Physical Education at Eaton Elementary is designed to provide learning opportunities that enhance the lives of the students. The goal is to make Physical Education fun and exciting for the students while, at the same time, teaching aspects of basic movement, creativity, good sportsmanship, healthy living and sport skills.
Kindergarten students are coming into a very different environment than they have known previously. They are met with challenges and opportunities that are both frightening and exciting at the same time. The kindergarten program must begin with a gentle push into participating in large groups and learning how to take turns. They become fearless over the course of a year and meet every challenge with enthusiasm. They learn the right way to gallop and skip. They tame the dreaded jump rope and become masters of throwing and catching and kicking. Movement activities teach different ways to get around other than walking and running. Tag games encourage them to watch where they are going as well as where the "its" are.
First and second grades participate in basic motor movement activities to enhance their ability to move with confidence. Some of the movements included are: galloping, skipping, hopping, jumping, running, throwing, catching, chasing, bouncing and kicking. All of those movements will be used throughout the Physical Education experience from now through high school.
Third grade is a special age of transition from lower elementary to upper elementary and the activities included are a blend of both levels. Many of the activities are the same as in the lower grades but with higher expectations of performance. Game strategies are introduced to help the students see that there is more to playing a game than just the physical actions. Teamwork and sportsmanship are emphasized more at this level to help develop a sense of cooperation and fair play.
Fourth and fifth grades are faced with actual sports activities. They learn more of the rules of each sport and some of the strategies to help them have success in it. We cover: football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, kickball, and other related activities.
The curriculum flows from lower elementary lead-up games and activities to upper elementary sports games and contests.