Westgate Welcomes Coach D!!

This Spring I will have a student teacher Ms. DiGregorio or "Coach D" from Illinois State University help out in the gym!!  Coach D is very excited to be at Westgate Elementary before she moves on to South Middle School in 8 weeks.  Coach D. also enjoys working out, movies, and playing with her black lab puppy.  During the summers she runs a day camp and enjoys working with kids!

Bowling at Westgate!!

Students just finished up our traveling bowling unit!  The equipment goes to each school and students learn the history, proper grip, stance and delivery to try and get strikes and spares.  If they do get a strike or spare, they are allowed to sign a large sheet and keep track of their progress.  The second week of bowling we did "cosmic" bowling and "wacky pins."  Cosmic bowling has laser lights and LED's while wacky pins allows students to setup the 10 lane pins in combinations like letters, numbers, or shapes!

Indiana Jones Part 1

As Indiana Jones makes his way into the temple to steal the gold statue...he notices pressure plates in the floor...he/she then has to navigate darts to make it to the gold...grab it, AND make it back!!  For "darts" we use rolling hula hoops, and a gold dodgeball for a statue...kids love trying to make it back without getting "hit."  We then did some "team" runs with 2 people at once!!

Pacer Test!!

In order to test student cardio levels during the colder months, we run the "pacer" test where kids run from line to line before a bell sounds.  If they get 2 misses - they are out.  At the end of each round, the CD speaks and tells them what their score is.  Students work on improving their score each time, and setting goals.  Some of the highest scores are:
3rd grade: Jimmy 60, Tyler 60
4th grade: Bernie 61, Ethan 85
5th Grade: Alex 82, Aidan 84, Wade 62, Ethan K. 93
Great job everyone!!  Keep up the good work!!

Fitness Stations

Recently, the kids worked in fitness stations...just like "Club K" in PE class.  Stations included jogging, weightlifting (light weights), dance, steps, exercise bands, climbing wall, jump rope and boxing.  This year I left out the fitness balls because I am working on a video to properly instruct them on use!!  More to come on that in the new year!

Basketball Skills

We worked on some basketball skills including dribbling, passing, and shooting.  Because of the wide range of abilities the baskets were lowered to heights from 7 feet to 10 feet.  Kids enjoyed playing "knockout" or "lightning" and younger kids played 4 team shootout where each team would work together to make baskets.  Remember when shooting to spring load your wrist, arm and legs...then release.