TIGER P.R.I.D.

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REFLECTION JOURNALS

UNIT 2: MOVEMENT CONCEPTS
OVERVIEW:
The content for this week was on movement concepts to a class of 23 third
graders that took place outdoors on the blacktop area. On Tuesday the lesson, was playing
a game called Polyspot Driving1, which required 1 red and 1 green star shaped polyspot
and 24 circled shaped polyspots. On Thursday the lesson, was playing a game called
Mathematical Stations2, which required 23 polyspots, 8 scarves, 10 beanbags, 6 star
shaped polyspots, 6 arrow shaped polyspots, and 8 dome cones.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Psychomotor: SWBAT demonstrate locomotor skills such as, running and walking with
95% accuracy of differentiating each other. SWBAT perform movement concepts:
skipping, galloping, leaping, jumping, hopping, balance, stretching with 95% accuracy.
Cognitive: SWBAT communicate whether they are passing from their fellow students
left or right side with 95% accuracy. SWAT solve mathematical equations, to determine
how many times they need to do the activity on the card they are stationed at, 8 out of 10
times with accuracy.
Affective: SWBAT demonstrate teamwork and positive attitudes by displaying either:
high fives, encouragement, positive communication, and encouraging a safe learning
environment. SWBAT demonstrate teamwork and positive attitudes by displaying either:
high fives, encouragement, positive communication, and encouraging a safe learning
environment.
Health-Related Fitness: SWBAT recognize the physiological responses to exercise and
will be engaged in MVPA for at least 50% of the lesson. SWBAT recognize the
physiological responses to exercise and will be engaged in MVPA for at least 50% of the
lesson.
Over the course of the week the students learned different movement concepts,
some familiar and some new. A few improvements that could have been implemented
1

Polyspot Driving. PE Central. (February 17, 2015). http://www.pecentral.org

Mathematical Stations. PE Central. (February 19, 2015). http://www.pecentral.org

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into my lessons were the student-teacher demonstrations on Tuesday and Thursday. The
students had a difficult time, on Tuesday, trying to inform the person in front of them of
whether they were going to pass them on their right or left. I think this was mostly the
cause of the students inability to identify their left from their right. As for Thursday, the
students had a more difficult time trying to recognize the newer movement concepts such
as: leaping and differentiating jumping and hopping. Perhaps doing a complete run
through of both lessons could have minimized the amount of confusion.
CREATING A QUALITY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT:
A)
1. Improving motor skill performance:
The lesson plan Tuesday provided the students with the opportunity to
improve their movement concepts that were previously known. The lesson
plan on Thursday provide the students with the opportunity to improve their
movement concepts, both perviously known and recently presented.
2. Being appropriate for the experiential level of all students:
The lesson plans for the week were appropriate to 3rd grade. The activities
were simple in their approach and the moment concepts that were
presented to the students. Even the mathematical equations on Thursday
were beginning 3rd grade level review questions (simple single digit
addition equations).
3. Providing maximum practice time for all students:
The lesson plan provided the students with the opportunity to be in activity
for 50% of the lesson. On Tuesday, the students were required pretend
they were driving vehicles and needed to pass the people in front of them
by either walking or running in one direction or another.
On Thursday, the students were required to solve mathematical equations
at each station (8 stations). By completely mathematical equation of the
backside of a flashcard would give them their repetition number. the
movement concept they would complete was on the frontside of the
flashcard.
The tasks took up more than half of the lesson, which allowed the students
more practice time with various motor skills.
4. Integrating learning domains:
Psychomotor: The students were effective in demonstrating their ability
to perform the movement concepts requested. Although at moments they
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became were confused by some of the newer concepts they needed

clarification and a demonstration.
Cognitive: The students were unable to communicate either direction on
Tuesday but on Thursday they were able to solve the mathematical
equations for their number of repetitions.
Affective: The students expressed many different facial expressions and
encouragement towards their peers by participating in the lesson. Overall
I believe they enjoyed themselves.
B)
Systematic Observations (no data received)
C)
Creating opportunities to practice at higher levels was unfortunately not given. All the
students had the same task to complete several times. Improvements could have be
adjusted in this area, giving the students a chance to practice at higher level in either their
movement concepts or their mathematical equations.
D)
As perviously stated, no opportunities were offered to practice at higher levels for the
students. Pre-planning should have been included before the beginning of the lesson to
allow the students more opportunities for success.
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES IN PEDAGOGY SKILL SET:
My movement, as the teacher, began in front of the students both on Tuesday and
on Thursday. My perimeter did not consist of much on either day. I remained in a simple
area, walking back and forth. Along with this no specific COTS were given for this
weeks lessons except for the clarity on the difference between jumping verses hopping
and what leaping was on Thursday.
I believe the instructions, based on the students reactions, were unclear. On
Tuesday the students we unsure of where to go after the were released to the activity.
Many of the students didnt know which direction to follow or whether they were running
or walking. Same thing followed when they were given the activity on Thursday. The
students were able to solve the mathematical equations given but at times were unclear on
how to perform a certain movement concept and proceeded to ask the teacher.

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All the instructions were given to the students in the same manner: visible area,
clear ability to hear, and with a quick demonstration while they all sat down on Home
Base.
Feedback given to the students, was either for those who performed the task
correctly or incorrectly. Those who participated in the task and did the requested
movement concepts in the directions they were asked or the number of repetitions
answered were praised with positive feedback. Those who were not performing the
movement concepts requested or going in the wrong direction or solving the equations
correctly were re-informed of the instructions or assisted in their problem solving. At
times, there were some students who were either doing to the task correctly or incorrectly
who did slip my vision and missed my feedback.
As stated earlier, the demonstrations were brief and only the crucial portions of
the task were given such as a dry run through of the tasks and an example of a
mathematical equation. To my amazement, the demonstrations and instructions needed to
be restated and simplified there were still students who didnt follow or understand the
tasks.
At the beginning of the lessons, the equipment was pre-arranged. At the end of the
lessons, the equipment was collected and placed back into their bags by the students and
the teacher.
Dealing with disruptive students was a challenge because majority of the students
were being talkative towards other students and sometimes even purposefully disruptive
for attention. First warning was verbal. Second warning was having the disruptive student
sit out of the task for a short period. The third warning was sending the disruptive student
inside to the After School Program. I managed to continue my enthusiasm after handling
the disruptive students to refocus the students attention back on the lesson rather than the
student who was being a distraction
One of the teaching skills I believed to have done well was managing my class
and not allowing those disruptive students to take control over the entire class. Another
teaching skill I believe I did well was communicating with the students and encouraging
them to have fun and enjoy themselves. And lastly I believe adding in integrated skills
helped them to understand their math and the difference between their left from the right.
Some aspects that could have been improved on were the pre-planning on instructions,
the clarity on demonstrations, and explaining the purpose of the lesson for the day better
for the students to comprehend.

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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEXT SESSION:

Some strategies I plan to improve on and implement for the next week are my
instructions, my demonstrations, and my increase in activity levels, even though I have
no data provided to prove or disprove their activity levels for this week.
Going into next week the students will continue to learn about movement
concepts.

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