Little Bears Family Homeschool Study Notes

Physical Education

Contents

* Introduction * Themes * Literature/ Textbooks * Internet Resources * Suppliers *

Introduction

My experience of Physical Education at school was that the name 'games' was designed to poorly disguise the fact that it would be years and years of endless netball practice for girls and football practice for boys, all led by a succession of teachers who apparently didn't even like children. What a waste!

It would be our intention to introduce a wide range of games and sports, with the emphasis on fun! It would then be our hope that the children would develop an interest of their own in one or more particular sports which they could then build on. In addition, it would be our intention to study health and the body and how physical fitness should be approached safely.

It has worried me slightly that in the area of physical education, homeschooled children could be missing out because there is limited scope for team games; however, looking back on PE at school, it was really only on very rare occasions that the whole class group played games together and in that case, it might be possible to get together with other homeschoolers once a month or at the end of term for large team games. I think that, if you're willing to put some planning in, there's actually quite a lot you can achieve in home PE lessons, even in small families. Below is a list of "themes" you might like to look at covering, to start you off !

Themes

* Athletics: running, relays, obstacle races, jumping, throwing, sprinting, cross-country * Gymnastics: Locomotion, jumps, "flight", using apparatus, balance, swiming * Games: throwing & catching, tennis, rounders, volley ball, shooting & scoring, football * Outdoor: Using outside apparatus, orienteering, climbing frame, constructing a shelter, cycling * Swimming: water familiarisation, games (balls, etc.), floating & moving, leg-kick -> front crawl, breast-stroke, back-stroke, underwater: opening eyes, retrieving objects, diving through hoops, handstands, diving, swimming a width, length/ 25m, 100m, turning, survival & rescue (see Survival Skills) *

Recommendations for Literature/ Textbooks

• "Inspirations for Physical Education" by Carol Burton & Graeme Kent, published by Scholastic. Bear in mind, though, that this is written with teachers of classes in primary schools rather than homeschools. With a little bit of thought, it is possible to adapt the ideas to small family groups. It does include some useful forms, a programme planner and a list of equipment and useful resources and addresses. Look for this book in your local library.
• An Usborne Introduction: "You and Your Fitness and Health"

Suggestions would be welcome

Internet Resources

So far I have had very little success in finding sites related to physical education. It may be that I'll have to look for links by individual sports. I'd also like to find sites about health education & nutrition.

National Curriculum for Physical Education at Key Stage 1 *

The UK Schools Resource index does have a Physical Education page, but it's very limited indeed:- http://www.liv.ac.uk/~evansjon/sport/menu.html

Suppliers

GLS Dudley has a wide selection of PE equipment.

If your company is able to offer special discounts to home educating families, please e-mail me at littlebears@tesco.net

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© Sharon Mortemore
12 August, 1999