Class of 2023
Hi crew, Ms. Jo here. How are you? I miss you! Breathe deeply - we’ve got this!
!!!!***!!!***!!! 30 Day Challengers !!!!***!!!***!!!
Robert Dendy (3rd) Emry O’Neill (5th) Jude Weidner (7th) Jade Walker-Hanning (3rd) Milo Archer
Sedona Vongetsky-Hamberlin (4th) Stella Robinson (3rd) Rye Dickens (7th) Nick Harden-Nieri (7th)
Olivia Edens (3rd) Stella Brunk (5th) Taylor Kinney (7th) Ethan Larsen (4th) Josh Newton (4th)
Gaia Clark (5th) Mary Adelyn Alday (5th)
If you want to join the crew, pick a challenge and get started.
Google image search “30 day fitness challenge” and pick one that you like. Get a partner - it helps!
RECORDS
Work on beating your own personal best and send me your numbers.
Remember, we are not trying to beat other people’s best.
Each person learns and grows at their own pace.
How many times can you jump rope in a row without stopping?
Play partner passing without dropping? Hold a plank without flopping?
Tally your sets and reps of squatting?
Mature Form of Throwing
“Crossing the midline” is an integral skill related to bilateral coordination. Bilateral skills are important because it helps the right and left sides of our brains communicate. This link that allows both sides of the body to move together in coordination to perform a wide variety of everyday tasks like reading and writing. Often times, maintaining attention and concentrating can be a challenge due to lack of communication between both sides of the brain.
Net & Wall Sports
In sixth grade, we integrate locomotor skills (side-sliding, running, jumping) with manipulative skills (striking, setting, spiking) in a net/wall unit. These sports are all inter-related: volleyball, pickle ball, badminton, tennis, ping pong, spike ball, racquetball. While many students come in to the unit with limited experience, we know that the body will adapt to the demands placed upon it. Through repetition we see our muscle memory respond to these sports.
Middle School Brain-Mapping
Our emotions change in middle school. We feel more deeply. Friendships that are supported through movement activate more dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin ~ neurotransmitters associated with motivation, bonding and self-esteem.
Ever Wonder?
One of our Habits of Scholars is curiosity and courage. If we can take the risk to ask each other about life lessons - the deeper questions - we can begin to understand one another better and learn from their decisions.
Keeping in Target Heart Rate
Here are clues that your exercise intensity is at a vigorous level:
Your breathing is deep and rapid.
You develop a sweat after only a few minutes of activity.
You can't say more than a few words without pausing for breath.
Staff Interviews
Students ask staff and faculty members about the sports they played growing up, what they still do for exercise, and advice for a middle school student trying to balance academics and self-care.
Striking (wait, I need a new pic!)
Striking with rackets can be challenging at first. Although we do not memorize all of the rules of net/wall sports (isn't that what smart watches will tell us?) we focus on the improvements and affective domain (feelings, motivation, values) associated with the games.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
Did you know that study habits that integrate exercise save time? That means less time studying and more time playing. There are ways to tap into short/long term memory recall simply by using exercise and sleep in your favor.