Kindergarten through Fourth
Students in the primary grades are introduced to basic skills which develop hand-eye coordination, locomotor activities, balance, and spatial awareness. Dance, movement, and rhythm activities are an integral part of the primary grades curriculum. Students learn to work with partners in coordinated games, as well as to use manipulative which encourage motor development. The importance of healthy eating habits, good hygiene, and exercise are concepts that are introduced in the primary grades.
Following is a list of some of the activities that students in the primary grades participate in during P.E. class. This is not an exhaustive list, but is a sampling of activities, as new activities are always being introduced.
- Balance Activities
- Capture the Flag
- Eye Hand Coordination Activities
- Flag Tag
- Gaelic Football
- Hockey Relays
- Hoola Hoop Games
- Juggling
- Jump Rope Games
- Line Tag
- Mission Miles
- Music Games
- Parachute
- Soccer
- Steal the Bacon
- T-Ball
- Water Relays
Fifth through Eighth
In grades five through eight, the physical education curriculum includes discussion of the correlation between exercise and well-being. The benefits of good eating habits, balanced meals, adequate sleep and consistent physical activity are stressed as part of a well balanced lifestyle. The skills taught in grades K-4 are reinforced and refined. In addition, students are introduced to the Presidential Fitness Program. Also, students are introduced to the components of physical fitness such as cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength, flexibility, and muscle endurance. Students engage in a variety of activities which utilize these components. Good sportsmanship is reinforced through an understanding of rules and strategies. The importance of collaboration with teammates is stressed through games and other group activities. The health benefits of proper diet and good nutrition are discussed as a means of maintaining healthy body weight and strength for optimal well-being. A main objective of the physical education curriculum for grades five through eight is to develop the habit of life long physical fitness and to understand the inherent rewards of maintaining an active lifestyle.
The following is a list of some of the activities that students in the intermediate grades participate in.
As with K-4, this list is not exhaustive, but is a representative sampling of the kinds of physical education activities students are engaged in here at St. Didacus School.
- Badminton
- Basketball
- Capture the Flag
- Dodge ball
- Flag Football
- Flag Tag
- Frisbee Golf
- Hockey
- Juggling
- Kickball
- Line Tag
- Music/Dance
- Ping Pong
- Presidential Fitness Testing
- Soccer
- Softball
- Teamwork Activities
- Thwart
- Water Relays