall. This time all teams will run on the teacher's signal and touch each wall in succession.

Practice these skills at the beginning of each term

    Teacher Signals:

  • Gym Homes - Make a roof over your head by pointing fingers together above head.
  • Stop - Extend hand out front in stop fashion.
  • Quiet Signal - Five fingers - Count down to one. One finger in front of lips to signify quiet.
  • Teacher Talking: "I'm Talking" Teacher points to self
  • Relay Teams: Make the T signal (often used for timeouts)
  • Shuttle Relay Teams: Make the T signal with a cut motion from the bottom hand to signal team is cut half for the shuttle relay.
  • Cross Legged Sit: Cross Arms at forearms
  • Wide Sit: Arms outstretched
  • Put Balls Away: Make a Muscle - Carry ball in your arm (basketballs/playground balls make big muscles!) then, put ball away without dribbling or throwing. Time this and record how many seconds it takes for each class the first week. Practice this skill as needed.
  • Set Up and Put Away Targets: Many of our games include the use of soft foam targets (similar to foam swim noodles). Have two teams at each end of the gym. Time how long it takes to set up 20 targets on the line and have each person sitting in front of a target. Then practice how many seconds it takes to put all of the targets away and be sitting in "gym homes". Practice this skill as needed.

   Playground Activities:

   Tetherball - You are out if you:
  • Touch the pole
  • Touch the rope
  • Cross the center line
  • Rope/ball is wrapped around pole
  • Server may only serve two times, then must go to the end of the line.
Four Square
  • Underhand only
  • Lines are in
  • For Disputed call - The "judge" is the next person in line
  • Server may only serve two times, then must go to the end of the line.
Review with students any other rules that are recommended for your school playground: