This article provides physical education teachers with a practical, sequenced Adventure Education unit they can easily integrate into a curriculum. This unit was developed for a two week (e.g., 10 days) Adventure Education camp at Hofstra University. Students in 3rd through 5th grades participated in daily adventure activities during a two-hour…

The front handspring is an important gymnastics skill that serves as a transition from beginner-level rolling and static balances to more advanced tumbling. It is, therefore, a skill highly desired by beginners. Early learning requires a great deal of effort during which students experience many failed attempts. Unless they are highly motivated,…

Constraints are characteristics of the individual, the task, or the environment that mold and shape movement choices and performances. Constraints can be positive--encouraging proficient movements or negative--discouraging movement or promoting ineffective movements. Physical educators must analyze, evaluate, and determine the effect various…

Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences (1993) identifies several ways of "learning and knowing." Among these are the logical/mathematical and linguistic intelligence--the two most validated by society and on which all standardized tests are based. Therefore, physical education specialist are facing more pressure than ever to advocate for their…

In this article, the author provides some sample strategies and assessment examples for physical educators to distinguish what is being taught and what students are learning in class. Among other things, the author suggests to use instant activities such as, "Locomotor Trail" and "Jumping Rock, Paper, Scissors" for assessments or to use peer…

Tag games have been described as "Chasing, fleeing, and dodging" type activities. Most "fleeing" activities involve dramatic play, use of movement concepts (such as quick and light), or movement changes without a partner, while many of the chasing and dodging activities utilize dodging concepts between partners or within small groups and are…

Using rubrics to assess learning outcomes has been popular in education for over a decade. Rubrics have been identified as an important tool for assessing student performance, teacher effectiveness, and quality of the programs. Teachers in different subject disciplines have successfully used rubrics to achieve educational goals. Using…

This article discusses the meaningful movement for children. In this article, the author discusses "roots" in the "physical education garden" which, when thoroughly examined, reveal tried and true insights about children and their natures. By revisiting these natures or characteristics, one will have a clearer picture of what is meaningful to…

The purpose of this article is to provide readers with several suggestions and ideas for promoting meaning and meaningfulness for middle school students in physical education based on their unique developmental characteristics. To help physical educators create movement experiences that are meaningful for middle school students, the author…

Getting children off the ground poses psychological and physical challenges that vary individually. It is important to assess the emotional and skill readiness of each class before attempting to utilize high elements in the curriculum. High elements add an increased perception of risk, which enhances student learning in the adventure education…

Physical activity is important in maintaining and improving overall health for all. Students with disabilities tend to have lower fitness levels due to the lack of participation in physical activities, therefore, progressions and modifications to physical activities are needed. Assessing the physical activity levels of students with disabilities…

Assessment is the key to developing an effective program and tracking the progress of each individual student. In turn, the pillar of assessment is collecting accurate, objective data. In this article, the authors discuss the importance of collecting accurate data on student performance in order to be accountable for the instruction and learning…

This article describes developmentally appropriate activities that can be used in large physical education classes (40+) to teach students about physical fitness concepts. Students should learn the "hows" and "whys" of being physically fit, including health- and skill-related fitness knowledge and the Principles of Training. Some activities in…

Physical educators are faced with many challenges when it comes to helping students learn movement skills, but taking time for explicit planning can overcome many of these obstacles. A simple, yet effective tool that should be part of every lesson is the instructional cue. The purpose of this article is fourfold. First, it describes what…

In this article, the author states that becoming a better physical education teacher can be challenging since it is the time for attending conferences, reading journals, and collaborating with colleagues. She added, that working at a summer camp for children provides a valuable way for physical education teachers not only to earn extra money…